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From: (Robert . Franklin)
Subject: Middlemore, Halifax,N.S.
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 10:02:05 -0400


Dear List:

Received film from National Archives re my BHC grandmother's records
from the Middlemore Adoption Agency in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I was
disappointed as I did hope that the records from Middlemore in
Birmingham would be copied there as well as the Canadian records and I
must now send to England for them. I was not disappointed, however as
the film showed correspondence with the British Middlemore Home. Can
anyone confirm Middlemore's Address in England to me offlist? Much
appreciated.

I want to share this wonderful news. Because I did request the
information from Ottawa, I have found out how old my great grandmother
was when she gave birth to my grandmother (33), and also, that she tried
for a number of years to contact grandmother but letters were sent back
to her in England. Finally they connected in the forties, and I have one
letter, where the Middlemore Superintendent wrote back to great
grandmother in England.

It states in part "matron has told me of your visit here (middlemore
orphanage in Birmingham) and of your wish to go out to Canada to join
your daughter" which she never did and couldn't afford. In another
part it states "I am sure that at sixty-eight years of age, you would
find it very difficult to settle down in Canada" and "my advice to you
is to stay where you are". As the letter is dated, August 19th, 1947, I
have finally, finally learned how old my great grandmother was when she
died in 1966 and the year she was born. Previously, all I had was her
death date, and nothing more except her name and previous address.

My point is, you just never, never know when the brick wall will start
to crumble, and who knew that this superintendent would mention great
grandmothers age in that letter. I can now look for her in census, and
see if she had any siblings, and the name of her parents.

Thank you for letting me share this exciting news.

Brenda
and thanks Marj for advising me to go to NA

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