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Lahai-roi The Grange 42 Park Hill Moseley

I am looking for information about my brother born in 1958 at the home to my mother and adopted out in June of that year to a Quaker family in Exeter. If anyone is able to give me any information I would be very grateful. I understand he may not wish to have contact with his birth family especially after such a long time but I would love to be able to at least tell him our mother would have loved him dearly and that it would have been the hardest decision she ever had to make (as for all the mothers there)
Many thanks
 
Welcome Townsend. I wish you luck in your search. Have you tried a similar forum to this in Exeter?

Old Boy
 
Townsend said:
I am looking for information about my brother born 9 March, 1958 at the home to my mother and adopted out in June of the same year to a Quaker family in Exeter. If anyone is able to give me any information I would be very grateful. He was born Kevin Shaun Rose. I understand he may not wish to have contact with his birth family especially after such a long time but I would love to be able to at least tell him our mother would have loved him dearly and that it would have been the hardest decision she ever had to make (as for all the mothers there)
Many thanks
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Hello Townsend jut back from long haul however which home? Send me a PM or the others and don't put personal things on public domain. You don't want to scare people off. There will be an adoption support society in your area.Nico
 
I have read with interest the stories about an unmarried mother's home, sometimes called The Grange, on Wake Green Road, Moseley. I am trying to help my mother-in-law whose birth was registered as being at 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley on 10 October 1925 - much earlier than the posts I have read on this thread. The birth mother was unmarried and from Rochdale and my mother-in-law was then adopted with 2 weeks and moved to Sheffield.

I am trying to find out whatever I can about this location but am confused because Kelly's Directory for 1925 lists 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley as a private address.

However, a signed letter acknowledging the adoption from the birth mother is clearly countersigned by a May Crozier, The Grange, 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley, Birmingham.

Any help would be really appreciated as my mother-in-law is approaching 90 and is just very keen for some further information about the circumstances of her birth.

Thank you.

Pete Lane
 
Very mysterious. For 1922 & 1925, at least, the electoral roll shows the only person registered as (Sir) Barry Jackson of the Birmingham Rep. It is the same one, as the 1920 entry shows another address as the Rep.,
 
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The 1927 electoral roll lists Wilhelmina, David and Ronald Godfrey Crozier with Robert Mason as living at 53 Wake Green Road. The 1911 census lists Wilhelmina and David as living in Manchester but the list of children includes a daughter May (born 1899). There were also two single females (not listed as servants but boarders) and an infant with a different surname. I wonder if the family "helped out" single mothers?

Janice
 
Many thanks. This is intriguing - maybe this was the Crozier family's philanthropy ! But how would they know about this in Rochdale - the location of the birth mother ? maybe from when the Crozier family lived in Manchester ?

Possibly this informal work expanded, hence the move to other premises further down the road referred to in the posts about the 1950s/1960s.

Am I right in thinking that there was no formal registration of adoption in 1925 ?

Thank you

Pete
 
I don't know how anyone would know. Although Rochdale is only 9 miles from Manchester. Most of the Crozier family seem to be born in Ireland apart from the youngest 3 (Manchester). The father and two eldest sons worked at a Chemical works so no medical connection. Of the boarders one came from Sheffield and the other from Shropshire so no link there.
Formal adoption in England only began in 1927.

Janice
 
mikejee said:
Very mysterious. For 1922 & 1925, at least, the electoral roll shows the only person registered as (Sir) Barry Jackson of the Birmingham Rep. It is the same one, as the 1920 entry shows another address as the Rep.,
Click to expand...

Could someone with access to the electoral rolls please clarify this and other comments about the occupation of 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley:

1925 - mikejee says that (Sir) Barry Jackson was resident, of the Birmingham Rep.

1927 - pjmburns say that Wilhelmina, David and Ronald Godfrey Crozier with Robert Mason are living at 53 Wake Green Road

My mother-in-law's birth certificate says she was resident (as an unmarried mother) at The Grange, 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley in October 1925 and the adoption transfer letter is signed by a May Crozier of the same address on 22 October 1925.

Strangely, given the Birmingham Rep link, the adoptive parents were in Sheffield - Fred Wood was a theatre pianist and he and his wife, Agnes, took in theatricals when they were on tour in Sheffield.

probably too late now for any definitive answers but i just want to provide my mother-in-law with whatever information I can gather for her 90th birthday in October this year.

Thank you all.
 
On Ancestry the electoral roll 1925 lists Barry Vincent Jackson at 53 Wake Green Road. He is listed as Repertory Theatre for 1918 and early 1919, then later 1919 (there used to be more than one electoral roll per year) at 53 Wake Green Road. Then 1920, 1922 he is listed at the Rep. In 1925 he is listed at 53 Wake Green again. He also owned property which is listed under his name on the roll but each time it lists his abode as 53 Wake Green Road. In 1927 it definitely lists the Crozier family.
I can't tell if Barry Jackson owned the house or not. Perhaps there is a connection. He is on the electoral roll for later years but his address is usually the Rep (or an abode in London).

Janice
 
Unless he was running a business from there he would have to have owned or lived at the address (as I understand it). The 1920 register , in the entry for the Rep, also notes he is registered for an address at Blackhill, upper Colwall, near Malvern
 
Barry Jackson is listed with his Mother (a widow) at 53 Wake Green Road on the 1911 census. So I agree with Mike that he must have owned the property after his Mother's death at the very least. She died in December 1914 and her address is given as "the Grange" and probate went to Barry.
I am not sure how we can find out if he sold it or rented it to the Croziers.
Janice
 
Thank you for all the thoughts and contributions. Does anyone know if there is a photograph available of the The Grange at 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley.

Thank you, Pete
 
I was there for 6 weeks in 1956, age 16, do remember that you had to help around the place, but I honestly wasn't hard on me I think I was the youngest and was little spoilt, my Boyfriend at that time would come to visit me, we would walk around bell walk , we eventually married and had another daughter
 
must say I was there in 1956 for 6 weeks, did have to do little work, but being as I was only 16, I was little spoilt , my boyfriend used to visit me, no one else had boy friend, we married at 17 and I did find out were the baby was adopted to , in face we used to keep in touch , giving her details, on health problems e.t.c
 
Well my BM is coming to see me for the last time she says, with one of my full sisters from the other side of the world, well a long way, as I haven't been able to go there, due to our own circumstances. I am in contact with her often. And also with the birth family I have found here. And my birth father's side, though she didn't like some of it.
Good luck to all you adoptees and birth parents and adoptive parents out there
 
Hi all,
Was the Grange functioning in July 1952?
Last year I had a message on Ancestry from a lady claiming she was helping a gentleman to find his birth mother. To cut a very long story short, all my info on my tree added up with his adoption information. Names, addresses etc, so I asked if he could do the ancestry DNA, he did and it came back a very strong match.
The pickle we are in, is this is my Nan that had this gentleman in 52 and we have know idea on how to approach it to her about it. We have know idea if she has spoken to my grandfather about it all, as it was a good three years before he was around on the seen.
I have written to him telling him all about our family and would like to keep in contact. What do you all think I should do with Nan? How do I bring the subject up? Does anyone had an experience like this?
I am also wondering if Nan was sent to the grange as it was only a 20min drive from where they were living at the time.
Is there anyone out there that was at The Grange in June July 1952?
 
My advice is to tread very carefully. When searching for birth family it can be wonderful for the adopted person to find someone but can cause all sorts of upset and disruption to the birth family members. The system used to involve counselling sessions with social service specialists and then the use of trained intermediaries. Your grandmother might be horrified that you know her secret and, as you say. Your grandfather may be unaware. If you do decide to ask your grandmother be prepared for what opening this can of worms may bring. Have you thought about your parents and their reactions? It may be better if the adopted uses a professional intermediary not a family member.
 
Does your nan know that you are doing genealogical research on your family, and, if so, has she ever expressed an interest. If so, then a general talk about it might be an avenue to broach the subject (away from your grandfather, of course). You may well find that she just changes the subject, and then it is probably best to leave it. I speak from personal experience in a somewhat different situationion
 
Hi
I am tracing my fathers family tree. He was born at 53 Wake Green Road in October 1925. He was adopted by a couple from Sheffield after an advert was placed in the Sheffield Star newspaper. His birth mother came form Leeds.

Hope this is of interest.
 
I am tracing my aunt's family tree for her. She was born at 43 Wake Green Road, Moseley in January 1934. According to the Midlands Historical records it looks like it was a private house although the head of the house was a midwife. She was given to my grandparents as a baby after someone at the local primary school asked if anyone would like to take a baby. However, she was not formally adopted by them until 1940. We have her original birth certificate and can trace her mother (now deceased) from 1934 to her death. However, there is no record of her before 1934 and no father's name is on the certificate. Ancestry DNA has not revealed anyone with the birth mother's family name. Does anyone know whether 43 Wake Green Road was an unmarried mother's home and would the birth mother have changed her name upon giving birth.
 
Don't know if you saw the electoral rolls for 43, but in 1930 there seems to be a number of different families living there (not including those under 21):
Clayton, Percy Waterfall
Connel, Victor
Connel, Eva
Fraser, Elizabeth
Guest, Edith
Percy, George Edward
Percy, Elizabeth Ann
Pratt, Ernest Alfred
Pratt, Cecilia

By 1935 the number had reduced somewhat:
Blayney, Florence Hilda
Percy, George
Leake, Albert Robert
Leake, Annie Dorothy
 
mikejee said:
Don't know if you saw the electoral rolls for 43, but in 1930 there seems to be a number of different families living there (not including those under 21):
Clayton, Percy Waterfall
Connel, Victor
Connel, Eva
Fraser, Elizabeth
Guest, Edith
Percy, George Edward
Percy, Elizabeth Ann
Pratt, Ernest Alfred
Pratt, Cecilia

By 1935 the number had reduced somewhat:
Blayney, Florence Hilda
Percy, George
Leake, Albert Robert
Leake, Annie Dorothy
Click to expand...
Thank you for the information. Unfortunately, no-one under the mother's name - Antoinette Suzanne St John - and no names that match with my aunt's Ancestry's DNA matches. I did find out that Florence Hilda Blayney was a midwife.
 
Hi I was born at Lahai roi in September 1957 and adopted at 6 weeks. I have the handbook of the home which my adoptive parents kept and a photo album with pictures of the girls and their babies who were there at the same time. This was given to me by my birth grandmother when I traced the family in 1989 to find that my mother had died at 31. If anyone was born at this time or was there I would be happy to share these photos. They are very poignant.
 
Hi Susie M and welcome to the forum. How lovely to still have the handbook of the home with those photos. I've only just found this thread and although I wasn't adopted myself I have found it very poignant yet inspiring.

Good Luck to everyone in their searches.
 
Hi,
I’m looking for Winifred, Her Story: Biography of Winifred Mary Hullmuth by J. G Hinton.
Does anyone know anything about this Biography, like where it’s being sold or has anyone got a copy they’re selling or willing to photo copy? Or even have any contact details on the author J. G. Hinton?

Kind Regards
 
planehome said:
Thank you for all the thoughts and contributions. Does anyone know if there is a photograph available of the The Grange at 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley.

Thank you, Pete
Click to expand...
Hello, I don't know if this is of any help but there is a similar thread on Rootschat.com about 53 Wake Green Road, Moseley and the Crozier's, so you may want to take a look and see if anything there might help you on your search.
Good luck.
 
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