Genealogy Chat

Does anyone have any experience tracking down school records circa 1905 - 1920 and if so any tips as to how to go about it or websites you can recommend please.

I am having a lot of difficulty tracking down my grandfather's details as he had a common name & was brought up by a stepfather (so not certain what his birth surname name was) and some kind soul on genes previously advised me that I might be able to track him down through school records.
I am following up on the advice, but sadly nothing in my paternal family is easy, Dad thinks he went to a 'naughty boys school' or reform school which was a boarding school, so I am not sure how to track it down.
The family were from Neath, South Wales, I would imagine he would have gone to the nearest of these reform schools but goodness knows where that was is 1905. (He was born in either 1899 or 1900)

Thanks in advance,
Hayley

Can't help I'm afraid. I do know that if a young child was without a parent they were often taken in to a reform school as there was considered to be a chance that they may turn to criminality, especially if the remaining family were poor.

This happened to my father's aunts brothers after their Mother died in childbirth.

I would think that your first job will be to find the possible schools that he could have gone to. Then the records (if any exist) will probably be at the Records Office for the area.

It may be more difficult if you don't know what his name would have been whilst he was at school or if he had a really common name.

Sam x

Thanks for your help both.

I am almost certain he was brought up from very young under the stepfather's surname - helpfully it was Davies - and when he married it was under that name, his stepfather brought him up and they had a very good relationship by all accounts.
However, I don't know his mother's maiden name or whether she was married previously so no idea what his 'original' name was.

I am not sure whether he was born 'out of wedlock' ... have heard stories about children of that generation being treated badly because of this, I was even wondering if that's why he went to reform school.

It's maddening because if I can get hold of his school records I should be able to get his d.o.b.!

Hayley

It could very well be that he was illegitimate. In a small religious community that would have been seen as a crime and his Mother would have been seen as an unfit person to give a child moral standards.

Thanks Netty I'll go & look there now. Every little helps!

Hayley

Hayley

I found lots of school records at the local records office for the area which my family lived in and mine is a very common surname too. I had the address for the family and was given registers for all schools in that area. The names in the registers were in alphabetical order and had the address for the family and on most, the fathers full name. It also has the date of birth of the child and when they started and left school. I seemed to have 'lost' some of the children but found from the school registers that they had actually died very young. I found it very useful and also found siblings that I hadn't known existed.

Good Luck

Maisy

Thanks, Maisy. I am going to the Records Office early next year so I have put this n my list of things to look into.

Hi Hayley,

have you found the marriage of the mother and stepfather? if you could get their marriage cert it would give you the mothers' previous names and thus give you more options to try when you go through school records.

Good luck
Caz

Thanks Caz.

Still struggling with this one, the stepfather was Thomas Davies & mum - I think - was Jane someone, but I have heard several different stories regarding their marriage & basically am not sure where they married.

There are 3 possibles matches in Neath alone, but I have also heard a story where they 'ran away' together from somewhere else as his family did not approve of their relationship (possibly 'cos she already had a child?) Suppose it's also possible she was still married to Husband No.1 & they had to leave because of that.

Basically, I am not sure where they married & though I have heard stepdad brought him up from young I am not sure when they married ... they could have had to wait till her 1st husband (if there was one) died.

Roll on 1911 census!