sailors orphans girls school, hampstead.

[debbi read]

Trying to find admission records(any information will do) for the sailors orphans girls school, greenhill road, hampstead.
In particular for an "inmate" listed on the 1891 census as Martha Read aged 8
born c1883, place of birth unknown.

[Peter Goodey]

Global search on the National Archives website (try it! :)) suggests that London Metropolitan Archives have some records although it doesn't look very encouraging.

Sailors' Orphan Girls School and Home, later Royal Sailors Daughters School and Home (case 7313 or 4/1881): correspondence and papers A/FWA/C/D/122/001 1881-1946

These documents are held at London Metropolitan Archives

Conditions of access: CLOSED UNTIL 2007

Contents:
116 Fitzjohns Avenue Hampstead

Also the National Archives have some administrative stuff but probably not what you're looking for.

[Penny Gallo]

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=45252 which gives a description of the building - and maybe some more pointers.

It sounds a very poignant search, you've got here.

[benny1982]

Hi Debbie

You could try looking for a possible birth cert but then again Read is quite a common name. Have you found Martha on the 1901 census at all?

Ben

[debbi read]

there is a martha on the 1901 from suffolk, cant find her on the 1891, so gone for that birth certificate. long shot, but worth a try.

[benny1982]

Hi Debbie

Yes, this may give further info. If the birth cert says father is Charles Read and was a seaman, then you must have the right one. After that, it is finding his death cert.

Ben

[debbi read]

hi there, just opened birth cert...father is a charles read, but it says he was a house painter.....the charles read i had in mind was a 'ships' painter, in the royal navy. back to the drawing board!!!!!

[benny1982]

Hi Debbie

Not necessarily so back to the drawing board. Maybe he spent some time at home from the high seas. He may have alternated between sea and land, although I am not sure if that was allowed if you were a sailor.

What was the mothers name and maiden name? if you found their marriage, this may narrow it down. Have you looked for them on the 1881 census? This may prove or disprove your theory but I think it is too much of a coincidence for her not to be the right Martha.

Ben

[debbi read]

mothers name susan (same as my sister) maiden name smith.
think wrong age for father tho, on 1881 he is b1855, the one ive researched is b 1845.
have just e-mailed GRO for info on how to get birth cert for the martha in the orphanage.
also just looked up 'mariners' wives' on 1881 census...
got Susan b1853 St Keverne Cornwall
Esther b1844 Dover
Alice b 1850 Ufford, suffolk
Mary Ann b 1839 Sunderland
Elizabeth b 1834 Weymouth
Mary Ann b 1822 Portsea (too old for child born 1881/3)
Also other Charles Read, aboard ship 1881...
Mine on 'Crocodile' b1844/5 Suffolk (painter)
another on 'meredith' b 1850 Yarmouth
again ab seaman 'mayflower, in swansea b1855 Hayle, Cornwall
and finally a shipwright b1851 Clifton
Just need to tie them all together!!!!!|help|

[benny1982]

Hi

I found the marriage of a Charles Read in the Plomesgate district of Suffolk in the March 1869 Quarter with a Susan Smith on the same page.

Does this jog your memory in tracing him?

Ben

[debbi read]

the birth cert i got today has charles read as father and susan read (smith) as mother, but occupation given as 'house painter'.
so many charles reads!
the charles i hoped to find on the certificate would have been a ships painter.
need to search a little deeper i think.:confused:

[debbi read]

well, it jogged my partner and i all the way to kew yesterday.
it is the right certificate. lots and lots of information was found and my tree taking shape......
however still no information on the sailors orphans girls school.
it may seem to be gilding the lily, but i would love to know the whys and where-fors.....and now i need to find her (martha the "inmate") illegitimate daughter......
still searching, but smiling......
thank you all|jumphappy|hug||bowdown|:D