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1911 census children listed as 'Ward'

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MarkMorgan

MarkMorgan Report 30 Mar 2011 16:40

I have just found two children listed as 'Ward' under the relation to head of the household on the 1911 census.

Their father died in 1901 and their mother remarried in 1905 and is on the 1911 census elsewhere with her new son; Although her new husband is absent.

I was wondering what 'Ward' in this sense means?

Mark.

MrsBucketBouquet

MrsBucketBouquet Report 30 Mar 2011 16:52

I think i'm right.....

If a child was living with another family.
They were made.. what is known as....
a ward of court.

Researching:
Pool/Poole?Overs/Hovers/Hovard?Bucket/Bouquet? Thank goodness i havent got a Smiff!........yet

Penny

Penny Report 30 Mar 2011 17:10

legal guardian type thing

MarkMorgan

MarkMorgan Report 30 Mar 2011 18:51

Ah, I see a ward of court or of the state. So they have been legally placed in the care of someone else by the courts.

For some reason I'm surprised they had the concept back then as I know adoption at this point in history was somewhat unofficial. Did they have the concept of 'fostering' back then?

If it was through the courts is there any way I could find out?

Kathryn

Kathryn Report 31 Mar 2011 09:33

Far, far more likely to be an unofficial arrangement. Is the head (or his wife) on the 1911 and extended family member perhaps? I can't imagine there would have been any legal process involved unless the family were incredibly wealthy - access to the law was very expensive back then. I suspect they've used the word 'ward' to indicate that they are responsible for and take care of the child, as part of the family, but that they are not blood related.