Find Ancestors

I have just found an ancestor on the 1901 Census at the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy House in Devon.

I foolishly thought it was a convent. But it appears it was a home for Fallen Women.

The census lists the Inmates and some of the Sisters. Would there be a list of the children born into this Instituion. I only have access to the listings on GR, which is one page.

Can anyone point me in the right direction.

My ancestor is Alice Haydon, born 1877, in Bradninch, Devon.

Any assistance, gratefully received.

Thanks.

No children/babies showing on subsequent census pages from ancestry.

.. nor on Find My Past.

It might be worth contacting the Devon Family History Society - http://www.devonfhs.org.uk/ for further info.

Thank you ladies.

Forgive my tardiness in not replying last night.

My hubb broke down. I have just come back online.

Will try and contact DFHS and thank you for looking on Ancestry for me.

Best wishes.

Thank you Paula. I have record of them in the preceding years. But it seems poor Alice was bundled off to the Sisters of Mercy.

It seems it was like the Institutes in Ireland, like in the Magdalene Sisters film.

If anyone has access to the 1911 census, I wonder perhaps could someone see if she shows up on that.
I like to think this was a hiccup, and she went on to marry and have 'legitimate' children. Although this would never compensate for the one born in the Institute.

Many thanks.

n

Census 1911?

HAYDON, Mary Ann Head Widow F 66 1845 Private Means Exeter Devon .
HAYDON, Lauxetta Ann Daughter Single F 38 1873 Head Teacher Bradninch Devon .
HAYDON, Alice Mary Daughter Single F 34 1877 Secretary Bow Devon .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RG number:
RG14 Piece:
12999 Reference:
RG14PN12999 RG78PN749 RD276 SD3 ED23 SN56

Registration District:
Plymouth Sub District:
Plymouth South West Enumeration District:
23 Parish:
Plymouth

Address:
8 Hotspur Terrace County:
Devonshire


Edit: Lauxetta is actually Lauretta Ann.

EDIt Sorrry, not the right Alice - found Alice Mary and Lauretta Ann in a separate family to Alice Haydon sister of Charles in 1891 census.

These births:
Births Dec 1875
HAYDON Alice Mary Crediton 5b 384

Births Jun 1878
Haydon Alice Tiverton 5b 436

Yours is presumably 1878, plain Alice?

This could be death.....
Alice Haydon
Death Registration Month/Year: 1959
Age at death (estimated): 80
Registration district: Truro
Inferred County: Cornwall
Volume: 7a
Page: 229

But cannot see her in 1911

If she had a baby it should be registered in the normal way. Perhaps she was put away cos they didnt approve of relationship she had rather than she got pregnant

Try contacting the Sisters of Mercy. Have several ancestors who where Nuns with this order although in Glasgow. They were very helpful giving births, Nuns names and birth names. Don't know how helpful with inmates though

Thank you all very much ladies.

My hubb has been playing up since yesterday, I have had limited internet access all day.

Oh dear, how very sad, to think she MAY have been left in an Institute all her life. She is still unmarried at death.

She was in this Institute with her cousin. So maybe they were both wild childs.

best
Maddie

it would appear she did have a middle name

1901 England Census about Alice M Haydon

Name: Alice M Haydon
Age: 24
Estimated birth year: abt 1877
Relation: Inmate
Gender: Female
Where born: Bradninch, Devon, England

Civil Parish: Bovey Tracey
Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas a Becket
County/Island: Devon
Country: England

Census 1891:

The Alice who was shown on this thread in 1881, since deleted by the poster:

Name: Alice Haydon
Age: 12
Estimated birth year: abt 1879
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: John Haydon
Mother's name: Mary Haydon
Gender: Female
Where born: Bradninch, Devon, England

Civil Parish: Creech St Michael
Ecclesiastical parish: St Michael Creech
Town: Creech St Michael
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Taunton
Sub-registration district: North Curry
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
John Haydon 51
Mary Haydon 51
Charles Haydon 15
Alice Haydon 12


The Alice Mary Haydon I posted in 1911 (in 1891 census):

Name: Alice Mary Haydon
Age: 15
Estimated birth year: abt 1876
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: Samuel Haydon
Mother's name: Mary Ann Haydon
Gender: Female
Where born: Row North, Devon, England

Civil Parish: St Andrew
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
Town: Plymouth
County/Island: Devon
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Plymouth
Sub-registration district: St Andrew
ED, institution, or vessel: 21
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Samuel Haydon 56
Mary Ann Haydon 46
Saml John Haydon 22
Lauretta Ann Haydon 19
William Haydon 17
Alice Mary Haydon 15

Thanks again for the information.

The first Alice Haydon is correct.

The second one, the child of Samuel Haydon is probably a relative. They all lived in a small area, and all intermarried with local families.

A regular hotbed of cosiness down there.

thanks again all you kind ladies.

you're welcome

p.s. some of us are gents by the way! lol

MY APOLOGIES.

Forgive me, with all these monikers. How could I tell.
lol


How do you know I am not a bloke.
pmsl

MTG, just a note about the Devon Family History Society.

They sell data, in rather incomprehensible format; there isn't actually a searchable database at the site as there is for some other counties.

You might try the discussion board, though, to see whether anyone has any local knowledge of the institution:

http://members.boardhost.com/devonfhs/

Note that posts there have a very short life, and if you do get replies, be sure to copy them off pronto.

Thank you very much Janey [who I know is a lady] I will indeed contact these people.

It is a sad little story isnt it. But not that unusual in those days.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.