Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi,

I have recently stumbled upon a child born out of wedlock and looks as if the child's mother gave up the baby after having it at Walton Hospital in 1908.

I was wondering if anybody knew if any records would exist to shed any light on any of this?

Many thanks in advance.

Hi,
I very much doubt if the hospital records would show anything other than the medical issues concerning the birth.

The legal system of formal adoptions did not come into being until 1926. What existed prior to that was an informal system of fostering, although it was actually practised very 'formally' by institutions such as those run by nuns of several Orders where unmarried pregnant women were taken in and worked while waiting for the birth. Those infants would most likely be 'given' to middle-class families who were desperate for a child of their own in exchange for a monetary 'consideration' given to the Order. The recent scandal of the Irish Magdalene Laundries is a reflection on what life was like for the mothers-to-be and their children.

At the time of the birth you are enquiring about an unwanted infant could be 'taken in' or 'fostered' by a neighbour who could be paid a small allowance by the local council towards it's upkeep. It could be taken as a 'nurse child' by a family willing to give it a home. In the close-knit communities of the day people did stick together and help whenever possible. In the worst case scenario an infant might simply be abandoned by its mother and it would become a foundling to be raised, probably, in an orphanage. There is the possibility that the child could have been included in the terrible 'child emigration to Canada' scheme.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... echildren/

Do you have the birth cert for this child and what leads you to suspect the mother gave the infant up?

Dickiesam

Very informative reply D.S

Tina

thank you DS . I agree with Tina, I found your comments very informative. however how sad... :(

Hi Caroline,

Liverpool Records Office have the records for Walton Hospital, these records are probably held at the temporary records office at Sandhills Vauxhall site. An appoinment to view the records is required.

Here is the info from the LRO website.


RefNo M614 WAL
Title Walton Hospital
Date 1898-c1998
Description Records of Walton Hospital comprising:
1 Admission registers
2 Operation books
3 Tuberculosis case registers
4 Clinic registers
5 Maternity clinic register
6 Maternity registers
7 Dental clinic register
8 Medical staff minute book
9 Ward report books
10 Dangerous drugs books
11 North City Hospital mortuary book
12 Firewatchers report book
13 Residents suggestion book
13A Visitors' book
14 Minutes, memoranda, reports and correspondence
15 Training School for Nurses brochures
16 Photographs
17 Plans
18 Liverpool Regional Health Board annual reports
19 Liverpool Regional Health Board Medical Division: planning of hospital and specialist services annual reports
20 City of Liverpool Port Sanitary and Hospitals Committee reports of officers of city hospitals and institutions
21 City of Liverpool reports of the Medical Officer of Health
22 Lancaster County Council Health Division no 7 reports
23 Miscellaneous annual reports, etc. of Liverpool and other Merseyside medical organisations, and of out-county hospitals
24 Publications on medical matters
25 NHS/Ministry of Health and other government publications
26 Miscellaneous printed material
27 Bed card
28 Appointments card
AdminHistory Walton Hospital started life as a West Derby Poor Law Institution in 1868. It was at first a workhouse providing facilities for healthy as well as sick inmates. During the early twentieth century it expanded its role as a hospital. From 1913 it was no longer known as a workhouse, being known as the Walton Institution. After the abolition of the Poor Law Guardians in 1930 it changed its name once more to Walton Hospital and no longer had responsibilities for the healthy poor. The hospital became part of the National Health Service in 1948 and became particularly known for its treatment of neurological problems. The hospital closed in 1994 with services being transferred to the nearby Fazakerley Hospital (now University Hospital Aintree), although the Walton Centre for Neurology and Neuro-Surgery remains on the old site.
Extent 270 items
AccessConditions 24 hours notice is required

Some of the records in this collection contain sensitive personal information. Those records containing sensitive personal information of adults are closed for 75 years. Those records containing the sensitive personal information of children or the health information of adults are closed for 100 years. This is in accordance with Section 1 (Principles 1, 2 and 7) of the Data Protection Act, 1998. Permission to consult closed records should be sought from Val Stanton (patient casenotes access enquiries), Clinical Information Services, University Hospital Aintree, Tower block, Fazakerley, L9 7AL.. Access to records not covered by the Data Protection Act will be granted to any accredited reader.

Jan

Thanks Jan, a lot of info listed.
Well done mate

Tina

I see the catalogue is back up and running, didn't you have a query Tina? you might be able to find an answer there now.

No query Mary, thanks for asking.
I'm amazed at the entries available, fantastic.
avagoodweekend
Tina