Royal Patriotic Fund - for Orphans & Widows

[Pauline42]

I seem to be going around in circles with this one.
Edward Hollingdale died in 1866. On the 1871 Census, three of his children are being educated at schools set up by the royal patriotic fund. : The Royal Patriotic Fund Boys School East Hill House, Wandsworth, and District Royal Victoria Patriotic Asylum for Girls, Wandsworth.

How do I find out about the Fund, or the Schools etc.
Also how do I find out how Edwards death entitled them to this education? Which war ? Which force ?

This is the sum total of my knowledge of the Patriotic fund at the moment:
              ".....1857.... July11. Her Majesty laid the foundation stone of the Royal Victoria patriotic Asylum, Wandsworth Common, to be erected and endowed from the Royal Patriotic Fund, for 300 orphan daughters of soldiers, sailors, and marines." 
Source: http://www.cartes.freeuk.com/history/p250-5.htm Pages from: The British Almanac of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. CHRONICLE OF OCCURRENCES.From October, 1856, to November, 1857 (accessed 4 July 2005)

Pauline

[casalguidi]

Hi Pauline

A search of the London Generations database on the Metropolitan Archives site shows that they hold an admission/discharge register for 1932-1939 for the Royal Victoria Patriotic School, Trinity Road, Wandsworth so it may be worth enquiring as to whether they know the whereabouts of or hold any other records:

http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/corporation/family-research/index.htm

This article looks interesting:

http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/Home/LeisureandTourism/Museum/lhtopics.htm

Have you found the family on the 1861 census to see what Edward was up to then?

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[Pauline42]

Hi,

Thanks for this, in 1861 Edward with wife Elizabeth & 2 children are living in Marylebone, and he is listed as a Bricklayers labourer - which gives us no clues at all!

Pauline

[liverpool annie]

Hi Pauline

From what I can make out this fund was used for the widow's and orphans of  the men who were on HMS Captain -
What can you tell us about Edward ?? if you can give some dates - birth dates etc I'm sure somebody will come up with something ...


The Patriotic Fund had been set up earlier in the 19th century "to manage assets for the benefit of the widows, children and dependents of officers and men of the naval and military forces of the Crown". This charitable organisation, based in London, is (in 2003) still in existence, and in a letter has confirmed that it "took over responsibilty for the `Captain's Fund' in late 1870 and took on responsibility for disbursing the remaining funds for the widows and orphans of those who lost their lives on HMS Captain".

However, they go on to say that "Whilst we have the official record of the transfer of responsibility to the Royal Patriotic Fund and we have a number of reports covering that period (we) have been unable to trace any record giving the names of those who benefited. That said, our records are not catalogued and as we are only a small charity with two part-time staff, I have not been able to devote a great deal of time to search through the old and very dusty collection of papers and books held in our archives. In fact we have recently taken the decision to pass all our records and archives to the National Archives at Kew."


http://www.hmscaptain.co.uk/

http://www.hmscaptain.co.uk/The%20Story/The%20Times%20reports/thetimesrelieffundintro.htm

Regards

Annie

[liverpool annie]

Here's a survivors list - I don't see your Edward on there but do any of the other names look familiar?

What's weird is -  that I just noticed he died in 1866 -
could another relative have taken on the children and they were the ones who were on the Captain?

http://www.hmscaptain.co.uk/The%20Story/Survivors-list.htm

Annie

[spaceman]

Hello Pauline

Did you manage to resolve your problem.

I have now located my great grandfather Arthur STEVENS in the 1871 census as being at East Hill House, Wandsworth. He is age 9.

It would appear he was at the school as his father was injured during the Crimea War and it looks as if he has died (possibly from his war wounds) after he was discharged from the Army in 1863 after completing 21 years service. I have not been able to locate either his mother or father in the 1871 census and this is probably why he is at this school.

I earlier believed he may have attended a Blue Coat School however he could not be located in Christs Hospital records and now I can see why.

I would like to find out how long he was at the school and also if they have any information about what happened to his parents (when they died etc).

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

David (in New Zealand)