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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Devon => Topic started by: Aks on Friday 13 June 08 12:10 BST (UK)
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Does anyone know if any records exist from the Devon House of Mercy at Bovey Tracey? My great-grandmother (Martha Susannah Froude, born in 1852) was there in 1871 as an inmate according to the census and I'm trying to find out more about how she ended up there, but I'm not getting anywhere. If she went there because she had an illegitimate child, would there be some particular record of this?
Another curious fact is that she is listed on the 1871 census as having been born in Bristol, Somersetshire (not Gloucestershire), whereas she came from Stoke Gabriel in Devon. Since her parents died when she was very young, I assumed she might have been sent off to live with a member of the family in Bristol, but I can't find her at all on the 1861 census (after her parents died). She seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.
I'm just posting this in the hope that someone with more experience than myself (probably just about everyone) might have some bright ideas.
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In GENUKI under Bovey Tracey I found this mention in Family History publication .
Green, Christina. Society's Fallen Sisters: The Devon House of Mercy, Family Tree Magazine, vol. 23, no. 7, (2007) pp.39-41. [Founded "for the reception and reformation of females who have sinned against the Divine law of chastity".
Try the Devon Family History Society.
http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/treehouse.htm
I Googled Fallen Sisters Bovey Tracey and found some bits and pieces which you can find fairly easily . Using Google.
Then I thought of Old Maps and I found the building on an old map! It is situated on the hill behind the Church! attached. Ive been through Bovey on the bus many times and behind the church there are trees and on a modern map its still there hidden in the trees, now called Devon House.
If you go to Francis Frith put into search Bovey Tracey Devon ,there is a photo of it.Big place.
Foxy
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Thank you very much for this information, Foxy, especially the super map! Also, the photo : I didn't know what Francis Frith was, but managed to figure it out! I will try to get hold of this magazine article.
Just in case someone else has as interest in this area, it seems that there are some records available in the national archives according to their website, which includes the annual reports for 1866, 1871, perhaps 1881, and 1925-38, and the register of admission of inmates from 1913-1939, which is unfortunately after the period that interests me personally.
Alan
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As I live in the area I'll see if I can find a book in the local library about BT. See if this place comes up in it.
Id guess that Martha was unfortunate enough to have a child out of wedlock and got caught up in the maws of what could well have been a ferocious institution..pious do-gooders preaching , Sounds utterly horrible. Well meaning in intention I suppose but uggh!
Id guess the child might well be in the parish registers of Bovey Tracey, if it survived.
Foxy
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Thank you very much, Foxy, for your interest in this issue. The question I'm asking myself is did girls in this situation go to this kind of institution to give birth or was it somewhere they went after afterwards?
Indeed, I'll have to get hold of this article because, as you, I really wonder what they endured in there. Perhaps this place wasn't so bad : it seems as though the clew sisterhood was started with a good motivation. However, having recently read about the Magdalene laundries, I have some doubts.
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I dont know how these things worked back then...but judging by the tales I heard about the brutality exercised on girls in unmarried mothers homes in the 1960's I would guess it was pretty dire.
I agree about the Magdalen laundries of Ireland. A real horror story and I wondered if something like it was going on. I wonder if it depended if the foundation was Roman Catholic or C of E?? would that make a difference ?
I will get to the Library tomorrow and see what I can find.
I love a good detective story!
regards
Foxy!
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I found some images in a booklet about Bovey Tracey . Looks like the place was run on similar lines to those in Ireland. Sisters of Mercy were originally from Cork in Ireland so Irish Catholic and terrifying I imagine
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Thank you for this invaluable information, Foxy. It looks worse than I had imagined. Just looking at the laundry conjures up pictures from a documentary I saw on the Magdalene laundries. In fact, didn't they make a film about it. Seems like some women got sent there for almost no reason and ended up being caged up in there for decades, even recently, as I think you mentioned. At least, this did not happen to my great-grandmother. I only know she was there in 1871, at about 18 years old, but in 1880 she got married in Liverpool. Perhaps she couldn't get far enough away from the place!
I am really indebted to you. Thank you very much.
I will post some more information of general interest later if and when I get some.
Alan
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Maybe they could leave at 21, when they came of age.
Oddly there were a quite a few connections between Devon and Liverpool in that period, through the various ports obviously and Teignmouth where I am was one of the most active. Its only a few miles away from Bovey, about 12 or so, relatively few by todays standards, quite a long way to walk but not impossible, two days maybe.
What happened to her when she got the Liverpool? A whole chunk of my family were from there in the 1880's I have a great Grandfather who was a Dr in Liverpool and another who was head of the Albert Docks Offices.
Pleased to have shed some light on your searches.
Good luck
Annie
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have you looked here?
http://www.missing-ancestors.com/girls_industrial_school%20exeter%20devon.htm
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I would like to add here that I have finally tracked down Martha Susannah Froude, who was in the Devon House of Mercy in 1871, on the 1861 census. Given that the 1871 census indicates that she was born in Bristol, Somerset, I thought perhaps she might have been in this area at the time of the 1861 census, especially since the Devon House of Mercy did not open until at least 1863, I think.
Looking for orphans in Bristol on the 1861 census, I discovered that many of them were simply listed under their initials and I found :
M S F, age 9, born abt 1852, in Paignton Devon, residing in the New Orphan House Number 2 in Clifton, Bristol St James and St Paul, Gloucestershire.
It turns out that this orphanage was created by one George Müller, originally from Germany, whose biography is quite fascinating. (Thanks to Tati for finding this.) See http://www.about-bristol.co.uk/ash-01.asp and http://www.mullers.org.
I just want to mention, especially as we are in the Devon section here, that George Müller spent a few years in Teignmouth as the pastor of a church, and it is from here that he eventually moved on to step start up his orphanages (amongst other things) in Bristol which rapidly grew to taking in thousands of children based purely on voluntary, donations which he didn't even ask for directly. Pretty amazing, especially considering that he started his life as a drunkard and a cheat.
Anyway, thanks to Teignmouth and Devon for inspiring all of this!
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I forgot to send you this. maybe of use if you want to search further.
Friends of Devon Archives FODA http://www.foda.org.uk/main/about.htm
Devon Freeholders 1711- 1799 Parish, Village orTown
Froud, John QS7/56/Lifton - Coryton
Froude, James QS7/36/Ermington - Modbury, gentleman, freeholder
Froude, John QS7/28/Ermington - Modbury , gentleman, freeholder
Froude, Robert QS7/36/Ermington -Modbury
Frowde, James QS7/20/Ermington, QS7/28/Ermington - Kingston gentleman
Frowde, John QS7/14/Ermington (2), QS7/20/Ermington (2)
John Frowde, of Frowde,Ermington- Kingstone -Church Towne, freeholder
Frowde, Robert QS7/14/Ermington gentleman, freeholder
Frowde, Thomas QS7/44/Ermington of Ringmore [Ringmore (near Kingsbridge)] freeholder
Ermington Parish - Kingstone [Kingston]
Robert Frowde, gentleman, freeholder
John Frowde, of Frowde, freeholder
John Frowde, of Kingstone Church Towne, freeholder
Notes. Parish of Ermington in Ermington parish and Ermington hundred. ( village not far from Plymouth just south of close by Ivybridge off the A 38)
Kingston in Kingston parish and Ermington hundred.
Modbury is closer to Kingsbridge
From Genuki
GREEN, Christina. Society's Fallen Sisters: The Devon House of Mercy, Family Tree Magazine, vol. 23, no. 7, (2007) pp.39-41. [Founded "for the reception and reformation of females who have sinned against the Divine law of chastity".]
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The Bovey Tracey Heritage
Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust
The Old Railway Station
St John's Lane
BOVEY TRACEY
Devon
TQ13 9GP
Tel:01626-834331
Email. bovey[at]devonmuseums.net
Charity Number 1063070.
The Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre is open at the following times.
Mon - Fri: 10.00- 12.00 : 14.00-16.00 (2 pm-4 pm)
Sat: 10.00- 12.00
Sun: Closed
If you are researching your family history and find that some of your ancestors lived in the Bovey Tracey area, the Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre would be pleased to have a copy of their details to add to the Archive at the Heritage Centre.
Similarly, if you or your family have any photographs, pictures, audio tapes, films, newspaper cuttings, artefacts, memories or experiences associated with the area, they will be of interest and copies may be added to the archive for use by researchers in future years.
Cemeteries
MIs for this parish are included in the Incledon index - see GENUKI under Cemeteries on the main Devon page.
Bovey Tracey railway station was built on the west side of the town, opening on 26 June 1866. Two platforms were provided, with the main building and goods shed being on the town side of the line.
Stoke Gabrial 1850
Adams Richard, fisherman
Allamon Misses
Bowden Rev Robt. vicar, Castle Hs.
Colson Mr Wm.
Davies Jno. & Jones Jno. shoemkrs
Hales Edward, cider merchant
Hulme Rd. Parrott, Esq. Maisonette
Lambshead Mrs
Lander John, builder and vict. Albert Inn
Lander Richard, carpenter
Martin John, woolcomber
Martin John, tailor
Matthews Charles, shopkeeper
Narracott Robt. and John, masons
Narracott Roger, mason & parish clk
Parnell Wm. butcher
Rowe Wm. vict. Church House
Studdy Henry, Esq. Watton Court
Tapley Mary Ann, shopkeeper
Wyatt John, smith
FARMERS. (+ are Owners.)
+ Adams Richard, Rydens
+ Blight Wm., Watton
+ Churchward John, Stoke Hill
+ Churchward Matthew, Egglesford
+ Collings Wm. C., Portbridge
Duder John
Elliott Susan
+ Foss Wm., Sandridge Barton
Hannaford Philip
+ Jackson John Churchward, Ash
Peeke John
Searle Henry
Searle John
Widdicombe Thos. (& corn miller,) Byter Mills
best wishes
Annie
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I guess you've got her marriage cert??
Its in Free BMDs
Marriages Mar 1880
Froude Martha West Derby GRO ref. 8b 578
SILLITOE Joseph W Derby 8b 578
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Thanks Annie. Yes, I have do have the marriage certificate and quite a few other things. Perhaps I should try to put a clear post indicating what I'm stuck with. Will try to do soon.
Best wishes,
Alan
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thought you might have. !
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I cant figure out how to send an image via PM so Im doing it this way.
Teignmouth.
Enjoy Geneva!
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Wow, that just blows my meager image away. Magnificent!
Thanks, but I think your neck of the woods is probably much more beautiful.
Alan
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Theres nothing wrong with your image!
Teignmouth's Ok not as pretty as a lot of places, Dartmouth for instance. has lovely old medieval houses which we dont here.
The French came in 1690 and burnt the place down but dont tell anyone might not be PC!
I take my best photos in the winter when the light is not so strong and theres are no visitors crowding the place.!!
I have a computer stuffed with photos Ive taken but I need pastures new really!.
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I found some images in a booklet about Bovey Tracey . Looks like the place was run on similar lines to those in Ireland. Sisters of Mercy were originally from Cork in Ireland so Irish Catholic and terrifying I imagine
Can you tell me which booklet this article was in? If available i would like a copy, or at least read it if it in a library.
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Hi Theatre Royal,
I don't know which booklet Slightlyfoxed refers to, but I do have an article about Devon House from a family history magazine which I can send you if you pm me your email address.
Alan
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Morning Aks
Apparently one can only send/recieve PMs after a minimum of three postings, and as I only found this site and registered this week I have not posted three yet, but will do so and see what transpires. Thanks for your interest.
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Aks
A copy of this would be much appreciated. Thanks
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Any photos of the former Devon House of Mercy at Bovey tracey, Devon, would be appreciated.
Theatre Royal
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I found the piece I was researching
- Devon House of Mercy Bovey Tracey - I believe it is now luxury appartments
Bovey Tracey 1870
The DEVON HOUSE OF MERCY, for reclaiming fallen women, was established here in 1861, and was formally opened in a temporary residence in 1863; the foundation stone of the present building was laid by the Earl of Devon in 1865; it contains accommodation for 72 inmates, and is supported by voluntary contributions; the members of the Clewsisterhood have the management of it.
Devon House of Mercy for Reception of Fallen Women - The Bishop of Exeter, visitor; the Hon. And Rev. C.L. Courtenay, warden: Rev. F. Ensor, hon. Secretary
1902 entry
Devon House of Mercy, The Bishop of Exeter, visitor ; the Archdeacon of Barnstaple, warden ; Rev. Charles- John Penrice B.A. sub-warden ; Rev. Prebendary Harry- Tudor M.A. hon. sec. ; Henry T. Ferguson esq. & E. Harding esq.
2009 Investigations into Abuse by RC Church institutions run by priests and nuns -includes Sisters of Mercy,
Images here attached from A small booklet about Bovey Tracey - can be obtained from your local library with,- looked much like the harrowing places that were featured in the film about the Magdelen nuns in Ireland ....?
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Transactions of Devon Association have an article - should be available in Devon Libraries - most keep TDA 's
Wallace, J. 'The Devon House of Mercy at Bovey Tracey 1863-1940', Volume 133, 2001, pp. 191-216
An early outpost of the successful Clewer Sisterhood, based at Windsor, the Devon House of Mercy at Bovey Tracey took in 'fallen' women perceived to be at risk from prostitution and other vices. The 'inmates' of this Victorian institution were originally known as 'penitents'. Using documentary records and oral recollection, this paper explores the history of this Anglican reformatory which was also dedicated to education and industrial training.
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Hello,
Slightlyfoxed, I came across the pictures of the House of Mercy that you have posted on this discussion and I was just wondering where you got them from?
I am doing my dissertation on the House of Mercy and I would like to include the image of the front of the building but I am unsure how to reference it as I have accessed it through this message on roots chat!
I would be very grateful if you could let me know!
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I think if you read through the various messages you should find your answer . all i have is this
Bovey Tracey 1870
The DEVON HOUSE OF MERCY, for reclaiming fallen women, was established here in 1861, and was formally opened in a temporary residence in 1863; the foundation stone of the present building was laid by the Earl of Devon in 1865; it contains accommodation for 72 inmates, and is supported by voluntary contributions; the members of the Clewsisterhood have the management of it.
Booklet
Devon House of Mercy for Reception of Fallen Women - The Bishop of Exeter, visitor; the Hon. And Rev. C.L. Courtenay, warden: Rev. F. Ensor, hon. Secretary
1902 entry
Devon House of Mercy, The Bishop of Exeter, visitor ; the Archdeacon of Barnstaple, warden ; Rev. Charles- John Penrice B.A. sub-warden ; Rev. Prebendary Harry- Tudor M.A. hon. sec. ; Henry T. Ferguson esq. & E. Harding esq.
2009 Investigations into Abuse by RC Church institutions run by priests and nuns -includes Sisters of Mercy,
British Listed Buildings - no images
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-84482-devon-house-flats-bovey-tracey-devon
http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/BoveyTracey/BoveyTraceyKelly1902.html
Culture Grid Resource
Title: The Devon House of Mercy, Bovey Tracey, 1863-1940
Creators: Wallace, Janice;
Description: Text covering Devon. Devon House of Mercy. Maternity services. , Northcote. History. 1836-1940 produced 2001
Format: text/html
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ -
Publisher: Devonshire Association
Rights holder: Devon County Council
Subject: Northcote; Maternity services; History;
Temporal: start=1836; end=1940;
Type: Text;
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Thank you!
Did you access the booklet from the Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre by any chance?
I am thinking of going down and giving it a visit
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No Sorry but if you go to your local library you may be able to order it. try the library catalogue- on line OR the British Library may have a copy which can also be ordered from your local library - BL integrated Catalogue..also on line.
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Fascinating thread!!
You have the patience of a saint "slightlyfoxed", and your photos make me feel homesick for Teignmouth, and Bovey where my older son gave daffodils to Princess Diana many years ago..
:'(
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:)
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Just wondering if Aks is still using the site. Back in 2008 I see there was a discussion on the Devon House of Mercy and Aks was trying to find out about her Great Grandmother Martha S Froude. She was on the 1871 Census as was my Great Grand mother Mary Ann Barwick.
Am wondering what info was finally discovered. Were they free to leave at age 21.
I am trying to find out why my relation was in the House of Mercy and if there was a child involved.
Many Thanks in anticipation
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Hi Fred (hope that's correct),
I'm very happy to make your acquaintance! The short answer is that I haven't found out very much. I had exactly the same supposition as you, but I've only been able to glean some general information about the place. It seems that there are no surviving records from this period. I have a scan of a magazine article about the place I can send you (I'll PM you about that.)
Another interesting read is the book "A Cornish Waif's Story: An Autobiography" by Emma Smith (pseudonym) published by Truran Books. (See also http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Woman-s-story-cruel-childhood-authentic-account-life-raw/story-11430842-detail/story.html). This book does not directly cite the Devon House, but it is apparently the place she refers to that she is in at a certain point in the story.
Alan
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Almost certainly a young woman who was unfortunate enough to have an illegitimate child.
You might find the answer in the census records.
Bovey Tracey 1870
The DEVON HOUSE OF MERCY, for reclaiming fallen women, was established here in 1861, and was formally opened in a temporary residence in 1863; the foundation stone of the present building was laid by the Earl of Devon in 1865; it contains accommodation for 72 inmates, and is supported by voluntary contributions; the members of the Clew sisterhood have the management of it.
Devon House of Mercy for Reception of Fallen Women - The Bishop of Exeter, visitor; the Hon. And Rev. C.L. Courtenay, warden: Rev. F. Ensor, hon. Secretary
1902 entry
Devon House of Mercy, The Bishop of Exeter, visitor ; the Archdeacon of Barnstaple, warden ; Rev. Charles- John Penrice B.A. sub-warden ; Rev. Prebendary Harry- Tudor M.A. hon. sec. ; Henry T. Ferguson esq. & E. Harding esq.
2009 Investigations into Abuse by RC Church institutions run by priests and nuns -includes Sisters of Mercy,
Very similar to the Roman Catholic nuns etc of the Magdelen laundries which exploited young girls who had illegitimate children in Ireland.
The chap who was looking for his great grandmother might know more I can ask him.
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Thank you, Slightly Foxed, for your much better description of Devon House than mine. (I think I should change my screen name to something like completely flummoxed!)
What was the result of the investigations into Abuse by RC Church institutions as regards Devon House?
I have to say that I'm not convinced that someone's being in Devon House necessarily implies that there was an illegitimate child involved. Indeed, if you read "Emma Smith"'s story, she appears to have been considered to have been a woman of loose morals, or something like that, even though it was clearly not the case. Such was the judgement of the time on girls who found themselves with nowhere to go, or so it appears to me. Interestingly, and sadly I feel, it seems that for Emma, this was about the only place where she experienced any sense of family during her youthful existence.
Alan
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The description wasn't mine...!
I did not follow this at all after the initial research and I thought I had some other research but I seem to have lost it in a computer crash. >:(
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the answer may lei here..
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10199a.htm
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Thanks for all your help. Like you Alan am not sure the real reason that girls were in BT,i cannot find out about any illegitimate children and my relative was married at 21 and then had children. It certainly looks like a very hard place to have been though what a wonderful building. I will get hold of the Emma Smith book as it sounds enlightening.
The article that slightly foxed sent looks interesting too,i will print that off and study further.
Again any other thoughts at all would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Fred
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I have a book called "The Bovey Book" it was published in 2004 and was produced for the Heritage Centre. It has a chapter on the Devon House of Mercy. It is situated behind the parish church and is now apartments. The chapter in the book contains some photographs of the laundry and dining hall. Your library may be able to obtain a copy. I know Bovey Tracey's library has one although the library will be closed for the next three weeks or so for roof replacement.
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Hi DevonMaid,
Many Thanks for that.Just out of interest as one of the other Roots Chat members sent me a piece on the House. The title of that one is Societys fallen sisters by Christina Green. But I will look for that book.
Many Thanks
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Also looking at a girl who was there in 1911 aged 16. Her two sisters are under a guardian and living in Taunton. In 1901 the two sisters are in Taunton Workhouse, the other one is with grandparents and father. One is sent later to Canada as a British Home Child, part of a Dr Barnardo's party.
Hard to find the one who was at Bovey Tracey but I did find a girl by the same name on a passenger list coming back from Mauritius, occupation Chambermaid. Can't say with any certainty it is the same girl.
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Hi Jane,
I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I believe there are some records from the Devon House of Mercy for the year you refer to. In my case of around 1871, there is nothing, but if you search on the National Archives website, you will find some entries for the Devon House of Mercy, though these records are not held in Kew, but mainly at the Berkshire records office or sometimes by Devon archives.
Best wishes,
Alan
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thank you Alan
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Hi Jane,
Who is it you are looking for at the House of Mercy. My relative was a Mary Ann Barwick and I struggle to find out very much about her prior to her getting married.
Divingfred
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Looking for a friend's ancestor , Alice Margaret Sweeting.
Always worth checking the British Home Child records- her sister was sent to Canada.
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/home-children-1869-1930/Pages/home-children.aspx
Thousands of "poor" and orphaned children were sent, many not orphans but from unfortunate circumstances.
There is also a facebook site for this. I was very surprised to find my great uncle was one of those children, it has never been mentioned.
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Wow - so good to hear about 'Devon House' and the Sisters of (no) Mercy. I was born there in 1955 as were my 3 sisters. We had an apartment which included 'The Nursery' where us 4 kids slept. My mum who suffered in the Blitz was a no-nonsense brave person. But the young ladies with their babies that we thought were just mum's friends - were obviously not. We left and returned to London suddenly when I was 5. As adults, we know why - at age 18 my mum told me all the stories that she couldn't tell us when were kids. I think it was a monastery before it became the 'Home For Wayward Girls' If anyone can confirm that I would be interested to hear. It would explain some of the experiences mum had when she was there. Thanks
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Hi
According to this it was a new build specifically for them.
http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/DevonMercy/?LMCL=GwOg7e
Edit
There was previously a Monastery in Bovey T decommissioned during the Henry VIII dissolution.
https://www.solosophie.com/cromwells-arch-bovey-tracey-history/
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Thank you, Stinton. Mum was perhaps mistaken but I recall her talking about a monastery in Bovey. this perhaps explains it.
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Bovey Tracey 1870
Very similar to the Roman Catholic church in Ireland where the nuns of the infamous Magdelen laundries exploited young girls
The DEVON HOUSE OF MERCY, for reclaiming 'fallen women', was established here in 1861, and was formally opened in a temporary residence in 1863; the foundation stone of the present building was laid by the Earl of Devon in 1865; it contains accommodation for 72 inmates, and is supported by voluntary contributions; the members of the Clewsisterhood have the management of it.
Devon House of Mercy for Reception of Fallen Women - The Bishop of Exeter, visitor; the Hon. And
Devon House of Mercy Frances Billinge 2019
The Devon House of Mercy in Bovey Tracey was a sisterhood of Anglicans of the order of the Sisters of Mercy of the Community of St John the Baptist, whose mother house was at Clewer, Windsor. They established a home for abused women, at that time called fallen women, which started at Chapple in Bovey Tracey in 1863 and then moved to prestigious new premises near the parish church in 1868. (Fig.1) The sisterhood came to Bovey Tacey at the invitation of the local vicar, The Hon. Rev. Charles Leslie Courtenay. Courtenay was the brother of the Earl of Devon and was a Canon of Windsor. He supported high church ritual which at the time was called Tractarianism. This sisterhood continued in Bovey Tracey until the end of 1939. The building has now become flats
https://boveytraceyhistory.org.uk/devon-house-of-mercy/[/u][/u]
Rev. C.L. Courtenay, warden: Rev. F. Ensor, hon. Secretary
1902 entry Devon House of Mercy, The Bishop of Exeter, visitor ; the Archdeacon of Barnstaple, warden ; Rev. Charles- John Penrice B.A. sub-warden ; Rev. Prebendary Harry- Tudor M.A. hon. sec. ; Henry T. Ferguson esq. & E. Harding esq.
2009 Investigations into Abuse by RC Church institutions run by priests and nuns -includes Sisters of Mercy,