Gladys Woodbridge

[chinch]

Hello. I am new to this forum and don't know if anyone would be able to help me? I am looking for my Grandmother, Gladys Woodbridge who was born to Mabel Dorothy Woodbridge in Colnbrook, Buckingham in 1915. Mabel was not married and I don't know if she kept Gladys . I have been told that Gladys lived with Mabel for a few years but was taken from her one day and she was unable to get her back as she was sent for adoption in Australia. I'm not certain if any of this story is true but I cannot find Gladys anywhere until she marries in Birmingham in 1935. I don't know how she came to be in Birmingham, if she was brought up there or was in an institution of some kind . When Gladys died in 1987 she left an autograph book dated from 1930-1934 with lovely verses from various people, including, "Mother", Mrs J. Wallen, A. Wheatly, D.
Stanmore and others. I don't know where this was from but some of the verses were of a religious nature.
This makes me think she was in an institution, but where? I hoped I could find an Affiliation Order to see if Mabel had asked for help from the Father but I don't know where to look. I'm assuming that this would have named the Father? I would be so grateful if there is any help anyone might be able to give which will point me in the right direction. Thank you. Chinch.

[Peter Goodey]

On the 1935 marriage certificate are any clues in her address, occupation and names of witnesses? Was the father's name blank?

Try and trace the mother. Her exact date of birth will help. What was it, please?

[chinch]

Hi Peter, thank you for replying to my post. I do have the marriage certificate but it doesn't name the Father, it says, illegitimate. The witnesses were her Husband's Mother and Brother. I know quite a bit about her Mother , she was born in Middlesex in 1899 . She married in 1921 and went on to have another Daughter. When Gladys was born Mabel, her Mother, stated on the Birth Certificate her address was Bridge Street, Colnbrook but this may not have been where she was living at that time. From 1915-1921 I cannot find Mabel and I don't know where my Grandmother was either. I hoped by finding an Affiliation Order I would find out the Father's name and where Mabel and Gladys were living.

[Megan Roberts]

Gladys was born in 1915 when a lot of men were on the move and I suspect that many of the ladies left holding the babies may not have not known how to contact the fathers, and maybe the fathers had been killed.

To me it seems unlikely that the authorities took her to Australia and for her then to have returned by the 1930s. It may that she was informally adopted by family or friends, since formal adoption did not come into law until the late 1920s. Have traced Mabel's siblings and parents to see where they where, perhaps there is a clue there?

How about electoral rolls for Mabel, her husband, siblings, and the names that you mention in your first post?

[chinch]

Hi Megan, thank you for your time. I agree with you about Australia, it does seem unlikely. I am awaiting a search of the adoption records to see if she was formally adopted but, as you say, she could have been informally adopted and then I suppose I will never h find her. I have made contact with a relative of Gladys' Mother but she too, doesn't know what happened to her. I never thought to search for the names in the autograph book on the electoral rolls. How would I know if I had found them if I don't know their full names or even where they are from? I was hoping to find out where to find affiliation orders as I think that might shed some light on her whereabouts at that time. Thanks for your help, Megan.

[Megan Roberts]

Its extremely unlikely that there will be any adoption papers as there was no statutory framework for adoption until 1927.

Before that date adoptions were done informally, often with no legal status. Those that did have legal status were done privately, and there is no central registration or repository.

There is no guarantee that there was an affiliation order - not all mothers sought one. However, you could look in the Quarter Session records to see any survive. They are also sometimes called "Bastardy Bonds".

[chinch]

Hi Megan, where would I look for the Quarter Sessions ? I thought it was the Law to make the Father pay through these affiliation orders or the Father could be imprisoned?
I have tried several places with no joy. I appreciate you taking the time to help, Megan. Thank you, Chinch.

[Megan Roberts]

Probably the best place to start would be the relevant county record office. There are some records on line, e.g. Lancashire records appear at Ancestry, but it's different for each county.

There was no such law.

If the woman and child were a financial burden on the parish then the parish might well pursue the father, if his identity was known. The mother might try independently pursue him, but not all did.

Gladys was born in 1915, so her father may have been in the forces. Her father may have been killed in action, or her mother may have decided that she wanted no contact with him.

My grandmother had a son illegitimately in 1919, whom she kept and raised, and fortunately when she met my grandfather a few years later he was happy to raise him as his son. She never said who his father was, despite her son's repeated requests to know. There's never ever been any indication that she had any financial support from him.

[Peter Goodey]

Any filiation record would probably be among the records of the petty sessions which covered the area where the mother was living. If she was indeed in Buckinghamshire, I would advise seeking the advice of the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies.

I don't think court records are very easy to search. You might have more luck with the local newspapers of the period. It's a long job of course but at least the newspapers tend to be legible.

You may like to get hold of the book "My Ancestor was a Bastard" which contains a lot of useful advice.

[janbooth]

Not that this helps you with your quest re Gladys, but I wonder if her mother Mabel had another daughter prior to Gladys? There is a WOODBRIDGE female birth registration in the June qtr 1914 at Eton reg district, mother's maiden name WOODBRIDGE - I won't post her name as she may still be alive. Ah no, I think I am safe as she appears with her husband Robert B PEARSON in the 1939 Register living at 31 Northall Road, Luton. Edith G WOODBRIDGE married Robert B PEARSON in the June qtr 1933 at Eton reg district. Death registration for an Edith Grace PEARSON, born 30 April 1914, in June qtr 2006 at Chiltern reg district. Of course, I don't know whether she is Mabel's daughter, but just in case .....

Gladys & husband are in the 1939 Register living in Birmingham but no other likely clues from this record. I cannot find any Passenger List records for your Gladys so far, but will keep looking.

Janet

[chinch]

Hi Megan , thanks for your e-mail. I will keep searching. I think I will take a trip to London next year to the Metropolitan archives to see if they reveal any clues. I thought it would be much easier than this, it's so frustrating. Thanks for your help, Megan. Chinch

[Megan Roberts]

I doubt if the Metropolitan Archives will hold anything of use. If she was from Buckinghamshire I would look at the county record office:

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/centre-for-buckinghamshire-studies/

[chinch]

Hi Peter, thanks for your reply. I have tried the Centre for Buckingham Studies and they say they don't hold these records. Actually, nobody seems to hold them and I have been passed around from one place to another ,getting nowhere. I have never heard of that book, what a title for a book! I will try and get hold of it and see if it can give me some pointers. Thanks so much for your help. Chinch.

[chinch]

Hi Jan, thank you for your reply to my e-mail. I too found the Edith G. Woodbridge , Mother's maiden name, Woodbridge and sent for the Birth Certificate only to find it was a different Mother, not Mabel. What a coincidence, same name, same place, same situation. I think Mabel only had one Daughter before she married in 1921 and then she had another Daughter with her Husband.
I know about the 1939 Register and I sent for the Marriage Certificate to see if the witnesses provided a clue . The witnesses were Gladys' Husband's Mother and Brother. If Gladys had grown up in Birmingham I thought that she may have had friends as witnesses and perhaps bridesmaids but I don't know if she had bridesmaids. Gladys never spoke of her life as a child so this has been a complete mystery and I don't know of anyone who can tell me anything about her. Thank you for looking for me, I do appreciate the help everyone is giving. Chinch.

[chinch]

Hi Peter, sorry, I think I posted a reply on the wrong response! I have tried the Centre For Buckinghamshire Studies and they say they don't hold these records as do the other places I have contacted. I will take a look at the book you mention. I have not heard of that book before, what a title! Hopefully, it will give me some pointers. Thanks so much for your help. Chinch.

[chinch]

Hello Megan, I have tried the county record office and they don't have the court records. I thought the LMA would be able to tell me if Gladys was at Banstead . If she was taken from Mabel around the time she would have been ready to start school and at that time she may have been living in Kensington I thought that she possibly could have been sent there. It's so difficult not knowing where Mabel lived after having Gladys and if she really did keep her. I have been told that she may have lived in Pottery lane later on, possibly with her Mother-in-Law and I imagine life would have been pretty tough . Before this time, would she have been able to support a baby alone? I hope that the 1921 census will help me with some of the questions I have but it's a long way off yet.
I apologise if I am not replying to everyone's e-mails in the right way. I am clicking on reply underneath the relevant post but it seems to be posting my reply elsewhere! Anyway, thanks again for your help, Megan. Chinch.