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Raised by Nuns??

sheronb

sheronb

master brummie
My cousin's mother was supposedly raised by the Nuns, which Nuns we would love to find out! She was born in 1901 had 2 younger sisters. The family is on the 1911 census, so this gives us a rough time period of between 1911-1920? Besides Father Hudsons in Coleshill does anyone know of any Catholic Orphanage/Childrens home in Birmingham and do they keep records? Which I presume St Chads may have and Father Hudson? Thanks!
 
If she was 10 or more, she may well ahve worked in one of the homes, that happened quite often I believe.
The nuns were very strict and 10 was more than old enough for them to be washing and cleaning.
https://www.connectinghistories.org.uk/childrenshomes/projectexhibition.pdf - this was a project funded I think by the heritage commission and it looks at childrens homes in Birmingham, in an attempt to document them and give some record of wht existed, may be something on there that will help?
Sue
 
My mother also was 'raised' by Nuns at Maryvale Convent at New Oscott since incorporated into the College with what remained moving out to Fr Hudson's at Coleshill. I have no real memories but Mom used to take us to the Garden Fêtes they ran when we were young. All records were transferred to Fr Hudson's but I do not know where they are now. St Chads would be a starting point I feel.n My Mom would have been there at a similar time so perhaps if you let me know the name by Instant Message I could ask my cousin who has a better memory than me. One of my Mom's friends went on to become Mother Superior.
 
Thank you Sistersue, there is a link there to Father Hudsons, will email them.

Bernie, the names are Florence Lilian Wheeler, born 1901, this is my cousins mother, her sisters were Doris born 1902, Ellen(Helen) born 1905 and Eva born 1909. Besides Ellen the other sisters were not known to my cousin. Father was George Frederick Wheeler, he died in 1928 after living at Rowton House for at least 5 years, we cannot find his wife Lily's death. The story was Lliy died and the father just left them and they were raised by nuns. Many thanks!
 
Maryvale Convent seems to have been a place where children could attend daily or board. Though a convent education, particularly boarding, to some may sound grand in my Mother and Aunts case it was out of necessity. Grandfather bless him went to work in London for Bryant's the builders and only returned once in a while - his visits more often than not resulted in yet another mouth to feed 9 months later. Ellen looks to be about the same age as my mother whist Eva would be close to my aunts age. I am sorry I do not have much to offer but will put up a photo of the children at that time which included my mother. Sadly it is not that clear a photo - the names were Mary and Agnes Gill respectively.

Mom at Maryvale Tweaked.jpg


I have not tried to improve the photograph - other than contrast and brightness as it would then be more my guesswork than a true representation. My Mom - Mary Gill is just below the X with I think my Aunt Agnes to the right as we look at the photo.
 
Bernie, that's a great pic to have, love the nun in the middle, she reminds me of one of the nun who used to be at the Father Hudsons summer fetes.
Sue
 
hi yes ;
there were plenty of homes and boarding schools that was dotted around the country and day schools which was ran by nuns ;
and yes these nunns was very harsh on kids or should i say pupils of the down trodden kids of yester years espeacialy the poor one ;

i know personaly of two people whom have told me of there plight about nunnerys
and there experiences these people are now in there fifties but it was a life experience they will never forget ;and of course these ladies of the cloth would have all passed away ; so now its just a bad memory in these peoples minds
have a nice day every body astonian ;;
 
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hi sheronb if you go to the kingstanding thread there is a lot of info on the maryvale convent...including up to date pics that i took some weeks back..if you think the children may have been raised at maryvale im sure if you phoned them up the sisters would be only to happy to check their records for you..
i also noted that you could not find a death for the mom lily wheeler...have you looked for lilian wheeler as lily could have been a shortened name for her...
lyn
 
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Sheronb, a very tentative death, from familysearch.org, just listed as Wheeler, burial at Kingsbury 10 Oct 1913, which could fit your dates I guess, will try to find out more - do you know her maiden name at all?
Sue
 
Hello Sue, thank you very much. We think her maiden name was Baker, there is a marriage in the late 1890s to a George Frederick Wheeler. Florence was Florence Lilian on her marriage cert with the above father, and he left her and the others, Ellen at least abt £161 -ish in 1928, he died intestate. There is no birth reg for a Florence Lilian but is for a Florence Lily in 1901 Aston. Buried at Kingsbury? Where is that? Many thanks.
 
Kingsbury is on the Birmingham border, in Warwickshire (north) - out towards Tamworth. through Minworth an Curdworth, if thats any help, not too far away.
Will look for a birth to see if there are links with Kingsbury there.
Sue
 
I don't really have anything of use to add I don't think, but would just like to say that my father was raised by Nuns in Moseley in the 1920's - 30's (now a working mens club I think), this was mainly boys but there were a few girls he remembers, he has very good memories of his childhood, his life was hard but they were apparently cared for very well and he felt loved as he grew up, he even went back to stay with them when on leave from the army in his early 20's. We visited these Nuns (who by this time had moved to Malvern) as children on many occasions and one of them even came to my Dad's 70th birthday party. I have tried to find records of this 'orphanage' but cannot find a trace of it.
 
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