Gateshead, Bishop Aukland, Durham

[River Tyne Lass]

Hi Eyorepet,

No surviving admission/discharge records exist for the date period you are looking for - the staff said that the catalogue is misleading on this.

However, I have been able to find one record in the Birth register for the General Hospital/Newcastle Workhouse:

This all runs along one line and I asked the staff how much they would charge if you might want a scanned copy and they said £10.  This is the entry for Margaret:

'Date of Birth - April 27 1911
Female
Name of Parents: Thorpe Mary Beatrice
Byker 90 Union Road
Illegitimate
When baptised:  (there is no date given - it just records 'R.C.'
Name: Margaret Helena

Perhaps Margaret may have had the same Father as John although we don't know this.  I am wondering if any RootsChatters might know which RC Church may have been near the address given above.  Hopefully, if someone might be able to advise I could look up a possible baptism at a relevant Church and who knows - perhaps a Father's name might be there.  Actually, I have just looked at the RC file and only St Lawrence is listed for Byker - I will give that a go.

[River Tyne Lass]

Well, I can't see anything for Margaret at St Lawrence - however the microfilm only shows the index of baptisms but there is an indexed entry for:

Thorpe, John Wm - Year of Birth 1908
Page and (?) 41/205

As this microfilm is showing no full entries (only an index) I have now just ordered the actual register down.  Hopefully, this might hold fuller information for John.

[Eyorepet]

Oh what a shame RTL but thank you for looking.
I am thinking that John and Margaret maybe didn't have the same father because Margaret stayed with her mother and took her new husbands name of Harwood, it just seems to me that maybe the husband didn't want his name going to John. John would have been four or five at the time so not exactly in a position to choose himself.
I have a feeling we will never get to the bottom of where my grandad was for the first 19 years of his life which actually makes me very sad, but as youngsters we don't think about questions when they're still around 😢
Just read your newest post, can't wait to see that!

[River Tyne Lass]

The staff have just told me that the baptisms are on the reel and that I have must have managed to miss them - there are several Churches .. now I have found the entry.  Sadly, it does not name John's Father:

Entry 205
Joannes Guilielmus Thorpe
Born 11 October 1908
Baptised 17 January 1907
Son of Mariae Beatrice Thorpe
Godmother: Elizabeth (Henry?)

The staff have said if you want a copy of this they would email this to you (if you give full details I have provided of entry above) for £7.

[Eyorepet]

Sorry but I don't understand this, that name doesn't make sense??🤣

[Tickettyboo]

The RC records 'latinised' names.
Joannes Guilliemus = John William
Mariae Beatrice = Mary Beatrice

Boo

[Eyorepet]

Ooohh how interesting 😮 Thank you. Although I'm interested in Margaret it is not to the point of pulling my hair out.  Unless you think it could lead us to John, which I don't really think it can, then I will be content with all that you have found, thank you.

[danieloftyne]

Has anybody tried the bastardy bonds at the archives some women made claims from the original father's if the children were illegitimate as happened in my family tree just a suggestion