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LMA Research Guide 4: Guide to Poor Law records for London and ... In many London and Middlesex parishes records relating to poor relief before 1834 ... and St. Marylebone 1920-1930 were sent to Banstead Schools, Banstead, Surrey, ... By 1870 all the Boards of Guardians in London which did not form part of one of ...

I knew this sounded familiar! "Mrs Widdows" rang a loud bell.

Another thread, mainly about Harry and his mother:

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1385434


As Elizabeth apparently worked at the Chaplain's house at Wormwood Scrubs for a while, maybe some philanthropist (Horace Birch, or someone Horace acted for ??) took an interest in her or her son at that time .
Or maybe got her the job in the first place, when she was in, or leaving, the workhouse at the time of Harry's birth.
Maybe she asked for help again when Harry's arm needed attention she couldn't afford.

Maddie and ArgyllGran

Thank you so much for your help.

I understand what you are saying about Horace being a benefactor but from what family have said Harry never had anything to do with his mother after she had walked out and left him in the hospital.. It seems she did come to see him in 1919 when he was in London but that was the only time. He didnt even go to her funeral.

OK, well forget Elizabeth in that scenario!

Maybe someone took an interest in an abandoned baby.
Or perhaps a legal guardian would have been appointed for such a child??

I don't know how you'd find that out.

Maybe London Metropolitan Archives could help you again?


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

How many more threads are likely to be unearthed?

Ah, but . . . .

You say he had no contact with his mother.
But isn't this him (as William) with her and his stepfather in 1901 and 1911??

Elizabeth Brewer
in the 1901 England Census
Name: Elizabeth Brewer
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Relation to Head: Wife
Gender: Female
Spouse: Edward Brewer
Birth Place: Upper Upham, Wiltshire, England
Civil Parish: Linkenholt
Ecclesiastical parish: Linkenholt St Peter
Town: Linkenholt
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Street Address:
Registration District: Andover
Sub-registration District: Hurstbourne Tarrant
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors:
Piece: 1117
Folio: 6
Page Number: 3
Household Schedule Number: 10
Household Members:
Name Age
Edward Brewer 51
Elizabeth Brewer 23
George Brewer 13
Louisa Brewer 10
William Carter 2 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<


William Brewer
in the 1911 England Census
Name: William Brewer
[Harry Carter]
Age in 1911: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1898
Relation to Head: Son
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Fulham, London, England
Civil Parish: Compton
Country: England
Street Address: New Barn, Compton, Hants
Occupation: School
Registration District Number: 103
Sub-registration District: Twyford
ED, institution, or vessel: 08
Piece: 6137
Household Members:
Name Age
Edward Brewer 64
Elizabeth Brewer 34
Tom Brewer 32
Charles Brewer 30
William Brewer 13
Elsie Brewer 10
Mabel Brewer 6
Florence Brewer 5


Probably already posted on one of the threads - I haven't checked.

Sorry....this is terribly cynical but a possibility never the less

Edward and Elizabeth lied on the 1911 census about years married, they stated 13 full yrs, when in fact, they married in 1900 (Hungerford is all I can find anyway!!) one would imagine this was to cover up Harry’s illegitimate birth in 1898.

What if..... Elizabeth had told Edward the identity of Harry’s biological father, then when she left him with Harry + his medical problems, Edward resorted to a little blackmail....possibly of a chaplain who didn’t want a scandal and had connections with Horace Birch...

The plot thickens even more!

Carter, has your husband taken a DNA , that would be fascinating !!

I can’t find a connection as to why Harry would call himself William though?

From Harry’s notes...

“I left all this real life behind and went to a horrible jumbled up existence in London”

it sounds as though Harry never knew what was going on in London either, no wonder he needed to “get away” with the navy
Sad story but an intriguing one... poor chap

ArgyllGran I meant he never saw his mother after he met her in 1919 . That was the first time he had seen her since 1912. She visited him in London when he came out of the navy in 1919.

ErikaH i think this will be the last thread :-) although the other are 10 years old. :-)

Mistycat. I can understand Harry taking the surname Brewer but as to why he was called William I don't know. Elizabeths father was called William so I wonder if it was after him. I have often thought that his real father's name could have been Harry and he was named after him and perhaps Edward Brewer didnt like it. . I love your theory of blackmail . Its very intriguing isn't it.

Everyone has been such a great help with this today . I can't thank you enough. . I am open to any suggestions or advice and if I ever find out the truth i will post a new thread. Sorry ErikaH :-)

No, don't post a new thread!

Just add to the end of this one.

Please don’t post a new thread....

I’ve got another free day tomorrow so I’ll do some more scouting around, I love a good hunt...

ArgyllGran and Mistycat

I won't start a new thread.That was just a joke for ErikaH had said how many more threads were there :-)

Very sad....

Name: Florence Brewer
Admission Age: 6
Record Type: Admission
Birth Date: 1906
Admission Date: 26 Jul 1912
Admission Place: Holborn, Holborn, London, England

With Elizabeth Brewer?? dob 1887******maybe not as Elizabeth was born 1877, I’ll leave it up for now anyway!!
Maybe someone else could take a look please


Ha ha love your humour...