Adoption - early part of 20th C

[fastfreddie]

I have a family member that was adopted at only a few days old - in 1919.  The baby was born in Belfast although she came to live with the family in Co Armagh. 
The mother had died during childbirth and I am sure I remember my Dad telling me that the baby was related to our family - possibly explaining why the adoption was agreed quite quickly.

I would like to find some more info about the birth-family - does anyone have thoughts about how I track down some data surrounding an adoption or even what the rules and regulations were at that time?

[aghadowey]

I think this is before the start of official adoption produres but if I'm mistaken hopefully someone will be able to provide an exact date.
Most adoptions were informal arrangements between relatives or friends but only occasionally, I think, was someone like a solicitor involved.

[fastfreddie]

I don't know if a solicitor was involved.
The way my dad told me the history it did not sound as if it was very formal - he said his dad just decided that it was the right thing to do, and did it...
But I cannot be certain that his telling of events was really the way it happened
Hmmm - don't know very much, do I?

Dermot

[RJ_Paton]

In England adoption was (as we know it today) was formalised in 1927 (The relevant Act was passed in 1926) and in Scotland 1930. Northern Ireland may have used the English legislation in full at the same time or would certainly have been within a couple of years of it as was the case for Scotland.

Prior to this formalisation many adoptions were dealt with very informally by adoption within the extended family and your quote "he said his dad just decided that it was the right thing to do, and did it..." sounds about right.

No records were kept in respect of these "adoptions" and the adoption would often have been arranged relatively quickly  to prevent the intrusion of the authorities into what was seen as a family matter.

[fastfreddie]

Falkyrn

Thank-you for your backgroung info on this one.  Even knowing what I am not likely to find is really important and a big help to me - I will just have to redesign my Search accordingly!

Thanks again
Dermot

 

[fifer1947]

This is an excellent site which explains the difficulties faced by Ireland re adoption law. 

It should be noted that in Eire legal adoption laws did not come into effect until 1952.

http://www.adoptionloss.ie/submission.htm

Hope that helps 

[scotmum]

Having checked it out previously, I can confirm it was 1929 when Adoptions became 'legal' in Northern Ireland, albeit I have come across earlier instances, such as 1901 Census, where additional children in a household, each of different surnames to the head, were noted as 'adopted'. I assume this was under one of the earlier types of recognised methods...eg....via a church or suchlike (see here for example  http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Larne/Mill_Brae/996163/)

Some info at:

 http://www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk/search/righttosearch/lawbasics.htm

[Sean T Traynor]

If the original birth certificate has been marked adopted, then the adoption would be deemed a "legal Adoption", and both birth certificates would be available from Groni in the normal application process, one from the birth registers, and one from the "adopted childrens register" which was compiled in 1948 but included adoptions from 1922.

The other route would be to aquire baptismal records, i have one marked " adopted son of" but a through search has not revealed a legal adoption, and that was as recent as the thirties. So like all events, some adoptions were only assumed to have taken place.

[fastfreddie]

Sean

thank-you for the guidance.
Strangely, I had not even thought to obtain the Birth Certificate - only because I felt that it would not tell me anything of value and my solution would lie elsewhere.