John GARTH - Adoptee

1 reply [Last post]
Disneyworld1
Offline
Last seen: 9 years 3 weeks ago
Joined: Monday, 7-11-2011

I would be very grateful if anyone could give me some pointers as to how I might trace a baby boy that my grandmother had adopted in 1919.  Although he was born in Bolton, Lancashire, I think that she probably gave him to someone in her large extended family in Whitchurch, Shropshire.  Her family were Benyons and Plants.

My mother Sarah Alice Dean (nee Garth) told me that my grandmother, Ada Garth (nee Nicholson) had had a baby boy after her father Jacob Garth had been killed in 1914 in WW1.  I recently decided to look through Find My Past births for this event.  I found a John Garth born 1919 in Bolton to a mother with the maiden name Nicholson.  I sent for the certificate and was delighted to find that the mother was my grandmother, Ada Garth (nee Nicholson).  The baby was born 20 September 1919 at 81 St Georges Road, Bolton.  Present at the birth was Ada's mother Alice Nicholson (nee Benyon) of 6 Kensington Place, Bolton.  No father's name was given. 

The child must have been given for adoption more or less immediately as my mother had no recollection of this baby at all.  She was told about it by her aunt.  Alice Nicholson (nee Benyon) came from Whitchurch and still had a very large family there.  I think that it is most likely that is where John Garth was sent.  I realize that his name was probably changed but it is possible that someone might be able to fit these dates and facts in with some adopted child in their family.

If anyone has any ideas how I might be able to trace this adopted child I would love to hear from them.  I know that official adoption records were not kept until 1924 so I cannot follow that line of research.

 

Michael J Hulme
Offline
Last seen: 2 hours 3 min ago
Joined: Saturday, 4-06-2011

Hello

You could try writing a letter, similar to your message, to The Editor of the Whitchurch Herald in the hope that someone who knows the answer reads it.

Mike