Old Photographs - *Everyone please read*

[Martinspuddle]

@Stephen My grandfather was adopted. Would this make trying to do a family tree pointless?

Thanks

Not necessarily.
I am sure your grandfather has a birth certificate which would name his biological parents (just a thought )

Unfortunately it is on my fathers side and he cut ties with us when we were children, so getting hold of that info would be impossible I'm afraid

@Fishtales
Why impossible?
After around 1837 each birth had to be registered and a birth certificate issued.
You can get a copy from the register office, cost around £10-£12 for each copy.
What was your father's and grandfather's name and where born? (send me a PM if you wish)

All the best

Not wishing to embarrass @Stephen he very good at finding family history's and has so far found a lot more of my family history than I ever knew @Fishtales

[Stephen]

The issue may be the same as with my Mum.

I've been unable to locate a Birth Certificate for her in her adoptive parents surname and I was only able to find her birth certificate using her birth parents surname as she knew it.

Birth parents is easier, just finding birth parents can be difficult with adoption.
Usually someone, somewhere knows something, it may be an aunt, uncle, cousin.

so before older love ones pass on, get them to tell you who these relations are and write on these old pictures who, where or when it was taken, you'll be so glad did later on.

That is a great tip Martin. I wish I asked my late father questions before he died (1992) and my great aunt before she died (2009).
I did ask my uncle (dad's brother) some questions before he died (2014) which was very useful.

[mikeyw64]

Birth parents is easier, just finding birth parents can be difficult with adoption.
Usually someone, somewhere knows something, it may be an aunt, uncle, cousin.

Yup certianly is although as I said I was lucky in that my mum had already identified her birth parents sometime in the mid 70's although she was adopted back in 44

[Jon_D]

Me at 4 (1942) with my aunt, who had legally adopted me as my mum had died and dad was in RN. We didn't see him until 1947 as he was in the Pacific. He was able to send 6d. (2.5 pence today) a week from his wages, as child support. I think i was about to cry in that photo.

To get some idea of inflation over time, when I joined the Army in February 1957 ....(bluddy cold in Wales I tell ya, in those tin huts) I got 27/6 , (£1.35p) a week, rising to 3 guineas 6 months later after training.

[Martinspuddle]

Me at 4 (1942) with my aunt, who had legally adopted me as my mum had died and dad was in RN. We didn't see him until 1947 as he was in the Pacific. He was able to send 6d. (2.5 pence today) a week from his wages, as child support. I think i was about to cry in that photo.

To get some idea of inflation over time, when I joined the Army in February 1957 ....(bluddy cold in Wales I tell ya, in those tin huts) I got 27/6 , (£1.35p) a week, rising to 3 guineas 6 months later after training.

Sorry to hear you lost your mother @Jon_D at such a young age. Do you have any memories of her at all?

Always amazes me how money was back then, I remember my late father telling me that when he first joined the British Linen Bank around the same time as you signed up, he was on £7 per month which he told me was very good money back then.

[Jon_D]

Hi @Martinspuddle .. As you wisely suggested at the head of this thread. Old phots are essential and retain memories which could so easily vanish with time.
"Do you have any memories of her at all?.
No ... as mum died of septicaemia when i was born, but my aunt was so geat. She was about to marry but her fiancee refused to marry her if she adopted me. However the engagement was broken off and aunty remained single all her life, eventually passing away aged 82. However she was never alone as she lived with her sister, (another aunt) and dad when he returned.. Also he never married again. As you gather we are a close family.
And your dad getting £7 a week... WOW... that was really great money.

[Stephen]

Me at 4 (1942) with my aunt, who had legally adopted me as my mum had died and dad was in RN. We didn't see him until 1947 as he was in the Pacific. He was able to send 6d. (2.5 pence today) a week from his wages, as child support. I think i was about to cry in that photo.

@Jon_D

I hope you don't mind but I've cleaned up the image you posted.

[Jon_D]

Many thanks Stephen... The photo is 80 years old. LOL.