Thomas Globe - a foundling with another name

[Amlet]

On the 14th I posted in the success thread an update on Thomas Globe - a foundling and founder of the Globe family name in the UK, and I suspect also Canada and the US.

This week I heard from the London Foundling Museum who did a look up for me in the Billet Books they had on loan from the LMA. (The Billet Books sometimes contain information about the mother and tokens taken from a foundling child for purpose of identification).

There was no token taken for Thomas Globe, however there was a note attached to his name that reads:

This is to certife [sic:] that John the hereborn(?) child of Sarah Ball was baptised in th Parish church of Westbury in the County of Gloucester on the first day of July 1759. (signed) Wm. Hawkins, Curate

I've searched and found a William Hawkins who was curate at the Parish Chapel: Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire around this time. I've searched the parish records on the Dean of Forrest site, however there are no transcription entries around this date. Now I'm stuck.

I wonder if all the parish chapel records for Westbury-on-Severn have been transcribed?
Am I searching in the right place?
Should I ask for a look up in the Gloucester archives?

As I live in Copenhagen any suggestions and/or help will be gratefully received.

Richard Globe

[Kerrywood]

John the hereborn(?) child of Sarah Ball

Possibly baseborn ...

I've moved this thread to the Gloucestershire forum so that you can get some local input.

[Amlet]

Thank you Kerrywood and yes, on second look "baseborn" is the correct word.

[Coromandel]

Gloucestershire Archives is probably your best bet: as well as the original parish registers for Westbury-on-Severn they also have poor law records for that parish, including the following:

• overseers' accounts 1666-1772
• overseers' bills 1730-1791
• overseers' papers 1684-1800

which may tell you more about Sarah Ball and her child.

See this catalogue entry for full details of their holdings of parish records for Westbury-on-Severn.

You could commission staff at the Archives (or a freelance researcher) to check the records for you.

[Amlet]

Thank you for locating this page Coromandel. I'll check their services and prices.

[Coromandel]

I've searched the parish records on the Dean of Forrest site, however there are no transcription entries around this date. Now I'm stuck. I wonder if all the parish chapel records for Westbury-on-Severn have been transcribed?
Am I searching in the right place?

Hi again Richard

I've just checked the Forest of Dean Family History site for details of the dates covered by their Westbury-on-Severn transcripts. There are baptisms for 1657-1752, 1753-1812 and later (as well as marriages and burials). It is possible that there are gaps in the original registers, or that the transcripts are incomplete. Can you see any baptisms at all for 1759? (You could test the system with a common name like Smith, or just put in a first name if the search engine allows this.)

[Amlet]

Hi again Richard

I've just checked the Forest of Dean Family History site for details of the dates covered by their Westbury-on-Severn transcripts. There are baptisms for 1657-1752, 1753-1812 and later (as well as marriages and burials). It is possible that there are gaps in the original registers, or that the transcripts are incomplete. Can you see any baptisms at all for 1759? (You could test the system with a common name like Smith, or just put in a first name if the search engine allows this.)

I found three entries for the name Ball in a search of the all parish entries in Forest of Dean. One in St. Bravels for a baptism, another in Ross on Wye for a burial and a third in Woolaston also for a burial. None for a Sarah or John Ball. So there are entries for 1759, but no matches, not even close.

Another thing that puzzles me is that Sarah Ball travelled with baby John from Westbury-on-Severn to London in order to give him up to the London Foundling Hospital, which she did, on July 20th 1759. This was an enormous distance. Speculation of course but I'm wondering how she managed such a journey.

[Nicolina]

it is possible that she did not travel to London. My 6xgreat Grandmother died in Suffolk when her son was 6 weeks old and the Vicar sent him to the Foundling Hospital. Perhaps Sarah died or abandoned him and, rather than having to maintain him, the Parish sent John to London. You need to think laterally.
I still find it amazing that our two foundlings must have known each other and were born within 2 months of each other.

[olliecat]

Looking at..

https://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/genealogy/Search.aspx

There are a few Sarah Balls listed. There is an Overseers record for a Sarah Ball of Westbury-on-Severn dated 1760. It's not quite your 1759 date though. (P354 VE 2/2)

Just type in Sarah Ball and you should see a number of entries plus the one I've mentioned listed. When the list comes up, click on the surname to get a little more information. You could contact/email the Gloucestershire Archives to ask them if they think the record relates to your Sarah. I've found them quite helpful in the past.

[Nicolina]

found one in 1759:
1759 ball sarah C P354 OV 5/1/6 Overseers

but the address is Castle Frome, Herefordshire, 23 miles away.