adoption in 1871

[margie12]

the 1871 census finds my gggrandma phebe renwick a widow with a boy living with her described as an adopted son.
was there such a thing as formal adoptions at that time or would this have been an informal arrangement.
margaret

[Geoffers]

There was no formal adoption procedure until 1927, so you are unlily to find any record of this arrangement. However, check to see if he may have been a relative - did any sons/daughters die after having a child who had the same forename about the same age?

Also, more in hope than expectation, try local church records (in case the woman had strong connections with the church and offered to take in an orphan and some record exists there) and also the Poor Law Union records in case she took the lad out of the workhouse.

Geoffers