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The family were living in Kingswood in Bristol. Strangely enough I went to a talk at a local heritage centre, about black GI's in Bristol. The troops would have been billeted in Mullers Orphanage, Ashley Down, about 5 miles away.
I spent a considerable amount of time tracking down my great grandmother on the 1861 census (at which point she had lost both parents), and eventually came up with "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. Her name was Martha Susanna Froude born 4/2/1852 from this area of Devon and it seems that the orphans are all listed under their initials.
I thought this was a fairly reasonable identification, especially given some additional indications such as the fact that her place of birth on the 1871 census is given as Bristol, an anomaly which would be explained by her being in the orphanage in Bristol from the age of 9 or earlier. However when I contacted the George Muller foundation which ran these orphanages, they told me that she definitely was not there as she was not in their records.
Obviously, this is disappointing and, while I do not doubt their good faith and am grateful for their looking this up, I do not see how they could be so certain. I wonder if she might have been there and her name wrongly transcribed in their records. I'm just wondering if anyone has any previous experience checking records with the Muller foundation, an opinion on this matter, or any suggestions as to how to confirm this information in another way.
From what I have read of these orphanages, the girls were always kept there until they were seventeen years old, at which point they were found some form of employment, often going into service (unless they were expelled previously for some reason). Would there be some way of tracing her when she came out of the institution (normally this would have been in 1869 in her case).
GMCT_archivist
I am not sure if I need to do something re spam. I am sure Roots Chat will be on it. I am following instructions given on your Oct. 8 E.mail so you should be hearing from me in the not to distant future and thank you once again for the great help you have give me. Regards, Lookin2
GMCT_archivist
I have been searching for my mother's whereabouts 1903-1919. My mother Ellen Matilda Howlett lost her mother to consumption in 1903, aged 36, and her father died aged 48 in 1913. I have been looking to find where my mother Ellen Matilda Howlett and her sister Lilly Elizabeth Howlett went to live. (I found Frederick Howlett living with his two sons) I was receiving help from Ladyhawk and she found a Lily Howless age in 1911 13 estimated birth year 1898 as being an inmate New Orphan House, Muller's Orphanage , Ashley Down, Bristol and I am hoping you may be able to check if this is our Lilly Howlett with her sister Ellen Matilda Howlett.
Most grateful for any assist in this quest. Lookin2
