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Hi I am posting on behalf of my cousin who is looking for her half sister who was adopted shortly after being born
D.O.B 27th March 1945. Catherine Ann Tolfrey.
Mothers name Henrietta Tolfrey
Catherine was born in 48 Washbrook Road Cosham Portsmouth.
On Catherine's birth certificate it states she was adopted so assuming this was done officially.
If anyone has any information about Catherine or her immediate relatives please get in touch
many thanks
lee

Has your cousin added herself to the Adoption Contact Register? If not she can find out how to do so here:-

https://www.gov.uk/adoption-records/the-adoption-contact-register

If her half sister decides to look for birth family and she also adds herself to the register then they can be put in touch with each other.

She could also find her half sister's birth on FreeBMD and can add a postem (a message) so that if a family member looks for the birth they will see your message.

Kath. x

she is in the process of adding herself to the register. thank you for advise about bmd.

Interestingly, a GR member has the name in her tree with matching birth year, but birthplace 'Unknown, Australia'

Contacting her might prove fruitful. Nothing lost by trying!

saw this but as Catherine adopted names would be different?? but as you say nothing ventured......

Yes the adoptive name would be different, but she's in your tree under her birth name..................................and it's not a common name, especially when taking the birth year into account

The only Catherine Ann Tolfrey born in Portsmouth 1945 has mms Sheppard, per FreeBMD.

EDIT:

Oh, I see - her mother Hetty B Sheppard married Mr Tolfrey in 1936 in Portsmouth.

Births Dec 1916
Sheppard Hetty B (mms Houghton) Alverstoke 2b 834

I wonder if Catherine's adoptive parents kept her middle name. The GR member with Catherine in her tree is named Ann.

Is it possible that the tree owner is actually Catherine? Perhaps the family moved to Australia and "Ann" isn't sure where she was born?

All just speculation but using world membership I can only find the one birth for the name Catherine Tolfrey so it is definitely worth trying to contact the member (and just hope she is still able to be contacted through Genes).

Kath. x

yes that's correct. Catherine was a war baby unfortunately no-one knows the name of her father. Hetty never spoke about her but it's understood Hetty didn't want to give her up but had no choice. Catherine had 2 older sisters who spoke about her from time to time, as kids do. As years past memories fade and get muddled. My cousin recently mentioned she may have another sister but wasnt sure. Now we know for definate and she would really like to find her and get in touch with her.

There are 12 Tolfrey/Sheppard brths in Portsmouth on freebmd - plus one in another registration district

they are all siblings

There's a Janice who has Hetty in a tree on here. Do you know her?

Rose

Hi yes if it's the same janice she would be my half sister. did have brief contact some time ago but unfortunately she didn't want to meet and contact ceased.

hi all
I have spoken again to my cousin and she was told years ago by an older sister that Catherine was given to a family with surname Norris who lived at Norwich Road Wymering cosham.
can anyone tell me if there is a way of finding out if a family lived at Norwich Road back in the 40s?
apparently they moved away when auntys' husband returned from the war.

Have you made any attempt to contact the member who has this name in her tree?

There were no Norrises in Norwich Road in 1939.

Don't know about the 1940's.

hi re sending msg: I have messaged the member but have not had any response from her.

re 1939 thank you for looking. Is there any way of checking 1940s onwards?
would you know if they were adopted would they have new birth certificate issued in their new name which would show on bdm? Or would it just be the original certificate on bdm and the adopted certificate would be held elsewhere?
there is a janet c norris born 1945 portsmouth details on bdm.

Historic Electoral Rolls for Portsmouth area don't seem to be online

You'll probably have to enquire at the local council offices:

https://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/archives/collections/electoralregister

No registers were compiled 1940-44, because of the war.

Possible parents of the 1945 child:

Marriages Dec 1937 (>99%)
Martin Winifred E E Norris Portsmouth 2b 1196
Norris Cecil G R Martin Portsmouth 2b 1196


Winifred Ellen E Norris
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Winifred Ellen E Norris
Death Age: 82
Birth Date: 18 Jan 1916
Registration Date: Oct 1998
Registration district: South east Hampshire
Inferred County: Hampshire
Register Number: H47
District and Subdistrict: 5013
Entry Number: 219

In 1939 they were living in Portsmouth proper, not Wymering or Cosham:

Winifred E G Norris
in the 1939 England and Wales Register
Name: Winifred E G Norris
Gender: Female
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 18 Jan 1916
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 237 Hawthorn Crescent
Residence Place: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
Schedule Number: 204
Sub Schedule Number: 2
Enumeration District: EBEF
Registration district: 90/1
Inferred Spouse: Cecil Y R Norris
Household Members:
Name
Cecil Y R Norris - fish caterer assistant
Winifred E G Norris


Cecil Geroge R Norris
in the England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Cecil Geroge R Norris
Death Age: 60
Birth Date: 26 Aug 1916
Registration Date: Jul 1977
[Aug 1977]
[Sep 1977]
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Portsmouth
Inferred County: Hampshire
Volume: 20
Page: 0779

thank you