Is this the baptism of a foundling?

[Megan Roberts]

This is taken from a parish register from Pembrokeshire dated 1799. Do people think that this was a foundling / abandoned child and was "Poll" the name she was given?

[pennydog]

That is how I would read it - sad. You think they could have called her Polly, which is a far more feminine name.

[RobinC]

In what respect would they class a child as "unknown"?

[susan-y]

It is sad.....
Must have been a workhouse? I see the one above was illegitimate . By abandoned my guess the mother couldn't care for her so left her somewhere. I have seen several when trolling through the CityArk registers and often they indicate where the child was found as well. I wonder whose ancestors they became?

Sue.

[pennydog]

I wonder whose ancestors they became? Sue.

When trawling through the census a while ago I did see an entry for the 'place of birth' as.... found under a bush, glad he was not mine!

[susan-y]

When trawling through the census a while ago I did see an entry for the 'place of birth' as.... found under a bush, glad he was not mine!

Isn't that often how most trees start? Its the next generation back that would be a problem

Sue

[Heather]

Isn't that often how most trees start? Its the next generation back that would be a problem

Sue

And Sue....you and I both know it happens too often here in Toronto. Remember the baby abandoned in a stairwell and it was one of the coldest nights of the year (minus 20C or worse). If you didn't see the follow-up, the worthless parents moved back to Jamaica with yet another child and the neighbours knew what happened up here and totally shunned them. I believe someone came in and removed the remaining child. Justice is a lot swifter and harsher in Jamaica than it is up here.

[malcolm99]

In what respect would they class a child as "unknown"?

Probably because they didn't know whether it was abandoned by someone who was married or whether it was illegitimate.

[susan-y]

You may find this news article from today interesting. I wonder if they had "baby boxes" in England?
https://www.
cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/05/06/f-angel-cradle-baby-box-faq.html

Sue