Genealogy Forum UK

Hello All
I have just started my tree and am doing well but have hit a wall with my Grandad and don't know where to go next.
He was born in Bolton in 1898 Thomas Percy Platt to Margaret Platt (born 1880) - No father listed.
He was later known as Percy Thomas Platt
He is on the 1901 census as a boarder aged 2 with Mary Hughes - Margaret is a boarder at another address.
In 1911 he is listed as the adopted son of Mary - no sign of Margaret anywhere.

I do know :
He joined the army as a boy soldier in 1914 due to living in poverty. Mary died in 1913 leaving all her £80 fortune to her brother Edward.
He had 2 half brothers James (may have been JOHN) who married Doris and Jack who was insane. Sadly we do not know their surname.
My mother remembers visiting an old lady in a asylum around 1950 - Percy said it was his mother.

I would love to find out more about the story but am at a loss here !

On a happy note - the army was kind to him ... he became a Regimental Sergeant Major.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Hi,
Sorry, don't have the answers for you but I do know from experience that back in the day the word 'adopted' often simply meant that the child had been taken in and cared for, usually by a family member. The fact that Mary left nothing to Percy may be indicative of this.

Perhaps Mary and Margaret were related as I have found 'adoptive parents' who were actually aunts/uncles, cousins or second cousins, even in laws!

I have even found a case where the listed mother was, in fact, the aunt! The 'mother' took over care of the infant as her sister was still really a child herself.

Do you have Percy's birth certificate? If so try searching the parish registers of churches near his home - baptisms can sometimes uncover some hidden gems!

Sorry I can't be of more help - but wish you luck!

Hello There

Thanks so much for the advice and the pointers.

I will certainly look into that.

I am leaning towards Mary being a possible Aunt as she was born in Flintshire in 1851 while Margaret was born in Bolton in 1880.

I have found Marys family on the Welsh Census so I will start with her sisters.

I am currently in Australia so Church records are a bit hit and miss online but I shall persevere.

Thanks again, your help is really appreciated.

Hello Waterloo

You can look through church records if you have a local LDS Church. They will order in films for you to look through

Maggie

Thanks very much Maggie

I will google that now.