Genealogy Chat

my grandmother grew up in cottage homes ponteland from the age of 3-16. she said she was allowed to look at her file they kept on her when she was younger and that there were records in it of her attending a nursey somewhere in hexham before she was taken into care but cannot remember any other details that were in it. She would love to have access to her file now as we are trying to piece together her history, however i do not know where to start. Has anybody got an experience in this or have any idea where i should begin or if ths file will even exist any more? your help would be very much apprecated.

You have some info given on your ealier thread

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/genealogy_chat/thread/1277382

I Have tried googling cottage homes and found he links not to be helpful for what i am looking for. I am trying a different angle now and wondering if anyone knows if such records are obtainable.

Derek added this on the other thread

They are now the HQ of the Northumbria Police.......formerly a College of Education...........one of the links is Newcastle Workhouse, which includes a detailed account of the Cottage Home with photographs.....

Derek..

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Me !!
Were the homes local Council run if so the after adoption dept of the Council may be able to help.

I got info for my FIL who was in a Birmingham home from c 1907 -1916 from their after adoption dept. Not his file as it was no longer available but entry and exit info .
Shirley

ys it is now northumbria police. i have browsed the pictures but it is my grandmas actual file that they had we wanted to find as it contained information as to why she was put in there. I have sent an email to the national archives and havethe number to ring them in the morning to ask what they can do. thanks for that info about the after adoption dept. although my grandmother was never adopted i assume she would still fall into that category. thanks for your help again!! :-D

Yes I was surprised to be passed to the after adotion dept as dad wasnt adopted out . he was in the home till he was tranferred to a boys interim house at aged 16 and then into lodgings at 18 when he was then on his own .

yes my grandma was in home until 16 and then lived and worked at a boarding school aged 16 she then went on to lodgings like your dad. i have got the phone number for the post adoption care service and i shall ring tomorrow morning. thanks agan. i shall let your know if i get anywhere. :-D

Would be love to know if you get anywhere,
i went round in circles looking for dad . finally got a clue on the 1911 census that turned out to be him in the home. it then took 6 months to get the listing back giving his bare facts but at least he was found. didnt say why he was put in but I had found out previously his parents weren't married and although they were together in 1901 must have parted . His mum put him in the home we think and his elder sister who was 6 years older was dumped on one of her married sisters. They didnt know about dad knew she had another child but didnt know what sex and what happened to "it".
Dad thought his mum had died and his dad couldn't look after him so i spent ages looking for a death for her and bought some certs that turned out not to be her,I did find out recently through a Genes contact that is descended from the sister who took in the girl that dads mum died in c1932 but was living with another man surname unknown so no luck again in finding her death
Dad was always bitter that he was dumped ,his words, and I did ask him one time if he ever tried to find his sister and he said NO they didnt want me and I dont want them !! very sad,

Sorry a long story about our chidrens home child !!

its such a shame and hard to imagine. my grandmas story is similar. her mother hade her young and unmarried shewasnt put in care home until she was 3 so we only have rumours as to where she lived until then. we were once told she lived with grandfather as her mother had either leftor been sent away. He lived in benwell however she was told she wet to a nursery in hexham before being put in care so that contradicts that. she was also undernurished when she was placed in care and had rickets. she was told by the education officer at cottage homes that her mother had returned t get her twice; once she was sent away as she was unmarried and deemed unable to take care of my grandma. the second time she returned she was married and possibly had a child however the education officer said she had a hard life and worked hard and her husband did not work ad therefore decided her unsuitable and so told her falsely that my grandmother had been adopted by a family in south shields. my grandmother has always been hauted by the fact she was not given the decision and how they had lied. however since digging i found out she had at least 2 other children and moved away leaving one of them with her father. I have since gained contact with both sisters, both knew nothing about my grandma one was brought up by this woman and was shocked, the other was also very bitter about he as she said "she just left her and didnt come back". its all very sad and an equally long story. By gaining these record i hope to find out who my grandmother lived with until she was taken into care. also my grandmothers mothers name is on birth certificate only, no father. her mother told those at the care home the fathers name which my gradm memorised so i was wondering f there may be record of this. il keep you posted anyway. thanks again. :-)