[debbieo1]

Hello to everyone,,
im not really sure if im in the right forum, & this is a very long shot, but can anyone help

im 32 year old female & i fount out about 20 years ago that my father's real father was killed in the war & my grandma met a man & she married him & this man addopted my father...
sadly my grandfather passed away about 9 years ago & then very sadly my father passed away 7 years ago,he was only 52..
i have been thinking alot since his death,wondering who my dad's real father was,

my father & mother divorced a few years prior to my dads death,he remarried
its very hard asking anyone in the family questions as i feel no one wants to help me
the only questions i ever got answered were,,my dad had 2 birth certificates..1 addoption one & hes real one
i could never ask my grandma who my real dad's dad was..all she has said it doesnt matter who he was..your grandfather was your dads dad,,( even though hes not the real father to my dad)
she pointlesly chooses not to speak about it
i truly respect her wishes as i dont want to cause any upset in my family
i dont even have a name for my real father
but im desperatly to find out more of my back ground,,id never let them know what i am doing
can anyone please help me or is it going to be a lost course for me?

[Robin Harritt]

Hi Debbie


Which country was he born and adopted in? Scotland and Northern Ireland have different registration and adoption laws from England & Wales.

You should get copies of his original birth certificate and his adoption certificate. If he was born and adopted in England or Wales you can get copies of both from the Family Record Centre in Islington London. Or you can order the birth certificate online if you have enough info.

If his mother (your gran) was not married to his father at the time of his birth then he will be registered in her maiden name, if his father attended the registration or made a statutory declaration then his name will appear on the the original birth certificate, but back in those days that was unusual.

If his father's name does not appear on the birth certificate and your gran or someone else in the family will not tell you, then I don't think there is much chance of finding out any other way. Only possibility is if there was a court case to get maintenance for him, but I don't know how / if you could get access to that.

I suppose if you get the adoption certificate you can find out which court granted the Adoption Order, you can ask for hearing as to whether you can access any court info, but you would probably have to have a very pressing reason such as a need to trace your genetic medical history.

Sorry can't be any more optimistic for you.


Robin Harritt

http://harritt.net

[debbieo1]

hi thank you so much robin for replying

i didnt know i could get hold of his birth certificate the addoption one or the other,
i really dont know if my dad had his real fathers name on the birth certificate, i have a feeling it would prob be just my grandma's
im almost certain my grandmother wasnt married to this man only my fathers addoption father
i thought it was only my father would have the only access to his addoption certificate,no one else
i do know my grandmother gave my dad both of the birth certificates

dont get me wrong i loved my grandfather very much, but since losing my dad ive felt so strongly theres a bit of a part missing from me as i want to so much find out more of my original or should i say my fathers back ground

i do know my fathers wife has the certificates now & i did ask about them a year or so ago & she said she would have a look for the name but nothing more was said & it is a very hard situation to bring up as i dont want to upset anyone
i do believe my auntie my dads half sister knows but its finding the guts to ask her
my father is from england/uk
how do i get hold of the address where to ask to get copies of his birth certificates?
i really hope his name will be on my fathers certificate so i can find out more..i know i will be heartbroken if theres no name as i realy dont know how else to carry on

[Robin Harritt]

There is website where you can look up the index to the birth register, but it is pay to use site 10 pence per page and you have to download some software to view them. http://www.1837online.com

If you find the reference for him you can order his birth certificate at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Or some large libraries and record offices have the indexes on microfilm or microfiche you should ask at your nearest library they will be able to tell you where the nearest copy is.

You can only see the index to the adopted children register at the Family Record Centre in London, but if you know his date of birth and enough other details details you might still be able to order an adoption certificate from the website above.

Robin