Who was Derek?

Derek Malcolm Wicks (died 1959) was adopted by Henry William Wicks and his wife, Caroline Ruth.

This is what I have so far.

26.3.26 Derek was born in London, I believe (I don't have a cert!)

21.06.26 he was issued with an emergency travel document by the British Embassy (Consular Section) in Paris

September 1927 he is on a passenger list with Caroline Ruth - so presumably he was living with the Wicks's by then.

31.08.28 there is an entry for him on the Adopted Children's Register.

Is there any more I can do to find out who he was ? - presumably he was not born with the surname Wicks

i was listening to a telly program on people who changed there names by deed poll.you can still find out who they were but sadly i didnt get the address try googling brenda xxx

Thanks Brenda

I managed to find the address for Derek's surving son, and wrote to him, but never had any reply

[MargaretMarch]

Originally Posted by Muggins in Sussex

Derek Malcolm Wicks (died 1959) was adopted by Henry William Wicks and his wife, Caroline Ruth.

This is what I have so far.

26.3.26 Derek was born in London, I believe (I don't have a cert!)

21.06.26 he was issued with an emergency travel document by the British Embassy (Consular Section) in Paris

September 1927 he is on a passenger list with Caroline Ruth - so presumably he was living with the Wicks's by then.

31.08.28 there is an entry for him on the Adopted Children's Register.

Is there any more I can do to find out who he was ? - presumably he was not born with the surname Wicks

The only way to find his birth name would have been for him to apply for his birth certificate. I don't think anyone else can do that now.

If you had information about where exactly he was born you could perhaps try to look for all the males born that day in the register concerned and then try to narrow it down, but given it was London I don't hold out much hope.

I suppose the other line of enquiry would be to see if he was born to Caroline before her marriage and then adopted by Wicks to simply regularise the situation after their marriage especially since they travelled abroad. Any record may or may not give his father's name presuming it wasn't Wicks.

Margaret

[samesizedfeet]

Are you sure he wasn't a Wicks?? I'd find it very strange that he'd be issued with a travel document in the Wicks name in 1926 if that didn't officially become his name until he was adopted in 1928.

Originally Posted by MargaretMarch

The only way to find his birth name would have been for him to apply for his birth certificate. I don't think anyone else can do that now.

If you had information about where exactly he was born you could perhaps try to look for all the males born that day in the register concerned and then try to narrow it down, but given it was London I don't hold out much hope.

I suppose the other line of enquiry would be to see if he was born to Caroline before her marriage and then adopted by Wicks to simply regularise the situation after their marriage especially since they travelled abroad. Any record may or may not give his father's name presuming it wasn't Wicks.

Margaret

Thanks Margaret - he doesn't appear to have been registered in his mother's maiden - also he wasn't the only child that the Wick's adopted

Originally Posted by samesizedfeet

Are you sure he wasn't a Wicks?? I'd find it very strange that he'd be issued with a travel document in the Wicks name in 1926 if that didn't officially become his name until he was adopted in 1928.

Sorry Zoe - I didn't explain it fully! - probably because it's a bit complicated- LOL! I have't seen the travel document issued in 1926 and don't know what name it was in.

I have a copy of another travel document issued in 1946 (when Derek waas returning to London from Germany to attend his father's trial at the Old Bailey). This 1946 document was completed by Derek and in answer to the question "Are you in possession of a passport?" he has answered "Emergency Certificate No 781 issued Paris 21.6.26 British Embassy (Consular Section) adopted son birth certificate ACR8402/6 copy London 19.9.46"

Originally Posted by samesizedfeet

Are you sure he wasn't a Wicks?? I'd find it very strange that he'd be issued with a travel document in the Wicks name in 1926 if that didn't officially become his name until he was adopted in 1928.

You are thinking the same as me.

But adoption laws didn't come into force in England and Wales until 1926 it probably wouldn't have mattered it depends which month they became law and when the Wicks family travelled perhaps there was a very small window of opportunity there for them and the name on the travel documents wouldn't matter in any case I don't think

Ahh I now see that they travelled in June 1926...

Edit to say: I just had another thought perhaps thats exactly why they did travel abroad at that particular time, perhaps they were trying to avoid something...

Originally Posted by maggie_4_7

You are thinking the same as me.

But adoption laws didn't come into force in England and Wales until 1926 it probably wouldn't have mattered it depends which month they became law and when the Wicks family travelled perhaps there was a very small window of opportunity there for them and the name on the travel documents wouldn't matter in any case I don't think

Ahh I now see that they travelled in June 1926...

Edit to say: I just had another thought perhaps thats exactly why they did travel abroad at that particular time, perhaps they were trying to avoid something...

Thanks Maggie - I think Wicks spent a very large part of his life trying to avoid things! LOL

Originally Posted by Muggins in Sussex

Thanks Margaret - he doesn't appear to have been registered in his mother's maiden - also he wasn't the only child that the Wick's adopted



Sorry Zoe - I didn't explain it fully! - probably because it's a bit complicated- LOL! I have't seen the travel document issued in 1926 and don't know what name it was in.

I have a copy of another travel document issued in 1946 (when Derek waas returning to London from Germany to attend his father's trial at the Old Bailey). This 1946 document was completed by Derek and in answer to the question "Are you in possession of a passport?" he has answered "Emergency Certificate No 781 issued Paris 21.6.26 British Embassy (Consular Section) adopted son birth certificate ACR8402/6 copy London 19.9.46"

Joan

Sorry I am confused but that last bit "adopted son birth certificate ACR8402/6 copy London 19.9.46" does that mean it was issued to Derek in 1946 for him to travel and as you said before he was adopted 1928?

The thing I meant about avoiding was that if Derek was born March 1926 and they asked for a travel permit in June he was still only a very small baby and perhaps they were trying to avoid the adoption issue at that time for some reason.

You are right though when this gentleman is involved it does make you think there is something strange going on but it could be totally innocent of course and there was no ulterior motive and the explanation is quite simple

Originally Posted by maggie_4_7

Joan

Sorry I am confused but that last bit "adopted son birth certificate ACR8402/6 copy London 19.9.46" does that mean it was issued to Derek in 1946 for him to travel and as you said before he was adopted 1928?

The thing I meant about avoiding was that if Derek was born March 1926 and they asked for a travel permit in June he was still only a very small baby and perhaps they were trying to avoid the adoption issue at that time for some reason.

You are right though when this gentleman is involved it does make you think there is something strange going on but it could be totally innocent of course and there was no ulterior motive and the explanation is quite simple

LOL Maggie - I'm confused too!! The way the form has been filled in, it's a bit difficult to tell whether the words "copy London 19.07.46" (it's 07, I think not not 09 like I said before!) go with the bit about the birth cert, or the bit about the emergency cert! - but I think it's the birth cert.

The entry in the adopted chidren's register is dated 31/08/28

The number in the register is 5228, Vol 11 - although the ACR number quoted on the form looks like 8402/6

This is making me dizzy LOL!!!

Thanks for your help