Hi Maxine Unfortunately official adoption only started in 1927 Any before that will be a private affair with little or no paperwork The only real likelihood of finding a paper trail is if the child was going to inherit , this does not sound like it applies to your situation and even then it would be a private affair and the papers probably destroyed by now Many pre 1927 adoptions were between family members, one childless couple taking on the illegitimate offspring of another family member Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) Hi there I would like advice on a problem and thought this list might be able to help, even though it is not your area. I have a female baby, Nellie Farquharson, born in 1908 in Wimbledon, Kingston, Surrey, mother only on the B/C as a domestic servant. I have traced the mother Ada Elizabeth, (I think I have the right gal) through the census prior to 1908. She is not on 1911. This child was brought to Australia as Jessie Winter, child of Elizabeth Winter (nee Williams) in 1913. I have the Winter couple, Elizabeth and Thomas, in 1911 in Manchester with Jessie 2½. The husband Thomas does not appear to have come to Australia and older family members have no memories of him. Cannot find a death of Ada Elizabeth Farquharson and I am wondering about adoption laws/rules in UK at around the time 1908-1913. As this child was born in the Wimbledon area I am wondering how the Manchester couple managed to have her? There could be several answers on this question, friends, family? Elizabeth Winter was 41, listed on the 1911, so quite old to have had a child, if she did, couldn't find a birth at all of Jessie Winter. All things point to Nellie and Jessie being the same child but...... An older member of the family had professional genealogists research the Farquharson line in the late 1960s but I am sure now they chased the wrong Ada Elizabeth Farquharson.(Cumbria) If anyone on the list may be able to help I would be really pleased, or even point me in the direction to take. Maxine from Moss Vale