John Holder

[sylviajbushell]

John Holder born 1851 in Bookham Surrey born to William from Crawley Sussex and Elizabeth Martin of Harcourt Surrey, married Carolyne Ayres
In 1881 census they had Jack age 2 and Walter age 6 weeks
in 1891 they had extra child George and mother Elizabeth with them and a Reggie trafford born in Bookham, nurse child age 4 and Louisa Wyatt age 1 also nurse child
in 1901 Jack, Walter and George are there and a Reginald Holder who is 14 both time said to be born in Bookham but now a son
What was the law for adopting in late 1890's I cannot find birth index for Reggie or Reginald Holder or Trafford
Can someone help

[Procat]

Hi,

Prior to the 1926 Adoption Act such things as adoption arrangements were usually quite informal.

Have a read of this thread, especially the information that Maximilian posted at #10.

[sylviajbushell]

Hi Procat
thanks for that, it looks like it was adoption through the family but why cant I find a birth index for Regie under holder or trafford, he was born so there must be one I have him on two census records and have done some tree year searches around the age given for every combination of both surnames and both christian names

[Procat]

Hi Procat
thanks for that, it looks like it was adoption through the family but why cant I find a birth index for Regie under holder or trafford, he was born so there must be one I have him on two census records and have done some tree year searches around the age given for every combination of both surnames and both christian names

Hm, that is a bit of a mystery. Unable to find him either.

[Kerrywood]

I cannot find birth index for Reggie or Reginald Holder or Trafford

There could be several reasons for this, especially as he is found as a Nurse Child in the census. Perhaps his birth was registered under a different surname (e.g. mother's maiden name) and later changed?

Try doing a bit of detective work on the BMD indices. Reginald is not a common first name at that date. So have a look on FreeBMD at all the Reginalds born in Epsom registration district in the right timeframe (allowing some margin). See how many of them you can pin down to families found in the census. Then investigate those who remain by checking possible marriages for the surnames found. Maybe some clue will emerge?

On another tack, I see a James HOLDER/Eliza Ann TRAFFORD marriage in Abingdon registration district in 1875. Although this is in Berkshire/Oxfordshire, this couple turn up in Epsom in 1881 and 1891. This may be a coincidence, but it could be worth investigating for a possible connection.

[sylviajbushell]

Hi Kerrywood, thanks for that That will be a lot of surnames in the records to search but perhaps it could bring the answere. As regards the marriage it was in abingdon because he had gone to live with his grandparents to learn a trade and met her there so married and then came back to the family and town of his birth.