I have a great aunt who I suspect entered into the Liverpool equivalent of a Magdalene Laundry in 1894 when she was 14.
I cannot find her in the 1901 or 1911 Cenus. She next appears in the 1939 Register, by which time she is in the St Joseph's Home For Incurables, Woolton Road, Liverpool.
The Nugent Society have no record of her. T
The order that ran St Joseph's have no information about where she came from, only a date of Admission in September 1939 and that this was facilitated by a Father Clarkson of St Anthony's Church.
I am waiting to hear from a number of other religious orders that ran inistitutions in Liverpool than might have received a 14 year old girl.
In the meanwhile, I would like to to look at census records for insitutions and convents without using personal names, but can find no way of doing this via Ancestry or Find My Past.
Any advice on this or other ways of searching for this aunt would be welcome.
For those who would like more information about the family.
My great aunt's name was Margaret Ann Burns - DoB 20 Oct 1880.
Her mother's name was Margaret Reid, born Ireland c 1848, died 12 Oct 1896, Liverpool.
Father - James Burns born Ireland c 1847 died 11 Oct 1887, Liverepool.
The 1881 Census records the family living in Newsham St. Liverpool
A Margaret Burns age 12 spent time in Kirkdale Industrial School in 1891/2.
Two male siblings spent time at St George's Industrial School after becoming orphans.
What has made me suspect a Magdalen Laundry scenario?
My late father left this note written c.1998, before the story of the Magdalene laundries emerged.
"Sad to say, she appears to have spent most of her life within convent walls with little contact (so far as I know) with other family members. She went as a 14 year old laundry maid. She developed acute arthritis and spent many years bed-ridden in the convent hospital."
Welcome to the forum, I've
Welcome to the forum, I've moved your post from the Frequently Asked Questions board to General Genealogy where it will get more attention I hope.
To search for somebody in a convent, rather than a nun, especially in the 1911 census in the "Relationship to Head" field, or in other censuses just in the Keyword field, perhaps you could insert either "Patient" or "Inmate" since it sounds like she wouldn't have always been working as a servant. One way also we have noticed in the past that when there are people in a Workhouse situation the names are sometimes listed with initials only.
There may be further records for the Kirkdale Industrial School on microfilm at the Liverpool Record Office, unfortunately not available at present, but hopefully soon we may be able to access the Record Office again, similarly St George's Industrial School.
Have you traced the two boys? it could be that they became Home Children and were sent to Canada or similar. If you think this might be possible I'll get the link to our hints for sites to research this.
If she entered a Convent at age 14 to work, then I suspect she wouldn't have gone through the Nugent Care channels, perhaps why they could find no records.
Thanks to Mary A for moving
Thanks to Mary A for moving my message to this part of the Forum and her comments.
Ancestry and Find My Past (and from what I recall, UK Census Online) appear to have no way of pulling up a list of people residing at an address, such as an institution. Is there an online route to seeing who was recorded at a particular place by listing the name / address of the institution?
Re what happened to Margaret Ann's brothers, James died at St Georges in 1900. The other, John Patrick, remained in Liverpool apart from seafaring. I am his grandson. My father left a note that the Nugent Society had records of the two brothers.
The oldest child, Mary Ellen, married a Patrick Whelan in Liverpool in 1897.
Paul
Member 9370
Ancestry has address searches
Ancestry has address searches for 1881 and 1911 censuses only, however Findmypast does have an address search. Choose
Search> Census, Land Surveys
In the Record Set type and choose the particular census you want and put Liverpool in the box under Where, beneath Britain. You are then set up to put your address (often leaving the house number out works better) in the Optional Keywords box.
Thanks again Mary. I was just
Thanks again Mary. I was just now able to check FMP for the Convent Laundry at Orell & Ford. Still no trace but will try other institutions.
I have spent the last week tracing Dutch ancestors via the free www.archieven.nl/en/. Much easier to navigate than Find My Past, though some terms are not translated into English.
Are you aware of this site,
Are you aware of this site, 1911 institutions (formerchildrenshomes.org.uk)1911 institutions (formerchildrenshomes.org.uk)1911 institutions (formerchildrenshomes.org.uk)1911 institutions (formerchildrenshomes.org.uk)1911 institutions (formerchildrenshomes.org.uk)1911 institutions (formerchildrenshomes.org.uk), perhaps enter the address into the Keyword box, 1911 census. Apparently, Magdalen Laundries in Ireland were called Asylums.
Hi bert, I was aware, but
Hi bert, I was aware, but thanks anyway. W