Advice sought on Muller orphanages

[Mikehistory]

My Great Grandmother was Martha Sussana Froude, I would appreciate any information about her and family connections, including time spent in the Muller Orphanage.

[GMCT_archivist]

AKS, Mikehistory:

We've now got a "soundex" facility on our database at The George Müller Charitable Trust.  Your ancestor's name is actually Martha  Susannah FRUDE (as written on the birth certificate).  She was admitted on 31 December 1857 and left on 7 June 1864.

(I previously posted here as Silver_Shiney)

[Aks]

Thank you very much. Actually, I already have the records, but it would have saved a lot of time if the soundex was available at that time!

[heathgirl]

Thanks Sheena and others who replied. I still wish I knew the process by which they came from Kent to Bristol for family history reasons.  The mother might have tried to make a go of it in Marylebone London, first, as this is where she died about twenty years after her first girl was placed in the Muller home. I do know the mother was in London for some time, as there was a letter to Canada from her from that area in the 1920's: mother's name was Annie Moody nee Heath.I have searched in vain to find her on the 1911 census. Perhaps there was an agreement with London to place children in Muller's? we have an earlier example in my husband's family of some children who were sent to a home outside London because the poor union in London sent children elsewhere, regardless of living mothers. It is possible, too, that mothers simply gave their children up to Muller's - in the case of Annie Moody, her young daughters. Might this have been the cause of admissions to Muller's.J

[Aks]

Dear Heathgirl,

I understand you obtained the admission and discharge dates from the Muller organisation. Did you not receive any other documents? In the case of my great grandmother, the records reveal that she was with an older sister for a while after her parents' death and that someone in the community helped them to write to Muller's requesting her admission. So it seems that they had to obtain permission for her to enter, and I suppose a date on which to come, in advance. So one would expect there to be some sort of correspondance in your case, I suppose someone in the local church might have helped with this, but it seemingly could have been anyone, especially as I think sheena pointed out, George Muller was a non-conformist. In fact, he was criticised by the authorities for keeping girls from the workforce, because he kept them until they were 17 years old in order to give them an education.

Alan

[GMCT_archivist]

Heathgirl, please contact us again with your relatives' full names and I will look in the archives for you.

Regards

[GMCT_archivist]

Aks - Hi Alan, Müller's conditions for entry were that the child be born in wedlock, that both parents were dead and that the child was destitute.  This was relaxed in August 1901, when "partial" orphans were accepted, those who had lost only one parent but that parent was unable to cope.  In 1949 we started accepting any child, regardless of whether they were born to married parents or even if they were orphaned.  This policy continued until the orphanage closed in 1986.  "Religion" or "denomination" played no part in the application process.  Müller was acknoweldged as being a founder of the Brethren movement although he personally eschewed denominationalism - terming himself as "catholic (non-Roman)".

Applicants ranged from family members, parish priests, friends of the family, employers of the deceased, NSPCC (who were involved in general childcare, not just cases of cruelty).

Müller set himself at odds with established practices:  he built schoolrooms into the orphanages and was deeply criticised for "teaching the children above their station in life".  He was accused of "robbing the factories and workhouses of cheap labour".  Education continued to the age of 14.  Boys then left us, girls stayed until the age of 17-18.  For that 4-year period, the girls were put to work in the orphanage - they were basically being trained for domestic service.  However, they were paid - 6d a week, half in their hand, half in the bank.  A few children returned to their extended families.  The majority left to a job.  The homes were held in such high regard across the country that employers applied for an orphan and it was the employer who was vetted to ensure they were suitable.  Boys normally went to an apprenticeship, girls into domestic service, although a few went to the Purton College in Berkely, Glos, to train as teachers.  When each child left to go to his/her job, they were given a tin trunk with two changes of clothing, an umbrella, a Bible, a copy of Müller's lifestory, their train fares were paid, boys' apprenticeship fees were paid, the boys were given 2s 6d and the girls were given all the 3d that had been paid into the bank (averaging £1).

Regards

[heathgirl]

Thank you very much for offering to look in the Muller archives. Annie Alberta (nee Heath) was born abt 4 Dec 1871, Marylebone, Middlesex. She married 22 Nov 1890 at Swanscombe, Kent, to William James Moody, a papermaker. He was born 01 sept 1867 in Kentish town, Middlesex, it seems that was also Greenwich. William died 30 Oct 1903 at 23 Stonebridge Rd, Strood, Kent, of renal colic. His surname was spelled Moodey on his death certificate. Annie Moody (Moodey) had at that time five children and was likely expecting. Their children were Frederick William Albert Moody b. 1891, Kent, William James 1893, Kent, Emily Alberta Moody 1894, Kent, Katie Matilda Moody 1896 - died of scarlet fever in 1904 at the same address in Strood, Kent, Hilda Louisa Moody 1902, Kent, and Ivy Florence Moody, 1904, Kent. The information I had was that Emily, Hilda and Ivy were all placed at Muller's in 1906 but Ivy I think a few months later. Annie Alberta Moodey wrote as Mrs. A. Moodey to Barnardo's inquiring about my grandfather (he knew her as a child) unfortunately the letter was not forwarded and he never knew, as Barnardo's did not have his address by then (abt 1925) thus he lost his chance of contact with family. Annie Moody (Moodey) was living at Portman House, Lisson Grove, Marylebone at the time of the letter, and when she died 15 May 1932 she lived at Portman House, Harrow Street, Marylebone. She died of cancer. If you prefer to have this information given elsewhere please let me know. Jan.

[Aks]

Thank you very much for these clarifications, "GMCT_archivist". (Sorry, don't have your name.) George Muller was truly an amazing person for his time. Alan