Nursechild & Lasscelles

[malcolm99]

In the 1891 Census (RG12 piece 672 folio 82 page 24) I have two infants who are described as “Nursechild” – does anyone know what this means?

The “nursechildren” also have the unlikely name of Lasscelles and on a quick look at FreeBMD I can’t identify them? Can anyone help please?

William Goldsmith, Head, Married, 48, General Labourer, born Kent, Sevenoaks

Mary Ann Goldsmith, Wife, Married, 45, born Kent, Chevening

Minney Cheeseman, Niece, 5, born London

Benjamin Bridger, Father in Law, Married, 73, born Kent, Otford

Harriet Bridger, Mother in Law, Married, 72, born Kent, Chevening

Eliza Bridger, Stepdaughter, Single, 26, Dressmaker, born Kent, Chevening

Thomas Lasscelle[i?]s, Nursechild, 4 months, born Kent, Chevening

Hilda Lasscelle[i?]s, Nursechild, 1, born Kent, Brasted

William Giles, Boarder, Married, 66 ,Fish Monger, born Kent, Goudhurst


(Record in care of TNA: Crown Copyright)

[Degan]

Hi - I think we would use the term foster child these days. Have you had a look for them in later census?
Degan

[malcolm99]

Hi - I think we would use the term foster child these days. Have you had a look for them in later census?
Degan

Thanks Degan, that's certainly a possible explanation. I've had a look in 2 further censuses and drawn a blank so far.

[olliecat]

Thomas Lasscelle[i?]s, Nursechild, 4 months, born Kent, Chevening

Hilda Lasscelle[i?]s, Nursechild, 1, born Kent, Brasted

Nearest I can find are the following, but apart from the surname not being that close (unless it's a badly written Lasslettes), it would also mean someone had muddled the children's ages up on the 1891 census.

Births Mar 1891 Sevenoaks 2a 681 or 631
Laslett Hilda

Births Dec 1890 Romney M. 2a 946
Laslett Thomas Richard

I think these Laslett children may be in the 1901 census with their auntie. Here is the ref so you can compare them with the 1891 children.

1901: RG13 Piece: 748 Folio: 90 Page: 1 (crown copyright, care of the TNA)

[Coromandel]

The Oxford English Dictionary defines 'nurse-child' thus:
'A child cared for by a nurse, esp. a wet nurse; a foster-child. Also (euphem.): an illegitimate child.'

[olliecat]

Births Dec 1890 Romney M. 2a 946
Laslett Thomas Richard

Changed my mind about this birth record. This Thomas Richard Laslett is in the 1891 census elsewhere.

1891: RG12 Piece: 755 Folio: 41 Page: 8 (crown copyright, care of the TNA)

He is also in the 1901 census in Dover, so that eliminates him. However, that still leaves the other two Laslett children Thomas and Hilda with their auntie in the 1901 census.

[malcolm99]

Thanks Olliecat and Coromandel. I'll start following up the Laslett's - definitely promising. I suspect Eliza wouldn't be a wet-nurse as such but could definitely be a foster mother. I wondered about them being her children but that may not be the case.

By the way Eliza Bridger seems to turn up as Eliza Day in the 1901 Census (RG13 piece 746 folio 87 page 24) but living only with Thomas Day – no children. It looks as though this is her as there’s a family history of working in the Dunton Green brickfields . They are also on the 1911 Census in Borough Green (brickfields again) - no children but there's an 8 year old boy boarder (probably ) from Dunton Green.

[Coromandel]

From the 1911 census index, I see there's a 20 year old Hilda Lascelles in the Tonbridge district. One of the same name married an Osborne P. Fawkes in the same district in Q3 1913. It might be worth checking where this Hilda was in 1901/1891. At the moment I can't see an obvious birth registration for her.

Edit: oh, but in the 1901 index it looks as though she was born in Middlesex, so perhaps a different Hilda altogether.

[olliecat]

From the 1911 census index, I see there's a 20 year old Hilda Lascelles in the Tonbridge district. ...

Edit: oh, but in the 1901 index it looks as though she was born in Middlesex, so perhaps a different Hilda altogether.

Could be worth checking in case they got Hilda's birth place wrong in the 1891 census. Perhaps this is her birth record.

Births Mar 1891 Barnet 3a 253
Lascelles Hilda

There is a christening for a Hilda Lascelles on 17 May 1891 at New Southgate, London. Mother Fanny Ann, father John Herbert Lascelles. Hilda's birth date Dec 31. She is with mum Annie in the 1901 census in Tonbridge, Kent. Not sure where she is in 1891. Thinking about the logistics of it though, born at the end of December, sent to be nursed in Kent, then back in Southgate for her christening in May. Um! I don't know. Would help to find mum in the 1891 census.

[malcolm99]

Thanks again for that - I'm beavering away this end to see what I can turn up.