General Chat

My partner's grandmother was adopted pre 1927. She was born in 1903. She found out that she was adopted after her adopted mother had died and found a letter from her adopted mother to a registrar in 1951 asking to get the birth certificate changed. The registrar made it clear that she could not do this.

I received the birth certificate and it has thrown up many more questions! I wonder if any of you have any advice.

The address listed does not appear to exist ( I have googled it on google earth), the father's name is Alexander Wheeler and the mother's name is Mary Elizabeth Wheeler formerly Wheeler - which I find really strange. I have used free BMD and ancestry to find the marriage and can find no trace of it.

The father's ocupation is 'private royal house guards'. The informant was the mother. Could she have been lying? Would the father have to be present to be listed as the father? Could she have pretended to be married?

Please help!

Have you tried putting the address in the 1881 census it may have exsisted then.
Germaine
x

Have you tried finding Mary Elizabeth Wheeler and Alexander in the 1901 census?

Ann
glos

Hi Julia

Her name was Annie Alexandra Wheeler. She was born in 1903 in Egham, Surrey.

I have tried the address in the 1901 census and the numbers don't go nearly that high. It is 701 Hythe Park Road, Egham on the certificate. It could be 7 of Hythe park road, but that doesn't sound right to me. I tried 7 and all the 70s in the 1901 census with no Wheelers or Mary Elizabeth.

Any more ideas? I really appreciate your help everyone!

I have tried the 1901 census for both Mary Elizabeth Wheeler and Alexander - but no trace of them being married.

Hi Liz there is a street caled the Hyth in Egham on the 1881 census I wonder if that is the same place.
Germaine
x

Thanks Germaine. Will try the different spelling.

Sorry my mistake missed the e off .
some entries it has the Hythe oters has Hythe road.
Ancestry playing up can't see the images at the minute.
Having to go off the transcriptions
Germaine
x

Alexander Wheeler
Age: 5
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Alexander
Mother's Name: Mary E
Gender: Male
Where born: Croydon, Surrey, England

Civil Parish: Croydon
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: Croydon
Sub registration district: Croydon
ED, institution, or vessel: 46
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Alexander Wheeler 30
Alexander Wheeler 5
Grace Wheeler 5/12
Jessie Wheeler 3
Mary E Wheeler 30
Mary E Wheeler 8
1891 Any good

View
Original
Record

View original image
View

Same family I think in 1901
Germaine
x
Name: Alex Wheeler
Age: 15
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Alex J
Mother's Name: Mary
Gender: Male
Where born: Croydon, Surrey, England

Civil Parish: Croydon
Ecclesiastical parish: South Norwood St Mark
Town: Croydon
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: Croydon
Sub registration district: Croydon
ED, institution, or vessel: 88
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 291
Household Members: Name Age
Alex Wheeler 15
Alex J Wheeler 40
Grace Wheeler 10
Harry Wheeler 7
Mary Wheeler 40
Mary E Wheeler 18

Wow, thanks Ann. Very helpful. I wonder why they gave Annie Alexandra up for adoption. Any way of finding out?

Ah, but see there is another Mary E aged 8 who would be 20 in 1903, could it be that it was the daughter's child. the Alexander in the 1891 is a coal dealer and cartage contractor.

Ann
Glos

If her father was in the army maybe there was no one else to care for the children so they had to go for adoption.
just a thought.
Maybe he died in WW1 just had a quick look at the WW1 war graves a few A Wheelers
Germaine
x

Thanks Germaine too! So the mother would have been about 43 yrs when Annie Alexandra was born. I wonder why they gave her up for adoption...

i wonder did they both die?
Germaine
x

Maybe the natural mother died or even the father...??

Sorry - just got your response now. What did the royal house guards do I wonder. The father would have been in his 50s by the time WW1 started, so would he have fought?

Liz did you read my post? Was she the 40 year old's child or the 20 year old's? Alexander snr age 40 was a tea dealers clerk in 1901 no mention of the army.

Ann
Glos

I will look at BMD for death certificates. Thanks! I never thought of that!

I did read yoiur pst. I wonder is it was the younger Mary E. But then who is Alexander...?