I have discovered it is possible that my grandmother had a child in 1891 at the age of 19 years and had it adopted. I am ambivalent about the accuracy of this for several reasons. Her mother's sister had a child, father unknown, who was accepted into the family and actually married my grandmother's brother. Her mother was a caring woman, very loving towards her extended family and I cannot think she would have allowed a grandchild to be adopted. They were an ordinary family so it wasn't a case of hushing this up. Children born out of wedlock was not uncommon at that time. My grandmother was very caring towards the six children she later had as well as a disabled boy she fostered (not her son!) She married in 1893.

Knowing her as I did, I cannot believe she would not keep a child. The only possible reason might be that her father had died in 1886 and in 1891 her mother, being left with three young children, had remarried, and perhaps my grandmother did not want to 'burden' her with this unwanted pregnancy.

The fact that I am unable to find my grandmother anywhere on the 1891 census, and I have tried searching by different names etc. makes me wonder if she was indeed in some sort of home for unmarried mothers. I am certain her family would not have let her go into the Workhouse. She lived in Bristol.

Sorry for the long story - my question is does anyone know of a home for unmarried mothers in Bristol at that time. I only know of the Salvation Army Ivy House in London. Also presumably girls in these homes must have been included in the census. Is there any way I can find out if she was in such a home in 1891.

Thank you