Orphanages/Children's homes in London?

[TamlaDawn]

Hi all,

I've recently discovered that my nan had a half brother the family knew nothing about.
He was born in Fulham in 1916 and as this was pre adoption time I suppose he would have been given over to a children's home?
Does anyone know how I can find out where any local homes in that time would have been? And also how to go about tracing who was accepted into one?
Thank you
TamlaDawn

[rosie99]

Not answering your question but he may also have just been handed over to another family to bring up.

[Chilternbirder]

There is actually a website called "Former Childrens' Homes". I have no idea how comprehensive or indeed acurate this is.

[iolaus]

My great grandmother in law from Fulham was orphaned in 1918, she grew up in a Barnados home in Surrey

One of her brothers was one of the British Home Children sent to Australia (born not long after your great uncle also in Fulham)

You may want to try on here to see if that also happened to him http://surname.rootschat.com/lexicon/dbsig/index.php

[TamlaDawn]

Thanks everyone 😀
After a bit more digging I found that he was admitted to st Luke's work house on the day of his birth... also that both he and his mum were discharged 4 months later and an address has even been provided..very helpful!
The address was in Walworth and I have a death cert for him in 1989 near Peckham. So he didn't seem to move much in his life.
 Just so intrigued as to who raised him as I am almost certain it wasn't a family member..we have no ties at all to this area.
What did people do with their babies back then?! There must be some traceability...mustn't there?!
I'll check out the children's homes next...I take it you couldn't leave a baby at a work house, or I am sure she would have...

Thanks
Tamladawn

[iolaus]

You could leave them in the workhouse

[iolaus]

As he's deceased why not give us his name and maybe we can find some more info on here for you

[KGarrad]

Try www.childrenshomes.org.uk - from the same author as www.workhouses.org.uk.

[TamlaDawn]

Well lovely, thanks!

Born John Henry Field   31.12.1916
In Fulham
Died 15.5.1989  21 nutbrook rd, se15
On leaving the workhouse he went to 24 bagshot street, walworth

He never seems to have married or had children. He was known as Jack Field.
Mother Edith Alberta Field born in  Plymouth 1893

Thanks detectives!
Tami