Orphanages in 1957.

anner · Post by **anner** » Fri Feb 02, 2007 10:10 pm

Hi Everyone,
Would there have been an orphanage in Glasgow in the 1950's. The reason I am asking is, we had an aunt that we didnt know about. She was unmarried and in 1957 died of a brian heamorrage, leaving behind three children whose ages were 8, 10 and 12.
I have today been in contact with the social services at Glasgow council, and spoke to a really helpful man who looked for them in both the adoption and fostering record. He couldnt find them at all. He then suggested that they may have been put into an orphanage, but surely there would have been records somewhere.
My aunt had two brother who due to their own family circumstances couldnt take the children in. Would these children have been kept in Glasgow. They all lived at Rottenrow at the time of their mothers death.
I cant work out what else would have happened to them. As all three had no fathers names stated on their birth certs, would it have been legal for someone not related to have taken them in and become their legal guardians without any paper work making it legal. I am not sure of the legal issue in 1957.
Any ideas on where to look next will be gratefully recieved.
Thanking all in advance.

Regards
Anne.

Post by **marilyn morning** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:15 am

Hi anner,

Here's a few links you may find helpful?

http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6922
http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5576
http://talkingscot.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=39

Regards
Marilyn

anner · Post by **anner** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 12:31 am

Marilyn, thank you for those links I will look at them properley in the morning.

Regards
Anne.

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 11:46 am

Hi Anne

I hope you can track down your relative. My first thought on where? was Quarriers because they were able to take in small families as well as a single child. I would suggest you write to them as their archive has recently been digitised and is much easier for the archivist to access.

If you discover the orphanage wasn't Quarriers could you let me know which one it was as I am keen to add dates that institutions were active to our list.

Good luck with your search.

Russell

anner · Post by **anner** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 1:32 pm

Hi Russell,
Thank you for that,I will certainly write to them and see if they can help. When I hear back I will let you know the result.

Regrds
Anne

Post by **joette** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 2:23 pm

It is also more than possible that the children may have been taken in by a Father or Father's family without Social Services being involved.
Is there no hint as to whom their Father/Fathers were?No wee family tales?Surely Uncles despite not being able to keep in touch would have known what happened to them?
We have a similiar situation in the 1920/30's but as soon as my Grandparents got a home of their own then my orphaned Great-Aunt came to live with them.She was fostered until then on a farm although there are no records that can be found!(so far!)She was around eight when her Father died & was in hospital with him until he died.(I think living on the childrens ward).

anner · Post by **anner** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:15 pm

Hi Joette,
From what I have foud out so far is that they were not taken in by the Quarriers, and they seem to have gone astray.
I do know that the eldest boy had really unusual second and third names and I wouldnt mind betting it was his fathers full name.
My cousin seems to think they were put into a home as he never saw them again. But you are right they may have been taken in by someone. I even wondered if the informant of her death took them in as she was also the occupier of the house my aunt was living in.
The Quarriers had the same idea as I did and going to make the call tomorrow and have marriages and deaths looked for.
Again Thanks for your ideas, it is food for thought.

Regards
Anne.

Russell · Post by **Russell** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:35 pm

Hi Anne

There is a possibility that the children could have been formally adopted by a family from outside the Lanarkshire/Renfrewshire area. I know that a small number of home children were fostered out to families and were eventually adopted once parental/guardian permission was signed.
They might then appear on the records as fostering not adoption. The adoption process would be carried out by the Social Work deprtment in the appropriate county.

Needles in haystacks comes to mind

Russell

anner · Post by **anner** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 10:56 pm

Hi Russell,
I think you may be right with the needle in the hay stack theory.
I am so determined to try to trace them though.
I have just emailed my new found cousin in Glasgow to pick his brains again, and see if he remembers if their father was on the scene.
Many thanks again.
Anne.