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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Ohri on Monday 11 January 21 17:31 GMT (UK)

Title: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Ohri on Monday 11 January 21 17:31 GMT (UK)
I'm trying to trace a relative who was born in 1920 in Dudley Staffordshire. His name was William Harold Parsonage. He had an older sister who was 3 years old when he was born.
 Harry's parents couldnt afford to look after him and he was sent to an orphanage/school at a young age - he could have been sent there as a baby .
I am interested to find out which orphanage and how long he was there.
His father William Henry Parsonage , died in1925, when Harry was 5 years old ... I believe he had been injured in the 1st world war .
 I have been told that the orphanage / school  may have been in the Bilston area. Harry was apprenticed to the railway by the orphanage. He also served during the war as a railway engineer ??
I have no idea how I might access any of the above . Any help would be much appreciated
 

Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: chempat on Wednesday 20 January 21 23:48 GMT (UK)
Welcome to rootschat, Ohri.

Have you found where he was on the 1939 register?

Did he keep his birth name throughout his life?
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Ohri on Saturday 23 January 21 16:07 GMT (UK)
Hi I cant find him on the 1939 register . And , yes he kept his birth name .. he re-connected with his family when he left the orphanage/school. I am led to believe that many children from poor/disadvantaged families were sent to orphanages .. even though they were not actaully orphaned . Whether this was organised by churches or not , I have no idea.
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: KGarrad on Saturday 23 January 21 16:19 GMT (UK)
Have a look at www.childrenshomes.org.uk.
Click on "List by Location", then select the relevant page for the county.
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Girl Guide on Saturday 23 January 21 17:22 GMT (UK)
Deleted as wrong information.  Looking at the wrong William!
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Girl Guide on Saturday 23 January 21 17:36 GMT (UK)
Do you have William's exact date of birth?   If so it would help in trying to locate him on the 1939 Register.

Did his mother remarry at all after the death of his father?
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: chempat on Saturday 23 January 21 17:39 GMT (UK)
When did he die?
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Girl Guide on Saturday 23 January 21 17:44 GMT (UK)
Can you clarify exactly what his second name is please?  You have given three second names, these being Harry, Harold and Henry.

PARSONAGE, WILLIAM  HAROLD     WOOMANS 
GRO Reference: 1920  D Quarter in BROMSGROVE  Volume 06C  Page 350

PARSONAGE, WILLIAM  HENRY     PHILLIPS 
GRO Reference: 1920  S Quarter in DUDLEY  Volume 06B  Page 1912

As you have mentioned Dudley as his birthplace I assume that it is Henry?
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: chempat on Saturday 23 January 21 17:50 GMT (UK)
There is a Harry Parsonage mmn Woomans born 1917, and a William H Parsonage mmn Wormans born 1920 according to free bmd.


Added:
Harry  Parsonage married Minnie Woomans in 1911, Bromsgrove.

Added:  No, we want the Dudley one, surely?
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Girl Guide on Saturday 23 January 21 18:05 GMT (UK)
I put that info you have given Chempat in an earlier reply, then realised it wasn't the right one.

Harry and Minnie are in the 1939 along with William H.

If Ohri obtained William's birth certificate then there would be an exact date of birth to help locate him on the 1939. 
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: chempat on Saturday 23 January 21 18:07 GMT (UK)
Yes.  But useful to show the wrong one.  Think trees on Ancestry have the 2 different people but with the same date of birth.
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Ohri on Saturday 23 January 21 21:46 GMT (UK)
Hi and thanks for replies . My gg uncles name was William Harry Parsonage ... he was known as Harry.
His father was William Henry Parsonage . He was born in Dudley .

His mother was Dorothy Parsonage ( nee Phillips ). She did remarry when my gg uncle was 11 years old .. but he kept the surname Parsonage .
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Girl Guide on Saturday 23 January 21 22:01 GMT (UK)
You can get William's birth certificate as a pdf from the GRO, this would cost £7.

If you haven't used the GRO before you will need to register before ordering the certificate.

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Girl Guide on Saturday 23 January 21 22:04 GMT (UK)
It looks as though Dorothy married a Jonah Harris?

Marriages Dec 1931

Harris    Jonah    Parsonage    Dudley    6b   2108
Parsonage    Dorothy A    Harris    Dudley    6b   2108
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Ohri on Saturday 23 January 21 22:30 GMT (UK)
hi Yes Dorothy did marry again , When William Harry was 11  but he kept the Parsonage surname . I think he was in the orphanage until his teenage years .
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Gibel on Saturday 23 January 21 23:57 GMT (UK)
The www.childrenshomes.org site lists the Dudley Union Cottage Homes which appeared to have been in Bilston. There admissions and discharges might be included in the workhouse records as they came under them. I would try

Dudley Archives and Local History Service, Tipton Road, Dudley, DY1 4SQ. Holdings include: Guardians' minute books (1836-1923); Admissions and discharges (1839-1929, with gaps); Creed registers (1868-1933, with gaps); etc.
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: chempat on Sunday 24 January 21 00:08 GMT (UK)
Where and when did he die, please?

Who do you think is the redacted entry in 1939 along with Jonah and Dorothy A Harris and new children?
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: chempat on Sunday 24 January 21 00:22 GMT (UK)
F M P does not have entry 3 in the household redacted, so I suggest you look it up.
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: q98 on Sunday 24 January 21 15:48 GMT (UK)
Hi ohri / Beebs  q98 here.
Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Ohri on Monday 25 January 21 21:55 GMT (UK)
Hi
Harry died in July 2019 in Bromsgrove Worcestershire. He was 98 years old. He may indeed be the redacted entry in 1939 along with Jonah , Dorothy etc.

Regarding F M P what does this mean and where can I look it up ?


Gibel  Thanks for the information re . Dudley archives . I hope this will prove most useful



Title: Re: orphanages in the west Midlands area during the 1920's
Post by: Girl Guide on Monday 25 January 21 22:02 GMT (UK)
FindMyPast refers to Find My Past which has the 1939 Register.

Jonah b. 1899, Dorothy is down as Dora b. 1904 living in Wolverhampton C B.  I can't tell you any more than that, but you should be able to find them using the above.