Hello Peter, I believe that adoption proper started in 1927, however i have no more details than that Best wishes -Message: #5 Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 19:00:29 +0100 From: "Peter John WALLACE" <peter.wallace8@btopenworld.com> Has anybody have any idea when  Adoption started in England. I am trying to solve the riddle of some of my female relatives that are registered at birth with one surname and married with a different surname and not having the same father. Charles Flawn in Buckinghamshire, UK. Researching FLAWN and BEATTON in Bethnal Green/Mile End/Hackney, London UK.; PERRIN in London and Australia; and Vine in Isle of Wight,UK. Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.681 Virus file update: 07/05/2004