Board of Guardians childrens' record

[ValJJJ]

My request is part of a long-standing search for a particular child, but I really need to decipher part of a St Pancras union register of children.

I have posted other bits from this register and associated records with success, so hoping someone can help here.   I have posted the query before (https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=814225.msg6751129#msg6751129) but not in this handwriting section.

It is related to many threads about this family, but here's the context:
This children's record relates to a mother (passing herself off as a widow but in fact single) Mrs Campbell, with an alias of Madame Adair for her chiropody, masseuse, nursing work, who developed post natal insanity after a stillbirth and was in Dec 1901 admitted to St Pancras workhouse and committed to Colney Hatch asylum.  She had three children and two were eventually admitted the workhouse when it was clear the mother was not going to recover (she died in the asylum in 1924).  I have traced a wealth of info about the mother and the two children but the third child has been hard to trace. That story is for another thread!

So I am looking at the entry for the boy John Campbell born 4 Oct 1897, who was placed in care of his Uncle Norman Trevor Smith and his Aunt Kate (who was the sister of Mrs Campbell) living in Carlton, Notts.  The other name, crossed out, is the boy's grandmother Mrs Ann Matthews plus a date.  I cannot decide what else is crossed out - it looks like 'dec' which might mean deceased along with the date of her death.  In 1901 she lived in Sutton Coldfield. I cannot find a death for John Campbell.  Once the covid threat is much reduced, I plan to visit Birmingham archives to search for Mrs Matthews on electoral rolls etc, and death records.

For this request, I would just like to know what people think has been crossed out, and possibly why.  Does it indicate the boy's death, the grandmother's death, or something else?

I don't think the boy did die as a recent DNA match between me and a descendant in New Zealand of a John Campbell, of the same dob, means he was probably sent off to Australia quite young.  But that is for another thread that I plan to put on the Gloucestershire lookup board.

Hope you can help please.

Val

[Donnie H]

It looks like 18th Dec 1902, but there is a word before the date that I can't make out.

[matt8]

? Mrs Matthews gmother
? 18 Dec(ember) 1902

[Bookbox]

For this request, I would just like to know what people think has been crossed out, and possibly why. 

Suggestion ...

now in c/o Mrs Matthews GMother
since 18 Dec 1902.

[ValJJJ]

Yes definitely gmother, and her name, and 18 Dec 02.

And oh, yes, hadn't thought of 'now in c/o...since...'  It doesn't much look like 'since' but I suppose I was thinking about date/late/dec'd/dead and the person's handwriting is erratic to say the least.

In another part of the document it says:
Name and address of nearest relation if no parents.
Uncle Mr Norman Smith, Highfield House, Eastmoor Drive, Carlton, Nottingham. Gone away. No address 26.1.03
G.Mother Maternal. Ann Matthews. Baystone, Florence Rd, Chester Rd, n/t Birmingham. Widow. Lets lodgings.

So I thought the boy had gone away with the Smiths, down to Bristol, prior to their emigration (without him) to South Africa.  But possibly he was handed over to grandmother and the dates would fit.  But why crossed out?  Perhaps on her death, whenever that was - I haven't found it for definite. In the 1901 census the grandmother (widowed, born late 1837/early 1938 in Cleverton) was with her youngest daughter, Alice Maud(e) Mary Crook, born 1882 in Calne, Wilts, plus her widowed daughter-in-law with that widow's 2 daughters. Plus one boarder.

The daughter appears as Maud in the 1891 and 1901 census, and interestingly the NZ John Campbell said he was born in Sydney (but no record of this name on his dob), lived in an orphanage and/or was brought up in a wealthy family by his Aunt Maud but fell out with his uncle (never named) so left home at 15. His backstory is very muddled and there is probably an element of truth buried in it.  How he came to be first in Australia, as he claims, before NZ, is obscure.  Not found him on passenger lists, child emigrant lists or any other list. 

Alice Maud Mary turns out to be quite a common name combo for women born around 1882, and I have found some in records for England and Australia for married women but cannot be sure if any are the right one.  Perhaps she emigrated with John C, but I haven't found a John C travelling with anyone likely.  Or emigrated, put him in the workhouse or with another family, and sent for him later?  Endless possibilities!

Some of my requests are cross referenced here, but there are quite a few more requests followingd different avenues:
JC in Australia query birth record
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=826991.msg6908584#msg6908584

shipping lines Argentina via NZ
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=828188.msg6922347#msg6922347

railway employee records
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=828317.msg6923455#msg6923455

[ValJJJ]

I think that the Bristol idea is a red herring, so I won't be posting on the Glos look up board, but will try the board related to Birmingham/Sutton Coldfield again.

Edit: My original post re Birmingham was here https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=814225.msg6751129#msg6751129 and I need to review it to see if there's any more to be gleaned.  More documents are being digitised and someone might have a few more ideas.

[ValJJJ]

I have another difficult bit to decipher, which I've attached.  It's from the same document and is added below a long list of dates of board meetings and decisions regarding the two children who stayed in the system - the school (Leavesden), being boarded out, and training places found for them later.

Then at the end is this note about Alfred, which I have transcribed as:
Alfred enlisted in army and was to start with his company for Salonika on May 11th 1917
?  ? to Miss ?  Bunny,  Donnington Sq, Newbury
?  ?  ?

I looked up Miss Bunny to discover two spinster sisters Eliza and Mary Elizabeth at Donnington Square in the 1911 and 1891 census, and at Northbrook St in 1881, with various relatives and servants.   Whatever is the relevance of Miss Bunny to Alfred (the boy in question)?

Alfred had a lucky escape as if he'd have gone to Salonika much sooner, he could well have been slaughtered along with so many others.

[Bookbox]

Miss M. E. Bunny was Hon Sec BO Com = Honorary Secretary Boarding-Out Committee.

[ValJJJ]

Aha, that explains the connection, but what are the words before Miss Bunny?