Foundlings birth records

[Skaife]

I am not quite sure where to put this on the board, so please move if necessary.

I understand that foundling births will not have a birth certificate containing the details as we know them. I have read though, that there is a record of babies, without a parents name, which is recorded after the letter Z in the birth records.
Is it possible to look at these records? The time period is 1920/1930's.

[AntonyMMM]

The separate registration of foundlings (in E/W) didn't start until the 1970s ( The Abandoned Children Register). Before that they can appear in the usual birth indexes, but in a number of ways.

You could try searching for the surname "unknown" which will produce quite a few entries in that sort of era ( but not all of which may be foundlings though).

I also have a number of examples of foundlings being registered in 1927 with surnames ( using the name of the street in which they were found), but not until they were 11/12 years old and although they were found in London, they were registered in the Essex district in which they were then living in a children's home.

[Skaife]

Thankyou. I will try looking for surname unknown - an new idea to me.

[Doreen Peacock]

Are you meaning Foundlings found left to be found by the general public.

OR

Foundlings brought up in the Thomas Coram Foundling Hospital?

They are totally different ways of them being recorded.

[Pennines]

Where was your Foundling discovered please?

I have a Foundling in my ancestry - although much earlier than yours. He was taken to the London Foundling Hospital and was baptised there. At that time (1750s) - even if they had a name when handed over - their name was changed at the hospital.

In my case I was able to obtain his records from the London Metropolitan Archives. (Very interesting they were too).

Suspect things were different at the time your Foundling was 'taken in' and it will depend upon where of course.

[Skaife]

The baby in the birth I am trying to locate was, we were told, left to be found. So not connected to the Coram hospital. Thanks for the suggestion though.

The baby, in my search,  was said to be found in a hotel and had been left safe and warm.

Using the term 'unknown' in the space for surname did reveal a child with a girls' Christian name. I've made a note of the details and may send for the certificate to see if it gives any more clues.

This is because I've now found a birth entry, on Free BMD,  which shows the surname I would expect - however, this is as a married surname ( there is an unfamiliar surname given as maiden name). This entry though has the term 'Occasional Copy B' added. I know this is something to do with a correction of an of an earlier entry. I have now sent for this certificate and so will hold on the first find until I see what this one has to say.

[Doreen Peacock]

When you see the certificate......if there is anything you aren't certain about, I would be ringing Registrars to see if they can explain fully who, what, why, where, when, how, and who........keep probling to see if you are given any type of clue that you may not be usually be expected to be told.

Contact more than one, you may get lucky....

Be a little like the police when questioning... A. B. C.    Assume Nothing;   Believe  No one and            Check everything.....Then double and triple check.     

True foundlings could be very hard to impossible to trace years ago. It's only since D.N.A. became available to the masses that things improved.

LONG LOST FAMILY HAVE A SPECIALIST ATTACHED TO THE PROGRAMME ARIEL........ (?) SURNAME ESCAPES ME AT PRESENT, BUT CHECK LISTING....SHE WORKS FROM WARWICK UNIVERSITY.
it could be in your interests to contact her by email. I've contacted her in the past and she was quite helpful- but under a heavy workload.

Good luck with your research. Contact me if you think we may be able to have a mini think tank event and search outside the box for other avenues to explore. Cheers.   Doreen PEACOCK.

[Skaife]

Thanks for your suggestions GP. I’ll wait until the certificate arrives and see what it reveals. I’ll post again if there is anything unusual.