Access to adoption records

I am reading "Finding Margaret " by Andrew Pierce just now. You might find it interesting as he has had so many problems trying to trace his parents. He found his birth mother but she refused to tell him anything. I'm nearly at the end of the book and he's in Ireland trying to get info on his father. It's a very interesting book and just recently published.

My MiL was adopted. Her birth parents were married. We have her adoption papers from a solicitor, so I have been able to trace her birth family. We don't know how MiL knew how to contact her birth mother but we have a letter from before MiL's wedding saying that her birth mother did not want any further contact with her and didn't want her other child to know about her and enclosing her birth father's WW1 medals. Very odd

Hi, Gosh your story mirrors my own.
When I started my journey to find my birth family, I wrote to the address of my biological mother at the time of my birth.
To cut a long story short, I eventually got a phone call from a brother who filled me in about what he knew.
My mother was dead, but she had given birth to four children, three boys and me. She kept two, and gave two up for adoption.
I was eventually able to trace my adopted brother with the help of Birthlink. They found him through my mother's surname. I was able to have a lovely relationship with him for over ten years until he died last year.
My other brothers are also dead.
Like you, I have used Ancestry and together with a relative who does research, have also found out lots of information about my biological father's family too.
When they were researching for Long Lost Family some years ago, they approached me for my story as I was looking for my adopted brother at that time but they decided not to take it on.
I'm sorry that I'm not much help but please keep trying. I gave up for a while, but when I went back to it, everything suddenly fell into place.
Good luck 🤞

Try Ancestry.com, I was unable to trace my biological father through records and it was in part because my birth mother named someone else as the father. I've since traced loads of biological family and have taken the view that if they are on Ancestry they will probably be happy to be contacted - at least that's my experience so far!

Try www.gov.uk/adoption-records/the-adoption-contact-register, that should be able to give you information as to how to search.
Good Luck

I do totally understand that and got in touch with "Birthlink" a company who could act on my behalf but as I do not know my brother's name just his date of birth and he was born in the same instituiton they are not able to help. I have, with the help of our local records, been able to trace my birth mother and am in touch with my half-brother and now through Ancestry am in contact with a cousin (our mothers were sisters) who was adopted like myself and we will continue to do some research together.

Because you have to use intermediaries who have access to the adoption records and will counsel both parties before putting anyone in touch.
I have direct experience of this, both the parents and children need protecting.
It is important it is done properly.

Have no experience of this Grayling or how Davina and Nicky manage this. However I do wish you every success in your search . I was not adopted, have a brother and a sister and would hate to be without them .
Good luck ! 💐