an adoption question....

[Sue at the seaside]

I'm doing some research for a friend and......
The mother was married twice (first husband died) she had a child recorded on BMD with 2nd Husband's surname and her previous married surname, But this was a year before they actually married.
There is also a record in the same quarter with her 1st husband's surname and her maiden name. (first husband was defo dead by then!)
Is this conclusive (well as near as you can be) proof of formal adoption?

[kiterunner]

No, I would say that it means that the second husband was the biological father of the child and went along with the mother to register the birth, or perhaps she went on her own but was calling herself by his surname so she put both surnames down for herself, e.g. Mary Smith otherwise Brown, formerly Wilson.

Edit - if you get a copy of the birth certificate it should say "adopted" on it if the child was subsequently adopted.

[Sue at the seaside]

Could that explain the 2 distinct entries, the one with her 1st husband's name doesn't have the middle initial, but the one with the 2nd husband's name does

[kiterunner]

Do you want to PM me the details, Sue, and I'll have a look at the index entries?

[Sue at the seaside]

He is dead, but perhaps a PM would be better

[kiterunner]

Ah, there are three index entries: the original registration, under her first husband's surname, then what looks to be a re-registration a few years later, presumably after the mother's second marriage, and a handwritten addition to the index for the quarter when he was born, with a note to see the re-registration entry. It looks to me as though the birth was originally registered without the father's name on and then was re-registered after the parents' marriage. But this does not mean he was adopted, as the adoption index is separate and not available online. The references for the later registration just look to be normal birth register refs.

[Sue at the seaside]

Thanks for looking, that sounds very complicated. I only noticed last night that her first child was born 7 days after her marriage, so she cut things fine!