Foundling lookup please–Thomas Masterman HARDY and Eleanor SLEGG

[cupoflife]

My very 1st post  , any help appreciated.

I am trying to find information on Thomas Masterman HARDY and Eleanor SLEGG both from the Foundling Hospital, St Pancras, London England.

Thomas Masterman HARDY Number 18807; baptised 2nd February 1806 (baptised by Richard Webb) Foundling Hospital Church of England, St Pancras, London England
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQ3T-D8J (*NOTE: This record was digitized but it only contained very little information. ie: Thomas Masterman Hardy's - Foundling Number/Date of Baptism/Person who performed the baptism).
I am hoping his number 18807 will be useful to find further information.
Was it unusual for foundlings to have a middle name?

Eleanor SLEGG baptised 7th October 1804 Foundling Hospital Church of England, St Pancras, London England https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NYTY-SZF (*Note: This record does not appear as digitised, so it will need a manual lookup to get her number and further information)

Thomas Masterman HARDY and Eleanor SLEGG were married on 22nd March 1828 at St George the Martyr Queens Square and had two children Eleanor Hardy and Mary Ann Hardy.

I also found reference to an Ann SLEGG baptised 6th March 1808 Foundling Hospital Church of England, St Pancras, London England.
Could this be a younger sister of Eleanor Slegg??
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JMVF-M2J
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FQJS-Y2J

Looking forward to your kind assistance 
cupoflife

[dawnsh]

Hi and welcome to Rootschat 

You haven't updated your profile so we don't know where in the world you are.

If you are near or can do a day trip to London, the surviving records are deposited at the London Metropolitan Archives.

I have done a Foundling look-up but it is very time consuming

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,393923.0.html

and now I'm back at work full-time, I may not be able to get the information for you for a while. It may take several trip in my lunchtime to do this.

Dawn

[cupoflife]

A big thank you dawnsh for coming to my assistance,

I understand it is a very big ask and a huge research task to undertake. I would be most grateful for your efforts in helping with my search. Since both Thomas Masterman HARDY and Eleanor SLEGG were foundlings it really leaves so many unanswered questions.

Any time you could put toward this would be much appreciated 

cupoflife

[cupoflife]

Hi All,
While patiently awaiting results of the St Pancras Foundling research that “Dawnsh” is so kindly undertaking on my behalf for Thomas Masterman HARDY & Eleanor SLEGG - (thank you Dawn for doing that arduous task for me ), I thought I’d request some insights on other possible marriages of Thomas Masterman HARDY, as I am wondering …. Is this the same man???

Thomas Masterman HARDY, it appears, went on to marry quite a few times. Although Thomas Masterman HARDY was a St Pancras Foundling, in some marriage records he states his father as “Thomas Masterman Hardy” and also uses the same rank/profession for his father as himself.

1st  Wife: Eleanor SLEGG (Spinster) married 22 Mar 1828 - St George the Martyr Southwark, Middlesex. On this record he is shown as “Bachelor”. This has no provision for age or parents or profession, being the old style smaller record. I have not been able to confirm death for wife Eleanor HARDY (nee SLEGG) which would have to be in 1834/1835 after their two daughters’ births ie Eleanor born 1833 and Mary Ann 1834.

2nd Wife: Mary Ann JOHNSON (Spinster) married 11 Sept 1835 – St George the Martyr Southwark, Surrey. On this marriage records Thomas Masterman Hardy is shown as “Widower.” This has no provision for age or parents or profession, being the old style smaller record.

???Possible 3rd Wife - possible marriage to widow Elizabeth STINER (on actual marriage record it looks like OLIVER??) 13 Aug 1854 - St Mark ??, Middlesex. Both their ages are shown as “Full”. On this marriage records Thomas Masterman Hardy is shown as “Widower- Printer??” and Father as “Thomas Masterman Hardy- Printer??”

3rd or 4th Wife: Elizabeth Dunthorn (widow age 47) married 15 Jan 1861- St Paul Bermondsey, Surrey. On this marriage records Thomas Masterman Hardy (age 55) is shown as “Bachelor- Workhouse?? Keeper” and Father is shown as “Thomas Masterman Hardy- Workhouse?? Keeper.”
Elizabeth’s son Henry Dunthorn appears to be a witness – 1871 census shows them all living together with Henry Dunthorn & his wife Sarah. 1871 census Thomas’ place of birth is “not known”. Second witness appears to be “Amelia Sarah? Slegg?”, if so, I wonder if there is any connection with his first wife (Eleanor SLEGG) although she was also a St Pancras Foundling (so not sure where her name SLEGG came from).

Census Records:
1861 Census - Thomas Hardy - birthplace “Not known"
1871 Census - Thomas M Hardy- birthplace "Unknown".

I have also not been able to confirm death for Thomas Masterman Hardy

Looking forward to some Rootchatters experienced feedback.
Cheers
cupoflife

[avm228]

Hi

On the marriage to Elizabeth Dunthorn, the occupation both of Thomas and his (possibly invented) father appears to me to be "warehouse keeper".

The female witness's name I read as Amelia Sarah Legg.

The parish was St Mark, Old St (in Shoreditch).

[avm228]

Have you found Thomas in the 1851 census?

[avm228]

I thought the name sounded familiar!

http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_thomas_hardy.htm

I wonder whether your foundling was named in honour of Nelson's Chief of Staff?

[cupoflife]

Thanks "avm228", some of the records are very faded and difficult to make out, so thank you for a fresh and sharp pair of eyes to fill in the details. As I am not familiar with location names in the UK your input is much appreciated. Unfortunately, as yet, I have not found Thomas in the 1851 census so hopefully someone will come up with more information. I am hoping that “dawnsh” will uncover more clues in the foundling records and if there is any connection to “The” Thomas Masterman Hardy.

[cupoflife]

Update to All:

Dawn has worked her magic once again to unearth some valuable information on my foundlings, persevering though records that had degraded/faded over time, making the task much more difficult to decipher.

A sincere “Thankyou Dawn ", your mighty effort of painstakingly trawling through foundling records and registers is very much appreciated. Any additional information that comes to hand would be most graciously received.

cheers
cupoflife

Below is a brief summary of the foundling findings. Unfortunately among Eleanor's records, the bundle containing her mother's petition to the St Pancras Foundling Hospital, is unfit for consultation, so no age, marital status, or circumstance. Hopefully (fingers crossed) after restoration it will provide more insight.

Common names, not knowing the names of the mothers' parents and very scant details on baptism/marriage/death records of that time period make it very challenging to progress much further, but please feel free to add any tips/information that may be of assistance.


Foundling Records: Thomas Masterman HARDY (Number 18807); Mother: Mary Baker, single, under the age of 17, an orphan, living with her married sister (not named), the husband (not named) was culpable for Mary's predicament and fled the country leaving the young girl unable to support herself & child. The petition was signed confidently by Mary Baker.
Male child born: 1st Jan 1806. Arrived at St Pancras Foundling Hospital 1 Feb 1806 (4 weeks old). Baptised Thomas Masterman HARDY at I month of age on 2nd Feb 1806.
Sent to Nurse: 3 Feb 1806; Nurses name and Parish: Jane Bridger, Oaking (possibly Woking?)
Referees: Mrs Roberts Nr 3 Gloucester Street, Queen Square; Mrs Marchant Nr 255 High Holborn
Thomas was confirmed 30th March 1820.
Apprenticed: 19 March 1822 to Francis Carr of Red Lion Passage in the parish of St Andrew Holborn, Stationer and Printer, to be instructed in his business (no term shown)

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Foundling Records: Eleanor SLEGG (Number 18767) Mother: Martha Stair
Female newborn arrived at Foundling Hospital: 6th October 1804 (7 weeks old). Baptised Eleanor SLEGG 7th October 1804.
Sent to Nurse: 8 Oct 1804; Nurses name and Parish: Ann Newman, Egham
Eleanor was confirmed 24th?(or 26th) April 1818
Apprenticed: 1st Feb 1820 to Charles Pott (no term noted). Masters Place of Abode & Business, Of Hunter Street in the parish of Saint George Bloomsbury (?) to be instructed in household business

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