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Author Topic: Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history)  (Read 312 times)
masgrace
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Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history)
« on: Sunday 06 January 08 11:34 GMT (UK) »

My GRACE family name may not be a genetic family name but an orphan or church foundling name. I am therefore interested in any historical information on how orphans were handled around the time my 3xGGF was born in 1811/1812, especially in the Colchester area.
(Please also refer to my GRACE Family posting).

I understand orphans handled by the church were often given religious significant surnames such as TEMPLE and perhaps in my case, GRACE.

On all the above cases, where would such documentation exist to say such and such a child had been given this name?

My 3xGGF's first name is Jeremiah. I had thought this suggested some Non-Conformist connections, but it is the name of a prophet.

Thanks for any historical clues that may help a 30-year quest.

Regards,
Mark Grace
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medhist
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Re: Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history)
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 06 January 08 18:31 GMT (UK) »

My GRACE family name may not be a genetic family name but an orphan or church foundling name. I am therefore interested in any historical information on how orphans were handled around the time my 3xGGF was born in 1811/1812, especially in the Colchester area.
(Please also refer to my GRACE Family posting).

I understand orphans handled by the church were often given religious significant surnames such as TEMPLE and perhaps in my case, GRACE.

On all the above cases, where would such documentation exist to say such and such a child had been given this name?

My 3xGGF's first name is Jeremiah. I had thought this suggested some Non-Conformist connections, but it is the name of a prophet.

Thanks for any historical clues that may help a 30-year quest.

Regards,
Mark Grace

Hello Mark

The evidence would be in the baptism register of the church in whose parish a foundling was discovered. Alternatively, if he came from the foundling hospital in London in the 18th and 19th century the evidence would be in Foundling Hospital Records at what used to be the Greater London Record Office or Coram Charity in London. It had its own chapel.

Foundlings were normally sent out of towns to country parishes to be nursed and returned to the home parish when old enough to be apprenticed.  If they came from London the foundlings would normally be given the christian name of either a saint or biblical figure and the surname of the church.  If you have found him in marriage or burial records it often mentions this in the parish register of the parish he was sent to. 

There is a church in the city of London St Something Gracechurch(sorry can't remember full name) it might be worth looking there. Though Gracechurch would be more likely.  He may have decided to drop the second part and call himself Grace.  In the Colchester area there may be a parish which routinely gave foundlings that name as a surname.  It would be a question or searching through baptism registers to find out.  Occasionally foundling were taken into private homes and adopted and given any name at will in which case there will probably be no firm evidence I'm afraid.

Foundlings were sent vast distances outside towns including up the Yorkshire or Somerset from London not just to local parishes.  If found in rural parishes they often stayed in the parish and were nursed by Parish nurses.  In that case evidence would be in the register and in any church papers to do with paupers.  London Parishes mention them in such things as Vestry Minutes and Churchwardens accounts.

Hope this helps
Valerie
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masgrace
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Re: Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history)
« Reply #2 on: Monday 07 January 08 07:13 GMT (UK) »

Thank you Valerie.
Having checked all original Essex church records I can rule out the local records in Colchester or anywhere else in the county. It is very rare, and certainly no parish naming pattern. I would imagine such orphan baptisms have not found their way to the LDS records, since no Jeremiah clues exist there either.

The Gracechurch idea is new and I will certainly look into it. The Foundling Hospital records are something I have been unsuccessful in locating from outside of the UK, although I recently heard about the institution. I am reliant on online indices and contacts through the Web.

Thanks again for the leads.
Mark
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Free data exchange & ongoing collaborative research for more than 120 family names, with over 200 surnames/interests listed on RootsChat.
masgrace
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Re: Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history)
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 12 January 08 08:15 GMT (UK) »

Val - Just to confirm: The Guildhall Library in London confirms the church as St Benets Gracechurch. They were kind enough to do a quick search and no GRACEs unfortunately.

Regards,
mark
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Clincher
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Re: Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history)
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 12 January 08 11:14 GMT (UK) »

I followed through your own possible clue and searched to IGI for all baptisms of Jeremiahs (leaving surname blank) born in 1811 + or - 2 years and got 26 hits for Essex. They included a Bishop in Manuden, 4 Pilgrims in White or Earls Colne and an Emen in St Leonard's Colchester.
So that theory may have some legs to it. Unfortunately the IGI does not include all baptisms.
I have come across the name Crace in Essex but that got no results at all on IGI
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masgrace
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Mark is The Geneal Geologist on CreativeGraces.net


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Re: Essex orphans & church foundlings (Background & history)
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 12 January 08 11:22 GMT (UK) »

Thanks v. much Clincher.
Those surnames are spooky, though, aren't they? I will add them as possibles to my list.

Regards,
Mark
(currently relying on genetic genealogy for his paternal origins).
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All my family history & research at http://CreativeGraces.net/genindex/genhome.html -
Free data exchange & ongoing collaborative research for more than 120 family names, with over 200 surnames/interests listed on RootsChat.
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