How do i research adoption records from england in the 60's?

Question

my father and aunt where adopted in england in the 60's twins had to stay together by law.my aunt still has the original birth certificate.wanting tofind out my family history for medical reasons.

Answer 1

If your Aunt has a record of which Agency they were adopted through, you could go to them to see what records they have. Adoption records should still be in existence somewhere.

Alternatively, if you have a record of your grandparents names on a birth certificate, and a location for them, it is possible to search for them on a genealogical website (like www.Ancestry.co.uk) if you first subscribe to it (its not cheap!). It is then possible to buy copies of death certificates, which will give "cause of death" which may shed some light on any medical reasons, other than old age.

If you want to, I can have a look for you, but I can't guarantee to come up with anything concrete - I'm not a professional in this area - and the records currently online are not complete by any means. Let me know.

Answer 2

To contact Elizabeth (the poster above me) - click on her name to get to her profile - and to the right of her name (on the next page) you'll see the icon 'Email' - press it and write away.

Good luck. I wish you all the best with the search.

Answer 3

If you contact NORCAP or the Post Adoption Centre in London, I'm sure you will find some very helpful people who can point you in the right direction.

I saw a very interesting book at the library today in the genealogy section, 'People Finding' about tracing people you have lost touch with and it had a very informative section about adoption

As a blood relative of an adoptee, you are entitled to access the adoption records too (the legislation came into force in 2005)  The records may hold more information that the Original Birth Certificate so it is worth applying to get a copy of them too.

Good luck tracing your family history.   I sure wish I was born in the UK.  The USA still holds on to shameful sealed records laws from the 1930s and adoptive families continue to be stigmatized and shamed!