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  • Help with finding a birth certificate for an adoptee

    Hello,

    This does relate to a living person, so I’ll try not to breach any privacy rules.

    I’ve been trying to locate the birth certificate for my grandma, who was adopted age 9 months, in Wiltshire. I have ordered two possible certificates - neither were her.

    The adoption certificate states her date of birth (in June 1942) and her name as Jennifer Anne. She believes her biological mother’s name was Beaumont. She knows nothing of her biological father.

    There is no Jennifer A. Beaumont born in 1942, and although there is an illegitimate child named Jennifer Beaumont, she was born in September 1942. There was also an illegitimate child named Brenda Beaumont, but that was not my grandma either.

    I’d appreciate any help looking around. It’s possible my grandma has the surname confused with something similar, like Beaufort for example. I also don’t know if her name was changed before the adoption perhaps. It appears that she was probably born to an unwed mother, although I’m not entirely sure.

    I don’t want to put my grandma to all the trouble of applying for all the records. If anyone could give me a few suggestions of births that could be her based off of what I’ve said here, that would be great. I have recently come into a bit of money, so I don’t mind buying up a few.

    I’d appreciate any help!

    Adam

  • #2
    Is that illegitimate cert. one of the two you have already purchased?
    If not, your Gran could well be the one registered in September as J B. Remember that the Sep part of the birth index is only telling you that the registration took place in the September or 3rd quarter of the year. This covers births registered in July, August and September. For a child born in June that would be the likely quarter unless the birth was early in June and/or the mother was very quick off the mark in registering a birth that took place nearer the end of June.
    Last edited by GallowayLass; 02-05-19, 14:19.

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    • #3
      Apart from the illegitimate one born in Huddersfield there are two more J B born in 1942 both of them in Yorkshire, same county as the illegitimate one. One in July and one in October. Have you checked those?

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      • #4
        I have ordered:

        Brenda Beaumont, born in Spen Valley Apr-May-Jun (illegitimate)
        Jennifer Beaumont, born in Huddersfield Jul-Aug-Sep (illegitimate)

        I’ll check the Jennifer Beaumont born in July! There’s a chance it could be her, as most of my grandparents were registered within a month of their birth, so it’s possible. Thanks! I think the October birth is a little too late.

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        • #5
          Wouldn't the July Birth be Sep registration? and the October one December Registration?
          Does she know the date of her Birth ?
          Last edited by Guest; 02-05-19, 15:23.

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          • #6
            Yes, that’s right. She was born in the first week of June, as is stated on her adoption certificate. I’ve sent off for the one in Upper Agbrigg District in Jul-Aug-Sep 1942 (mother’s maiden name Eastwood) as well as the one in Oct-Nov-Dec 1942 for Jennifer A. Beaumont in Hereford, although I doubt that’s her as the birth would’ve been registered very late.

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            • #7
              Don't discount that the mother could have been a married woman with the maiden name of Beaumont or variation. 1942 was during WW2, lots of relationships in turmoil and one night stands resulting in pregnancies. This happened in my friend's case - she was the result of a fling between a married woman and a US airman, who was named on the birth cert. The BC also had the married surname and maiden name of the mother. When a couple of months old, friend was placed in a children's home in another part of the country and eventually adopted at the age of 18 months in yet another authority. By the time I became involved, friend had already procured a copy of her BC through Social Services.
              Janet in Yorkshire



              Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

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              • #8
                Don't want to put a downer on things but it seems unlikely she was given the name Jennifer at birth. Most adopters change the child's forename unless it's an in family adoption.

                OC

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                • #9
                  I did consider the married woman hypothesis. That’s a difficult one to look for. If these two are discounted when they arrive, I’ll have to look into possibilities of that.

                  I did consider that the forename had been changed. I did look at Brenda Beaumont who was born around the same time, and to a single mother, but that turned out not to be her. Thankfully there weren’t many illegitimate children born with the surname Beaumont that year. But yes, she might have been born legitimate with a different name.

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                  • #10
                    She should start by obtaining a copy of her adoption papers - they will information about her mother , and possibly the father too. Contact the adoptions services team at her local authority for advice or through GRO :


                    Application form to get your birth certificate information from before your adoption, if you live in the UK.
                    Retired professional researcher, and ex- deputy registrar, now based in Worcestershire. Happy to give any help or advice I can ( especially on matters of civil registration) - contact via PM or my website www.chalfontresearch.co.uk
                    Follow me on Twittter @ChalfontR

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                    • #11
                      have pmd you

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                      • #12
                        You will only know if you could be on the right lines if you receive a BC with "adopted" added to it.
                        My friend and I could only trace her birth relatives because she had previously had counselling and received a copy of her birth certificate. Her two forenames had been changed at adoption.
                        Our search revealed that the birth mother had died, her husband had been killed in the war and we think the birth father had probably returned to the US at the end of the war. That all helped friend make the decision to contact a widowed sister-in-law of the birth mother (we would not be stepping into the lives of, and causing possible upset, for any immediate birth family member) who we tracked through electoral rolls. Aunty knew all about the baby, was willing to meet friend, produced a photo of deceased birth Mum and was able to pass on significant medical information. It was a satisfactory ending, rather than the hope of new beginnings.
                        No way could we have done it without the BC, especially as both forenames had been changed on adoption.
                        Janet in Yorkshire



                        Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

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                        • #13
                          Yes, I may well have to ask my grandma. I’ve read the forms, and it includes having to meet some official. I wouldn’t like to put her to too much trouble, so if my ordered certificates prove not to be her, I’ll leave it for a good while until she is deceased (not anytime soon, Godwilling).

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                          • #14
                            An adopted person has to have a meeting (it used to be called counselling, but that put a lot of people off, so they changed it). The meeting with a social worker is to determine the attitude of the adoptee and what they might be likely to do with any information. The birth parent(s) have an absolute right to anonimity, don't forget.

                            Forgive me if I am wrong, but I am picking up the fact that your grandmother does not know you are doing this and if not, perhaps you should tell her.

                            OC

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                            • #15
                              Thanks for that information. It makes sense. My grandma doesn’t know. She’s pretty apathetic towards the idea, having neither expressed opposition or interest. She had a happy childhood with her adoptive parents (whom I have researched thoroughly) and for her that was enough. My brother mentioned to her having a DNA test for the fun of it, and she seemed interested in that prospect, having heard some rumour of gypsy heritage. I think I shall tell her of my intentions also.

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                              • #16
                                Originally posted by AdamMcGregor View Post
                                Thanks for that information. It makes sense. My grandma doesn’t know. She’s pretty apathetic towards the idea, having neither expressed opposition or interest. She had a happy childhood with her adoptive parents (whom I have researched thoroughly) and for her that was enough. My brother mentioned to her having a DNA test for the fun of it, and she seemed interested in that prospect, having heard some rumour of gypsy heritage. I think I shall tell her of my intentions also.
                                The only person legally entitled to have access to the information in the adoption file (which includes the birth identity) is the adoptee him/herself, it is not made available to a member of their family.
                                There are some adoptees who have not wanted to know about their origins - that is their choice and should be respected.

                                Jay
                                Janet in Yorkshire



                                Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Originally posted by Janet in Yorkshire View Post
                                  The only person legally entitled to have access to the information in the adoption file (which includes the birth identity) is the adoptee him/herself, it is not made available to a member of their family.
                                  There are some adoptees who have not wanted to know about their origins - that is their choice and should be respected.
                                  That hasn't been the case since 2015. People with a "prescribed relationship" to an adopted person also have the right to apply.

                                  Retired professional researcher, and ex- deputy registrar, now based in Worcestershire. Happy to give any help or advice I can ( especially on matters of civil registration) - contact via PM or my website www.chalfontresearch.co.uk
                                  Follow me on Twittter @ChalfontR

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Originally posted by AntonyM View Post
                                    That hasn't been the case since 2015. People with a "prescribed relationship" to an adopted person also have the right to apply.

                                    http://www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.../newaccess.htm
                                    Not in Scotland they don’t. Holyrood did not update access law. Not sure about Northern Ireland. Our friend and his family all have the same health issues which are now appearing in the current generation. There was no history of such in their mother’s side and their father was adopted. They really want to know more for medical reasons but can’t. Both parents are dead.

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                                    • #19
                                      Originally posted by GallowayLass View Post
                                      Not in Scotland they don’t. Holyrood did not update access law. Not sure about Northern Ireland. Our friend and his family all have the same health issues which are now appearing in the current generation. There was no history of such in their mother’s side and their father was adopted. They really want to know more for medical reasons but can’t. Both parents are dead.
                                      That's a shame ... as I understand it, accessing info on medical history and potentially inherited conditions was one of the main reasons the law (in E/W) was changed. For that reason, relatives can sometimes apply even if the adopted person is still alive and doesn't want to.
                                      Last edited by AntonyM; 03-05-19, 08:29.
                                      Retired professional researcher, and ex- deputy registrar, now based in Worcestershire. Happy to give any help or advice I can ( especially on matters of civil registration) - contact via PM or my website www.chalfontresearch.co.uk
                                      Follow me on Twittter @ChalfontR

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        I should speak to your grandmother and tell her about wanting to find where you come from and involve her if she's interested.

                                        It is important to get access to the adoption file even though it could well contain a few inaccuracies - as it could also give a completely different scenario to what your grandmother thinks she knows. My adoptive parents told me what they thought was true but on accessing my file I found that my bm wasn't a Scottish nurse they'd been told by the adoption agency.. Didn't help either that my bm told a number of porkies too.



                                        Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,

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