Charlotte E Wright - St Margaret's Convent for Girls

[famhistorian]

Hello everyone ,

I am seeking assistance on finding records for my 2nd great grandmother Charlotte Ethel Wright. She was born in 1865 in leamington Spa Warwickshire and by 1871 she is listed as a student in St Margaret's convent school for girls in East Grinstead in the census. I have tried reaching out to the historical society with no response (Perhaps I did it wrong) and thought i would try Rootschat. I am wondering if there are records to show maybe who paid for her entry or if there is any record stating that she is an orphan? I have had a very hard time uncovering the story to this branch of the family and would appreciate any assistance anyone could offer. Thank you kindly in advance

[Mabel Bagshawe]

There's no mother's maiden name on the GRO index. However there is a baptism in Leamington for a Charlotte Ethel Blayley [or Blake] Wright, parents Frederick and Esther Wright. I can't find another Charlotte to fit. An Esther aged 24 is buried  there in 1869.

[famhistorian]

Hi Mabel,
Thank you for writing. Yes that is my Charlotte's baptism. The name Blake was added which is why i think she might have been born out of wedlock. Either Ester is a Blake or Frederick is a Blake. The reason i suspect this is because her birth certificate from Warwick, does not list her fathers name .
I was not able to confirm the the Esther Wright who died in 1869 was indeed her mother

[Mabel Bagshawe]

There could be a useful  informant name on the death cert. The addresses aren't looking very helpful to confirm

Althorpe St on the birth cert and baptism
Queens St on the burial in 1869

The problem is Esther could be from anywhere. I had found what I thought was a likely candidate but she's still alive in 1881 and dies in 1883. She was born Eathorpe in 1847. I can't find her on 1871, but the only Esther/Hester born in that village in that timescale is in Leamington working as a cook, unmarried with the surname Bight  (mishearing perhaps? Definitely says Bight on the image)

[heywood]

Hello and welcome to Rootschat.
Firstly, we can only post snippets or transcriptions of records such as birth certificates so it would be best to remove the image already posted - just click on ‘modify’ to access the post.

The address for the burial of Esther Wright is Queen Street. The death certificate would show the informant and may/not be helpful.

You say you have tried reaching out to the ‘historical society’.
Have you looked here?

There is information re St Margaret’s http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/EastGrinsteadStMargaret/

The link on that page re the records doesn’t seem to work but here us information re Pusey House Archives http://www.puseyhouse.org.uk/the-archive.html

[heywood]

There is a newspaper snippet (1863 Birmingham Gazette) and a criminal record for Esther Louisa Wright. She stole some  eggs in Leamington and received 21 days imprisonments.

1861 2202/84/27
Esther Louisa Catherine Wright, 16 yrs b London is a servant in Coventry.

There is a baptism for an Ester Louisa Wright, 7th December 1845 with parents John and Mary at St Mark, Goodman’s Field, Tower Hamlet.

These records might just be coincidental though and not your Esther, of course. You would think she would have included her second name, for example.

[LizzieL]

I wonder why the baptism was two years after the birth, and Esther added the name Blake to the child's name. There is a Frederick Blake coachman on 1871 census born abt 1835 Cheltenham, living in Edgbaston.

added
In 1881, he's at the same address, coachman (domestic servant) In 1861 he's in Castleton Warwickshire (single) occupation groom.

[famhistorian]

Mabel: I was thinking the same thing, that Esther could be from anywhere. Because the address where she was when charlotte was born was a boarding house, she would just have rented a room. From the death certificate from Esther who dies in 1869 the witness is Emily Gilks and researching the home on Althorpe street in 1861 the head of house was Etea Gilks but I was unable to connect Emily and Etea. Lots of winding roads in this investigation. Sometimes I think i'm grasping at straws as they say   I also followed the Esther from Eathorpe in 1847 in my theory that she was a Wright all along but that didnt resolve any clues. In your experience, If a couple baptised a child 2 years after they were born, would they bot need to provide the pastor with a marriage certificate before the baptism could take place?

 

[famhistorian]

Heywood: Thank you for the welcome and the advice about the photo. I am new to this and didnt know how to edit it. Yes the childrens home.org is one resource I tried to reach out to but i didnt hear back. I will however try the Pusey House Archive, thank you for that. The newspaper snippet is most interesting though. If Esther was charged , that could be why perhaps Charlotte was taken from her. I will definitely look in to that. 

LizzieL: Hello and thank you. I also followed that Frederick Blake from Cheltenham to see if it confirmed my theory that Ester was not a married Wright but a maiden Wright. However no clues were exposed other then he was a coachman, which is the correct profession for Charlottes father.