My gt gt grandad Henry Shand b.1848 in Auchterderran was married 3 times and in all he had 7 children.
He had a son James b.1871 with his 1st wife Christina Adamson b.1847(Christina died 2 months after the birth,and James died aged four months).He then had 3 children (Helen b.1873,James b.1874 & Rachel b.1877) with his second wife Margaret Adams b.1851 d.1877...now here's my question....
In the 1881 census Rachel & James appear living with Henry and his 3rd wife Charlotte Litster...Helen does not.In the 1891 census only James appears to be living with Henry and Charlotte.
After a bit of digging I found an 1881 census entry with a Helen Shand aged 7 and listed as adopted living with Katherin and May Adams in Auchtermuchty(I assume they would be relations of Helens mother Margaret).
Now Rachel...appears in the 1891 living with Henrys brother George Shand(sir Jimmys Grandad) listed as niece but in the 1901 census she is listed as daughter.
Is there a way I can check that they were officially adopted? In Rachels case it is more likely she was just 'taken in' by the family.
You can have a look at entries here...
http://www.happilybored.com/census.html
Adoption.....
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DavidWW
- Posts: 5057
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Pete
See http://www.nas.gov.uk/guides/adoptions.asp
It's very unlikely that there will be any record of an adoption in that era.
As appears to be the case here most adoptions were informal within a family group.
Only a small proportion were arranged by charitable adoption agencies. Even is that was the case here, there aren't many such records going back to that time.
David
See http://www.nas.gov.uk/guides/adoptions.asp
It's very unlikely that there will be any record of an adoption in that era.
As appears to be the case here most adoptions were informal within a family group.
Only a small proportion were arranged by charitable adoption agencies. Even is that was the case here, there aren't many such records going back to that time.
David
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DysartPete
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:46 am
Adoption
Thanks for that David,from the info I have I'm pretty sure that the Helen and Rachel in the entries are the same but always nice to have something to back it up 
As with most Scottish families the way they named children often meant that brothers and sisters would have children with the same names,I was lucky with George Shand as I know he had a daughter named Rachel but she was born son some 10 years before 'my' Rachel.
Anyway thanks again...
Pete
As with most Scottish families the way they named children often meant that brothers and sisters would have children with the same names,I was lucky with George Shand as I know he had a daughter named Rachel but she was born son some 10 years before 'my' Rachel.
Anyway thanks again...
Pete