Chepstow Union Workhouse

My great grandmother's sister Ruth Jenkins born at st briavels 1884 and died at chepstow 1901, buried at St Briavels 25 May 1901 (Parish Records)is listed as an inmate at the Chepstow Union Workhouse in the 1901 Wales Census aged 17. Also Listed is a baby Gertrude Ellen Jenkins. Is it likely that this is Ruth's Baby?

Does anybody Know What Happened to babies in the workhouse when they are orphaned?

Post reply

4197 views

Hi Alison

Yes, the Register of Births in the Chepstow Workhouse 1866-1900 shows that Gertrude Ellen was born on 28 November 1900, the illegitimate daughter of Ruth Jenkins, who had been admitted to the workhouse from Chepstow parish. This information is from the Gwent Family History Society's CD of "Non-conformist Records of Some Chapels, Churches and Circuits in the Old County of Monmouthshire".

I don't know what happened to the babies. Why don't you try Peter Higginbotham's Workhouses website
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/

Best wishes

Alan

Post reply

3623 views

thankyou very much for the information re; ruth jenkins illegitimate daughter gertrude ellen. Ruth's parent's were still alive at this stage and she also had 3 brothers and 2 sisters, any of whom could have taken the baby. As soom as i have time I shall be following the leads that you and everyone who has replied have given me.

Do you know whether Gwent Records Office would do a search for me, (for a fee), or whether i have to visit in person?.

Once again thankyou very much to everyone.

Post reply

3641 views

Alison

I am on their list of private researchers.

Mike

Post reply

3596 views

The following is taken from a message by Pat Hase to the Glouceter mailing list
in answer to a similar question as yours.
--------------------------------
Quote:
Were there other relations still living in the area - for example
grandparents or uncles or aunts who might have taken them in and might they
have adopted another surname. A bit later on it was the custom for children
to be boarded out from Workhouses and "fostered" by local families and I
have seen them entered on censuses with the surname of the family who took
them in.

Post reply

3620 views

Many children at this time were sent to Dr Barnardo's Homes, who believed that the children would receive a better life in the Colonies, they were known as British Home children and sold for £15.00 each. A very good book by Perry Snow "neither waif nor stray" gives extracts into his father's search into finding his true identity, this is on-line.

Post reply

3666 views

Poor women are sent to the workhouse to have their children, they only usually spend a few weeks or months there, if they find somewhere to live or work they then can leave the workhouse, but once a single or married woman finds herself destitute again, she may have to go back to the workhouse, but her children are taken from her if they are of school age and taken to the union workhouse school.

Families can enquire to the board of gaurdians to adopt a child who has no parents, but children are not taken away from their mothers or parents unless they are unfit.

I have personnally researched many workhouse records for Monmouthshire.

Mike John

Post reply

3551 views

I am researching on behalf of my aunt, who we believe is a descendant of Ruth Jenkins,Ruth would be her maternal grandmother.Her own mother Lavinia, was adopted and Ruth would have been about 14 when she gave birth to Lavinia. We have only just discovered that Lavinia was adopted,she was born in Treorchy and we believe Ruth Jenkins ended up in the workhouse at Chepstow.

Post reply

3448 views

I am researching on behalf of my aunt, who we believe is a descendant of Ruth Jenkins,Ruth would be her maternal grandmother.Her own mother Lavinia, was adopted and Ruth would have been about 14 when she gave birth to Lavinia. We have only just discovered that Lavinia was adopted,she was born in Treorchy and we believe Ruth Jenkins ended up in the workhouse at Chepstow.

Name: Lavinia Jenkins
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1899
Registration district: Pontypridd
Inferred County: Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan
Volume: 11a
Page: 611

1901
John H Juliff abt 1871 Newlyn, Cornwall, England Head Llanwonno, Glamorgan
Eliza A Juliff abt 1870 Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales Wife Llanwonno, Glamorgan
Lavinia Jenkins abt 1899 Ticarky, Glamorgan, Wales Adopted Llanwonno, Glamorgan

1911 32 Phillip St Mountain Ash
John Henry Juliff 39
Eliza Ann Juliff 40
Laoinia Adoline Juliff 12

Name: Lavina A Juliff
Spouse :William Rees
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1922
Registration district: Pontypridd
Inferred County: Glamorgan
Volume Number: 11a
Page Number: 1362

<><><> ???

Name: Lavinia Rees
Birth Date: 21 Dec 1899
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1971
Age at Death: 72
Registration district: Pontypridd
Inferred County: Glamorganshire
Volume: 8b
Page: 2169

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Post reply

3496 views

Thank you Slowhands this is the correct family line June

Post reply

3346 views

I am researching on behalf of my aunt, who we believe is a descendant of Ruth Jenkins,Ruth would be her maternal grandmother.Her own mother Lavinia, was adopted and Ruth would have been about 14 when she gave birth to Lavinia. We have only just discovered that Lavinia was adopted,she was born in Treorchy and we believe Ruth Jenkins ended up in the workhouse at Chepstow.

?????
Year: 1814
Month: Oct
Day: 16
Parents_Surname: JENKINS
Child_Forenames: Samuel
Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Mothers_Forenames: Maria
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Forest of Dean
Occupation: Collier
Officiating_Minister: Josiah Allport
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P57 IN 1/2
Page_Number: 7
Parish_Chapel: Bream

then

1841
Samuel Jenkins abt 1816 Trevethan, Monmouthshire
Mary Jenkins abt 1816 Monmouthshire, Wales Trevethan, Monmouthshire
Samuel Jenkins abt 1839 Monmouthshire, Wales Trevethan, Monmouthshire
Anne Jenkins abt 1840 Monmouthshire, Wales Trevethan, Monmouthshire

1851 Trevethin, Monmouthshire, Wales
Samuel Jenkins 36
Mary Anne Jenkins 27
Samuel Jenkins 12
Ann Maria Jenkins 10
Simeon Jenkins 8
Levi Jenkins 2
Ruth Jenkins 1 Mo

1861
Samuel Jenkins abt 1815 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Head West Dean, Gloucestershire
Mary Jenkins abt 1823 Ritton, Gloucestershire, England Wife West Dean, Gloucestershire
Simeon Jenkins abt 1843 Cumbraes, Monmouthshire, Wales Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Seoi Jenkins abt 1849 Cumbraes, Monmouthshire, Wales Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Rush Jenkins abt 1851 Blaina, Monmouthshire, Wales Daughter West Dean, Gloucestershire
Caleb Jenkins abt 1853 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Elizth Jenkins abt 1855 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean, Gloucestershire
John Jenkins abt 1856 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Son West Dean, Gloucestershire
Jane Jenkins abt 1859 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Daughter West Dean, Gloucestershire

1881
Simeon Jenkins abt 1845 Cwmbran, Monmouth, Wales Head St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Sarah Jenkins abt 1848 Bream West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Wife St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Simeon Jenkins abt 1868 Bream West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Mary Jenkins abt 1871 Bream West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Daughter St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Rhewben Jenkins abt 1875 Bream West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Jesse C. Jenkins abt 1878 Bream West Dean, Gloucestershire, England Son St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Annie Jenkins abt 1880 St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England Daughter St Briavels, Gloucestershire

Year: 1884
Month: Jun
Day: 11
Parents_Surname: JENKINS
Child_Forenames: Ruth
Fathers_Forenames: Simeon
Mothers_Forenames: Sarah
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Brockweir Common
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister: James Etchells
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Daughter of
Notes: Born: Mar 1st 1884
Register_Reference:
Page_Number: 55
Parish_Chapel: Chepstow Wesleyan Methodist

1891
Swison Jenkins abt 1845 Crombran, Monmouthshire, Wales Head St Briavel, Gloucestershire
Sarah Jenkins abt 1847 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Wife St Briavel, Gloucestershire
Jesse C Jenkins abt 1877 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Son St Briavel, Gloucestershire
Annie Jenkins abt 1880 St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England Daughter St Briavel, Gloucestershire
Albert S Jenkins abt 1883 St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England Son St Briavel, Gloucestershire
Ruth Jenkins abt 1884 St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England Daughter St Briavel, Gloucestershire

1901
Simeon Jenkins abt 1843 Cawmcran, Monmouthshire, Wales Head St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Sarah Jenkins abt 1846 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Wife St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Jessa Jenkins abt 1877 Bream, Gloucestershire, England Son St Briavels, Gloucestershire
Annie Jenkins abt 1880 St Briavels, Gloucestershire, England Daughter St Briavels, Gloucestershire

1901
Ruth Jenkins abt 1884 Brockweir, Gloucestershire, England Inmate Chepstow, Monmouthshire

Year: 1901
Month: May
Day: 25
Surname: JENKINS
Forenames: Ruth
Residence: Chepstow Workhouse
Age_at_death: 17
Officiating_Minister: J. C. May
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P278 IN 1/20
Page_No: 78
Parish_Chapel: St Briavels

--
Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>

Post reply

3429 views

Ruth Jenkins gave birth to Gertrude Ellen Jenkins on 28th Nov 1900, at Chepstow Workhouse, info on Birth Certificate, Gertrude was baptised on 19 Dec 1900 at Chepstow - Baptism on this site.
1901 Census Ruth & Gertrude living in Chepstow Workhouse
1911 Census Gertrude Genkins 1899 aged 9 abt 1902 inmate scholar Portskewett (Reg District Chepstow) Monmouthshire.
I also have copies of Workhouse Records listing Gertrude up to 1914.

I am not sure how Lavinia fits into this, do you have Birth Certificate for Lavinia with Ruth as Mother?

Post reply

3447 views

I have just corrected Gertrude Ellen Jenkins Date of Birth on Yesterdays Post to 28th Nov 1900. It is now possible that Ruth had Lavinia in 1899. If you would like more info on Ruth please contact me by email.

Forest of Dean FHT Forum

Chepstow Union Workhouse (General)