Homes for Unmarried Mothers Aberdeen

[still_looking]

sadly the entire book isn't available in preview but it would appear that boarding out children was widespread where the children were orphans, deserted or from pauper families:

http://books.google.com/books?id=In_jK6YCJXoC&lpg=PA1&pg=PA122#v=onepage&q=&f=false

google books has several references to 'boarding children' and 'boarding-out children' in different texts, the one mentioned above is from 1876 but the practice was still being mentioned in 1953

As to why they would be boarded out miles from where they were born, without more detail I'd guess that the parents worked in agriculture and moved where there was work, when the mother died the child would be looked after by the relative who was able to and when they died the responsibility for the child then passed to the state.

[ann60]

the family are a mystery   his parents were married in london it says in his birth cert, cannot find record. his father was a iron work labourer  they were married may 16 1877 my grandfather was born larbert stirling november  1777 and his mother died jan 1878    the death cert tells her mother and father name  i cannot  put this together next he is boarded to a family called wood new aberdour 
ann

[ann60]

hi still looking. just read the article on the boarded out children  very interesting,  thank you

Ann

[still_looking]

Ann

If you're looking for more detail on the circumstances surrounding your grandfather being boarded out you may want to check and see if either his mother or grandmother applied for poor relief in the areas in which they lived after his father had died.

Regarding his life with the family he was boarded out with have you located him in the 1881 and 1891 census?

still_looking

[ann60]

Hi still looking
 it was his mother who  died first when my william duncan my grandfather was 2 months old his father george signed the death cert. I found him in the 1881  census in new aberdour  what happened  i just cannot find out been trying for a long time. would larbert  have the poor relif?

[flst]

Hi, I do n't know about Larbert,but New Aberdour poor relief records are held in Aberdeen City Archives. Here's the link. The staff are very friendly & helpful.I think one of William's parents must've had a connection to New Aberdour before that parish was willing to look after William. What was your great grandmother's name? You said you got her parents names off the death certificate.Perhaps we can help you trace back further.I have a lot of ancestors from New Aberdour & am familiar with the place.
flst
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,769.0.html

[ann60]

it says on the birth cert that her mother was ann sim and  father james reid he worked as a carter  i cannot get a marriage for them .  my grandfather was boarded out to  a family called wood

[flst]

I went on scotlandspeople & typed in the names & found a marriage for a James A.Reid & Ann Sim in 1858,in Old Machar Aberdeen. The next step would be to check out the information on the marriage certificate as this will give you their usual addresses & also their parents. Have you checked censuses pre 1881 to try & find William's parents prior to his birth?
flst

[ann60]

i found that marriage i think it was 1855 william mother jessie was born iabout 1853 also i would not find jessie with them   just 2 sons wonder if i am missing something