Find Ancestors

I am 56 years old and needed to get hold of my birth certificate the for release of pension monies. Both my parents have long since passed away and as couldn't find a certificate, applied on line. I got a reply after about 2 weeks saying that I could not be traced. Last thursday 2nd July I contacted one of my cousins who was close to my mother. The question I asked was" was I adopted". I explained why I needed to know and you can imagine that I was pretty stunned when she said that I was, Just before my mother died in 1997 she gave my cousin the original copies of my adoption records and letters saying that she didn't want me to find them. I now have these documents in my possession.
I feel very strange at the moment, it is as if I don't know who I am.
I have not got very far in tracing my natural mother and wondered whether there are any "experts" out there who can help me find out a bit more. The informatiomn I have is as follows:-
My name at birth was John Butler, I was born in Cardiff, Wales on 18th February 1953 and from my adoption certificate my mother's name was Frances Louise Butler of 53 Deere Road, Ely Cardiff. My adopted name is Michael John Way (certificate dated 24/2/1954).
I have found some records but dont really know whether I am on the right track or whether these a the right people, What I have found so far is:-

Birth of John Butler in Cardiff 1953 (feb) Volume 8B Page 202
Birth of Frances Louise Butler in Bromley 1931 (Apr-June) Volume 2A page 1092.
Marriage Frances L Butler to Dawson in Wallasey 1962 Vol 10A page 1465.

I had a really happy childhood, It seems that I was very young when I was adopted and the only life I can remember relates to my mum and dad who adopted me, Dennis and Megan Way. I wish I could have told them that they didn't have to worry about my feelings, I was the lucky one, but it's all to late now and I am left with questions which I feel I must have answered.

Thank you for reading this.
Mike Way

Hi there Mike - your head must be all over the place!!! I live in Cardiff and although there are no Butlers in Ely in the present telephone directory I do have the 1970 Kelly's Directory of Cardiff and there is a James Butler living at that address then. Not that this is much help I suppose, presumably he was your mother's father - are you still living in Cardiff?

just thinking - if your adoption was done through Social Services they would surely have more information for you

Hi Mike,

There is a website ran by Joan Allan called "My Folks", here is the url;

http://www.myfolks.co.uk/

I beleive they help to trace birth parents (think there is a fee involved??), I also think there are message boards you can post on, often birth parents looking for adopted children.

Hi Mike, have pmd you. (LP).F.