Adoption papers

[sigma]

I have found out from the 1901 census that my Gt.Grandfather had an adopted son. Would the adoption papers be available or is there any means I can find out more about the son.

[dotty.]

Hi sigma, prior to 1928 there wasn't a national record of adoptions kept. Most adoptions prior to 1928 were carried out by private organisations like charities or children's charities. Alot earlier than that the Parish would arrange places for orphaned or abandoned children within it's Parish boundaries, these children could well be placed with trademen or farmers as apprentices. In 1901, it's probablr that the child was taken in from neighbours or other relatives but it may not be the case that the child's name was changed. Do you have much detail from the census? It might not be a great problem tracing the child's birth parent(s) if it was a small community. Could the child have been a relative? Older daughter's illegitimate child is the usual.

[sigma]

Thanks Dotty. Got it slightly wrong. He was Richard Butler Brewster b1901 fostered according to the 1911 census.
Fostered by William Cox b1847 Much Wenlock (Bank Wenlock)

[dotty.]

Richard was born Q3 1900 and died in 1923 his parents were George and Mary Brewster of Claverley Shropshire, George Brewster married mary pickstock 1886, George's parents were George Brewster and Jane Charlotte Price married Q3 1859, so where the Butler comes in must be on his mother's side I guess.

[sigma]

Many thanks Dotty.
Where did you find out about his parents and grandparents.

[dotty.]

he's with them on the 1901 census and then I checked his father and mother back through the GRO marriages and the census returns.

[dotty.]

Mary Pickstock was the daughter of John and Mary Pickstock nee Parry of Meiford \Montgomeryshire and so no Cox connection there

[dotty.]

it's fascinating me where the connection is between the Cox family and Richard, have you ever looked at the Welsbury side of the family?

[dotty.]

mmmm a tree on ancestry seems to have George not marrying mary pickstock which is confusing, I've found the marriage which is odd.

[sigma]

There doesn't appear to be any connection between the two families only in the fact that William fostered Richard.

[sigma]

I'd looked for information on the IGI and Free BMD and found nothing, they are obviously incomplete. You found out a lot on the GRO. Is it on Ancestry.