Genealogy Chat

On a Marriage Licence Application of 1818 the groom is listed as:
William Freeman orphan of Hertford All Saints.

How would you interpret 'orphan'

1. Found on 'doorstep' and named by an orphanage/institution
2. Illegitimate birth
3. Parents both dead, but not in orphanage/institution
4. Anything else.

Thank you
Jackdaws

Has no knowledge of his parents/presumed dead??

In those days they called a spade a spade,

if he was illegitimate he would have been refered to as William Freeman Bastard child of ??????????

An Orphan was a child whose parents are dead or have abandoned them permanently

I would say it meens that he was an orphan brought up in the care of Hertford All Saints. which i think was probably an institution run by nuns ?

Roy

Hertford All Saints could be his parish, it doesn't necessarily mean he was brought up by nuns (in fact doubtful since it was/is a C of E church).
As an orphan he could have lived with family, neighbours etc.

"All Saints' Church, Hertford, is located in Queens Road, Hertford, Hertfordshire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Hertford and Ware, the archdeaconry of Hertford. and the diocese of St Albans". Wikipedia

From Hertsdirect:


William Freeman orphan of Hertford All Saints
Judith Smith of Harpenden
marriage licences [ref AHH20/64]
1818

So yes, Hertford All Saints is the groom's parish.

And the wedding:


William Freeman of Hertford
Judith Smith Harpenden
Bishops Transcripts
12 Apr 1818

A bit of background reading on the Hertford workhouse...

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Hertford/

At the bottom of the page you will see that the surviving records do not go back as far as you need. You could try the online catalogue for the local Archives to see if the earlier poor law records survive....

http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/leisculture/heritage1/hals/

I found information concerning my family in the Vestry minutes for the early 1800s, Hampstead, concerning their receiving out relief and eventual entry into the workhouse.

One thought, he may well have been placed out as an apprentice by the Parish so there may be records. I have seen information for that in dedicated Apprentice registers, Vestry minutes and Churchwarden's accounts...One, some or all!

Good luck
Chris

Thank you all for your replies. In general, you have confirmed my thoughts that he was an orphan 'from birth'. Looks like this could be the end of the line. Have got a copy of the Bishops transcript of the marriage - which strangely is witnessed by a John Freeman, who signed, but he has witnessed other marriages on the same page, so not necessarily a relative. William and Judith marked with X. I have already checked out apprentices, but he does not appear on any lists. Census show he was a Labourer.
Once again thank you for taking the trouble to reply.

Jackdaws