January 21, 2012
Close to home
I’ve researched the history of many of my ancestors and enjoyed delving into their past even if some of the stories are tragic. Although I find the tales of poverty and bereavement sad, they don’t affect me profoundly – they’re almost like characters in a novel. However, this all changed when I decided to find out more about the early life of my paternal grandmother.
We had always known that my Gran, Hettie Woodward, had spent some of her childhood in an orphanage and the only clue I had was the name of a place: Turton, near Bolton. Recently I discovered that the neighbouring village of Edgworth was the location of Edgworth National Children’s Home – was this a coincidence or had I stumbled upon my grandmother’s hidden past?
Edgworth Children’s Home was founded in 1872 for orphaned and abandoned children by Rev Thomas Stephenson, a Methodist minister. Although I felt it was unlikely that this is where she lived, I applied to Action for Children for her records and when a letter arrived confirming that Hettie Woodward is on their database, I was quite shocked. The fact that my grandmother was an orphan became alarmingly real.
Hettie was born in 1905 in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts. Her father was a coal miner and she had six siblings, two of whom died in infancy. In 1916, when she was eleven years old, a double tragedy struck the family. In February, Hettie’s mother died in childbirth and then in November, her father succumbed to the ‘flu. If that were not tragic enough, Hettie’s sister and three brothers were cared for by the extended family and she was the only child sent away to an orphanage.
I knew my Gran well; she lived with us for most of my childhood. She died when I was 13 so I never asked her about her past. Discovering the orphanage where she was sent all alone has upset me and for once, I’m not looking forward to reading the records. This time, the family story is a little too close to home…
The..hell..i..am said,
January 21, 2012 at 4:09 pm
Lovely story.
What a shame she didn’t feel able to talk to anybody about her years in the orphanage; although i can empathise with her.
Angela Buckley said,
January 21, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Thank you, I think that’s what I feel most sad about and even my Dad knows nothing about her past. She did see her siblings often as an adult but she must have felt very different to them.
Rachael Hale - History in Hiding said,
January 23, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Oh that is sad but at least she came to live with you and your immediate family.
It is strange how we never ask those nearest to us about their past, whether it’s because time passes so quickly and we never find the right moment or whether it just feels too personal. I lived with my nan for several years too and frequently wish I had taken the opportunity to get to know her more as a person.
Hope you find some happier stories too.
Angela Buckley said,
January 23, 2012 at 11:12 pm
And she did remain in contact with her siblings and saw them quite often. I think it’s natural for us not to ask questions about our relatives when we are younger and it’s just a pity that by the time, we get round to it, they’ve usually passed on. I was glad at least to have spent time with her and known her well.