Genealogy Chat

Thanks to you all. There are names which I recognize which will give me lots of leads. The idea of an evacuee is really interesting. Thanks, Henri.

Any information please on David James Hall. born March 1920 in Selby. He was my father but a lot of things were not fully revealed to me. I believe he was married before meeting my mother circa 2nd world war in Belgium. I was adopted so at the ripe young age of 68 I am delving into my past. Does this reveal any information on adopted children ?? Thanks

Not quite sure what you're asking for Henri, in regards to adopted children.
In the U.K. the only public information available about adopted children would be their original birth registration under their birth name. Some of the registrations would have /S after the page number indicating the child was subsequently adopted out or by the birth mother's subsequent spouse/partner. It wouldn't show their 'new' name.

UK Official papers relating to the adoption would only be available to the adoptee. Although the papers could record the back ground, it's unlikely that it would name the birth father's wife or previous wife if divorced.
Similarly, the birth father's remarriage certificate would only show his marital status e.g. Widow or Divorced. It wouldn't name the previous spouse.

If you know when your birth father died, and have documentation showing that you're his son, you could apply for his Military records which are held by the MOD. They ought to show his nok, presumably his wife, and might record something if your b.mother made a financial claim against your b.father.

Where to order copies of Military Records
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

They cost £30 and may take a number of months to arrive.

Would this be his death reg?


First name(s) DAVID JAMES
Last name HALL
Gender Male
Birth day 25
Birth month 3
Birth year 1920
Age -
Death quarter 4
Death year 1998
District North Yorkshire
District number 6501P
Register number P1
Entry number 019
Date of registration mm/yy 1298
County Yorkshire
Country England
Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Deaths & burials
Collections from Great Britain, England
© Findmypast

That would probably name his know wife regardless of whether she was deceased or not. The informant could be a relative. The information on a DC is only what the informant knows.

Have a look for marriages 1938-1946 on https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl
Click on the blue page numbers to reveal the wife's name. Calculate back to your possible conception to discard marriage after then.
Although the 1944 Dewsbury one looks possible, you'd need to purchase a copy to find out if his father's name matches with your research.

Any English/Welsh certificates should be ordered from the local register office or
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ where they cost £9.25 inc P&P. The Register office wouldn't recognise the GRO references and may charge more.

Thanks DetEcTive, The death cert was my father. I need information about him circa 1935 to 1949. Everything after that I know. Cheers Henri

Order his military records - you might have to submit a copy of his death certificate.

The Military records will tell you were he was while he was in service and, as mentioned before, give the name of his NOK. IF he were married during that time, the wife's name is probably listed as she would have been assigned part of his pay. Cost = £30

If you wanted to risk buying the wrong one, order a potential MC. As he was supposed to have been married by the time he met your mother, pick the 'best fit' from those found on https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

You could contact Spilbsy Library to ask for an Electoral Roll look up for the 1939 address from 1935 onwards. David J Hall might have been living with his parents prior to his war service.

The problem we have when they are not on-line, is that the hard copies can only be searched by address. If David didn't return to his family home, or they had moved, its like looking for a needle in a haystack.