St Raphael's House, Torquay

[AngelaR]

I've been  hunting down my Virgin relatives from Devon for some time and have just found my great-grandfather's sister Ann Virgin (does that make her a great great aunt?) in St Raphael's House, Torquay on the 1871 census.

Having done the usual Google search, all I can find is that it was a convalescent home run by the Sisters of Mercy. The boarders appear to be of mixed social status and not all young so I assume it's not the sort of place where girls were sent to have illegitimate babies. Does anyone know anything about it and whether there are any records anywhere?

Thanks

Angela

[debbi2k]

Maybe it was a place for pregnant widows,abandoned pregnant woman as well as young single woman.There are many reasons why woman end up pregnant and alone!And widow hood or your husband running off can happen at any age and to any social class.

Try contacting the Devon Records Office for more information on St Raphaels House, Torquay.Use the link below;

http://www.devon.gov.uk/record_office

or this one

http://www.devon.gov.uk/library/locstudy/torquay.html

Hope this helps you

Debbi

[lodger-nz]

Angela, did you find out any more about St Raphael's?
I have an ancestor who was born in the Henley-on-Thames workhouse, and I found someone with the right name and age and a few other details, who married from St Raphael's.
I'm thinking that if it was also a form of workhouse, the chances of this being the right person are slightly improved.
Thanks for any help
Roger

[terryleaman]

NO! NO! NO! St Raphaels and St Lukes were convalescent homes- one male and one female, no stigma attached at all.

My grandparents met whilst working there in just after WW1- my grandmother was at St Raphaels and my grandfather at St Lukes. My Godmother was the housekeeper at St Raphaels. My late mother used to tell the story of going there for afternoon tea on a Sunday - in the servants hall, Very much seated in order of seniority within the household with the Head sister in charge on a Sunday. Tea to drink and always seed cake

[lodger-nz]

Thanks very much for your reply. 
My ancestor was only 31 when she married from St Raphael's in 1882. Seems a bit young for a convalescent, but I guess she could have been working there, or, as Debbi suggested, she may have been preggers.
Does anyone know about St Raphael's history? Any chance of records existing for 1882?
Cheers, Roger 

[AngelaR]

Hi Roger, Debbie and Terryleaman

Thanks very much for your posts. I'm so sorry I haven't responded earlier, Debbie - I must have missed the notification that you'd posted 

My relative might even have coincided with your lady, Roger, since mine was there in the 1881 census. Was yours anywhere in the area then?

It's quite difficult to tell from the census image whether my Ann was a patient or was working there, although the description 'boarder' sort of implies she was one of the patients. I have made enquiries about patient records with the Devon Record office, as suggested by Debbie but have not heard back as yet. I'll let you know if I do.

As regards social status, my Ann was from the one (and only) section of my ancestors who were not living on the fringes of the workhouse, so I would imagine that there was money to support a convalescent home. She certainly died 10 years later at the age of 38, so that rather supports a theory of poor health.

Thanks again for your interest, everyone 

Angela

[terryleaman]

One of the greatest reasons for many of the convalescent/rest homes was for the suffers of TB which was rife in England at that time. There were homes set up that dealt with only those patients, but I'm sure that St Lukes and St Raphaels would also have taken these people as well. It was thought at that time that fresh sea air was a benefit to sufferers of TB and many people came from all over England. the common name at that time was Phthisis.

[debbi2k]

I think you should buy the death certificate and see what the cause of death was.This could then confirm or not the theory put forward by Terry.
Debbi

[AngelaR]

Hi Terry and Debbi

I think you're right  I shall get the certificate....

Thanks very much for your help

Angela