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The Poor Law Records (Records of the Boards of Guardians)
Poor Law records are the archives of the Boards of Guardians (main PRONI Reference BG/), the administrators of the Poor Law in Ireland, 1838-1948. PRONI holds extensive records for the 28 Poor Law Unions (the administrative areas for the Poor Law, each of which had a workhouse) that originally operated in the area now covered by Northern Ireland.

The original aim of the poor law system was to provide relief to the destitute poor only if they entered the workhouse. Due to the demand for workhouse accommodation created as a result of the ravages of the Great Famine, outdoor relief was eventually introduced. As a result of the introduction of outdoor relief, the workhouses in Ireland had by 1900 become a refuge for the old, the sick and destitute children.

Another form of outdoor relief was the practice of putting out to nurse or boarding out orphan and deserted children. Under Acts of 1898 and 1908, a record of children and nurses had to be kept. You will find details either in the outdoor relief registers or in separate boarding -out registers.

The Medical Charities (Ireland) Act 1851 brought the dispensary system under the control of the Boards of Guardians which in turn created new series of records. These include, for example, vaccination registers that give the name of the child, the name and address of the mother or father or other person in charge of the child, the date of vaccination and the age of the child at the time of vaccination. Some of these registers date back to the 1860s for some Poor law Unions.

The workhouse system lasted until the introduction of the Welfare State in 1948.

The most useful series of records for the family historian are the indoor relief registers, which run almost continuously from the establishment of the particular workhouse to 1948. These contain the names, addresses, religion and occupation of those who entered the workhouse. Occasionally, registers of births and deaths that occurred in the workhouse survive for some Poor law Unions. There are also out-door relief registers which are less extensive for the19th century.

ellieathome

Could he have been born in a Dublin Mother and Childrens Home.

elliathome

James,
Do you have either his marriage or death cert?
If so, who is listed as parent?

I researched my own grandfather, took his parents names from his marriage cert ( Scottish) and researched his ancestry , purchasing as many records that I could find.
I only smelled a rat when I joined Ancestry and had unlimited access to census records.
He was A) not found in the family household as a child
( or not with a name that I recognised at the time)
B) Mum, Dad and all other siblings were a tad too old
C) I could not find his birth record

As a last resort, I got a copy of his death cert ( smarty pants here didn't think it was necessary, because I KNEW exactly where and when he died)
I discovered that my own father registered this death and provided
a) his birth name,
b) his adoptive name
c) the names of his birth parents.

The advice from Ellieathome is good.... look for poor relief records.
That's where I unearthed the true story behind my grandfather's ( informal) adoption, and from here, I was able to find correct information on my true ancestral line .

Anne

This is the Janet mentions with Sarah and Michael:

ROACHE, Myles Head Married M 50 1851 Shoemaker Ireland
ROACHE, Annie Wife Married F 45 1856 Ireland
ROACHE, Michael Son M 10 1891 Ireland
ROACHE, Michael Visitor Married M 30 1871 Dock Labourer Ireland
ROACHE, Sarah Visitor Married F 31 1870 Ireland
ROACHE, Kathleen Visitor F 9 1892 Liverpool, Lancashire
ROACHE, John J Visitor M 3 1898 Liverpool, Lancashire

Piece: 3393 Folio: 25 Page: 3
Registration District: Birkenhead
Civil Parish: Birkenhead
Address: 344, Price Street, Birkenhead County: Cheshire

james

Please use the white box below the last message on here...it's entitled 'Add your reply'

That's how we post the info on here............

And please answer the questions about his marriage/death etc.

If you don't help us to help you, we can't do anything

This is a great leap of faith- probably way off the mark but:

In the 1901 Census there is an Alice Roache b 1875 in Berkenhead and a Michael born 1871 in Ireland and Sarah b 1870 in Ireland.

Could these be the Roaches that Michael was given to? Named after the 'father'. It would make them in their early 20s when they got Michael. For this search I used 1870 +/- 10 years.

There's a Michael Roache in the 1901 Census born 1891 in Ireland living in Berkenhead. None for 1891 and the 1911 was born in Cork. I don't have the right subscription on this site to view the whole entry.

PM from James....

........sorry all my mother remembers is he was born in Dublin and given away at birth to the Roaches

Could he have an WW1 record.

ellieathome

Is either of these your grandfather?

Record
Michael Roach abt 1889 Jan-Feb-Mar 1963 Sunderland Durham

Michael Roach 1891 Apr-May-Jun 1980 Liverpool Merseyside

James

Please tell us - on here - what else you know about Michael

WHEN did he travel to England?

When, who and and where did he marry?

When and where did he die?

You say his 'real' parents were named as Sinnett - where? By that, I mean, what paperwork do you have to support the statement.....

You haven't given us a 'hook' on which to hang a search...............please help us to try to help you

If you have any idea of where Michael grew up, the log books for the local school might name his guardians and give a home address which could be checked through the years.

Gwyn

Do you have your grandad's marriage records? I'm sure it would include his adoptive parents' names instead of his birth mother. ???

Sorry last entry should have read John Roach but then I remembered he was called Michael - sorry.

There's a John Road, b 1890 in Ireland living in Liverpool in the 1901 census.???

Used Michael Sinnott b 1890 in Family Search and came up with this. Any use?


name: Michael Sinnott
registration district: Wexford
event type: BIRTHS
registration quarter and year: Jan - Mar 1890
volume number: 4
page number: 732
digital folder number: 4193977

You message is confusing.

You ask about the child's parents - then say you're looking for the people who brought him up.

Please could you clarify who it is you are trying to trace

When does Michael first appear on English records?

How have you found out that his original name was Sinnott? presumably this would be his mother's name if he was born out of wedlock.

Do you have any idea as to where in England he was brought, and how do you know that he was brought up as Michael Roach?

Could there be a Poor Relief record in the town where Michael Roach lived.

ellieathome

Iam looking for the persons who brought up my grandad. He was brought over from Ireland as a child born out of wedlock and at the time a sin to the family his real parents were named as sinnott. however he was brought up as michael roach born in1890. i do not know were to start any ideas??