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Hi all,

I really need your assistance please due to the above name being so difficult to find, this lady had a baby boy adopted in 1968, I know that she was unmarried and I'm guessing only young also, please see below:

Name Michael Robert Smith
Year of Registration 1968
Quarter of Registration Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration District Durham Western
Registration County Durham
Mother's maiden name Smith
Volume Number 1A
Volume Page 659

There are a couple of possible births for her coming up along with possible marriages (if indeed she never left the area) how can I ascertain which is the correct one in order to continue my search?

All advice and assistance will be greatly appreciated.

AM

It would be almost impossible with such a common name. If you had Michael's birth certificate it may have an address on it which could help in finding the correct birth for Susan (you would have to buy any possible birth certificates to check them all, but I don't think you will be able to obtain a copy of the birth certificate unless you know all the details on it as it is less than 50 years since the birth.

Kath. x

Kath

Thank you that's the problem I have, the name Smith, Susan Smith at that! x

Have you done as suggested and got the birth cert in order to check out the address as suggested by Kath? I am almost sure that you can get certs less than 50 years old as long as you do NOT use the reference number, bizarre as it sounds.
However, you do not say if Michael has his full adoption records. If not he needs to apply for them. There might be an address on there, plus other useful information. And he should put his name on the National Adoption Register in case his birth family are looking for him.
Jan

Not sure when it was introduced on the index but,

If you look at the birth on the actual index, If the entry has a hand written note at the side where the page number is eg. S/2468 then it would indicate a change to the entry so possibly an adoption and the GRO can only release the cert to the child in question

Roy

Roy,

Your example S/2468? Does the S indicate an adoption? I shall advise him to apply for his adoption records and hopefully go from there.
Thank you.

AM

I have no idea what the S indicates, but i have noticed that all the births on the index that i have seen with such references have turned out to be adoptions

Roy

Roy,

Thank you, very interesting! However, we do know for sure that he was most definately adopted. It is proving very difficult due to the name locating this lady.

AM

Anne-Marie, As i said in my first post above, Not sure when it was introduced on the index

I have a friend born 1960 who has his birth name and on the index their is no sign that he was adopted but the word adopted was written on the actual cert,

It all depends when the adoption took place?

And if the index was amended, like any other records their can be human errors

Have you actually viewed the actual image on the index or are you looking at the transcription?


Roy

I note that your post with birth details looks like it came from Ancestry?

did you check the image?

I also note that on looking at the Durham online site for bmd he is missing from their search and was wondering if they leave adopted people off their online index?

http://nd.durham.gov.uk/gro/newgro.nsf/search?open&C0326955070407042009$

Roy

Hi Roy,

No the transcription actually came from here but we know this to be 100 per cent correct, my partner remembers seeing his original birth certificate a while ago but unfortunately cannot locate it now. I too was adopted and as you have stated my original birth certificate does show adopted on the certificate and mine took place Durham Eastern.

Kind Regards


AM

The S indicates an amendment to the original entry. Not all adopted people have this next to their name , it seems to be a bit hit and miss.
Roy you can sometimes order the cert even though this amendment is next to it I ordered my sisters.
It is worth obtaining a copy of your original birth cert, as this will give the BM's address at the time of the birth, and sometimes but rarely the name of the Father, it may also indicate if she has a middle name to help in your search, and it will give her occupation, which sometimes ties up with any possible marriage certs you may obtain.

Surely it is best to get access to adoption records? There might be more information on there I would think.
Jan

In my own personal experience, my adoption file was extremely thin and told me zilch! My original birth certificate did tell me my birth mothers name (and middle name) address and occupation. The problem was that the address had been demolished along with the hospital! It still gave me something to go on though which is what my partner will need to do send off for another copy and take it from there.

Kind Regards

AM

Anne-Marie, I was not doubting that the transcription was not 100% accurate.

i asked if you had seen the actual image? you still have not answered that question

some transcriptions do not show any additional hand written entries,

That's why its best to check to see if more info can be gained from the index,

No matter what records you are researching checking the original and cross referencing is always good practice

Roy

Roy,

I did think for a moment that you were doubting me. No I have not seen the original image, only via the internet. We are going to send for the original document (as he has lost the previous one) and take it from there, fingers crossed.

Kind Regards

Anne-Marie

Good luck

Roy