South Molton Union Workhouse

[ore-dragon]

Hi All,

I received a birth certificate for Thomas Forward born in South Molton in Aug 1861, son of Naomi and Samuel Forward.  Naomi and her son Samuel are on the 1861 Census for South Molton. Samuel was 1 and born in South Wales.

On the birth certificate it states that Thomas was born in the Union Workhouse, although the family address was West Street.

I did a search on the National Archive Catalogue and found that the minutes for the South Molton Union Workhouse for that period.  Would they mention individuals and events such as births?

Naomi re-married in 1863 in South Wales (where she originally came from).  If Samuel had died and she was dependant on the Poor Laws is it likely that she would be sent home to her home Parish?  Would this be minuted?

I would be grateful for any help.

Regards

Ore Dragon

[Lemontree]

Hi

Sometimes minute books do contain details of particluar people and it may well be worth travelling to the record office and searching through the minute books.

As you know that the baby was born in the workhouse in 1861 and that Naomi re-married in 1862 this considerably cuts down your amount of searching, as there is only a short time between the two.

Yes in answer to your question if Samuel died then Naoni could would be transphered back to her parish of orign - she would have been a burden on the parish of South Molton that they didn't want. The minutes may well contian this information, it is more likely than the birth of a child.

I have found a case where a husband died and within a week the widow transphered back to her parish of origin (hard times) As her husbands parish didn't want the expense.

[ore-dragon]

Hi Lemontree,

Thanks for the reply.  The National Archive offer a copy service on this document, but I didn't want to go to the expence of getting a copy if there was no chance of any useful information.  I will go ahead now and see what I get.

Thanks

Ore Dragon

[flower fairy]

Hi. I just wanted to find out if you had any luck with getting any info regarding the workhouse. I have had a death cert come which shows my 2x great grandad died in the South Molton workhouse in 1886 and was wondering if anthing like this would be minuted. I would appreciate any feedback or links showing me where you found the minutes. Thanks.
Nicky

[mostlySquire]

Hi there

It was common practice for one parish to 'remove' the poor from their boundaries and send them back where they came from originally. You can find these 'removal' notices on Genuki.

About the babies - This is an extract taken from a North Devon newspaper in 1842. It should answer your question about their attitude to babies born in the Workhouses:-

"•   The removal of babies and infants from mothers in North Devon Workhouses is suggested so that the women can be put to 'useful and remunerative work'. They are to be given to childless couple in places distant to Devon to avoid being found by their mothers and taken back.

It must have been horrendous. Hope this helps in some odd way.

Suzanne

[jacoby28]

A2archives is usually a good source of information,  but a quick glance at south molton workhouse shows only 1 entry.......You could look at resettlement in the same source though.  Enter South Molton then plough through the results,   very enlightening.  Hope it's of some help

Jack B