Liverpool workhouse and stuck

[LesleyAS]

Acording to the birth certificate I have just got my uncle James O'brien was born 9th September 1913 at 107 Rice Lane Liverpool. The name of the father was missing. The informant for the birth was E A Gotts of 107 Rice Lane.
I have after a lot of searching found I think that this is the Walton workhouse.
In the 1901 census the head of the workhouse at 107 Rice Lane was E A Gotts.
I have asked the Liverpool Records office for information but according to them my grandmother Ann(ie) O'Brien was never there nor was the birth listed.
As the certificate says the opposite where do I go from here?
My grandmothers address at the time was 92 Irlam Road, Bootle.
She had a second son Thomas O'Brien born in September 1920 and I cant even find him on the BMD

[sillgen]

Can't help with this really but it did occur to me that you might not have searched for different spellings of O'Brien when looking for the birth for Thomas.  O'Brian??   It is bound to be there somewhere!  It might not have been registered until the next quarter.  Have you asked the local registrar to look for it?   They are usually very helpful.
Andrea

[janerich]

Just wondering how you got on with your search into 107 Rice Lane!  I came across your message by Googling the address and it led me to Rootschat.  I have recently received my husband's grandfather's birth certificate - he tto was born at 107 Rice Lane, Walton, West Deby, Liverpool.  Name - James Kershaw, b 21st Dec 1908.  Mother Annie Kershaw was living at 28 Sidney Place.  I know she was unmarried at the time as she married just over a year later.  The informant on the certificate was E A Gotts, occupier - same as yours! I found that the Walton workhouse occupied a huge area of Rice Lane.  Was it still the Workhouse at the relevant time or had it become some kind of hospital, or for unmarried mothers? I also know that James spent some of his childhood in a Dr Barnardos in Liverpool but haven't been able to find out any more on that.  he later was allowed to return to his mother and assumed the name of Kershaw-Landy (apparently this depicted his illigitamacy whilst his siblings were known only as Landy)  It would be great if you have any further info on this place. If not I'll let you know if I come up with anything

[LesleyAS]

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/WestDerby/WestDerby.shtml
http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/WestDerby/

No I am afraid I have drawn a blank. It remained a workhouse until 1931 when walton Hospital was built on the site.
The above is a good site for photos and general information on the workhouse.
There was a maternity hospital built there but the workhouse was governed by EA Gotts so presumably my uncle was born in the workhouse.
My grandmother was a domestic servant when she became pregnant so presumably in those days she would have been thrown out so ended up in the workhouse.
I will keep on looking and if I get any further I will let you know too.
I cannot understand how she managed after he was born and the Dr Barnados may well be a place I could look for him so thanks for that.
Lesley

[janerich]

Thanks for the reply - at least I know my educated guess about my husband's grandfather being born in the Workhouse was correct if E A Gotts was the manager of the workhouse both before and after he was born.  I will let you know if I can track down the Dr Barnardo's records for Liverpool.

[Kellyswexfordkildare]

Hi ,

I do believe I am the great grandson of James O’Brien.

We ended up in Wexford.

Bobby

[LesleyAS]

Sorry Bobby, but I have now tracked the James O'Brien I mentioned and he did not have any children.
Lesley