Hi Sheryl Unfortunately official adoption only started in England in 1927, before that it was a private affair with very little likelihood of generating paperwork If there was a possibility of inheritance problems later there may have been something drawn up but as that would have been a private paper you would most likely be aware of its existence if it had survived No one can look at the details on a birth without obtaining the certificate, if he were baptised and you know where, there may be more detail but I would not count on it under the circumstances I take it you have checked the 1881 census ? Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > Hello, > > We know very little about my great-grandfather before he was married in > Canada in 1902. A family story has it that he was born as Walter Simpson > and adopted by a German family named Moore. > > I believe he was born in Birmingham, possibly on June 16, 1879. There is > a > Walter Simpson in the BMD Index (Jul/Aug/Sep volume 6d page 33). Is there > someone who could look up that entry and let me know what it says? I want > to be reasonable sure it is my Walter before requesting a birth > certificate. > > Is there any way of finding out about his adoption? > > A Canadian census indicates he immigrated to Canada in 1882 but the family > story is that his parents stayed in England. > > Can someone tell me where to start looking for information about how it > happened that he was sent to Canada by himself at such an early age? > > Thank you, > > Sheryl Kemper

Hello, If he went to Canada from an English port or indeed any port, he would be on the manifest and these are on line ( google) My father 'legged it' to Canada in 1929 aged 15. I found his name on the Ships Lists quite easily.He was kicked out when they found his true age! John Eaton Socon ----- Original Message ----- From: Nivard Ovington To: eng-warks-birmingham@rootsweb.com Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 6:32 PM Subject: Re: [B'ham] Walter Simpson/Moore Birth and Adoption Hi Sheryl Unfortunately official adoption only started in England in 1927, before that it was a private affair with very little likelihood of generating paperwork If there was a possibility of inheritance problems later there may have been something drawn up but as that would have been a private paper you would most likely be aware of its existence if it had survived No one can look at the details on a birth without obtaining the certificate, if he were baptised and you know where, there may be more detail but I would not count on it under the circumstances I take it you have checked the 1881 census ? Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > Hello, > > We know very little about my great-grandfather before he was married in > Canada in 1902. A family story has it that he was born as Walter Simpson > and adopted by a German family named Moore. > > I believe he was born in Birmingham, possibly on June 16, 1879. There is > a > Walter Simpson in the BMD Index (Jul/Aug/Sep volume 6d page 33). Is there > someone who could look up that entry and let me know what it says? I want > to be reasonable sure it is my Walter before requesting a birth > certificate. > > Is there any way of finding out about his adoption? > > A Canadian census indicates he immigrated to Canada in 1882 but the family > story is that his parents stayed in England. > > Can someone tell me where to start looking for information about how it > happened that he was sent to Canada by himself at such an early age? > > Thank you, > > Sheryl Kemper _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Research in Birmingham: http://www.bham.de/ Any problems, please contact the List Admin: ENG-WARKS-BIRMINGHAM-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-WARKS-BIRMINGHAM-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message