L.M.S employee

[speleobat2]

How about the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1932? Does anyone have access to one of those?

Carol

[LesleyB]

Hi Carol

How about the Glasgow Post Office Directory for 1932? Does anyone have access to one of those?

These can be viewed at the Mitchell. If he'd been in business as a butcher, bookseller or perfumier or similar that might have been a good trail to follow, but a lift attendant is not going to be mentioned as being such, unfortunately. There will be many W Hunters mentioned I'm sure, but I can't think of a way to sort out which one is which from a PO directory given his only known employment.

Best wishes
Lesley

p.s. in the example mentioned above suggesting a search in NRH, I should perhaps mention that the search I was conducting took me six years from start to finish, from beginning to search to being able to prove that the person I had found was the correct one - I did warn you it is not a "quick fix". Persistance does tend to pay off, but it is a far from easy task, so stick with it, don't give up and believe that you will get there!

[speleobat2]

Hi Lesley,

Thanks for that about them being at the Mitchell. I've come across them when I've been googling, but didn't know for sure where they were located.

I was thinking that maybe Scott might recognize an address or district from the lawyer's letter, etc.

Carol

[LesleyB]

I was thinking that maybe Scott might recognize an address or district from the lawyer's letter, etc.

Good thinking Carol - I wonder if the documents from the lawyers may be somewhere in archives as Sarah suggested? Maybe search NAS catalogue for the lawyers name as well just incase their papers have found thier way into archives.

Best wishes
Lesley

[LesleyB]

Also, Scott, if you have not already read this info, it may be of interest:
http://www.nas.gov.uk/guides/adoptions.asp

If you need help or advice as to how to go about things, Birthlink in Edinburgh are a great source of information and support:

Birthlink
21 Castle Street, Edinburgh EH2 3DN
Telephone: 0131-225-6441

[scotthiggy]

Anyway if the Courts were involved there may be something at NAS with more info on him.

Joette is right. Since you have a letter from a lawyer, it sounds as though the courts were involved. Have you searched the online catalogue at NAS? http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/
I put in William Hunter as a phrase and dates between 1930 and 1935 and came up with 29 hits. A number of these are divorces (could he have been married and his wife subsequently sued him for divorce?) There were also two that appeared to be women suing William Hunter for payment. You would recognize whether either of the names are those of your grandmother. If not, you could always order the various divorces ahead of time and go to NAS for the day to look through them. Many of these types of records are held at West Register House in Charlotte Square, rather than the Princes Street location, so check in advance to be sure. I'm saying this since judging by your posts on other forums you appear to be in Scotland.

All the best,
Sarah

Thanks everyone for the tips and help. I am playing about with the web site http://www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue/, but I'm not 100% how to use it. My father was <name edited> the illigitimate son of Elizabeth McCoy and William Hunter, in 1932. He was adopted, soon after by <a couple -edited> , and they re-named him "James Higgins". I have tried all these names into the NAS search-engine, but am struggling to come up with anything. With regards to the Lawyers letter, I only briefly looked at it and took notes. It is held by Hamilton Sheriff Court in Lanarkshire. Because this is an adoption, my father was the only person who legally had access to these documents. He showed no interest when he was alive, in finding out who his birth-parents were...the only reason I was granted access (abeit, briefly) was because I persistently wrote to Hamilton Sheriff Court, asking to view his birth certificate for medical reasons. I was not allowed to photograph or photocopy the birth certificate or lawyers letter, but scribbled as many details as i could. Unfortunately, the only mention of my father's father is literally "William Hunter, Lift-Attendant, Glasgow Central Station Hotel" at the time of my father's birth in 1932
!?

Scott - I'm afraid I have had to edit your post because the date of birth given is well past our cut off date of 1908. See viewtopic.php?f=14&t=6601
for more info. If anyone wishes to know the names to help you in your search, there is no problem with sending the details via PM. LesleyB

[SarahND]

How very frustrating for you! It does seem ridiculous that a son has no rights to his deceased father's birth records. I was very lucky with my mother's records (she was also illegitimate and then adopted, name changed, etc.), but that was in 1917 in a small town in Ohio. I was able to go to the court house and central birth records and get the information I wanted, without mentioning the word "adoption." For some reason the records were right there along with those of children who had not been adopted, perhaps because the parents didn't go through an agency.

But, back to your problem. At least you were able to have a brief look at the records. I don't see any mention of the mother's name, nor anything that is directly relevant to the people you mention in the NAS catalogue. But there is this that doesn't sound hopeful: under the reference GRO5/968 it says that Decrees of Paternity are closed for 100 years. Included in the files are Correspondence and case notes, which is what you would love to see, I'm sure. What is worse is that the reference covers 1929-1944 and thus says it is closed until 1/01/2045
I wonder if they will bring out the earlier ones in 2030, etc. Not that it helps you much now!

Hmmmm. We'll have to think up another way to find out who this William was.

Regards,
Sarah

[LesleyB]

On NAS site:

exceptionally, and on application to the court that originally dealt with the adoption, a person other than the adoptee may be allowed to inspect the adoption process. This is very rare and is usually only granted for reasons such as medical grounds. Once it has been examined, the packet of process papers is resealed in the presence of the person who has read them. All enquiries are kept confidential and the NAS keeps no permanent record of the names or other details of people who have looked at their adoption papers.

Worth pursuing?
The records should be held at NAS.

I was able to go to the court house and central birth records and get the information I wanted, without mentioning the word "adoption." For some reason the records were right there along with those of children who had not been adopted, perhaps because the parents didn't go through an agency.

Very different to the situation in Scotland. The records are not easily accessable. Forms need to be filled in, proof of ID shown etc before access is considered.

As the adoption records are closed for 100 years, they will not show in the NAS catalogue.

I would suggest contacting Birthlink for advice - they may be able to suggest alternative angles.
(they are currently having some office repairs done following a flooding, so not sure what the phone situation is with them just now - if no joy, try later in the week or next week) http://www.birthlink.org.uk

After adoption information line
Birthlinks After Adoption Information Line (AAIL) is an easily accessible one-stop point of contact for all those seeking information and advice relating to adoption issues that affect adults.
We are here to help;
•Adopted adults
•Birth parents and birth relatives of adopted people
•Adoptive parents and relatives
•Professionals engaged in after adoption work

[SarahND]

Very different to the situation in Scotland. The records are not easily accessable. Forms need to be filled in, proof of ID shown etc before access is considered.

I think my "luck" was largely due to the fact that the adoption was in 1917 and not 1932... It seems from the link you gave that adoptions have only been closed since 1930, so just a few years too late! Sigh.

Regards,
Sarah

[nelmit]

Crossword, 8 down, suitable name for a lift attendant, 9 letters.

Maybe this is the clue! If we can figure it out, we will have found our man

Sorry, couldn't resist... In response to Alan's information on possibly handicapped WWI veterans getting jobs as lift attendants, I started slogging through all the WWI files on Ancestry to see if I could spot an injured William Hunter who worked as a lift attendant and was perhaps applying for a pension because of his injury. So many William Hunters! Haven't looked at them all yet, but so far no luck Will keep looking... Do let me know if you've already been down this road, in which case I'll be pleased to stop looking

Regards,
Sarah

I did too Sarah.

I know this sounds ridiculous but when I was wee in the 50s the only lift attendants and cinema commisionaires I knew were ex military. The adverts Alan found make sense as lift attendants in those days had a wee seat where they sat and worked a handle.

Scott, have you ever tried looking for a death of a William Hunter a bit older than your gran? I know it sounds daunting but I think a focused day at Park Circus might bring something to light.

Regards,
Annette