Hello everyone

The Childrens Homes Register 27 Oct 1894 - 8 Nov 1902 is now online, covering admissions made to Fir Vale Workhouse (Sheffield Union) Smilter Lane - now Herries Road. Children entered the workhouse system for many reasons, some were deserted or orphaned or their parent/s may have been in prison.

The Poor Law Act of 1889
''Where a child is maintained by the Guardians of any Union and was deserted by its parent, the Guardians may at any time resolve that such a child shall be under the control of the Guardians until it reaches the age, if a boy, of sixteen, and if a girl ,of eighteen years, and thereupon until the child reaches that age all the powers and rights of such parent in respect of that child shall, subject as in this Act mentioned, is vested in the Guardians.''

In 1893 Poor Law Union reformer John Whycliffe Wilson, Chairman of the Sheffield Board of Guardians designed the Isolated or Scattered Homes system where children were placed in smaller houses across the city of Sheffield rather than a large children’s or Cottage Home. The Scattered Homes children attended normal day and Sunday schools and were expected to become ‘useful’ citizens. They were looked after by a Foster-mother or House-mother; the older children did chores and assisted with the care of the younger ones.

Children may have been in the workhouse system for very short spells - a few days, some much longer. Sadly some were split up from their families or told they were orphans when they were not and a number were sent out to Canada via agencies such as Dr Barnardos.

More information here http://www.workhouses.org.uk/scatteredhomes/

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/home-children-1869-1930/immigration-records/Pages/immigration-records.aspx#a

Worth a listen https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b05pr81r

Records are on the schools admissions section where some of the sections do not apply. When searching please consider using the wildcard * . The register was very difficult to read so I suggest you check the original held at Sheffield Archives where possible. Thank you to Terry, John and Jennifer for their stirling work on this project.

Vicki
Project Co-ordinator

Many thanks Vicki and to Terry, John and Jennifer for your work on this
Lyn

Just adding my congrats on the completion of the project Vicki and the wonderful site members for a job well done.

Sad stories I am sure.


Elaine in Ottawa.

Instant Messenger: Skype

Are there any plans to transcribe later admissions? I found that my grandfather and his brother had been admitted in 1896. I thought they went into care in 1904 so there might be other admissions I don't know about.

I think there might be a transcription error too.

BEATSON, James (Student, 1894).
Parent or guardian name(s): Albert Beatson (~), of Workhouse.
Admitted to Sheffield Childrens Home Register, Fir Vale, as of 1896-07-10, ~
until 1896-07-20, reason for leaving: Discharged to father. Previously attended ~.
Remarks: ~.
Find Similar at Same Address if Available Surname Match if Available

BEATSON, John Walter (Student, 1890).
Parent or guardian name(s): Albert Beatson (~), of Workhouse.
Admitted to Sheffield Childrens Home Register, Fir Vale, as of 1896-07-04, ~
until 1896-07-20, reason for leaving: Discharged to father. Previously attended ~.
Remarks: ~.
Find Similar at Same Address if Available Surname Match if Available

BEATSON, John Walter (Student, 1890).
Parent or guardian name(s): Robert Beatson (~), of Workhouse.
Admitted to Sheffield Childrens Home Register, Fir Vale, as of 1896-10-05, ~
until 1897-01-16, reason for leaving: Discharged to Father. Previously attended ~.
Remarks: ~.
Find Similar at Same Address if Available Surname Match if Available

The father's name in the last entry should be ALBERT.

Jenny

The register gives Robert so I can't change it Jenny.
No plans at the moment to transcribe further books

Vicki

Hi, I was just wondering where I can access these records of the children's homes register? Do you have a link? Thanks!
Hollie Brumpton

Hi Hollie

To access the records we have transcribed see the menu to the left and click on School Records and type in the name you are searching for

Registers for other years are held at Sheffield Archives; there are no online sources for these as far as I am aware

Vicki

For anyone planning a trip to the archives, it's also worth looking in the minute books as I found out so much information about my grandfather and his sister. You would need to know when they were admitted though.

I was there about 5 hours but it was worth it. It helped to discover the truth and discount various family stories we had about them.

Jenny

The Minutes of the Guardians meetings books for the Sheffield Union Workhouse at Fir Vale are available at the Archives and copy minutes at the Local Studies Library.
The Children's Committee meetings are also in these books which Jenny refers to. The meetings were every fortnight so once you get the hang of it they can be easy to use.
Some children were mentioned in these minutes especially if decisions were being made about their future such as being boarded out elsewhere, sent to a training ship or domestic training school etc and those children who were also sent to Canada after being transferred over to such as Dr Barnardos or Catholics emigrating agencies where they stayed for approx 3 moths to prepare for their new life.
Some children were 'in and outers' regularly appearing in the admission registers often due to their parent(s) way of life. One I came across, his mother was in prison 17 times for petty theft etc. If you come across one where it says the parent(s) had neglected them or been put in prison then it is worth looking at the newspapers of the day for further information. If a father neglected to maintain his family then a warrant could be put out for his arrest.

I am currently researching those children sent to Canada so if you have relatives who went to Canada via the homes do get in touch with me please.
Lyn