Has it been an adoption or name change

tricilyn

tricilyn

Member
OK here goes and the ramblings start!
One side of the family has always intrigued me. My dad's cousin's parents were Frank and Elizabeth (Bessie) Gregg and I always thought that Bessie was my dad's mother's sister/half-sister.
On re-assembling my long gone tree, Elizabeth didn't appear in either the Field or Place families (Field dad's paternal, Place his maternal).
After a bit of digging around I found a birth in the right year/place for Frank Place.
In the 1901 census he was living with John & Grace Lambert, his grandparents from his mother's side (Clara died during his birth)
In the 1911 census I found him living with Charles & Jane (Janie) Gregg, his aunt/uncle; it transpires that Jane was his mother's sister.
What I am trying to find out was he adopted by his aunt & uncle or did he just change his name. Please could someone point me in the right direction as neither Family Search nor Ancestry seem to any info on adoptions.
Finally, thank you Chimp for showing where to start this thread.
 
There was no legal basis for adoption until 1926. Adoptions up to this date were unregulated. Having no legal basis (which also means adoption wasn't illegal) there may be no paperwork whatsoever. Also the children didn't acquire the same rights as natural children.

I would just take it that he started using another name which is perfectly permissible in English law. If it makes you feel better, I'd also assume that it's an indication that he had a happy childhood with the Gregg family.

Who did he cite as his father when he married?
 
I never thought I would find anything in the papers, but......
Yorkshire Post 9th April 1928
Gregg-Hopkins - April 7 at St Agnes Church, Leeds, Frank, nephew and adopted son (by Deed Poll, formerly Frank Place) of Mr and Mrs Chas. Gregg of Otley, to Elizabeth, fourth daughter of Mr and Mrs Hopkins of Burmantofts, Leeds.
:)
 
AnnB said:
I never thought I would find anything in the papers, but......
Yorkshire Post 9th April 1928
Gregg-Hopkins - April 7 at St Agnes Church, Leeds, Frank, nephew and adopted son (by Deed Poll, formerly Frank Place) of Mr and Mrs Chas. Gregg of Otley, to Elizabeth, fourth daughter of Mr and Mrs Hopkins of Burmantofts, Leeds.
:)
Click to expand...
8(:-)8(:-) Ann!!!
 
Thank you PeterG for the explanation on adoption having never had any dealing with adoption I was not aware of the legality.
WOW Anne,:D thank you so much for finding the newspaper notification, I would never have thought to try the papers (especially the YEP where my Dad worked!).
 
You are more than welcome - they are nearly always my first port of call :)
 
AnnB said:
I never thought I would find anything in the papers, but......
Yorkshire Post 9th April 1928
Gregg-Hopkins - April 7 at St Agnes Church, Leeds, Frank, nephew and adopted son (by Deed Poll, formerly Frank Place) of Mr and Mrs Chas. Gregg of Otley, to Elizabeth, fourth daughter of Mr and Mrs Hopkins of Burmantofts, Leeds.
:)
Click to expand...
excellent find!
 
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