Quick question re adoption and the register

[Anstey Nomad]

V quick question.

Think I know the answer but need confirmation.

If you're adopted there'll be an endorsement on the register - yes?

And if you believe that someone was adopted and there is no endorsement in the register, in 1968, what does this mean?

[kiterunner]

When you say "register", you do mean the actual register, or a copy certificate taken from it, don't you, AN, not the index?

[Olde Crone]

There will be an endorsement on the COPY CERTIFICATE and thus the actual register, nowhere else.

Adoption is a confidential matter and is not indicated in the BMD indexes, contrary to popular urban myth.

OC

[Merry]

I thought we decided that after 1968 the original birth entry for an adopted person would have a page ref in the GRO indexes of four figures and then an S - eg 1234/S.

If the rules changed for 1969 onwards then a 1968 entry should look like a normal record.

[Anstey Nomad]

Thanks people - I meant the indexes of course.

Thanks for clearing this up.

[Olde Crone]

Merry

Ah, maybe we did decide that, but it still bothers me a lot - I wonder if it is/was an administrative wossname. I really struggle with the idea that adoption is not only flagged up on public indices, but that, in effect, it links birth certs to adoption certs which is surely against any law in the land.

OC

[Margaret in Burton]

I remembered about a girl I worked with in the 1970's having a baby adopted. I've looked up this birth, she did name him, it is 323s.

This was in 1972.

[Asa]

I've just looked at four people who were later adopted born between 1968 and 1972. Three of us have original number crossed out followed by a written number ending in /S and the fourth has two entries with different numbers, the second ending in s.

[Olde Crone]

This seems so wrong to me. Anyone who knew about this could trace an adopted person fairly easily without going through the required lawful processes.

OC

[Asa]

OC, I agree that it seems wrong that it's so obvious in the index but why would it be easy to trace what happened to the adoptee?

[Olde Crone]

Armed with a year, quarter and place of birth you could then look through the adoption register and make a good guess.

Someone described how they did this. It was long winded but they got there in the end, by using DOBs as published on Electoral Rolls. I don't want to go into details otherwise everyone will be at it!

OC

[Asa]

That's what I wondered. It's not right. I've got feet in both camps as it were - I'm an adoptee and have siblings who were adopted out.