Details of Birth Mother - Luton Workhouse 1916

[gmc4404]

Hello

I am trying to trace details of the birth mother of an adopted relative.
Important to note I AM NOT looking for details of the adopted child as I have all i need about her life after being adopted.  She has since passed away. 

The birth mother was Margaret DAWSON and the child Phoebe DAWSON (her adoptive name is completely different)

The records have been sourced from the Bedford Record Office

Luton Workhouse
Religious Creed Register

Margaret Dawson
Born 1891
Church of England
Servant
Pregnant
A B Richmond-Master of Workhouse
Admitted 28/7/1916
Discharged 10/11/1916 at 4.15
Friend, Mrs Looker,9 Grange Close,Leagrove.

Phoebe Dawson
Born 12/10/1916
Church of England
Illegitimate daughter of Margaret Dawson.
Discharged 31/10/1916


Birth Register
Phoebe Dawson 12/10/1916
Illegitimate daughter of Margaret of Luton
War baby

Discharge Register
Phoebe Dawson
Born 12/10/1916
Discharged 31/10/16 @ 3 pm.

By order of Mother
Adopted by Carlton Ford of Leagrove.

Margaret Dawson
10/11/1916
Discharged at own request.

Visitors Book
31/10/1916
Carlton Ford to see Master.

Any help or ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance

GMC

[Ruskie]

A good place to start would be censuses - the 1911, 1901 and then perhaps the 1891 (depending on her date of birth).

Presuming Margaret was born in Bedfordshire, looking at Feebmd, there aren't many Margaret Dawson births around 1891, in fact only one in 1892 with middle name Lilian registered in Wellingborough district. But although Margaret is said to be "of Luton", she may not have been born there, or in Bedfordshire.

Margaret may have married after 1916, so worth looking for a marriage.

Do you know anything about the Fords? With a name like Carlton he should stand out.

[lizdb]

Difficult one, and I am not sure how easy it will be to make progress without more detail.

Freebmd has several Margaret Dawsons born within a year or so of 1891.
As we dont know where she was born, any of them could be the right girl.

I guess the thing to do would be to follow each one, and see which could be ruled out if they had married before 1916, and then see who you are left with!

[gmc4404]

Thanks.   That was what i was afraid of...

I found the lady who was mentioned on the discharge - Mrs Looker - in the 1911 census in Grange Rd hoping she might have been who she was the 'servant' off but nothing there.

Knew it could not have been easy!!!

GMC

[gmc4404]

Yes i know heaps about Carlton - he is my great grandfather.   
The adopted child (Phoebe) is the eldest sister of my nan.   

I know about her life after being adopted just trying to find details of her mother - basically written off any hope of her father details

GMC

[[Ray]]

Hi

Mrs Looker was Mary Akshar Holmes (married Horace Looker Sep 1905)

Akshar = "Indian" ?

There is a Margaret Dawson b1892 Bengal who is the daughter of a
Henry Dawson (District Inspector Bengal Police) . . . . .



Ray
 

[Ruskie]

Thanks.   That was what i was afraid of...

I found the lady who was mentioned on the discharge - Mrs Looker - in the 1911 census in Grange Rd hoping she might have been who she was the 'servant' off but nothing there.

Knew it could not have been easy!!!

GMC

Yes, I found her too. I suppose she may have been their servant sometime between 1911 and 1916.
I see Ray has just found some interesting information. I did have a look for Margaret in 1901 and 1911 but didn't find anything which looked promising. Ray's find might explain why. 

(did you find that on Familysearch Ray?)

[avm228]

Hi

Mrs Looker was Mary Akshar Holmes (married Horace Looker Sep 1905)

Akshar = "Indian" ?

I think she's actually Mary Askha Holmes  - born Sep qtr 1873 St Ives.

Mary Askha Holmes also on marriage in Sep qtr 1905 Luton.

Middle name also Askha in 1911: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/X7KQ-SLN

[[Ray]]

Hi

Pure luck. All anc...try

GMC had done the 1911 so I dont have to worry about informing that the middle name is Akshar.
Looked for Margaret Dawson and spotted the Bengal birth link.
Mum and dau born Bengal so Mum&Dad marriage probably Bengal?

Oh yes . . . .  Holmes = "Kings Ripton Hunts 1875" ?

Ray