Sending a child away

[valkane2003]

Hi all

I have a general query about a specific situation in my family. My great great grandmother, who was born in Dublin in 1902, spent a portion of her young childhood in Galway with a family called Brady. My query is… why would this happen? There is no familial link with the Brady’s and she was put in the census of 1911 as “niece”. She was much younger than the other children (4 grown sons in the Bradys). She hated her time there. Why would she be sent to strangers?

[Wexflyer]

Hi all

I have a general query about a specific situation in my family. My great great grandmother, who was born in Dublin in 1902, spent a portion of her young childhood in Galway with a family called Brady. My query is… why would this happen? There is no familial link with the Brady’s and she was put in the census of 1911 as “niece”. She was much younger than the other children (4 grown sons in the Bradys). She hated her time there. Why would she be sent to strangers?

To learn Irish.

[heywood]

Do you have her parents and family in 1911? Are they together?
If not, had something happened - separation, death or similar?

[valkane2003]

Do you have her parents and family in 1911? Are they together?
If not, had something happened - separation, death or similar?

Her mother and sisters are together in temple bar. Her father cannot be found and there was a baby brother sent to Wexford for chronic tummy troubles (this ultimately ended up as a weird adoption situation)

[aghadowey]

Previous topics for background and to save duplication-
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=750834.msg5990134#msg5990134
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=717001.0
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=725118.msg5693828#msg5693828
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=527708.msg3823951#msg3823951
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=464645.msg3252719#msg3252719

And this one where I've already posted an answer to the same query-
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=454819.msg3162487#msg3162487

Sometimes if a child was unwell they might be sent to relatives or friends (or even relatives of friends) in the country for fresh air, etc. Remember that the census is showing only 1 night and the child might just have been staying there a short while.

[heywood]

From the information provided, it looks as though the family split up for what ever reason.
If the mother could not support all the children, it makes sense that the older ones were sent away until she could cope. That may be the reason.
The children’s marriages state their father’s name and occupation so that information remained in the family.
When did your great great grandmother return to Dublin?
You say she ‘hated her time there’.
If that is known in family stories, you would think that the reason for it would be known plus her return to Dublin.
She was obviously united with her mother and presumably her sisters, so again, you would imagine family stories.

[Wexflyer]

Looking in 1911 census, I see 7 other girls in same situation as Teresa Beatty.
That is around 8 years old, born Dublin, but staying in Co. Galway on census night, and listed as niece.
4 Catholic, 2 Protestant, and one refused.

Interestingly, 0 nephews in same situation.

Suggesting that this was possibly some sort of scheme?

[lmgnz]

In my family there were instances where a child or more than one child in turn (my gt aunts) were sent to attend a school in the hometown (in Sligo)  of one parent, in order to help keep a school open that was otherwise in danger of closing. Though they were staying with family.