Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hoping to try and trace any of the Pitchford family of North Liverpool-Rodney b1940 son of Francis pitchford and Ester foster. Its a long shot but I am trying to unravel a very knotted mystery.
My father was unofficially adopted by Edward &Ellen Pitchford(nee Marsden) when he was born illegitimate in 1931. Ellen Marsden was my grandmothers aunt.He was then given another Christian name? other than the one he was known by, then renamed by his natural mother in 1946?? Another birth cert was issued with notes to reflect this. Has anybody heard of such a thing happening, and why?
Is it possible to view or find out any information on an application to change a birth certificate?
I'm baffled

You say Rodney was born in 1931... Can you give the GRO Birth Index details for that registration? This is only one I can find... Births Mar 1940: Pitchford, Rodney [Foster] - Liverpool S. 8b 125

That would indicate that the child's parents were married and there is no annotation on the Index entry to refer to an amendment of a previous registration. Do you have this birth cert? If yes, what is the actual date of birth in Column 1 of the cert.

And what is the source of him being renamed in 1946?

I would suspect that there may have been need for a legitimate birth certificate in 1946 and so the mother decided to correct a lie she made to the registrar at the time of his birth, stating that she was married to the father when in actual fact she was not.

The original lie would not have been uncommon if a registrar believed the mother was a married woman.

Thanks DS for your input. Rodney was actually the legitimate son of Edward &Ellen. My dad was taken by them to cover up a scandal I think when he was born in 1931 to Ellen's niece(my gran). Its confusing I know but Rodney was not the illegitimate one. I found his birth reg, It was very hard trying to find my dad's as even he didn't know he used to be named Thomas until 1946 when he was 15years old! So I have my dad's original 'Thomas' Birth cert and also his amended one in another name from 1946.

Thanks Mary I never considered this option, thanks for sharing your knowledge, it would stand to reason, his mother name is on both certificates? I'm wondering why this is.

Hi,
Apologies for the confusion where I dived up the wrong track!

I agree with MaryA's comments. If Thomas's mother had married shortly before 1946 it is possible a new birth cert was needed to correct an error or fib on the 1931 cert and in order for her husband to formalise his relationship with his step-son. It would be quite common for a form of adoption to take place so that his step-son has the same rights as other children born to those parents.