Genealogy Chat

Hi all, My ex husband was never officially adopted but was put with long term foster parents he took there name but again nothing was done officially. He can remember being taken from his mother at the age of 4 and driven to the foster parents house. So I would think that something happened around that time for her to have or let her child go. This would of been 1964 ish. I have looked for his birth on ancestry and have found it as he did know his surname. I sent for his birth cert but they wont issue it as I cant give the first names of either parent. So I tried to find the marriage of his parents went either side of his birth date from 1938 to 1972. Looked for births of possible other siblings under the mothers maiden name for the area. also for births using his fathers surname for that area. Sorry this is long but is there anything else I can do. I dont want to give out the surnames on the board as it is possibe that there might be relations out there who dont know of my ex husbands exsistence. Many thanks Jane

Jane Have you tried the local Register Office? If you explain the situation to them, they may be more accommodating - the man is perfectly entitled to have his birth certificate, as you say that he was never officially adopted. The GRO reference number will be of no use to the local office, by the way. Good luck. OC

Hi OC, The local area is Woolwich. Maybe I am wrong but I thought I had to order that online, Jane

Was your ex married in the name of the foster parents or his own name? Does the entry under father's name on your marriage cert give any clues? Does it give the name of the foster father, is there a blank? Jay

Hi Jay, Yes he was married using his foster parents name, although he always knew what his birth name was but not his parents name. Jane

Jane Oh dear! Do you mean Woolwich dont deal with ANY applications at all? I thought the direction to the GRO service was for certs for family history purposes? I am sure Woolwich still has to deal with personal applications - but if I am wrong, then I think you need to write to the GRO and explain the situation, as it is an unusual one - the online ordering service cannot cope with queries and anomalies. Just a thought - did you try just entering the GRO reference number on the on-line order form? I have never tried ordering anything as recent as this, so don't know what happens - where did it say you had to give both parents names? OC

Hi Oc, Yes I ordered it of the GRO site and it said if a birth is less then 50 years old that name of mother and father is required. I put in unknown in the box and sent and just hoped. I had a email back saying they couldnt deal with my request and to either supply the names or ask for a refund. when I emailed them back I did explain the situation but have not heard anything since. Jane

I have read a thread about this recently and the 50 year 'protection' time span. I believe the poster needed an actual date of birth and the name of one parent, before the GRO would release the cert???? Jay

Jane Write to the Registrar General, explaining the situation, no use trying to deal with the underlings. I knew about the 50 year rule, but my observation is that it isnt always applied - bad luck in your case. Your OH may have to swear an affidavit, or provide documentary proof that he is the same person as the one on the birth certificate, but worth doing - you can hardly function in society these days without a birth certificate. OC

Have now emailed Greenwich registry office explaining the situation.................just have to sit and wait now. Jane

Well nearly 10 yrs later I can report back. I did manage to get my ex husbands birth cert, from that I managed to track down his birth family on here, had one contact who was keen to talk and meet, So now armed with information that I knew my ex wanted 20 yrs before I started putting feelers out to see where he was living It has taken me this long to find him. in ireland. This week I have managed to send him his full birth cert, marriage cert of his fathers , picture of his half sibling and most important to my ex a picture of his mother. Unfortunatly the email address of his half sibling is no longer valid. It seems like they keep missing each other as I find one the other is missing and visa versa.
Anne

Well done - have you tried to find a real-life address for the half-sibling or do you think they wouldn't want contact? If you feel you've 'done your bit' you could pass it on and step back.

The half sibling did want contact back in 2007 but I didnt think it would take me this long to track down my ex Who up till then lived 2 miles from me apparently I missed him by weeks at that address.. My ex works takes him travelling all over the world so I think I will take a step back so it isnt me who makes promises I can't keep. Ex will have to take it from here.

Anne