Genealogy Chat

Hi My Grandad and his family was in a institution which was a workhouse, I have my grandad and also his brothers birth certificate which actually says they were born in the workhouse but I am not sure about hospital census never seen one.

Would love to know that too!! Have lost one of mine in 1871, and since later he was listed as being in the army, I think he may be away serving in 1871 - I guess getting hold of his army records is the next step.

May be on hospital census - but may not be easy to find - have found a rellie of mine listed by his full name in 1881, but in 1891 and 1901 he appears to be listed only by his initials - it's only the fact that the age and profession tally that makes me think i have found the right person!! He was in the Leicestershire and Rutland Lunatic Asylum for at least 20 years and was listed as a lunatic!!

Hi I found someone in my tree in hospital in the 1901 census - really annoying! The morning after the 1991 census my Dad was rushed into hospital & someone was going round collecting information for the census trying to get his information to put him on her form. As he'd slept at home he could have been mistakingly put on twice! That would have confused people in 2091!! Penny

I presume it depends on the unmarried mothers's family. You often come across single women with children in households when going through the 19th Century censuses. Eve McLaughlin's bookley "Illegitimacy" covers the subject very well. Martin

There were certainly cases of unmarried mothers being shut away in Institutions. In some cases the became so seriously institutionalised that they weren't able to be freed, even when more enlightened times came along. Christine

Sorry didnt mean to make you feel ancient I wont tell you how old I am then!!!!!!oh well that puts paid to that idea I just wondered how people appeared one year disappeared for a while then reappeared, thought that unmarried mothers were put into institutions and would have had their babies in there, just another Tree to climb !!!!!!!!

I think very few women would have given birth in hospital, unless it was a poor institution for destitute women. My generation seems to be the first in our family to have been born in hospital - me because my mother had complications, though my brother was born at home. Nell

What proportion of mothers had their baby in hospital, even in 1901? I would have thought the majority had them at home. MB

Valerie - you make me feel ancient! ;-) I stayed in for at least ten days with my firstborn. I was already beginning to be institutionalised by the time I came out! Christine

yes Christine thats what I was thinking I would have thought that quite a few women were in Hospital having their babies and in those days you were kept in for about 2 weeks so it is possible you were missed on your address census records

thanks Martin I dont know why but I wasnt thinking of Hospitals as institutions .

It occurs to me that hospitals and prisons would be a very possible explanation for the "missing" bits of familes on the various censuses! Christine

"Institutions" have a different type of page which lists all the inmates, prisoners or whatever. The same information is there as on other census pages i.e. sex. age, occupation and place of birth. There is no indication of their home address. Martin

thanks Marnie so are their hospital census records to look at then and I have just been reading your messages about being addicted to this and I must say I did laugh it does get you doesnt it?

just wondering if say someone was in hospital on the day of census so were not available ,would they be on the Hospital census seeing as you are supposed to put where you are on the actual day regardless of where you live or would Hospitals and such like not have to bother hope you understand this