Bermondsey workhouse

annabel

annabel

Puts the Heart into Hertfordshire
I have found someone in the parish records who was baptised at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey in 1822. The abode was listed as workhouse, for the father's occupation there was a dash. There is another family from the workhouse on the page, all the others are non workhouse

Is it unusual to have workhouse baptisms mixed up with ordinary ones like that?

I find looking for poor law records etc utterly confusing. Could anyone advise me on where I might be able to find records about the family in the workhouse
 
annabel said:
Is it unusual to have workhouse baptisms mixed up with ordinary ones like that?
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I've certainly come across it before, there are a couple of illegitimate births in my Bagg family which state the child was born in the Workhouse.

I know that workhouses often (always?) had chaplains, and they may be expected to handle the baptisms, but also families may have preferred to go outside
 
mugwortismy cat said:
I know that workhouses often (always?) had chaplains, and they may be expected to handle the baptisms, but also families may have preferred to go outside
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That is what I was thinking, but I did not know that the families could go outside.
I am just trying to find the reason for long childless years before the next one
mugwortismy cat said:
have a look at this www.
workhouses.org.uk/Bermondsey/
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but there are no dates early enough :(
 
mugwortismy cat said:
[Mod Edit - broke the link, site asks for donations]

Sorry, I missed that
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That's okay, it is an extremely good site to recommend. We are just not allowed to give them a direct link.
Now if they gave a direct link to us, that might be a different story. ;)
 
annabel said:
I am just trying to find the reason for long childless years before the next one
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Hi Annabel, the long and childless years could possibly be due to syphyllis - I have that in my line - 1 born and died then 8 years later my GGF. It can take up to 8 years to work it's way out of the female body before healthy children are born but resurfaces if she remarries (or takes a new partner) GGGF died and GGGM married again another 2 born and both died within weeks of birth. GGGM goes missing so I presume she also died and burial not recorded. Perhaps new husband was not pleased to be the recipient of that "little gift". New husband never remarried and my GGF not living with step-father 1871 age 15 - "the missing years". My GGF had 12 children all lived to old age. Just a thought.
 
Didn't an episode of WDYTYA deal with congenital syphilis? From what I remember Hilda's suggestion is a good one. Perhaps you can find some references to the episode on the interthingy.
 
PeterG said:
Didn't an episode of WDYTYA deal with congenital syphilis? From what I remember Hilda's suggestion is a good one. Perhaps you can find some references to the episode on the interthingy.
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Yes indeedy, Peter (good to have you back so soon, by the way). Google tells me it was Martin Freeman's episode:

http://www.
whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/episode/martin-freeman

which was Series 6, episode 11 (broadcast in 2009). It is available on DVD apparently.
 
HildaW said:
the long and childless years could possibly be due to syphyllis
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Thanks for that suggestion. In this case I think not because there are two more children later on who both lived, one of whom I am decended from. They were married for 5 years before this first child in the workhouse, who also lived, then another 7 years before the last 2 in quick succession before dad dies. Just seems odd
However i do have another person who died of syphillis. 2 children by 1 or two fathers, who both lived. Then a new father and 1 child who died, one who lived, one who got to 7, then 1 who lived. All this within 14 years. She died 18 years later, in a lunatic asylum. Her last husband never caught it, he lived into his 80's, so it makes me wonder where she caught it!
 
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