hi bellababy,
as you may know, the adopted person can search for a birth mother. You have a name, has the adopted person got an adoption cert. If so then the court involved will be shown.
I suggest that an enquiry is made in writing to the family court for that area, including when and where the adoption took place, and names of all involved.
if the adoption was in the Gateshead area then the records are likely to be held by Tyne Wear archives in Newcastle, but I think that only the court officers can request them.
If the court can locate the papers then they may send them to the adopted person. I have heard that the amount of info varies.
there is only a very slim chance that the birth mother is still alive but there is the possibility that using her name you can find a marriage and any subsequent births from that marriage.
hope this is helpful, good luck with the search
