Battle Police Station

[pjohns63]

My grandmother was born in Battle Police Station in 1889, her father was unknown and her mother from Berkshire. She was then fostered/adopted and knew nothing of her parents. I am seeking any information that might explain why she was born in Battle police station. Any ideas on where I might look!? Peter

[Rod In Sussex]

Peter,

just a thought, but if you look at the "Oldmap" site you can have a look at the layout of Battle.
http://www.old-maps.co.uk/indexmappage2.aspx (I hope this is the right link, if not have a look at the other maps on the site)

Battle Police station is at the northern end of the main street, but the workhouse is a further mile away to the west of the town. The Police station is still there, but the work house became a hospital and is now flats. If a woman was going to the work house to give birth (as was not uncommon with an unmarried woman disowned by her familly) but went into labour on the way out of the town and could not be moved, the Police Station might have been the only choice.

Hope this is of use

Rod

[pjohns63]

Rod

Thanks. Seems quite possible. Why my grandmother's mother was in Battle though when she is from Reading I don't know!

Peter

[redwinelindy]

Hi peter

Don't know if you are aware but there is a Battle Workhouse in Reading! I made the same mistake -I ordered from the Library service what I thought was a great book about Battle Workhouse, Sussex only to find it was about the workhouse in Reading. 

It may give you a lead!

[pjohns63]

Thanks for this information. I don't think I was aware but you do tend to become punch drunk with information after a while. Not sure it obviously helps - my grandmother was definitely born in Battle police station in Sussex -  but I'll think about it.

Peter

[Roy G]

Have you looked up Granny's birth cert on Freebmd?
Even just the indexes should tell you whether it was Battle Sussex or Battle Reading she was born in.  You never gave us her name, otherwise one of us would have done it for you.

Battle Sussex by the way also had a 'House of Correction' with 6 cells which was connected to the police station.  She may have been a traveller and for convenience sake underwent the birth in there.  Unfortunately, the lack of names, ages and some indication of social standing, often hampers our attempts to be helpful.
Roy G

[pjohns63]

Roy

I do have her brth certificate, it is unquestionaly Battle, Sussex police station. I do also know who her mother was and can trace on all previous and subsequent Censuses in the Reading area, with other chidlren and her two known marriages. I also know that my grandmother was fostered and where she was (Rye, Sussex) in 1891 and 1901. So a lot of basic info but no knowledge on why her mother went to Sussex to give birth. Some possible connections but no evidence yet.

Thanks for your input though.

Peter