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railway orphange.

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sam in the south

sam in the south Report 27 Jun 2006 22:58

Hi all, i.m trying to find info on a couple off my rellies and ive come up with the railway servants orphange,does anyone have any idea what this is,and why they would be there,there father was a railway gaurd and died at the age off 30 but there mother was still living,i.m not sure how to get info from this or where to find it. many thanks sam!

Jess Bow Bag

Jess Bow Bag Report 27 Jun 2006 22:59

where and when are we talking about please

sam in the south

sam in the south Report 27 Jun 2006 23:01

Hi jess. i think its derbyshire and it would be around 1886 give or take a year or two.

Unknown

Unknown Report 27 Jun 2006 23:09

Google - there's lots of stuff including CDs of the orphanage admissions & discharge registers. As for why they were there - maybe the mother couldn't afford to keep them. My great-great aunt was widowed in 1890s and had 6 children to support. She got a job with the local church but still had to send the eldest two into an orphanage for a while. nell

An Olde Crone

An Olde Crone Report 27 Jun 2006 23:10

I dont know about this particular one, but the Railways as employers provided orphanages for the children of railway employees - pre Welfare state. Railway employees paid a small weekly sum into the Widows and Orphans Fund. (An orphan was someone who had lost their father, the breadwinner, not necessarily both parents) OC

Heather

Heather Report 27 Jun 2006 23:12

I think the fact it was actually for kids of railway employees (which was a prestigious job back then, often going to men who had already held decent posts in the army) - then this isnt an orphanage in the sense we know it - probably a bit more like a boarding school where the mums could visit whenever they wanted but could hold down a job aswell. It will be interesting to hear what you find.

sam in the south

sam in the south Report 27 Jun 2006 23:16

Thank you all very much you have shed a bit off little on this for me and all i can do is keep looking. once again thank you. sam!

An Olde Crone

An Olde Crone Report 27 Jun 2006 23:18

Heather Yes, I think you are right - these Orphanages were designed to give the sons a good start in life, they werent dumping grounds. In those days it was felt that a woman would have difficulty in bringing up sons on her own without a man's influence, and probably the wife was very grateful that this opportunity had been offered to her son. OC