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Hi Flip,
Thank you for this response and the other two which I have yet to find time to consider. On my birth certificate my birth mother is simply Margaret Collett. The reason I am looking for Margaret M. Collett stems from additional information supplied by an aunt from my adopted family which I am unable to corroborate but seems reasonably reliable. She told me that Margaret Collett was 17 when she gave birth to me and that she was from the London area. This indicates she was born between March 1930 and March 1931. Only two possibilities arise from this inf., both having M. as a second initial. I have a lot of inf. about one of these inluding marriage ,children and address but no details of the other one. I am reluctant to proceed further because of this.

Hi Patrick,

Having a look back through this, we went from you having her name as Margaret Collett at first to it being Margaret M Collett. Is she Margaret M on your birth certificate?

Hi Patrick, don't give up too easily though. I was adopted and my original name was Smith - but eventually I got there and am so glad that I did!

Do some more research on the address, many were connected to adoption societies or religious orders - and they have records which you are entitled to access. They can't refuse your access under foi act!

Even if your adoption was arranged privately there will be an adoption file in the relevant court - apply for it from the court (you'll have the relevant court on your adoption certificate), you are entitled to see it. I got mine by writing to the court processing my adoption. Wish I'd done it years ago - gave me lots of useful info and letters from my birth mother, they cannot legally withhold it from you.

If the "house" was regularly used for unmarried mothers I think it would need to be registered, but am not sure on this.

Good luck with your search, if you need any more help come back!

Thank you Flip and patchem for your responses.
Also Terence for his earlier response which has set me thinking my birth mother may have been staying in the East Devon area rather than specifically in Honiton where I was born. Margaret Collett's address was a large house which used to accommodate unmarried mothers I have been told - so no help there. My adoption was privately arranged so I don't think there will be any file. I don't have an exact birth date for Margaret Collett, only info that she was 17 at the time and this is not certain.
Thank you everyone for your encouragement
Patrick

Have you got the actual birth date for Margaret M Collett, as we can then try and trace her through possible death information, though she could easily still be alive?
Thanks

Your birth certificate should have your mothers address, it could be worth checking the electoral roll to see if there was a family connection - some girls were shipped off to relatives at the time.

Have you requested your adoption file - there should be more information than just your court order, usually letters from your mother confirming her wish to have you adopted etc. Sometimes background on the adoption & reasons behind it.

Good luck

Thank you Terence for reminding me about the Collett Family History. I have looked at this before but I decided to trawl through again. Unfortunately I did not find anything that will help me but I did note an interesting (famous?) lady (Clare Elizabeth Collett) who I shall research.
Patrick

Patrick. I am currently doing my family tree and my mother's name was Collett. The 'Bible' for me has been the website 'Collett Family History'. It has been invaluable to me. Good luck.

Regards

Terence.

nudge up for Patrick~~~~

I was in contact with Shirley some months ago. Our Margaret Colletts appear to be from different families.
I hope this does not count as a repetition. I have the birth record for 'my' Margaret Collett (3a, 383). Born Brentford Oct-Dec, 1930 - mother's maiden : Jones. How do I proceed from here? I have traced another possibility for my birth mother but I need more inf. about this one even if only elimination as a possibility. Where do I look next? I have not found a marriage record in the Middlesex regon for a Margaret M. Collett.
Patrick

Shirley who is trying to find her Uncle on this board is also after Colletts in Brentford. Could there be a connection?

nudge again for Patrick....

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Is this of any help from free bmd - Liz

Births Dec 1930 (>99%)
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Collett Margaret M Jones Brentford 3a 383

There are two births for Margaret M. Collett in 1930-31. One I have researched thoroughly but I cannot proceed further until I have checked out the other. I need to find out about Margaret Collett born at Brentford in Oct-Dec 1930 (Mother's maiden name : Jones)

I have the court order for my adoption and my original birth certificate. I know the name of my birth mother and that my birth father was Irish with Christian names Patrick Brian. No agency was involved in my adoption. I was told by an aunt (adopted family) that my birth mother had stayed in Honiton and gave birth to me aged 17. From this I calculated Margaret's probable birth year.

thers no births for 1930/31 its 1924 or then 1933. Take a look at FreeBMD

I am presuming you may have been adopted?? you are entitled to have your adoption records so have you contacted the Authority that handled this .

I am trying to find my birth mother, Margaret Collett. She came from the London area and was born 1n 1930 or 1931. She stayed in Honiton in 1947 and 1948.