Find Living Relatives

Hello everyone.
I have been helped before at Genes and now hoping for some more help please.
Not long ago, with your help, I was able to find my biological mother living in the UK. I wrote a letter to her but unfortunately wanted to give no information or want further contact.

Now, from information on my adoption birth records, my birth mother also gave birth to a son in 1962.

I am now in search for my half-brother and at this stage I have found birth records, but searching on electoral rolls, Genes, Find My Past, Facebook etc., etc., I have not been able to find anything else on him.

He was born Andrew Airey in December 1962 in Bristol, Gloucestershire. Registration of birth is first quarter of 1963. (mother Christine Ann Airey – unmarried and father unknown).

I have received a letter from adoptions from Brent council about Andrew advising the following;-

- Adoptive parents are William E Lewis and Margaret Lewis
- William was 33 years and Margaret 30 years at time of adoption
- (my searching found a William Edward Lewis dob: 19 April 1930 – but can’t find Margaret’s actual birth info but would be 1933).

- William and Margaret lived at 57 Chiltern Green, Millbrook, Southampton at time of adoption.
- Adoption was granted on 27 June 1963 at Juvenile Court, Southampton

- The letter says Andrew was named Andrew Airey Lewis (which is unusual to keep his birth surname), but I am applying for a birth extract from GRO to confirm this.

- It also states that William and Margaret had at some stage adopted a girl who was born March 1961
- Her name was Cherill (spelling could also be Cherrill)

- I also presume she would have her birth surname (unknown) as her middle name – like Andrew.

So, it may seem that William & Margaret did not or could not have children of their own, so adopted.

Also, to keep Airey as Andrew’s middle name tends to indicate that William & Margaret had full intentions of telling him he was adopted or even make it easier for ‘relatives’ to find him (maybe).

Sorry if this is too long, but thought the more info the better :)
Thankyou.

So if anyone can help track Andrew down with more resources than I have, I would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe one of the children was the informant


First name(s) WILLIAM EDWARD
Last name LEWIS
Gender Male
Birth day 19
Birth month 4
Birth year 1930
Age -
Death quarter 1
Death year 2001
District SOUTHAMPTON
District number 5001B
Register number B65A
Entry number 044
Date of registration mm/yy 0101
County Hampshire
Country England
Record set England & Wales deaths 1837-2007
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Deaths & burials
Collections from Great Britain
(c) brightsolid online publishing ltd

Is posting such detail about living people on this insecure site really appropriate?

It might be best to edit Andrew's dob - just leave his birth month and year.

Asking the obvious - have you added him in his birth name to your famliy tree? Does any other tree list him? Is your birth mother on yours?

Thanks Shirley - I had thought William may have passed, and looks as if he has.

Thanks also Jacqueline - I wondered if too much info, but also thought the more there was may help.
I have adjusted Andrew's dob now also.

Thanks also Detective - Yes, I have Andrew Airey (birth name) in my family tree.

I did see another family tree for the same name and year of birth.
I was contemplating sending a message to the owner but what has stopped me (at this stage) is it shows place of birth in Bradford.
(Andrew was born in Bristol).

I have my birth mother on mine also (My given name was Judith).

Thanks again all for taking the time to read and reply - it gives me a nice feeling that people are willing to help where they can.
Thankyou.

Carolyn, just in case you hadn't realised, Shirley is probably suggesting you get William's death cert. There is a good chance that the informant is a relative. You will get both their address and William's. This could be invaluable in your search.
Jan

YES I would recommend you get Williams death cert for its info

:-)

Possibly his birth:

Births Jun 1930 (>99%)
Lewis William E Holloway Eastleigh 2c 187

In 2002, there was a William E Lewis living with a Margaret A Lewis in Southampton.
She was still there in 2004 but he wasn't.

I know he died in 2001 but the electoral roll uses information from the year before.

Rose

Someone called Laura appears to have William in her tree on here.

Rose

Again thank you to everyone for your replies (and sorry for not replying straight back, but I live in Australia and of course the time difference).

Thanks Brummiejan, no I didn't take the hint from Shirley to get a death certificate, so thanks for the advice.
I will look into how to get it (GRO I gather).

Sorry Shirley for not gathering where you where leading to, but understand now.
I would imagine the death cert. will more than likely have Margaret's address being William's wife....but you never know.

Thanks Rose for your search as well. I have seen the 2002 ER for that info and I'm reckoning that the birth info you found maybe the registration date.
His actual birth is 19 April 1930.

Thanks all.
Carolyn.

Just a thought...how about trying Southampton Adoptions dept.The library archives for newspaper obituaries

Can anyone more experienced than myself offer more help

All the Best

Thanks Autumnleaves.
I have looked through the Southampton Adoption info, but information states that any details are only supplied with the express permission from the person I am looking for (Andrew) - so without finding him I can not get permission :).

The library archives don't seem to have the right archives (some links don't work also). I have sent them an email asking if they have obituaries from 2001 (for William) - (I am still waiting for his death certificate to arrive).

Does anyone else have any other thoughts or suggestion on finding Andrew?

I have also gone down the path of using LinkedIn and sent messages to Andrew Lewis's in Southampton (only 1 reply, which was 'not him').

Thanks
Carolyn.

This is a long shot, but may be worth looking into.

There is a marriage in 1953 Southampton for William E Lewis, the middle initials for his wife are given as A R.

Looking up births for his wife (around 1933), there is one birth in Newport 1933, mother's maiden name Carlson.

If it is the correct Margaret, she has two siblings- her sister Jean married a couple of times (and interestingly had a son Andrew born 1st quarter 1963) and is possibly on the current electoral register in Cardiff.

I hope this isn't too cryptic- but thought her sister may have information?

Thank you Gritty for your search and info.
I'm still amazed how people on Genes can find this info and put some pieces together :)
I will look into it further - thank you.

I am also about to send a letter to Margaret (if I have the right one in Maybush Court) asking the question.

Slooowly getting closer I hope.

Carolyn.

Hi carolyn! Christine is my auntie and I have been trying to find you! I also have been looking for Andrew as I know he tried to make contact with us. Please contact me and I can fill the gaps for you :-)

Carolyn is unlikely to be looking for replies after 6 years.

Click on her name and send a message. If she still uses the e-mail she registered with GR, she will be notified, and have the option of responding

I’m so excited that I’m finally getting close!

Thank you ErikaH! I will do that