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From: "Wendy Brown" <>
Subject: [UK-WORKHOUSE-HOSP] Assigned birth dates
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 11:12:25 +0800


I wonder if anyone can tell me whether there was a habit of assigning birth dates for children in workhouses?

I have posted to the list before regarding my grandfather, Charles BROWN, who was bought up in Anerley House with his older brother. To those who replied then, I am happy to say that we have had some success!

The issue now is that my grandfather always celebrated his birthday on 1 August. Having just received his birth certificate he was born on 25 September 1875 and baptised on 5 December the same year. He was not yet 7 when he went to the workhouse and all the records where he is mentioned state either his age in years or just his year of birth (sometimes incorrectly).

I am wondering if an approximate birth date might have been assigned to him or whether he might just have assumed one.

So much of what has come down to us from the bits and pieces of information he had about his childhood are actually not correct - although close! The same as with his birth date - wrong, but close.

If anyone has any information that could shed some light on this, or has similar experiences, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks
Wendy Brown
Perth
Western Australia



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