Orphanage in Bermondsey area circ 1888

[Wendy Jean]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me find records for orphanages in the above area. My information is that William James middlemiss was put in an orphanage when his father died in 1888. William would have been 6 years old.

[Waitabit]

Wendy, can you give name of Father & Mother to help in finding him? There are people with that name on censuses but they need to be checked against earlier censuses etc. unable to check against baptisms in Surrey.
Several places deemed Orphan schools etc. difficult to choose just from I'net search.

[Peter Goodey]

I would try Poor Law records (on Ancestry) in the first instance.

[Wendy Jean]

Yes his parents were James Middlemiss and Anne Hannah Ware. I think he was put in an orphanage when his father died until his mother could get herself "on her feet" again so to speak. The family info is that he never forgave her for abandoning him - which is sad.

[Waitabit]

Hi Wendy
I'm abit confused,..1861 census has William J Middlemiss aged 5 Father James Mother Anne H Middlemiss present with Anne dt 8 & Louisa Ware Motherin law.
Baptism 1855 Southwark Parents James & Anne Hannah Middlemiss Bermondsey.
William James Middlemiss
Baptism 22 Jul 1855 b. 28 June
Father's Name: James Middlemiss a Baker.
Mother's Name: Anne Hannah Middlemiss
Parish or Poor Law Union: Bermondsey St Mary Magdalene

An Anne Middlemiss dies in the June of 1867:
Deaths Jun 1867
Middlemiss Anne H 41 Rotherhithe 1d 356

In 1869 a jame Middlemiss widower a baker,
Father James a Baker, married Emma Tomkins at Newington,Father James a confectioner,at Holy Trinity.witnesses John Pilbrow & Elizabeth neale

Marriages Mar 1869
Middlemiss James Newington 1d 221
Tomkins Emma Newington 1d 221
....
1871 no. 13 Canute St.
William J Middlemiss
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1855
Relation: Son
Father James Middlemiss
Mother Emma Middlemiss
born: Bermondsey, Surrey, England
Civil parish: Rotherhithe
James Middlemiss 46 corn weigher
Emma Middlemiss 24
Anne Middlemiss 18 biscuit packer
William J Middlemiss 16 plumber & painter.
James W Middlemiss 9
Edwin J Middlemiss 1
Emma E Middlemiss 2 Weeks
Jane Williams 56 nurse.

1881 Wm James Middlemiss a dock lab'r, a boarder in the house of Thomas Wright a biscuit baker at 22 King St. Rotherhithe, unmarried.image 40 on Ancestry.RG11/581 folio 91 p38.
Is this the same William James Middlemiss that you have?


A William James Middlemiss was baptised in 1877,27 June.b. Mar.101873 Parents James a baker & Emma at Westminster along with Alfred Middlemiss b.Oct 18 1874 Res. 61 Hall place

[Wendy Jean]

Hi Waitabit,
I am also confused! I will print off your info and try to sort out my dates etc. Thank you so much for searching out all that info for me.

[Coromandel]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me find records for orphanages in the above area. My information is that William James middlemiss was put in an orphanage when his father died in 1888. William would have been 6 years old.

From your earlier thread it sounds as if the story is more likely to apply to William Thomas Middlemiss (b.1882); 8 year old William and his 5 year old sister Martha were with their widowed mother Matilda in Bermondsey in 1891. according to that thread. Matilda Middlemiss remarried in 1895, to Jacob Tilling.

[Wendy Jean]

Thank you Coromandel, I now think you are correct and I was a generation out. Sorry for the age it has taken me to get back, but I appreciate your help. regards wendy

From your earlier thread it sounds as if the story is more likely to apply to William Thomas Middlemiss (b.1882); 8 year old William and his 5 year old sister Martha were with their widowed mother Matilda in Bermondsey in 1891. according to that thread. Matilda Middlemiss remarried in 1895, to Jacob Tilling.

[SueNSW]

Oooh Wendy Jean - I got all excited when I started reading this thread when the Middlemiss name came up as I must have missed it last year - but it seems it's not going to help me

I am working through possible connections to a forebear in my ex husband's tree who I am as certain as I can be was a sister to Anne Hannah Ware (or Hannah Ann as she was baptised)

Oh well - back to the drawing board!! - All the best with your researches

[Wendy Jean]

Hi Sue,
I guess you have the 1851 and 1861 census records which is all I have. Anne's father Thomas was an engineer and Mother Louisa was born in Portsmouth. I guess they moved to London for work.

Oooh Wendy Jean - I got all excited when I started reading this thread when the Middlemiss name came up as I must have missed it last year - but it seems it's not going to help me

I am working through possible connections to a forebear in my ex husband's tree who I am as certain as I can be was a sister to Anne Hannah Ware (or Hannah Ann as she was baptised)

Oh well - back to the drawing board!! - All the best with your researches