I would like to find out the reason why my Grandfather was taken into care and placed with other children at the Fulwood Cottages childrens home.
Does anyone know if there are records available anywhere that I could access that would help with my research.

Alan
Children would be taken into the Cottage Homes because of their parents circumstances.
This could be as extreme as the death of one or both parents or illness of the father, preventing him from earning, Or perhaps the father became "indisposed".
If you could be more specific with names and dates we may be able to provide more specific information.
Dave

Hi Alan

The following information is from the Sheffield Archives

We hold records of both the Fulwood Cottage Homes for 1905 - 1945 (with some gaps) and the Sheffield Scattered Homes at Sheffield Archives for 1894 - 1950s (again with some gaps).

The normal procedure is that people contact us to obtain the reference numbers of potentially useful records which we supply along with the address of the Council department to whom the records belong (in this case, Family and Carers Team - FACT). The customer then needs to write to FACT quoting our reference numbers, descriptions of the items and full details of their research request.

Angela

Hi Dave
Many thanks for the reply.
My Grandfather James (JIm) Clarke born 1899 entered Fulwood Cottages as young child sometime after the 1901 census. James left the home sometime around 1915 when he joined the army as a boy soldier.
His younger brother Horace was also at the home.

Alan

Thank you so much Angela for the Sheffield archives information.
Are the Archives working as normal or is there limited access due to Covid restrictions.

Alan.

Alan
Entry to the cottage homes was usually through the Workhouse. The Ecclesall Bierlow Union Workhouse entry records for that period are on FMP.
Horace was admitted in 1903 and James in 1907
Dave

Hi Alan

I hold the transcription for the EB admission registers, as Ian McLean and myself transcribed them. We only produced an index and there is a lot more information in the actual register.

Admitted Surname/Forename. D.O.B Reason for admittance/ Page no. and file reference
03 Sep 1907 Clarke James 1 Dec 1898 Not given 44 NHS21/5/6/1
05 Mar 1903 Clarke Horace 1897 Orphan? 31 NHS21/5/6/1

A question mark has been placed after Orphan on Horace's admission. You will also need to check out the Fulwood Cottage Homes registers.

Angela

Hi Alan

This information is from the Sheffield Archives website:

Following the latest government guidance the City Archives and the Local Studies Library are closed.

We are still able to answer email enquiries; archives@sheffield.gov.uk.

When they are open you should be able to view the EB admission register as the records you require are over a 100 years. I'm not sure what the situation will be with the Fulwood Cottage Homes registers.

Angela

Hi Alan

I was able to access the Fulwood Cottage Homes registers at the Archives at the start of last year (before lockdown), without any problems. I just rang before visiting to request them.


Denise

Hi Dave
Thank you so much for the information, I didnt realise that FMP had the register for Workhouse entry. James had several other siblings, I can take a look and see if anything is there with regards to their possible admissions.

Alan

Hi Angela

Thank you for taking the time to look into my Grandfathers details.
Can you tell me if any detailed information would be available anywhere regarding the circumstances or particular reason that he was taken into care. I know that his parents were both alive at the time but separated by the time of the 1911 census. It also seems strange that his brother was admitted two years prior to James.
My Mother who is still alive has no knowledge of the circumstances by which he was taken into care but would dearly like to know.

Alan

Hi Denise

Thank you for the reply.
Could you tell me what information the Fulwood Cottage Homes register can offer.

Alan

I once spent a whole day at Sheffield Archives looking through the children's committee minute books and found some really useful information about my grandfather and his sister. She was later sent to Canada as a British Home Child. It was laborious but so worth the effort.

Hope you will be able to get to the archives shortly.

Jenny

Hi Alan

The Fulwood Cottage Homes Registers only contain very basic information. I couldnt find what I was looking for so didnt make any notes, but as far as I can remember - names, Ages, dates and next of Kin if there was any.

Denise