Edinburgh Poorhouse - how to look up?

Asylums, Poor Houses and the like.

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cadmium
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Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:00 pm

Edinburgh Poorhouse - how to look up?

Post by cadmium » Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:06 pm

I have an ancestor who died in the City poorhouse/Craiglockhart in 1881, aged only 32, poor thing.

His daughter Elizabeth McMinnigal/Minnigal/McMinigall/McMunigall/McManigall was born in the poorhouse in 1880 to his wife Mary Ann.
However by the 1881 census (during which James was still living), there was no sign of mother and child.
I assume this means the whole family was ill or destitute in 1880, but that by 1881 mother and child got discharged.

Ten years later and Elizabeth seems to be fostered with another family, no sign of the mother (who was still alive).

I would like to know if any of their applications for entry to the poorhouse would still exist? Have such records been kept?

I am not in the UK so if they are available, can I access them online anywhere?

Many thanks.

AnneM
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Re: Edinburgh Poorhouse - how to look up?

Post by AnneM » Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:53 pm

Hi there

The surviving records of the poor roll covering the dates you are looking at are at Edinburgh City Archives. They are not available online but though the archives staff won't do extensive research a limited query may be answered. They can be contacted on archives@edinburgh.gov.uk Have a look at Edinburgh City Archives website for their information.

Anne
Anne
Researching M(a)cKenzie, McCammond, McLachlan, Kerr, Assur, Renton, Redpath, Ferguson, Shedden, Also Oswald, Le/assels/Lascelles, Bonning just for starters

cadmium
Posts: 58
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:00 pm

Re: Edinburgh Poorhouse - how to look up?

Post by cadmium » Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:10 pm

Thanks, Anne. An e-mail has been sent off.

I found the mother Mary Ann's death certificate and she didn't die until 1902 (aged 51). However she had married again to a Mr. Patrick Gollogly. What an unusual name! I wonder if it's a variation of Golighty. With the first husband being a McMonigall/Minigal/etc these Irish connections sure are throwing up some interesting names!

Anyway, here's the details of Elizabeth in the 1891 census:


in the parish of NEWTON, school board district of NEWTON, Parliamentary Division of MIDLOTHIAN, Hamlet of OLD ENGINE
17 OLD ENGINE (2 windowed house)

PATRICK MILLIGAN, head, married, 67(?), no profession listed, born Ireland
JANE MILLIGAN, wife, married, 50, no profession listed, born Edinburgh Cranston
PATRICK HAGGAIN or HIGGINS, boarder, unmarried, 18, general labourer, born Edinburgh Cranston
MARY HAGGAIN or HIGGINS, boarder, unmarried, 15, flax spinner, born Edinburgh Cranston
OWEN O'DONNELL, boarder, unmarried, 18(?), occupation column blank, born Edinburgh, lunatic
ELIZABETH MCMONIGAL, boarder, unmarried, 10, Edinburgh Colinton
ROSE ANN CONWAY, boarder, unmarried, 4, blank, Dundee


Judging by the different surnames, the age gaps between the kids and the Irish connection I guess it's some nice couple who took in fosterlings. I wonder why they have no listed occupation, not even 'private means'.

How sad that Elizabeth and her mother seem to have ceased contact upon getting out of the poorhouse. I wonder if the poorhouse indeed fostered Elizabeth with this family from her birth there, or whether her mother abandoned her or placed her with them herself. Their older sister Annie seems to have gotten a job in her early teens and isn't fostered with this family.

AnneM
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Re: Edinburgh Poorhouse - how to look up?

Post by AnneM » Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:22 pm

Hi

Please let us know whether you get a reply from the archives and if it bears fruit. I for one would be dead keen to find out.

Anne
Anne
Researching M(a)cKenzie, McCammond, McLachlan, Kerr, Assur, Renton, Redpath, Ferguson, Shedden, Also Oswald, Le/assels/Lascelles, Bonning just for starters

cadmium
Posts: 58
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:00 pm

Re: Edinburgh Poorhouse - how to look up?

Post by cadmium » Thu Sep 15, 2011 9:19 am

I will, Anne. I find the institutions fascinating and I'm really curious to know what records they have.

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