How Did Adoptions In The 1930S Work

[Barmaid]

I'm trying to find a relative's half brother and sister (twins) who were adopted by someone else.

How would they appear in the records? Would there by a birth registration? If so in which name would the birth be recorded? I know I can't see the adoption records themselves, but was just wondering.

[Buenchico]

This document is written "from the other way round" i.e. it's seeking to help adopted people trace their natural families, rather than vice versa, but it appears to include some information which you might find helpful:
http://www.adoptionsearchreunion.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C8CFD4DC-7B49-4393-9F91-747582437953/43/tracingguidejan2012.pdf

[dotty.]

The adoption register began in 1928 , the baby would have a birth registration and then an adoption registration and there would be an entry added to the birth registration (not appearing on the certificate given out at the time of the birth registration of course) that links the 2 events.

[dotty.]

all that gets added to the original entry is the word 'adopted' in the right hand column and a new registration takes place in the new name, for the adopted child the process for getting the original birth certificate is applied for on form CAS 5/6 and that will also give you info on which court authorised the adoption and you get another form to submit to the court asking for details on which adoption agency or local authority handled the case. they can also apply for a 'guardian ad litem' report which is the report made at the time. that file is important to get at because it may contain an awful l,ot of info on the child and birth family. so actually yes, with persistence and filling in the right forms the adopted child once over 18 can find out what they need to. They should be on the contact register for blood relatives first though.

[Barmaid]

Thanks Chris and Dotty.

Which begs the question why I can't find anything in either the birth name or the new name!! Grrrrrrr!

[dotty.]

yes that is odd, with twins of course you are looking for the exact same reference numbers, what info do you have?

[craft1948]

My aunt was one of twins born in 1936 and her birth was registered along with her sister's as normal.
She could never find her birth registration, I found it but she had been registered in her natural father's name (by him) even though he wasn't married to her mother.
Her sister was adopted by an aunt, and my aunt was brought up by her grandparents until her mother married, then she was adopted by her mother's husband.
I got a copy of her birth certificate and there was a notation on the right hand side saying she had been adopted.