Locating St Clement Danes Orphan

[nakbrooks]

I am trying to locate a baptismal record for Robert Stofer (alternatively Stoffer, Stoffa, Stopher) who was born 1819-1822 to Robert Stofer and Sarah Stofer (née Harris), then living in St. Clement Danes, Middlesex but prior to that Chipping Barnet, Herts.

Later census entries and his death certificate indicate the 1819-22 birth date range, census entries indicate he was born in Temple Bar (St. Clement Danes) and Land Tax records for his Father show him living in Chair Court, near Temple Bar, in this period.

I can find no baptismal record for a Robert Stofer (or alternative spellings) on Ancestry or FamilySearch in Middlesex or adjacent counties in the period 1819-1829 (allowing for a late baptism).  There are 2 earlier baptisms of a Robert Stofer to his parents (the first in Chipping Barnet, the second in St. Clement Danes) but both died in infancy. He would have been the 3rd (clearly the name Robert was important as the first-born males over 4 generations were all named Robert).

It his Mother died in 1821 and my current best guess is that she died in childbirth, leaving his Father alone with a baby that (as a Labourer) he could not support.  I have investigated the possibility that he was passed to the extended family but can find no record of a baptism in their locations. Possibly he was either not baptised at all or he passed into the care of the Parish or an Orphanage for infants.

He clearly knew his birth history as he retained his Robert Stofer name in later life and knew his place of birth.

I'm a bit at a loss as to how to proceed.  Can anyone advise what the most likely Orphanages would be in/near St Clement Danes and what admissions records might be available, and where?

Many thanks

Nigel

[djm297]

The workhouse in St Clement Danes parish appears to have accomodated children-In 1802 there were 83 children under the age of 14 there, so maybe Robert was there as a child:

https://www.londonlives.org/static/StClementDane.jsp.

Also there is a record of a Robert Stofer burial 21 July 1823-Parish of St Clement Danes-residence the Workhouse. His date of birth recorded as 1760-Age 63.

djm297

[nakbrooks]

Thanks I'll check out whether they might have taken infants.  The 1823 burial is of his grandfather.

[nakbrooks]

Just reading about the Enfield Books.  That is very interesting as the first record I can locate relating to Robert is the 1841 census which has him, aged 20, living alone in Friern Barnet and he then spends the rest of his life in the adjacent Edmonton area.

Quite possibly he was put out to nursing in the Enfield area shortly after the death of his mother in childbirth in 1821.

However the Enfield books only seem to cover the period 1787-1798.  Does anyone know if the system continued into the 1820s and, if so, where I might find details?

Thanks, Nigel.