Pauline Richards

[dramadoc]

I am new to this group, so please excuse any errors in protocol.
I wonder if any members have suggestions on how to locate birth family details of someone who was adopted prior to formal records being kept.
My Mother - birth name Pauline Richards, was born in Stockwell in 1922. Her Father, Henry Richards, was a milk roundsman and her mother was Martha (ne. Evans). We have a copy of her birth certificate which she must have acquired when she joined the WRAF in 1939. She was adopted shortly after birth. We have been unable to locate any details about her family. We had been told that she had a sister (but we have no proof of this).
I have consulted the 1921 census, but there is no record of a Richards family living at the address that appears on her birth certificate.
We know that she served during WW2 in the Women's Royal Air Force, and that she was stationed at Scapa Flow for a time. Unfortunately, her service records no longer exist.
She was born in the Clapham Maternity Hospital, and I recently checked with the London Metropolitan Archives to see if any birth records exist for this period - unfortunately, there is nothing.
I have completely run out of ideas, and I just wondered if anyone has researched a similar situation, and might have any suggestions of how I might proceed.
Thanks in advance.

[Milliepede]

Hi and welcome

Just to clarify were Henry Richards and Martha Evans her birth parents and those are the people you are looking for more information about?

Free BMD index is a good place to start.  You can search for a marriage between those two people and  also search births ** for any other possible children to that couple. 

** there are 4 births registered in Lambeth district with fathers surname Richards mothers name Evans.  One is Pauline.  The others are born 1927 - 1928 - 1931 so could still be alive.

We cannot publish names of possible living persons here. 
Keep in mind they may not all belong to the same couple as Richards and Evans are common names.

[MonicaL]

I have consulted the 1921 census, but there is no record of a Richards family living at the address that appears on her birth certificate.

Have you searched the electoral rolls to see who was living at that address in those relevant years?

Monica

PS: Welcome to RootsChat from me too 

[MonicaL]

Just one thing I notice. Odd that there is a further birth with the same details as your mum's in 1933 

Monica

[PaulineJ]

Can you search the 1921 for the father's name and use his occupation as a keyword?

[CaroleW]

Did Pauline marry as Richards or under her adoptive surname?  Did she name Henry Richards as her father on her marriage cert or was it her adoptive fathers name?

Is she on the 1939 register?

[CaroleW]

The 1927 Richards/ Evans birth was Douglas b 20.2.1927 died 6.2.2018 Dartford Kent.  1939 entry does not support same parents as Pauline but there are 5 redacted entries

There is a 1926 marriage in Marylebone - George S Richards/ Dorothy M Evans  She was Dorothy May died 1990 Maidstone

On Pauline's birth cert - does it show Martha as "Martha Richards nee Evans"  or does it say Martha Evans

[Rosinish]

My Mother - Pauline Richards, was born in Stockwell in 1922. Her Father, Henry Richards, was a milk roundsman and her mother was Martha (ne. Evans). We have a copy of her birth certificate . She was adopted shortly after birth. We have been unable to locate any details about her family. We had been told that she had a sister (but we have no proof of this).
I have consulted the 1921 census, but there is no record of a Richards family living at the address that appears on her birth certificate.

She was born in the Clapham Maternity Hospital
I have completely run out of ideas, and I just wondered if anyone has researched a similar situation, and might have any suggestions of how I might proceed.

Have you checked out the people who were at that address in 1921, they may have been relatives/friends or a connection to the future adoptive parents or it may have been a temporary address prior to the birth & prior to the census?

How far is Clapham Maternity Hospital from the address given?

Annie