Finding an orphanage

[Wendy68]

Hi

I found out that the youngest sibling of my great grandad William Wetton was sent to an orphanage following the death of their father Henry in Bristol in 1896.

Amy Wetton was recorded to be at St Margaret's Orphanage, Oxford Rd, Exeter in 1901 aged 11. It seems her mother hit hard times after the death of her husband, sent Amy away and took in a lodger.
Her mother Rosina Wetton was registered as living at 2a Whitehouse Place, Bedminster, Bristol at this time. 

I have tried finding records from the orphanage itself to find out more information about what happened to her but all to no avail.

I've contacted South West archives but no reply as yet.

There are several St Margaret's history links on a Google search but none match the address I have.

Have any of you encountered similar problems?
Would it mean that the address was wrong in 1901 or am I just looking in the wrong places for the relevant information?

Thanks in advance for any advice! 👍😊

[Milliepede]

Was she born in Bristol?

If so she can be found on the next census **

** maybe not the right one as this one appears to have a mother Gertrude not Rosina 

[Wendy68]

Yes, it is the same one. It would seem that previous records show her as Gertrude R Wetton but on the census from 1901, following the death of her husband Henry, she's using her middle name as a first name! Could be an error by who ever was recording it at the time perhaps??

1901

Rg13.  P. 2363  Fol. 82  Pg. 17

2a Whitehouse Place, Bedminster, Bristol

WETTON

Rosina  Head  Wid  52  Housekeeper  B.  Alma Rd, Clifton, Bristol

Ellen  Dau  Un  26  Factory Hand    B. St Phillips, Bristol

+ 1 boarder


Amy Wetton age 11 b. Bristol  :  St Margaret's Orphanage, Oxford Rd. Exeter, Devon

[KGarrad]

Might be worth checking www.childrenshomes.org.uk?

And it was fairly common for people to use their middle names, or swap first and second names.
My maternal grandfather and his siblings all used middle names on the 1911 census - also in Bedminster

[JenB]

Presumably you know she's in Teignmouth in 1911?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW97-8WJ

There weren't many residents in St Margaret's in 1901. I suspect that this was a private set-up, so possibly no records.

The proprietor, Fanny Spargo, was working as a domestic servant/cook in Brixham in 1911.

[JenB]

Are you just looking for information about her life at the orphanage?

[Wendy68]

Yeah.. I know she was working as a servant in Teignmouth aged 21 but I was interested to find out more about her time in the orphanage.

[rosie99]

That address was a private residence in 1911.   It looks as though you may need to wait for a reply from the archives.

[Gibel]

Amy’s brother Henry was in the Clifton Industrial School in the 1901. The Register of Boys still exists and is in Bristol Record Office. That may give some information on the family’s problems admittance. Some were sent there by the courts so you may find a mention in the local paper.

The Bristol Mercury of 17 November 1899 reports that Henry Wetton was found guilty of stealing a pair of boots and was sent to the Clifton Industrial School. Henry was also in court in 1898, another report in the Bristol Mercury.