Adoption, divorce, name changes and burial records
Adoption records and certificates of adoption
The Register Office in the district where the adopted person was born will only hold the original birth record. This will be annotated to show that the person was adopted.
The Adopted Children Register is kept by the General Register Office. It contains a record of every person who has been adopted through a court in England or Wales since 1st January 1927.
To get a copy, send an application form to:
General Register Office
Adoptions Section
Smedley Hydro
Southport
Merseyside
PR8 2HH
Or you can apply online at GOV.uk.
Divorce Records
You can find information about obtaining a copy of a decree absolute on GOV.uk.
We do not hold any divorce records, but findmypast contains the index to divorce and matrimonial causes 1858 to 1903. Free access is available at any of our libraries.
The National Archives have produced a good guide on divorce records.
Name change by deed poll
You can find information about how to change your name by deed poll and how to put the new name on the official register (sometimes called being ‘enrolled’) on Gov.uk.
The National archives have produced a guide to looking for records of changes of name.
Burial Records
Information about cemeteries, graves and burial records is managed by Bereavement Services.