Genealogy Chat

Hello everyone, I was hopeing that someone might have excess to some papers or a court case in early 1920 in Bath Somerset. My father was only 10 days old when a nurse was paid 5 pounds to find a home for him. She left him at the bottom of a tree in Reading and was caught and sent to jail for 6 months. I have some paper clipping that I found in the possession of my elderly parents, and was wondering what or if any punishment was given to the mother. My dad was born 29th March 1920 and his mothers name was Elsie Trueman and the nurse was Alice Gardener. Any info or help would be appreciated. I have not been able to find info on Elsie since 1901 Census and then she was mentioned in the paper clipping court case. Thanks in advance Jenny in Aust.

Well, as it was the Nurse who abandoned him, why should the mother be punished? What she did was not illegal then, however awful we think her action was. Another reason she would not have been punished, I think - women were not criminally responsible for their actions within a certain time of giving birth - a mother who murdered her baby less than a year old, could only be charged, if at all, with infanticide, which did not carry the death penalty. Of course, lots of these mothers were declared insane and locked away for life in Mental Asylums. Doubt if this happened in this case though. OC

It depends on whether the court case was held in a Magistrates court or a Crown Court. You can look through the magistrates record books at the local Archives or record office for the area, as long as they are more than 30 years ago. Not sure whether or not you can see Crown Court Records. Kath. x

Was there nothing in the newspaper cuttings to help you? Could you contact the local paper to see if there was any other info given. What a sad story. And what an awful woman that 'nurse' was.

I Didn't know that OC Thanks for that Jenny

Thanks Kath, All it had in the paper was" Reading Quater Sessions". If the nurse was sent to jail could that have been done in the Magistrate Court? Thanks for your help. Regards Jenny

Thanks Heather, The nurse was punished. I sort of felt sorry for her she was only 18 at the time. My dad was given a good upbringing and has had a good life so we can be thankfull for that.Thanks for your thoughts. Regards Jenny

The girl undoubtedly lost her job as a nurse, so maybe the Royal College of Nursing have a record of her dismissal.

It may have been mentioned in more than one paper so why don't you contact the public library at Bath, where they will have local papers from the period?

Customer Service, Libraries & Information
PO BOX 3403, Bath, BA1 2ZG

E-mail:- [email protected]

Telephone:- Tel: 01225 39 40 41