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1881 Census Aston Union Workhouse" Gravelly Hill Erdington

DMorson

DMorson

Brummie babby
I am working on my Family Tree from Canada, my GGF was born John Parsons in 1870, He appears on the 1881 Census as living with his 3 siblings in the Aston Workhouse. The assumption is that they were orphaned. How can I try to find the records that may list if they were orphaned and also how long they lived in the workhouse and when and how they were discharged.
My GGF and his youngest sibling both immigrated to Canada as adults and at some point in life changed their surname to their mothers maiden name of Morson. Any help or direction would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
His birth cert will give parents names (you might already know that).
Then you can look for deaths of the parents.
That may work.
 
Parents appear to be a John Parsons and a Mary Morson. Marriage reg. Solihull Sep qtr 1868, she is listed as Marson.

There was an elder son, James, b1869. He appears to be in Sir Josiah Masons Orphanage in 1881 and is listed as an orphan
 
pjmburns said:
His birth cert will give parents names (you might already know that).
Then you can look for deaths of the parents.
That may work.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the response, I have the birth certificates for all 4 children but cannot find any Death certificates for their parents. I was hoping to find the documents from the workhouse which should fill in some blanks.

We know my Great Grandfather changed his last name to Morson (his Mothers Maiden name and came to Canada in 1905)
His Youngest Sibling (Sarah Ann Parsons) married and worked around the world with the Salvation Army eventually settling in Toronto in 1905. On several government documents she lists her maiden name as Parsons and on many others it is listed as Morson...
The 2 middle siblings Henry and Joseph are listed on the 1881 Census and then I cannot find any further mention of them in history. Their life after 1881 is blank, this is one question I feel the workhouse records could give me direction in finding answers in regards to these two.

My great grandfather told stories that he became a cabin boy on a boat to get out of the workhouse. His youngest sister shows on the 1891 census as a domestic servant under the name Sarah Parsons and I know she married in 1897 and worked with the Salvation Army.

Any advice or direction for me would be appreciated
 
If theses are the right people then :
From GRO death records
1740242064804.png
1740242110853.png

Both records available as full cert, PDF or digital image. The latter is instant once paid for and just provides the details from the centre of the cert (usually all you need).
 
MWS said:
Parents appear to be a John Parsons and a Mary Morson. Marriage reg. Solihull Sep qtr 1868, she is listed as Marson.

There was an elder son, James, b1869. He appears to be in Sir Josiah Masons Orphanage in 1881 and is listed as an orphan
Click to expand...
I am not sure if James is their child or not but I do have a link to their marriage July 26, 1896. at ST. Mary the Virgin Worchester England. John is 23 occupation is Steel Toy Maker, and his Father is listed as James and is also a Steel Toy Maker. and residence is listed as Acocks Green (if I read the writing correctly) I am not familiar with the county's and districts so not sure if this marriage is the same one you have found
Mary
 
The marriage registered in Worcester is at Acock's Green - now part of Birmingham.
Same occupation as on the 1871 census.
1740242618067.png
 
  • Appreciate
Reactions: MWS
If there are any records from the workhouse then I think my first port o
MWS said:
There appear to be baptisms for James, Joseph & Sarah Ann, at Holy Trinity Bordesley.
Click to expand...
This entry scuppers the 1876 death for John snr

Baptisms for John and Harry - father John a steel toy maker and Mother Mary
1740243883467.png
1740243912619.png

Will look for the others.
 
I have James Parsons age 12 in an institution with no name in St thomas Area of Birmingham in 1881.

In 1871 at 119 Bradford Street aston

john Parsons age 26 Steel toy maker b Birmingham
Mary Parsons age 24 b Worcester
James age 2 b Birmingham
John age 7 months b Birmingham.
 
pjmburns said:
If there are any records from the workhouse then I think my first port o

This entry scuppers the 1876 death for John snr

Baptisms for John and Harry - father John a steel toy maker and Mother Mary

Will look for the others.
Click to expand...

They could have been baptised after he died.
 
Thank You for all of your help and direction. My Dad spent years researching his family tree, in the last few days I have been able to find the answer to what happened to John and Mary Parsons. The one question i am not sure will ever be answered is why did my GGF change his last name to his Mothers maiden name...
John Parsons Senior Died in 1875 of Tuberculosis,
Mary Died of Cancer in the workhouse in 1880.
James Born Feb 13 1869 was in an orphanage at the age of 12.noted on the 1881 Census.
John my Great Grandfather who came to Canada, I still am curious what his life was like before he came to Canada.
Harry born May 26,1872. most recent info on him is the 1881 census.
Joseph born Nov 22 1873 most recent info is the 1881 census
Sarah Ann who immigrated to Canada, My Father grew up knowing her as his Dad's Aunt.
 
DMorson said:
I found him on the 1901 Census living in Stapleford England under the Name Morson. So he changed it prior to immigrating.
Click to expand...
That might indicate he was hiding something for immigration purposes. There must have been a very compelling reason for it, as it implies that he was illegitimate. People nowadays do it if their father is abusive and their parents divorce, but that wasn't the mindset then. I'd look up the immigration rules he was subject to, that might give a clue.
 
Tuppenny Rice said:
That might indicate he was hiding something for immigration purposes. There must have been a very compelling reason for it, as it implies that he was illegitimate. People nowadays do it if their father is abusive and their parents divorce, but that wasn't the mindset then. I'd look up the immigration rules he was subject to, that might give a clue.
Click to expand...
If you notice he was born in 1870 - registered as Parsons mmn Morson. There is also a marriage cert (post #9) for the parents dated 1868 so he wasn't illegitimate.
 
pjmburns said:
If you notice he was born in 1870 - registered as Parsons mmn Morson. There is also a marriage cert (post #9) for the parents dated 1868 so he wasn't illegitimate.
Click to expand...
Yes that's my point. You wouldn't do something that could shame your mother by causing rumours without some very good reason. It might be that some of his paperwork for immigration didn't fit together, eg if he'd been registered at the workhouse in her maiden name. Or maybe some issues with his dad having a brush with the law, I don't know.
 
I've just been reading a bit about immigration to the US via Ellis Island. They did check for TB and they did ask if you'd ever been in a workhouse. It's highly likely that Canada asked similar questions.

I think the workhouse is the stronger theory, in the sense that he'd be checked for TB by doctors on the spot anyway. Having been in a workhouse was a stigma of having been destitute, and the Ellis Island officials were on the look out for families who might burden the state.

If they were registered at the workhouse under their birth surname, using their mother's name would make that untraceable.
 
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