Orphanages/Children's homes in London?

[iolaus]

Would this baptism record be him? it's got an extra first name but the rest matches

Born 31 Dec 1916
Baptised May 27 1917

Michael John Henry Field living 24 Bagshot Street, Walforth, son of John Henry (Soldier in QFA) and Edith

[TamlaDawn]

This is an incredible find thank you!

It now looks more likely someone raised him which I am so pleased about.
Edith married a Bertram Watson in December 1917 and she definitely didn't raise John/Jack/Michael at all...  I wonder who John Henry snr was...what does qfa stand for please?
Thank you so much
Tamladawn

[rosie99]

The baptism register is headed All Saints, Newington
Fathers occupation was Soldier in R.F.A (Royal Field Artillery)
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-royal-artillery-in-the-first-world-war/batteries-and-brigades-of-the-royal-field-artillery/

[iolaus]

In the 1939 census he appears to be living with a couple called Brown in Southwark  who were approx 35 years old than him

Of course it may just be that he was lodging there as it doesn't give relationships, but they may be worth looking into as at 22 he may still have been living at home with the couple who raised him

If you have his birth certificate and it doesn't name a father then John Henry Field may be made up (or it may be that the father was called John Henry or John Henry something)

[rosie99]

George Edward Brown & Mary Lilian Brown appear on electoral registers up to 1938 at 24 Bagshot Street. 

They appear to have married in 1910. 
Dec qtr 1910   
Brown    George E       
Fraser    Mary L       
Southwark    1d   34

George was 28 and a widower.  Mary was 31
Marriage image is on Ancestry
They appear to have had children of their own.

[TamlaDawn]

Wow! Thank you for this information.
I do have his birth cert and there is no father named...or mention of his name being Michael! His death cert refers to him as simply Jack Field.

So I need to find out who the Browns were and how Edith knew them..(groan...why called Brown and not something more unusual!!)

Thank you as ever for taking the time to look up details, so appreciated. My nan is still living (96!) and it's great to be abe to tell her things about a half brother she never knew about 😁

[iolaus]

I have to say considering the situation at that point in time I did wonder if the father may have been killed in WW1 and related to one of the Browns

[TamlaDawn]

Ahhh I hadn't even considered that...thank you...this thrashing of ideas is so helpful. I find I get stuck on a train of thought and don't seem to consider another option