RootsChat.Com

England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Herefordshire => Topic started by: daljul on Wednesday 13 December 17 07:57 GMT (UK)

Title: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Wednesday 13 December 17 07:57 GMT (UK)
I am trying to find whether there are any records of children that were abandoned and ended up in this Home. Can anyone advise or point me in the right direction?

Thanks

dinkey
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: KGarrad on Wednesday 13 December 17 08:37 GMT (UK)
I'm not finding any mention of St Bernards on the Childrens Homes website?
www.childrenshomes.org.uk

Nothing coming up on Google either?
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Wednesday 13 December 17 10:08 GMT (UK)
Thank you for looking for me. Much appreciated.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: rosie99 on Wednesday 13 December 17 10:47 GMT (UK)
Thank you for looking for me. Much appreciated.
]

What more information can you give us  :-\
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Wednesday 13 December 17 15:34 GMT (UK)
I am afraid that I have no more information other than the person I am researching was abandoned and sent there as a toddler. He was born in 1879. I was hoping to find this home on the 1881 census but no luck so far.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: JJen on Wednesday 13 December 17 15:44 GMT (UK)
Would you like to post the child's name so we could help you to find him?

Where did the information come from regarding St Bernard's?

JJ
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Wednesday 13 December 17 15:48 GMT (UK)
It is my friend's Grandfather Charles Davies who I understand was born 6 August 1879 (I don't know where) he was sent to this home as an infant.

I am also trying to find him in the 1881 census.

Charles married Elizabeth Wynne on 18th May 1911 at Clocaenog Denbigh Wales. At the time of the marriage he was said to be living at Gwalia Clocaenog as a labourer. His father is shown as John a Labourer. Charles died 12th May 1956 possibly in Stockport Cheshire. That is all my friend knows.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: KGarrad on Wednesday 13 December 17 15:52 GMT (UK)
Are you sure that the name of the orphanage/home is correct?
Are you sure it was in Herefordshire?
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Wednesday 13 December 17 15:53 GMT (UK)
I will check with my friend and repost

thanks
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Thursday 14 December 17 08:09 GMT (UK)
Further info from my friend.

Charles was adopted as far as she knew, he was possibly born in Ruthin but can't be sure.  She wonders if it could be a Barnardos Home he was sent to.

Just wondering though  that if he was adopted(more likely fostered) he could have been born under a different name.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: rosie99 on Thursday 14 December 17 08:29 GMT (UK)
Adoption as we know it did not start until the late 1920's. 

Who were the witnesses to the wedding
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Thursday 14 December 17 08:31 GMT (UK)
one witness was Morgan Davies. I don't know whether he was related.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Saturday 16 December 17 20:52 GMT (UK)
There is no Charles Davies born in September or December quarters of 1879 in Ruthin (or Denbighshire).

If you are convinced of that date of birth, then you could apply for a birth certificate specifying it, and see where that leads.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: rosie99 on Saturday 16 December 17 22:24 GMT (UK)
There is no Charles Davies born in September or December quarters of 1879 in Ruthin (or Denbighshire).

If you are convinced of that date of birth, then you could apply for a birth certificate specifying it, and see where that leads.

Maybe the birth was not registered  :-\
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: KGarrad on Saturday 16 December 17 22:47 GMT (UK)
Further info from my friend.

Charles was adopted as far as she knew, he was possibly born in Ruthin but can't be sure.  She wonders if it could be a Barnardos Home he was sent to.

Just wondering though  that if he was adopted(more likely fostered) he could have been born under a different name.

Barnardo's was almost exclusively a London based organisation, until the 1890s.

The nearest Barnardo's would have been in Chirk, near Wrexham - but that was only operational during WW2.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Saturday 16 December 17 23:34 GMT (UK)
Just for that death:
Deaths June quarter 1956  Charles Davies  age 75 in Stockport   

and showing under the claimed birth date on 1939 register,
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Saturday 16 December 17 23:40 GMT (UK)
Is this him in 1901?
In Clocaenog   Denbighshire   Wales
Registration district:   Ruthin   Sub-registration district:   Gyffylliog

Edward Davies   48  Farmer  Bala, Merionethshire
Sarah Davies   46   Llanelidan, Denbighshire
Charles Davies   21  servant teamster on farm  born Ross, Herefordshire
Jane Ellis   15
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Sunday 17 December 17 07:07 GMT (UK)
I think I have had a breakthrough!

I have been liaising with Herefordshire Registry Office and they have the following information:
Charles Davies
06/08/1880 DAVIS CHARLES  JOHN LABOURER  PREECE MARY ROSS 25/149  ROSS 305523
This is just a year out from the year of birth that Charles gave on the 1939 Electoral Register

However, there is a query on the mother being called Mary as there was no marriage of a John Davies and a Mary Preece but there was this marriage
John Davis Marriage Date 3 Nov 1876 Marriage Place Ross, Hereford, England
Father John Davis Spouse Eliza Preece Father William Preece

There is also the following census information relating to John & Eliza

1881 census address Kyrle Street, Ross, Herefordshire
John Davies Head Married 38 1843 General Laborer Ross, Herefordshire, England   
Eliza Davies Wife Married 27 1854 Ross, Herefordshire, England   
Charlie Davies Son Single 8 months 1881 Ross, Herefordshire, England

1891 census address Morley Square New Street Ross Herefordshire
John Davis Head Married 40 1851 Sexton Herefordshire, England   
Eliza Davis Wife Married 36 1855     -     Wales   
Charles Davis Son 11 1880 Ross Herefordshire, England   
Harry Davis Son 3 1888 Ross Herefordshire

1901 census address 34, Kyrle Street, Ross, Ross Urban, Herefordshire
John Davies Head Married 50 1851 Grave Digger Ross, Herefordshire, England   
Eliza Davies Wife Married 46 1855 Ross, Herefordshire, England

1911 census address 29 Edde Cross Street Ross, Ross Urban, Herefordshire
John Davis Head Married 40 years 5 children 3 still living 70 1841 Ross Herefordsh   
Eliza Davis Wife 60 1851 Ross Herefordshire

1901 census address Bryn Clwyd, Clocaenog, Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales
Edward Davies Head Married 48 1853 Farmer Bala, Merionethshire, Wales   
Sarah Davies Wife Married 46 1855 Llanelidan, Denbighshire, Wales   
Charles Davies Servant Single 21 1880 Teamster On Farm  Ross, Herefordshire, England

1911 census address Pen Y Par K Bryn South Marchog Near Coawen, Clocaenog, Denbighshire, Wales
Charles Davis Servant Single Wagoner On Farm  30 1881 Herefordshire

I will order the birth certificate to confirm that Charles's mother is Eliza and not Mary and hopefully this will confirm whether all the above assumptions are correct.

Thank you all for your help so far.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Sunday 17 December 17 08:10 GMT (UK)
Glad to see that my proposed 1901 census for him was the one that you also found.
(Though if the age on that one is correct and refers to an August birth he would have been born in 1879)

Interesting that he was exactly a year out for his birth (but I have known that for friends who are convinced they are a year younger or older than they claimed.)
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Sunday 17 December 17 08:15 GMT (UK)
You have put:

'1911 census address 29 Edde Cross Street Ross, Ross Urban, Herefordshire
John Davis Head Married 40 years 5 children 3 still living 70 1841 Ross Herefordsh   
Eliza Davis Wife 60 1851 Ross Herefordshire'

which would have been 1871 not 1876, so perhaps numbers and dates are not their strong point?

Their ages through the censuses do vary a lot.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Sunday 17 December 17 08:34 GMT (UK)
You have put:
'1891 census address Morley Square New Street Ross Herefordshire
John Davis Head Married 40 1851 Sexton Herefordshire, England   
Eliza Davis Wife Married 36 1855     -     Wales   
Charles Davis Son 11 1880 Ross Herefordshire, England   
Harry Davis Son 3 1888 Ross Herefordshire'

This looks like the birth of that Harry:
Henry Davis  mmn Preece  September quarter 1887 in Ross

They claim 3 children alive on the 1911 census - cannot see a third child with them on any censuses.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Thursday 21 December 17 15:45 GMT (UK)
I now have the birth certificate of Charles Davis. It gives date of birth as 6th August 1880. Place of birth is strange,looks like Preens Entry, Market Place Ross Herefordshire. and the mother is shown as Mary (nee Preece) and not Eliza which is the only Preece I can find marrying John Davis on 3rd November 1876 and her father is shown as William Preece.

My questions: Was there such a place as Preens Entry?
Could Eliza and Mary have been sisters?
Did Mary give birth to Charles and Eliza brought him up as her own child?
 confused about this birth.

Any help would be appreciated.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: KGarrad on Thursday 21 December 17 16:56 GMT (UK)
If it helps (from Ross-on-Wye.com):

 The Market Place, Ross-on-Wye, runs from the High Street down to the point where it meets Broad Street between the Crown and Sceptre Inn and Going Places on the west side, WH Smiths and Superdrug on the east side and to the south by the High Street.

The Market Place used to run from the junction with New Street right up to St Mary's Street and along to the Gloucester Road junction although it is now much smaller.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Thursday 21 December 17 18:22 GMT (UK)
Could you scan in the birth certificate so we can try and read Preens Entry?
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: chempat on Thursday 21 December 17 18:29 GMT (UK)
Preens Entry shows on the 1881 census in Ross-on-Wye as Preens Entry, Broad Street.

On Ancestry if you leave everything blank but put 'Preens Entry' in the keyword search, you can find it.
Title: Re: St Bernards Home in Hereford
Post by: daljul on Friday 22 December 17 08:14 GMT (UK)
Thank you chempat. I found it on the 1881 census. Charles's Grandparents John and Mary are shown as living on Broad Street on the 1861 census.