orphanage

[sharonkdr]

Hello

I live in Canada and have been trying to research my mothers mother & anyone in her family. Her name was Beatrice Mary West(Scales) She was one of 6 children & at the age of 7 yrs she & her siblings were placed in a home of some kind "orphanage or work house, not sure. When she was older she went to work for a Dr. Sullivan & family as cook left when she married my grandfather in 1904/05? How does one access any information to help with a search of this kind. Computors and geaneology are quite new to me, so I could use some tips if anyone is willing. They lived in Woking Surrey till she died March 22 ,1962 age 79 yrs. Intered St. Peters Cemetary

Thank you Sharon

[Wirral]

The 1891 census list 2 children at Dr Stephensons Childrens Home & Orphanage, Bethnal Green, London RG12/272 page 1 folio 123:
Beatrice Scales, child, 8, school, N.K.
Lilly Scales, child, 9, school, 9, N.K.

[NK = place of birth "not known". All the children on the page have their place of birth recorded as NK. There is a note at the bottom of the page which reads, "Many of these children are friendless & destitute when received at this house & it is quite impossible to ascertain where they were born".]

Records for the home may still exist, so there may be someone in London who can do a look-up for you if these do turn out to be the right family.

[Peter Goodey]

See also http://www.nch.org.uk/aboutus/index.php?i=91

also http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/socialwork/nch.htm

[sharonkdr]

Thank-you very much for your information as I am certain that the Beatrice Scales and Lilly Scales mentioned are my grandmother and her sister!! Oh you don't know how this makes me feel, now I am making headway in finding out something about my mothers family. I am very grateful, how do you suggest I find someone to look up more information for me . I belong to genes reunited, do you think if I posted there someone would help?

Thank-you very much!!

[Wirral]

Try posting your request on the London forum of British-Genealogy.com. Give as much info as posssible, eg grandfather's full name, where they were married, what his occupation was, any other possible family names. Show what info you already have & try to indicate what info you know for definite (eg from certificates) & what is hearsay/family oral record.

I can't find Beatrice or Lily for definite on the 1901 census, only a couple of vague possibilities who do not match well for ages. The only Scales I could find who is a cook is Lilly Scales age 23, born Carlton, Durham, living in Kensington, London. She is in the house of a sculptor. Also a Beatrice Scarlett, servant, single, 25, hospital nurse, born Sunderland, Durham. She is a nurse at the District Eastern Hospital, Central Hackney, London.

Try tracking down your grandparents' marriage certificate on 1837 online. This will give their fathers' names & occupations.

Good Luck

[Peter Goodey]

"Try posting your request on the London forum"

OTOH if Sharon wants information from the NCH archives - and her first message implied that she did - she could try asking on the Liverpool forum (as I indicated in an earlier message, the archives are housed in Liverpool).
However as she would be looking for a bit more than a "lookup", it is probably a job for a professional researcher

[Wirral]

Hi sharon
There is still lots you can do yourself on-line or by snailmail before you need a professional researcher.

Do you have any of your mother's relations still left in the UK? Do any of them already have a copy of your grandmother's marriage certificate? www.freebmd.org.uk lists 2 Beatrice Scales marriages, both in March quarter of 1905, one in County Durham (this could be the Beatrice Scarlett who was a nurse in 1901), the other in Leeds. FreeBMD is not complete, so you may need to look at the 1837online site. Although pay-per-view it is not expensive if you are looking for a fairly uncommon name (which Scales is), particularly if you know the approximate date of the marriage (which you already do).

Freebmd also list the birth of a Beatrice Mary Scales in September quarter St Olave vol 1d page 274. St Olave's is in London, but I do not know where, except it spans the borders of London & Surrey & includes Bermondsey. There is a Scales family in Bermondsey that had children with the names Beatrice & Lilian. I think that Beatrice was Beatrice Louise & she was born in Dec 1875 & died in Dec 1881. The father was Alfred. Without the marriage certificate it is not possible to say whether you are related to the family. They may be related, but not be your direct line - ie may be cousins who use "family names".

[sharonkdr]

Thank-you everyone

This gives me lots to think about. I am afraid that I had not thought about marriage licenses or such. I do not know my grandmothers mothers & fathers names, yet I am still trying to joggle my mothers & her remaining sisters memories. Yes there are still some family in England but they are not on the internet so I do what I can by snailmail. Plus this is all new to me (computors). So I am learning everything.

some info that someone had found for me was 1891 census 2 children at dr. stephensons childrens home & orphanage bethnal green, london RG12/272 page 1 folio 123
Beatrice
Scales, child 8 school, N.K.
Lilly Scales, child, 9, school, 9, N.K.

These ages would appear to be the correct age I think for who i am looking for.
Anymore advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sharon