2 Raddlebarn Road, Selly Oak, Northfield, Kings Norton, Birmingham

[siroche]

Hey Jim1,

Sorry - i did mean there are two Elizabeth Willetts born around the same time. That is indeed the Dora you mentioned. A non-adopted child she was listed as a ‘visitor’ on that census.

[jim1]

two of same name and date of birth were found on Ancestry.com

So we don't give information you already have how do you know her date of birth?

[Treefan]

Thanks Treefan,

Grandmother was Dora Willetts, born to Elizabeth Willetts in 2 Raddlebarn Road, 24 March 1908.
Elizabeth's address was listed as just Kings Heath. No listing for Father.

If we could find any more info about Elizabeth's address or her parents, we could cross reference her with some we have found. Very much appreciate your interest in helping.

Hi there, could you supply more details please. What was your great grandmother's name and when was she born?

I assume from the information given by you that you have gleaned these details from the birth certificate for Dora Willetts. It appears that you are seeking more info re. Dora's mother in order to determine for certain which of the two ladies found in records showing two ladies of the same name is your own ancestor.
Birmingham Central Library holds records for 3 Poor Law Unions in the Birmingham area including Kings Norton which is where Dora was born. It may have been the case that Elizabeth Willets only spent time in the infirmary for the birthing of her daughter but it's also a possibility that she may have been an inmate of the workhouse too.
It would perhaps be an idea to make contact with Birmingham Central Library to make enquiries about a search of the records in the hope that more details might which might appear within the Union records might reveal more details about Elizabeth Willets which might help you to determine which of the two ladies she really was.
If anyone who lives locally is able to help you perhaps they might be able to visit the library to look through the records on your behalf.

[siroche]

Hi again Treefan and Jim1,

Apologies for any confusing information. Here's what I know.

I am looking to find out any more info on Elizabeth Willetts – mother of Dora. I do have Dora's birth cert (born 24 March 1908) and an Elizabeth is listed on it but no more info, and nothing of the father at all. Elizabeth is listed as a Drapers Assistant of Kings Heath at the time of Dora's birth.

Now, there are two Elizabeth Willetts listed on the births for King's Norton's district that are likely this woman. One in April/May 1884 (Let's call her Elizabeth A) and one in Oct/Nov/Dec 1885 (Let's call her Elizabeth B).

There is also a third likely Elizabeth Willetts (Elizabeth C) who was listed on the 1911 Census as a single servant girl, aged 27, in Birmingham but there's no obvious connection to King's Heath or King's Norton here.

The information from Dora's baptism might hopefully link her mother to one of the Elizabeth's above by giving a home address outside the workhouse, or a date of Elizabeth's birth even. She has been provisionally linked to Elizabeth A above because of circumstantial evidence but we really can't be sure of this. Any small clue might help confirm this and this can only come from the documents around birth of Dora; Baptism cert or maybe the workhouse records.

Hope this clears up any info I have given to date and might aid any advice or assistance. Thank you all.

Simon

Thanks Treefan,

Grandmother was Dora Willetts, born to Elizabeth Willetts in 2 Raddlebarn Road, 24 March 1908.
Elizabeth's address was listed as just Kings Heath. No listing for Father.

If we could find any more info about Elizabeth's address or her parents, we could cross reference her with some we have found. Very much appreciate your interest in helping.

Hi there, could you supply more details please. What was your great grandmother's name and when was she born?

I assume from the information given by you that you have gleaned these details from the birth certificate for Dora Willetts. It appears that you are seeking more info re. Dora's mother in order to determine for certain which of the two ladies found in records showing two ladies of the same name is your own ancestor.
Birmingham Central Library holds records for 3 Poor Law Unions in the Birmingham area including Kings Norton which is where Dora was born. It may have been the case that Elizabeth Willets only spent time in the infirmary for the birthing of her daughter but it's also a possibility that she may have been an inmate of the workhouse too.
It would perhaps be an idea to make contact with Birmingham Central Library to make enquiries about a search of the records in the hope that more details might which might appear within the Union records might reveal more details about Elizabeth Willets which might help you to determine which of the two ladies she really was.
If anyone who lives locally is able to help you perhaps they might be able to visit the library to look through the records on your behalf.

[Treefan]

Many thanks for the extra information. I shall do my best to get the old grey cells into action for you!

[TheRealCherryontop]

Hey there!

I'm researching my family tree and when I saw that my great-grandmother had died at 1B Raddlebarn Road, Selly Oak, I googled it and came across this site, not expecting that address to be an old workhouse. She died in 1938 so am I right in thinking it was a hospital then and she in fact died in a hospital not a workhouse?? She was married with children and wasn't born there so I was surprised to see she died in a workhouse (if it was a workhouse in 1938??).

Any clarification would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Tricia_2]

Hi 
Yes, it became Selly Oak Hospital. My grandfather died there and my elder son was born there, but it has recently been demolished. Understandable because it was outdated, but sad all the same

[smudwhisk]

From memory it closed in 2012 after the remaining services were moved to the new Queen Elizabeth hospital in Edgbaston in about October 2011.  From memory I think that some of the original Victorian buildings haven't been demolished but have been kept as part of the redevelopment.  There definitely were some still standing the other year when I drove past but haven't been that way for a year or so.