GREAT BRITAIN INFORMATION
(1) In Britain, it is not illegal to search for your birth-parents, or to help an another adoptee to do so. Libraries, Mormon Family History Centres (FHCs) & the public generally will be helpul & supportive. If you know where your b-family might live, the local newspaper may support a general appeal for information by running a story for you, or, more likely, printing a letter from you. Local services (eg libraries) can be found at http://www.scoot.co.uk which is similar to switchboard.com (though not as extensive) and covers Britain, Holland & Belgium. http://www.eyp.co.uk covers British businesses only.
(2) Since Nov 1975, British-born adoptees (over the age of 18) can apply for their "real" birth certificates, giving their own birth-name and naming their birth-mother (& maybe the father). In practice, though, the adoptive parents are usually told this information anyway when they adopt a child, and they often keep the child's Christian name the same. Of course, they don't often don't tell the child what they know. Unfortunately, the birth-parents are not told the adopters' identities. So it might be possible for the child to find b-mum but incredibly difficult for mum to find the baby she gave up.
(3) NORCAP (National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees) will also give advice on how to go about searching: NORCAP, 112, Church Road, Wheatley, Oxford, England. OX33 1LU.
They recommend the book "Where to find Adoption Records" by Georgina Stafford.
(4) This applies to everyone, not just adoptees :
Birth, Marriage & Death Records are complied centrally for the whole ofEngland & Wales, and held at the General Registry Office (GRO). Scotland has its own national GRO, as does Ireland. Copies of the whole index from 1837 to present day can be searched for free at most big libraries and all Mormon FHCs. The birth index only tells you : Full name of baby; maiden surname of mother; town of birth; the year & quarter of registration; volume & page reference. If you want the parents' first names, the exact date (& maybe place) of birth, & father's occupation, you will have to buy the certificate itself.
(5) If you write to the local Registry Office in the town, don't quote the vol & page reference (it's meaningless to them). They charge £6.50 stirling for the certificate and insist that you put the request in writing, including a stamped return-envelope. It's a quick, cheap service, but difficult to take advantage of if you're writing from abroad !
(6) The best thing to do is to contact the GRO itself. It costs more & takes longer, but the advantage is that you can ring them up & pay by credit-card over the 'phone. If you can give them the volume & page reference, it's £9.00. If you don't know it, they charge a bit more, and it takes a little longer. On average, it takes about 2 - 4 weeks to get the certificate. When you ring, they usually quote the higher price, as most people are too daft to look up the reference first !
(7) Write to: Office of National Statistics, GRO, PO Box 2, Smedley Hydro, Trafalgar Road, Berkdale, Southport, Merseyside, England. PR8 2HH. (They don't allow visits in person). If you're an adoptee wanting your own b-certificate, mark the envelope "adoptions Section". Better still, get out your credit card & phone (0151) 471-4200 to make general enquiries or (0151) 471-4377 to place the order . Basically, you can order anyone's "ordinary" birth certificate (Princess Di, The Beatles, whatever), but I'm not sure how they stand with adoptees' certificates, unless you are the actual person it relates to.
