workhouses

[minnie brett]

hi, one of my longstanding mysterys is concerning a workhouse birth, which i just wont give up on. i have the birth certificate of the baby but still to this day cannot find her mother. what determined the reasons for entering a particular workhouse? did the mother have to live in the parish of that W.H or have been born there? what other scenarios are there?

[Janet in Yorkshire]

The workhouses had infirmaries which also acted as hospitals, so mums (particularly single ones with no where else to go) went there to give birth.

Welcome to the forum
If you need help searching for the mum, post details of place, date and name (unless the people are still living) and I think someone will probably try to help you in your search.

Jay

[minnie brett]

thanks! not sure if anyone can help but im hoping fresh eyes will see something ive missed.
MINNIE BRETT
b. dec 1882 COLCHESTER UNION WORKHOUSE .. Mother ELLEN BRETT ..

I cant find out who this Ellen was! ive researched several possible ellen bretts who were in colchester at the time of the birth. all have been cancelled out for one reason or another. Minnie was in the workhouse on her own in 1891 as well.

[AntonyM]

You need to be looking at the poor law union records for the area - if you are lucky there could be admissions registers or other workhouse material. Essex County records office would be the best starting point.

[minnie brett]

ive actually been to colchester records office but no workhouse records relevant to me have survived.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Have you tried following up Alice Brett born c1881 Colchester who is in the same workhouse as Minnie in 1891 - ? siblings

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=uki1891%2c&rank=0&gsfn=alice&gsln=brett&sx=&gsco=&s0RealGL=UKICen&f1=&f2=&f5=&f18=&rg_81004011__date=1879&rs_81004011__date=5&f14=essex&f15=&_8000C002=&_80008002=&_80018002=&f7=&f8=&f9=&gskw=&prox=1&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&pcat=UKICEN&fh=0&h=18978209&recoff=

Looking at birth registrations, this is the closest I can find (at least for a Colchester registration)
FreeBMD Birth Index
Alice Brett
Jul-Aug-Sep 1879
Colchester vol 4a, page 387


Can't see her in 1881 at the moment.

[minnie brett]

thankyou elaine, i had noticed alice also in the workhouse but i dont think i looked into it too much. certainly worth a try!

[Elaine ..Spain]

1881

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&rank=0&gsfn=&gsln=&sx=&f1=&f2=&f3=&f18=&f12__n=&rg_81004011__date=&rs_81004011__date=2&f29=&_82004011=&_82004013=&_82004014=&_8000C002=&_80008002=&_80018002=&f7=1791&f8=56&f9=9&gskw=&prox=1&db=uki1881&ti=5538&ti.si=0&gss=angs-d&pcat=UKICEN&fh=6&h=5154839&recoff=

This household has a 10 month old Alice Brett, as well as a single Ellen Brett.
Is this Ellen one that you have already discounted?

(Can't see a birth registration for this Alice at the moment!)

[Chrissie Smiff]

According to a tree on Ancestry, though of course I don't know how accurate it is, this is Ellen Brett with her family in 1881and it says that she died in 1921 in Halstead Essex -

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=7572&iid=ESSRG11_1788_1793-0690&fn=Ellen&ln=Brett&st=r&ssrc=pt_t12937248_p-154202365_kpidz0q3d-154202365z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgPLz0q3dpid&pid=5154921

[Chrissie Smiff]

Snap Elaine - that looks like the same family

[Guest]

there is a Minnie Brett born abt 1883 in Colchester a Inmate in 1891 in the Cavalry and Artillery Barracks in Colchester could that be her ?

[minnie brett]

unfortunately i cant get on ancestry at the moment! ... but ive got a feeling this family was discounted . can you tell me where they are living & where born & parents names so i can check my written records

[Elaine ..Spain]

Just looking at that one as well Chrissie.
It has also got the mother Mary as dying in 1875 and then appearing in the 1881 census! :(

Difficult to see on 1881 census who the young children Annie and Alice belong to. Alice seems to be 10 months old and Annie 3 or 5 months old.

[minnie brett]

is this different to Colchester Union workhouse? shes an inmate there in 1891 t00. if its a different person then ive not looked into her before!!!! (in reply to val)

[Elaine ..Spain]

This is the household of the 1881 census
James Brett 45
Mary Brett 55
Mary Ann Brett 24
Ellen Brett 20
Walter Brett 15
Edith Brett 4
Alice Brett 10 months
Annie Brett 3 or 5 months

living in Colchester St Martin - could be Stockwell Street (difficult to read)

RG11; Piece: 1791; Folio: 56; Page: 9; GSU roll: 1341432.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Just looking at that one as well Chrissie.
It has also got the mother Mary as dying in 1875 and then appearing in the 1881 census! :(

Well I did say that I didn't know how accurate it was Elaine:DWell spotted

[minnie brett]

This is the household of the 1881 census
James Brett 45
Mary Brett 55
Mary Ann Brett 24
Ellen Brett 20
Walter Brett 15
Edith Brett 4
Alice Brett 10 months
Annie Brett 3 or 5 months

living in Colchester St Martin - could be Stockwell Street (difficult to read)

RG11; Piece: 1791; Folio: 56; Page: 9; GSU roll: 1341432.

elaine, yes this family is discounted. im sure ellen in this family goes off to ireland but whatever the reason i know i looked into this family big time!!!

[Elaine ..Spain]

there is a Minnie Brett born abt 1883 in Colchester a Inmate in 1891 in the Cavalry and Artillery Barracks in Colchester could that be her ?

Can you give a link to this one Val - or census ref? Can't see it.

[Chrissie Smiff]

I think you must have had a better reason to discount that one Minnie. Surely Ellen being sent off to Ireland would fit in with her having illigitimate child/children?

[minnie brett]

just going by memory !!! as ive been looking for minnies mother for about 6 years! on & off. actually i should eat my words as i honestly cant remember why i discounted this family. i think i will have to go back over them to be sure.(altho i think i was quite thorough) Just for a moment i mixed them up with another ellen brett family with a mother called Amelia. that ellen marries a Bennett dow & she gives birth in ireland around the same time minnie is born. so its not physically possible. by the way i KNOW my minnie is born in colchester.