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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Kent => England => Kent Lookup Requests => Topic started by: EllsBells04 on Wednesday 04 September 13 10:55 BST (UK)

Title: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: EllsBells04 on Wednesday 04 September 13 10:55 BST (UK)
I'm hoping someone can help me track down some information about my uncle, James Fitzpatrick Kellard, who was born in 1905. From what I have been able to ascertain, he grew up in a Catholic Orphanage in Southwark, before being shipped to Canada by the Southwark Guardians in July in 1921. By September 1921 he had been shipped back, with his future address noted as St Joseph's Orphanage in Kent.

I would love to know if any records exist that confirm his time there, what family he might still have had, what might have happened to him after that etc. Can anyone help?
Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: rosie99 on Wednesday 04 September 13 17:27 BST (UK)
Maybe this is him  :)

Marriages Dec 1933
Jones    Evelyn G    (spouse Kellard)   
Kellard    James    (spouse Jones)
Uxbridge    3a   128

In 1936 they are living at Dawley Road, Harlington, Middlesex
James Fitzpatrick Kellard
Evelyn Gladys Kellard

Evelyn Gladys Kellard
Birth 13 August 1914
Date of Registration   March qtr 1993
Age at Death   78
Registration District   Bournemouth

Welcome to rootschat  :)

Rosie
Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: rosie99 on Wednesday 04 September 13 17:29 BST (UK)
James Fitzpatrick Kellard
Birth Date   9 September 1905
Date of Registration   Dec qtr 1983
Age at Death   78
Registration District   Poole
Vol   23 Page   0738
Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: rosie99 on Wednesday 04 September 13 17:33 BST (UK)
If you search freebmd  http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

select Births and put Kellard into Surname & Jones into spouse surname after the marriage date it should give you their children.  I cannot list them as they could still be living.
Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: rosie99 on Wednesday 04 September 13 18:05 BST (UK)
I have sent PM re newspaper article -
The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Sep 23, 1930; pg. 9; Issue 45625.



Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: EllsBells04 on Wednesday 04 September 13 18:27 BST (UK)
Thanks, the newspaper article is v interesting!

I was particularly keen to find out if any records exist from his time at St Joseph's. I have a pretty good idea of what he was doing from the point he got married, just wondered if records existed from the orphanage that might tell me more about the whereabouts of his mother, at what age he was discharged, where to etc.

Thanks for your help!
Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: dawnsh on Wednesday 04 September 13 21:08 BST (UK)
Have you tried contacting the archivist of the Southwark Catholic Diocese?

http://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/contacts.html

He may be able to tell you oif records survive and if they do, where they are.

There is also a history here

http://www.holyinnocents.org.uk/pages/history_parish1.php

Dawn
Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: EllsBells04 on Wednesday 04 September 13 22:11 BST (UK)
Thanks so much, this is wonderfully helpful!
Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: eillo on Friday 03 May 19 17:44 BST (UK)
The records for St. Joseph's were taken over by Diagrama but they do not do family history research. They directed me to https://www.childmigrantstrust.com/ but I have not yet contacted them.   

Father Hudson's Society has limited records of the Catholic Emigration Society.   They are at www.fatherhudsons.org.uk   They have a database of names and a small bit of info on each child.

Hope this helps.

Title: Re: St Joseph's Orphanage School, Orpington
Post by: James Kellard on Friday 24 May 24 16:03 BST (UK)
He was my grandfather.
 At the age of 2 he was in the Southwark workhouse and was sent to Canada (Nova Scotia I believe).  Unfortunately he got into trouble there and was given corporal punishment in public for fighting with a local lad.

He returned to the UK became a bricklayer and got married to a lady called Evelyn Gladys Jones from Uxbridge.  They had four children Peter (my father) born in 1934, then Patrick, Kay and Jenny.

During the war he served in the Royal Navy and after the family moved to Bournemouth. He died in 1983 of cancer to the brain resulting from his war injuries.  He had nine grandchildren including myself and my sister.  He was much loved but a troubled man who spoke rarely about his life before    the war, he served on Motor Torpedo Boats.  He was also a hard man, I think looking back on it he probably had PTSD but back then they just used to call it "the war", but very gentle with his wife.  I think if he had known his sister had survived and had been able to make contact with her it would have given him a great peace of mind.  BTW he was also an amazing chess player.