Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

Hello
I'm trying to find out a little about my family history and there is very little known about my maternal grandmother, other than some sketchy information that she was 'given away' by her mother when she was a baby. When her mother tried to get her back several years later, she was refused and my grandmother never saw her parents again.
I have just got my grandmother's birth certificate and her marriage certificate. On her birth certificate it said she was born at 118 Briercliffe Road, Burnley which is a different address from her father in Colne, (no address space for the mother - so an assumption it was the same) but the same address as the 'Informant' of the birth who was A E Brown.
Her name and date of birth was Edith Annie Kelly, born 17/11/1910. Was there a workhouse or some sort of institution here at this time?

Any information would be very helpful, thanks.

Hi, welcome to the site!

118 Briercliffe road, Burnley was the address for Burnley General Hospital

Hi, I found this tree on ancestry http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/person.asp ... 2014730369

Parents;
Peter KELLY married Annie HOLMES
Marriages September 1907 – Kendal, 10b, 1412

Thank you very much for that.
That's quite incredible, how did you find out her parent's name? You are right, it is Annie Holmes and Peter Kelly. I had also looked for PK and AH marriage record but never found it, so thanks again I will order the certificate and see what information is contained there.
My mum doesn't really know anything about her gran only that she was given to a family called McCrea in Todmorden. I thought I was just going to have to wait for the next census release.

Thanks again

Hi McCoote, I found the names of Edith’s parents in the family tree link I posted.

I looked for McCrea’s in the 1901 census and found these families who might be relevant to your research.

Do you know if the McCrea’s are related to the Kelly’s? They are both Irish names so maybe it is a possibility.

1901 Census - RG13; Piece: 3871; Folio: 96; Page: 14
28 Lord Street, Habergham Eaves, Burnley
Alfred McCrea, Head, Mar, 32yrs, Cotton Weaver, Worker, b. India, Bombay
Mary McCrea, Wife, Mar, 27yrs, Cotton Weaver, b. Yorks, North Ormlsby?

1901 Census - RG13; Piece: 3872; Folio: 179; Page: 25
27 Napier street, Burnley
Kate Potter, Head, Mar, 57yrs, b. Canterbury
William McCrea, Boarder, Mar, 31yrs, Cotton Weaver, b. Padiham
Dinah McCrea, Boarder, 34yrs, b. Padiham
Leah McCrea, Boarder, 11yrs, b. Padiham
Edith McCrea, Boarder, 9yrs, b. Padiham
Annie McCrea, Boarder, 8yrs, b. Padiham
Walter McCrea, Boarder, 1yr, b. Burnley
Pollie Anderton, Boarder, 17yrs, Cotton Weaver, b. Preston

1901 Census - RG13; Piece: 3878; Folio: 115; Page: 14.
21 Wheat street, Padiham
John McCrea, Head, Mar, 35yrs, Bleach ? Works Mechanical, b. East Indies (next column has “India)
Alice McCrea, Wife, 32yrs, b. Hapton
Elizabeth McCrea, Daughter, 11yrs, b. Padiham
Amy McCrea, Daughter, 9yrs, b. Padiham
Gertie McCrea, Daughter, 3yrs, b. Padiham

1901 Census - RG13; Piece: 3877; Folio: 7; Page: 6
Padiham
(This census is difficult to read).

What year did 118 Briercliffe Rd change from workhouse into a hospital?

_________________
Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

I’m not certain, but when my relation, Joseph Duerden, died in 1903, it was a workhouse.

A new workhouse for 500 inmates was eventually erected on Briercliffe Road in Burnley, admitting it's first inmates in March 1876. Following the inauguration of the NHS in 1948, the two parts of the building were reunited and became Burnley General Hospital.


Stephanie.

Went past Burnley General Hospital yesterday and had to close my eyes as we went past. The demolition work has started on the frontage on Briercliffe Road, it is very upsetting to see.


Stephanie.

If they were born in the Workhouse were they then given up for adoption/fostering, or were they allowed to stay in with their mothers??
Simple question, probably been answered umpteen times before but cannot remember seeing it.

_________________
Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Thanks for looking at the research.

So when my grandmother was born, Briercliffe Road was a workhouse?
I don't know if they were related but possibly, I'm not sure when Annie Kelly went into the workhouse / hospital either. I believe that my grandmother was still quite young (younger than 10) when Annie tried in vein to get her back and went to the McCrae's at Todmorden, they were apparently waving papers at her and telling her it was too late.
I don't believe she saw her mother again.
On Edith Annie's marriage certificate to Hector Stansfield in 1933 in Rochdale. It had his address at 2 High Street and her address at 4 High Street. I think 2 High Street was the Salvation Army. However one of the witnesses was a Nellie McCrea. Edith Annie has Peter Kelly recorded as her father on the certificate, and still retained her name of Kelly, so it was not a formal adoption process.

Good question Gloria, I have no idea!

Found this very interesting article on Google, just type, Bastardy and Baby Farming in Victorian England into Google, may answer a few of your questions.


Stephanie.

Stephanie, if a person died at 118 Briercliffe Road prior to the formation of the NHS in 1948, does this mean they died in the workhouse? Or was there a hospital at that address before 1948?

My Grandma who grew up in Burnley always referred to the workhouse with some dread, as a place of last resort.

Joan

Joan, I don’t think so. Isn’t Victoria Hospital located at 118 Briercliffe road? If so, Bannister Nutter died there in 1917.

1919 – NUTTER Bannister of 20 Towneley Street, Briercliffe near Burnley died 13 November 1917 at the Victoria Hospital Burnley. Probate London 3 April to Wilfrid Nuttall, cloth looker. Effects £215

I think you're right Kris. In my copy of Burnley, a Pictorial History there's a photograph of Victoria Hospital but it doesn't give the location. It was opened by Prince Albert on 13 October 1886. It had been built by public subscription at a cost of 21,578 pounds on ground given by Rev. William Thursby.

There was also Primrose Bank Workhouse and Infirmary. The workhouse was opened in 1877 and the infirmary in 1895. It became the Municipal Hospital in the 1930s and is now part of Burnley General Hospital. Again, no location is given but this seems to be separate from the Victoria Hospital.

My knowledge of Burnley streets is hazy at best, except for the Stoneyholme area which is imprinted on my mind from so much looking at the map.

Joan