Home for Unmarried Mothers 1886 Nelson area

[dragonlady403]

Hi, I am trying to find out where a young unmarried woman would have had a child in the Nelson area in 1886?  Was there some kind of hospital/home for that purpose?  The birth cert specifies "Washington Valley, Nelson"

Thanks as always!!

[jorose]

Washington Valley is just a suburb of Nelson, also a road in that area, so it doesn't really point us to anywhere very specific, and I can't find any references to a hospital or similar there at the time. She certainly didn't necessarily go into a special home or hospital, especially if she had family in the area.

What information is given under "description and residence of informant" - was this the mother, or someone else?  If someone else, do you recognise the person? A family member, maybe the midwife?

[dragonlady403]

Hi there - thanks for the follow up.  The birth cert info was provided by the mother.  However, she also claimed she was married (she wasn't); gave the name of a father (who may or may not have been the actual father) and claimed a marriage in Wgton that never happened:)

I feel she was probably a thwarted mystery writer!!!

However, her daughter Ellen was born in Nelson, Aug 1886. That's about it for "actual" facts.

Regards, Carol

[jorose]

You could perhaps look at the electoral roll for Wellington Valley at around this time to see if she might have had some relatives in the area.

[dragonlady403]

OK, but just to clarify, there were no specific homes for unwed mothers in the area at that time?
Tx, Carol

[Fresh Fields]

Hello.

I see in your post you state 1886. Therefore your research has to be in the context of the 1880's and the practise of that time, and locality.

I have just gone to Papers Past and set up a search for the word MIDWIFE in the newspapers of the Nelson Region 1880 - 1890 and got only 18 hits. None appear to be adverts for a woman offering such services, nor reports of midwifery incidents, of that period in the local area.

All appeared to be out of town or overseas reports.

Often reporting of that period referred to the birth having taken place in the maternal home of the baby's mother, or a mature woman with birthing experince within the community.

Alan.

[dragonlady403]

Oh Ok thanks for all that Alan!  It helps if I can narrow down the possibilities (or lack thereof). 

Her family had moved from Victoria, Australia a few years earlier and were all in the Featherston area. 

So, if there wasn't a specific facility for unwed mothers down there - I'm inclined to "assume" she was shipped off to an extended family member (although as far as I know there weren't any in that region), or possibly a friend of the family to avoid the "scandal".

I'll dig around the family members a bit more to see if anyone likely was in the region. 

Thanks, as always:)

[Lucy2]

Hi, I am trying to find out where a young unmarried woman would have had a child in the Nelson area in 1886? 

Hi ... can you please tell us what age the young woman was at the time ?

  ~  Lu

[dragonlady403]

Hi Lu - her daughter was born 1 month after her 20th birthday.
Regards, Carol