George Thomas Shepherd - warren farm school

[Roy G]

No Stamped and addressed envelope required.
Armed with the reference number and details that have been obtained from the FreeBMD website, you can order direct from the UK Records Office over the Internet, using a credit card.   For details See
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp
Roy G

[Mrshaley23]

Thank you so much! 

[Mrshaley23]

Just wondering if you can help...  If you are searching for someone on the 1911 census who might have been in a hospital or workhouse, how do you do the search?  Thanks!

[Roy G]

I recall the birth you have is late 1902, so the mother was not pregnant during the 1901 census and may not have been in the parish workhouse.  It is more likely she was still living with her family.  (that's a great plus)  Furthermore, by 1911 she may have subsequently married and therefore had a new surname. 
You have to get the full birth cert first to find the mother's married (if she was) and maiden name
You can then look for her on the 1901 census. hopefully with her family, and after that you can use FreeBMD (1902-1911) to see if she married or even died.   And only then try searching for her on the 1911 census. 

(note:  If she was alive and had married, it was still not unusual for her to keep a previous child a secret or for a new husband to object to taking on his wife's child concieved during a previous unmarried relationship)   Roy G     
 

[Mrshaley23]

Thanks so much for your help.  I have ordered the birth certificate, but I am fairly certain no father is listed and Mary Ann Shepherd was her maiden name.  I know she did not marry later and I was told my grandfather visited her in a hospital where she apparently was for many years.  It seems people think it was from a mental illness and since he went to the Warren Farm Industrial School, I wondered if she was living at the Brighton Workhouse or Hospital, and if so, if she wouldl show up on the census.  Thank you so much for your help!

[Roy G]

This is the first time you have named the mother as Mary Ann Shepherd.
If you are correct, a Mary Ann Shepherd, born Brighton as Mary Ann Sheppard in the Sept quarter of 1883 who appears on the 1901 census (born c 1884) may well be worth investigating. 

Mary Ann Sheppard does not reappear on the local 1911 census, but a Mary Ann Shepherd married in Brighton in 1905 (husband John Penfold)  There are no local deaths in her maiden name, so it could be that a child concieved when she was about 17 was placed into the care of the local authotrity.  (That's the parish workhouse followed by Warren Farm Industrial school)  Roy G

[Mrshaley23]

Thanks so much for your replies!  Things have heated up but then hit a dead end again... My grandfather's birth certificate came and indicates that he was born in the Brighton Workhouse in November 1902.  There is a little mark that looks like "MD" after Brighton Workhouse.  Any idea what this is?  His father's name is not listed, but his mother's is in fact listed as Mary Ann Shepherd.  It lists her as a "General Servant (domestic) of 28 George Street, Brighton.  The matron from the workhouse, Constance Burden submitted the birth record.  I searched the 1901 census for 28 George Street, but my great grandmother Mary Ann is not listed as a member of that household.  I inquired about the workhouse records but was told that they don't have any from that far back - 1902. I am hoping to get some records from the Warren Farm school as my grandfather indicated that he was born George Thomas Shepherd but was renamed Francis John Franklyne by his foster family upon "adoption".  Not sure how I could figure this out but was interested to see if he was at the Warren Farm School as George or as Francis.  Also, I can't find any birth or death certificates for Mary Ann, but today found an entry from the 1891 census for a Mary Ann Shepherd who was 20 at that time and working as a servant at 50 Montpelier Road.  This seemed encouraging, but when I tried to search other places, I could not find this info. again.  On this record, it stated under "where born", Sussex, Fulking (originally Sussex, Flucking).  Again, I am not sure that is her, but the dates seemed to fit... This is so difficult but I am so grateful to finally have the birth certificate.  In your opinion, which are the best sites for searching for records.  I have tried many and find that one site may list something that another does not, so it complicates things a lot.  Thanks so much!   

[Roy G]

Glad you have found the right birth cert and confirmed that George's mother was Mary Ann.
Pity she was unmarried and in the workhouse, and as yet you have no idea of her age.  I'm still drawn to the 17year old, so if you have Ancestry it still might be worth looking her and her family up on the 1901.  Or come to that any other unmarried Mary Ann Shepherd or Sheppards in the immediate area of Brighton.  (There was also a 26 year old Green Grocer's assistant I recall.)   If the Mary Ann from Fulking (thats the correct name) is one you wish to consider, I believe that has been indexed as Folking.

Where to now?
You have an address in George Street which you have checked out on the 1901.  I suggest you look a little closer at who was living there then just in case the wife was a married cousin or sister.  So use FreeBMD to find the marriage of whoever was at that address.  Their eldest child might give you an idea of the years you should be looking at for a marriage.
Hove (which has been called West Brighton in the past) also has a George Street, so it would be remiss of you not to do the same for whoever happens to be living there as well.
Let us know how you get on before we suggest further options.

The "My Brighton" website has several pictures and comments about the workhouse, and there is even a silent movie made circa 1902 which contains a few scenes where the workhouse is used as a backdrop.  It is called, "The Soldier's Return" and is held by Sussex Film Archives.  A frame from it can be seen on:
http://www.terramedia.co.uk/brighton/films_made_in_brighton_silent.htm

Roy G

[Mrshaley23]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help!  I will certainly explore those options.  Is it possible she was born and there never was a birth certificate?  Just wondering how common that would be.  Thanks again!