Deciphering 1930s handwriting

[MaggiesGD]

Quick update from me: I looked at the 1911 census last night.  Robert and Margaret had 4 children at the time - I have their ages and names but not with me - and they were in Newcastle.  Margaret must have been pregnant with Margaret jnr who was born in Dec 1911.

A quick google revealed this entry on rootsweb:
http://listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/NEVISON/2001-02/0983200281

If these really are my ancestors someone has already traced the Nevisons back to 1728!

I also found this website - I think the Mary White mentioned on this page was my grandmother's sister as she was listed on the 1911 census.  The owner of this website is the poster in the link above.
http://www.prescot-rollofhonour.info/alsoserved-79-Thomas_Nulty.html

It's amazing how much you can find out in a day when I thought it might be impossible!

[Ermintrude46]

Sounds good, but be careful as it's easy to get carried away!    What you have to do now is try and prove that your Margaret Edith Nevenson White is Margaret White the daughter of Robert and Margaret (nee Nevinson) White born in 1911.  What else do you know about your Margaret Edith, did she marry, when did she die?  Her death certificate could be useful as it might give her date/place of birth.  Was your mother born at Queen Charlottes in London, by any chance?  If so, the London Metropolitan Archives have patient registers which cover the 1930s.  These could potentially say something more about Margaret Edith and her circumstances.  If not Queen Charlottes, it's possible that the hospital she was born in may have deposited similar records.  It might be useful to check the electoral rolls for the address Margaret Edith gives on your mother's birth certificate to see who was living there at the time of her birth.
Ermy

[Redroger]

It was by no means unusual for a girl pregnant with an illegitimate child to move away for her confienment and return when tongues had stopped wagging as they say.

[MaggiesGD]

How can I check the 1930s electoral registers for Prescot?  Is there a central online record or would I need to travel there and do it myself?

Ermintrude - thanks for your reply.  This is where it gets tricky - I know nothing of Margaret Edith Nevenson White other than that she gave birth to a child in a small London hospital (which no longer exists) in the 1930s.  I don't know if she went back to Prescot, married, had more children or when she died. My mother was not brought up by her so there is no family history.

My mother was placed in a London orphanage and I don't know which one.  I have googled but have not been able to find a list of orphanages which existed in the 1930s - does anyone know how I can uncover this?

I have ordered Margaret Edith's birth certificate to see if her parents are listed as Robert and Margaret. 

[Ermintrude46]

The library local to Prescot should have historical electoral rolls, if you can't visit yourself they may do a look up for you for a small fee as you have the actual address http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/residents/libraries/find-your-local-library/prescot-library.aspx  If Prescot library doesn't have this info they should know where it can be found locally.  Hmmm, difficult situation, I guess your mother can't or won't tell you more about the orphanage herself?  The London Metropolitan archives would be worth a call to see if they can help you narrow down what orphanages were in the area but many will have been run by charities or churches and records may not be with LMA.  This is good website for orphanages/workhouses http://www.workhouses.org.uk/  If your mother was adopted from the orphanage she (but only she) would be entitled to see her adoption file which may give more information but without her cooperation it's going to be difficult.
Ermy

[Redroger]

If for any reason the historic electoral rolls are missing from Knowsley libraries then the British Library at St. Pancras London has a good collection.

[MaggiesGD]

The British Library? Interesting - I am in London so could easily get there.

Re the orphanages the topic is not really discussed.  I know vagaries of the story.  She was born in London in the 30s, presumably placed in an orphanage there - no idea if that was because her mother died or abandoned her.  she was then evacuated in the war to Cheshire (I know the location so think I could find some more details of this place).  She was not adopted. 

What I would most like to do is find out some facts about her mother's family and so far it is going well.  I will hopefully soon have her mother's birth certificate and already have 1911 census data and possibly electoral register data.  I have also had a lovely email from my (if proven) second cousin telling me about his family history and a possible cousin of my mother's in Australia.  I seem to be incredibly fortunate in that some (potential) distant relatives seem to have researched elements of the family history.  I have found some possible marriages for my grandmother but will check out her birth certificate first.

I think I have to research everything before telling her anything about this and I can only see myself telling her if the balance of the information is positive rather than negative.  Perhaps once she knows something of her background we can look together for the orphanage records.  She believes something terrible would be uncovered - the result of years of being told she was from the 'gutter' - so doesn't want to look into it.

The part that makes me wary is how I can really prove what the records show.  Her mother could have been a friend of Margaret Nevison White who assumed her name in the hospital to give birth.  Unless there is a blinding ressemblance to a supposed relative isn't it just a theory? I can't see us getting DNA tests done to prove the links!

[Redroger]

As it's daughter to daughter down the female line, then if you have a supposed female relative available you and her could do it without involving your mother.

[MaggiesGD]

Redroger - not sure I understand.  Are you saying I could test my DNA with a female potential relative and get the proof before telling my mother?  But I couldn't do the same with a male potential relative?