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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) => Topic started by: sharren1837 on Wednesday 06 April 05 18:42 BST (UK)
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My grandmother had her 1st child in 1935 at what i believe was a mother & baby home located at:
11 Belle Vue, Manningham, Bradford.
The address is now a garage business acc. to Royal Mail.
My grandmother obviously went to Manningham to give birth as her home address is listed elsewhere on the bc & she returned home after the birth. The baby wasnt put up for adoption but raised by another family member.
Can anyone confirm that there was such a home in this area of Bradford in the 1930s & if so, do you have any further deatails.
Would there be any surviving records & where they maybe today.
Kind regards Sharren :-*
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Hi sharren1837
I have taken your question to Bradford Council, hope you don't mind. They have since replied and they have forwarded the question on to Social Services who have been asked to get in touch with me direct.
Hope you don't mind? Will post whenever they get in touch.
Wendy
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hi wendy,
thankyou so much & no i dont mind, its very kind of you to take the time & trouble. if you dont mind i shall pm with my email so you can contact me direct.
once again, many thanks, sharren :-*
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Did you every resolve this question ? I have a relative who was a Matron at this address in 1891 and 1901 (obviously early than your interest) and it seemed then to be a Home for young women and girls. I have been trying to find out more so if you have info I would be interested to hear.
Thanks
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Hi Roseground,
i havent yet heard anything further from Wendy, although, i have to admit id completely forgotten about this posting, i think it was 1 of the 1st i posted on Rootschat.
i did have a look at the 1901 census & if i remember correctly there was a matron & numerous women listed, cant recall any babies but it was sometime ago so i could be mistaken, this would tally with your research. i dont know when the Home closed, but must have been after 1935.
Since i posted the original request, i have located further info regarding my grandmother & her eldest child both of whom are now deceased, although some of their descendants are still living, so im unable to post details here.
Wendy:
if you have heard anything further from Bradford Social Services/Council can you PM me & i can provide names, dates etc if required.
Kind regards, Sharren
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Hi
have just come across this. If you have any information at all on the mother and baby home at 11 Belle Vue I would appreciate you forwarding on. I have been researching my family history and found that my father was born at that address in 1927.
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Hi Sharren
My wife adds that there was indeed a maternity unit for unmarried mothers in Manningham that one of her work mates unfortunately had to attend about 1965.
Dave
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Thanks everyone for your replies,
Since my original query, i have discovered the following information which may help others.
11 Belle Vue, Manningham was alternatively known as a refuge, remand, rescue and/or maternity home for unmarried mothers and their children. Sponsored by the church of England and called St Monica's Home for Unmarried Mothers until approx. 1969. St Monica's 'encouraged' the mothers to baptise their babies at St Mary Magdalene Church, Wood Street, Manningham. So further information maybe found via the church records.
Some of the women arrived at St Monica's 6 months prior to the birth, whilst some children remained until they were 3 years old. At that time illegitimacy was looked upon as a sin and almost as a crime. It is probable that mums-to-be were sent there as it was some distance from their home towns.
The poor expectant mothers were strictly supervised, hardly allowed to leave, their incoming and outgoing mail restricted, opened, read and then censored. They were allowed very few visitors and male visitors were completely forbidden. A nurse recalls her work experience at St. Monica's during the 1940s on page 5 of the following. (Early years in England)
http://www.rijo.homepage.t-online.de/pdf/en_de_ju_sky50132.pdf
If the child's father could be traced the authorities of St Monica's would apply for an affiliation order (Maintenance) against him and would conduct the mother's case on her behalf. Not sure whether these records exist.
The link below states that St. Monica's records are held at WYAS in Bradford Central library, (contact details page 1) on page 8 it has St Monica's with the following details of records available:
BRADFORD, ST MONICAS HOME FOR UNMARRIED MOTHERS
Minutes
Case books
Report books
Ref: 13D80
1912 1970
1912 1970
1932 1970
1952 1970
http://www.archives.wyjs.org.uk/documents/archives/Collections%20Guide%207.pdf
I haven't searched any of these records myself so cannot comment on their accuracy etc
Regards Sharren
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Hi reading this has given me alot of information regarding my nan. In 1959 my nan had this address details on my mum birth certificate
11 belle vue
Bradford 8
But where my mum was born was
217 Horton lane
Little Horton
She had a girl in 1959 any information would be great
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Hi,
It is probable that your relatives are still alive so I think admin should have censored your post, however, 217 Horton Road might well have been St Luke's hospital.
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You are correct Dave it was the workhouse
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Bradford/
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I contacted Bradford Council after my initial post. They were extremely helpful. Unfortunately though a number of records from the late 1920s to early 1930s were destroyed in a fire which included my fathers as he was born in 1927. Hope everyone else is more successful.
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Yes dave I looked up the date an address and I think at the time it was st Luke's hospital but all the places have been knocked down. I'm from Birmingham so have no idea of how to go about finding my nan as my mum was taken away from her at age 5 and taken abroad she came back in her late teens...
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You need to remove the names of all those that are possibly living from your posts. ;)
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You need to remove the names of all those that are possibly living from your posts. ;)
Sorry I dant realise I shouldn't put names thamkyou🖒🏼
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There was a home for mums on Queens Road in Manningham called Waddiloves Hospital for women. The building is still there and used by the NHS. Thought the info it might be of interest
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A general listing for most mother and baby homes!
http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/list/MH11.shtml
Brian