Genealogy Forum UK

I have a child who on the 1881 census is down as adopted daughter. This is the only census where she's down as adopted. In dec 1869 I have found a christening record on ancestry for her christening, it says the parents are Solomon and Jemima Eades (who are her adoptive parents) and that she was born in 1869. I've tried checking close family members to see if I can find possible birth parents with no luck. According to most census records she was born in staffordshire, whereas she lived the rest of her life in the Middlesborough area Co Durham.
Is there a way to find out if she is adopted, and if so who her birth parents would be?

Sue there was no legal adoption until 1927, poor kids were passed around and given out to all sorts of unsuitable people, have you read about the 'Baby Farms!!'

HTH Linell.

linell wrote:Sue there was no legal adoption until 1927, poor kids were passed around and given out to all sorts of unsuitable people, have you read about the 'Baby Farms!!'

HTH Linell.

Thanks Linell, Baby farms ring a bell, but I don't know much about them!
I would think my girl, would have been okay though, as the christening record indicates that they must have adopted her early on. I get the feeling that family was important to them, as so many of them worked in the family business. She never married, but at least until 1911 she lived with her sister and family.

Hello Sue,

As Linell says, there was no legal adoption until 1927. I've had a look on the IGI and Ancestry for your Sarah Davies Eades and I think it's possible that one of the two daughers of Solomon and Jemima (Hannah and Phoebe) could have been Sarah's mother. Is there any connection with the surname Davies? Could this have been Sarah's father's surname?

Just some thoughts for you to knock around with.

BC Wench wrote:Hello Sue,

As Linell says, there was no legal adoption until 1927. I've had a look on the IGI and Ancestry for your Sarah Davies Eades and I think it's possible that one of the two daughers of Solomon and Jemima (Hannah and Phoebe) could have been Sarah's mother. Is there any connection with the surname Davies? Could this have been Sarah's father's surname?

Just some thoughts for you to knock around with.

Thanks, I hadn't considered that - it could be the answer! Both the older girls would have been old enough, and both of them married after Sarah's birth. Sarah lived with her elder sister (Hannah Jobling) and her family in 1901 and 1911(she's down as Aunt, which isn't quite right!) before that she lived with her parents. Maybe she was actually living with her mother! If that's the case, I would expect the family to be less than open about it, partly to do with the times in which they lived, but also because there were several prebytarian ministers in the family!

I've also speulated that Davies could be the father, but have found no sign of him. Sarah is down on several cenus as being born in Newcastle under Lyme, which would tie up with a daughter being sent away to give birth in secret.
I've found no sign of her being married, as a father on marriage certificate would help. I've been unable to find a birth certificate either in Staffordshire or Co Durham/Yorkshire (i've looked under Eades and Davies Eades as well as Davies - but there are so many Davis' so it's impossible to know which one is correct). On the christening record on ancestry it gives her birth year as 1869, the same year as her christening - this sort of matches with the census they vary up to about 2 years. But I've noticed that on other records the birth year is the sane as the christening year, so I'm a little sceptical about that!

Thanks Barb, that gave me something to think about!

I'm pleased Sue that you didn't take offence of me saying that Sarah Davies Eades may have been illegitimate, some would have. I suppose you're right about the family not being open about the birth because of having presbyterian ministers.

I have found these possible births on the UKBMD web site

EADES Sarah 1868 Wednesbury West Midlands Sandwell Register Office WED/46/189
EADES Sarah 1870 Oldbury West Midlands Sandwell Register Office OLD/44/475

BUT, even though Civil Registration commenced in 1837, it was not compulsory to register births before 1875.

Have you discounted this one Snoops? I have a Sarah Ann who is sometimes down as Sarah Jane.

The register office there is pretty good, It may be worth an e-mail????

Births 1869

Davis Sarah Jane Newcastle L. 6b 60

Is it worth looking at the baptismal entry? In case there is a note about her origin?

BC Wench wrote:I'm pleased Sue that you didn't take offence of me saying that Sarah Davies Eades may have been illegitimate, some would have. I suppose you're right about the family not being open about the birth because of having presbyterian ministers.

I can't be offended, too many of the Jeavons of the family were either born before the parents got married, or came suspiciously soon afterwards! Sarah's adoptive mother was a Jeavons.
I'm sure it happened more than you'd have thourght!

It's a good idea about looking the baptism up, but the record on ancestry just says Middlesborough, doesn't give a church.

The Sarah Jane entry is also interesting as on one of the census' she's down as Sarah J Eades - I thourght it was a mistake, as it's the only entry I've found with that initial - all the others have either D or no middle initial.

So there's a bit to think about there! Thanks

Any help??

Sarah Davies Eades

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
residence: York, England
parents: Solomon Eades, Jemima

record title: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
name: Sarah Davies Eades
gender: Female
baptism/christening date: 03 Dec 1869
baptism/christening place: Middlesborough Circuit Primitive Methodist, Middlesbrough, York, England father's name: Solomon Eades
mother's name: Jemima
indexing project (batch) number: C16348-1
system origin: England-ODM
source film number: 1546295

cid wrote:Any help??

Sarah Davies Eades

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
residence: York, England
parents: Solomon Eades, Jemima

record title: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
name: Sarah Davies Eades
gender: Female
baptism/christening date: 03 Dec 1869
baptism/christening place: Middlesborough Circuit Primitive Methodist, Middlesbrough, York, England father's name: Solomon Eades
mother's name: Jemima
indexing project (batch) number: C16348-1
system origin: England-ODM
source film number: 1546295

That's the one! Is that from IGI?

Yes, sorry I forgot to say where I got it from. Can't quite get to grips with the new site .
Think Mark has access to some Primitive records????

I'm not up on the various religions, but would Methodist equate to Presbytarian? Sarah's brother and nephew became presbytarian ministers.

snoopysue wrote:I'm not up on the various religions, but would Methodist equate to Presbytarian? Sarah's brother and nephew became presbytarian ministers.

Sorry, I have no idea

snoopysue wrote:I'm not up on the various religions, but would Methodist equate to Presbytarian? Sarah's brother and nephew became presbytarian ministers.

Methodist and Presbyterian don't actually equate -- according to Wikipedia -- Presbyterian is another name for the Church of Scotland and most Presbyterians in England originally had a Scottish connection -- Having said that they were both not the Church of England -- and if someone who was Presbyterian where there wasn't a local church wanted a Christening but not Church of England it might have been the best option.

Also -- if she was without a father the minister at the Methodist Church might have been the only one prepared to do the christening

Some churches refused to baptise unless the parents were Church goers etc -- I suspect some ministers/vicars might have held strong views about Christening illegitimate children!