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Hello TS (in Wales)

If there is anyone out there with info on the workings of the Newport Union Workhouse I would be grateful for a pointer on the way to go.

My gt. grandfather John Price (I know ) b. 1845 is on the 1891 Census in Newport living with his father, mother and nephew William in Newport. He was by that time widowed, had "lost" his dairy business in Pontypool, 3 daughters staying with other relatives and I have never found his son b. 1884. He was working with his 76 year old father James as a jobbing gardener.

He is absent from his father's home in 1901 and declared dead on my grandmother's mc in 1903. I have purchased two dc's which are correct for age of John Price, both dying in 1900, one in Newport Union Workhouse and one in Griffithstown Workhouse - no family signature or details. There was a John Price b. in Griffithstown also in 1845 so I am kind of banking on the Newport death as mine. There is also a lair in Trevethin Church, Pontypool for a John Price dying in 1900 but no stone. My g. grandmother, his wife, was buried there in 1885 (age 29) but in her Curzon family's plot.

What I wonder is how best to get info on any relevant Workhouse data re his entry into Workhouse, as I think this would clear up whether he is mine, and also whether there would be data on his death, giving more info than the death cert.

Unsure how to get this as I cannot go down to Wales and I don't know his exact date of entry. Anyone know if this info - even an index of what is available - might be available online? Have tried Googling but not getting anywhere.

Very grateful for any guidance.

Regards

Lorna

Hello Lorna,

There’s information about the Newport Union Workhouse here http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Newport and there’s mention of admission and death etc records held by Gwent County Record Office.

I’m not sure how you would get the records without going there. Maybe a begging letter or email would work if they don’t get too many of them. Their offsite access policy includes as follows but I don’t know how far that goes. http://www.torfaen.gov.uk/CommunityAndL ... Policy.pdf

“The GRO will provide information on its holdings by telephone, post and email. Basic enquiries will be answered immediately and all responses will be answered within 10 working days.”

Good luck,
Alan

Hi Lorna,

If I have the correct family in 1891 at Newport............

James Price 76
Mary Price 74
John Price 45
Wm Price 7
Hannah Knight 79

...........then, maybe a mistake but, according to the census John Price is single. When did your John marry? I can see this family in 1871 (with John) but can't find them in 1881.

Regards,
Annette

Hi Lorna
Not exactly what you are looking for but it looks like a good site to help you get to know your way around holdings in Wales.
http://www.archiveswales.org.uk/index.php?id=1044

Workhouse and asylum records may contain information about ancestors who had the misfortune to be sent to one of these institutions. Records have not always survived, but where they have they are usually in local authority archives.

Best wishes
Lesley

I see your family in 1881 and the girls split in 1891.

Could John have died before 1891? Where did Ann die?

Regards,
Annette

Hello Alan and Lesley - Thank you for that information and I am now starting to look up and see what I can find. Many thanks.

Hello Annette - Yes, the family are in Pontypool in 1881 with the three girls and then in 1891, the family in "Civil Parish - Christchurch; Municipal Ward - Maindee; Town - Newport" are def. Parents James (76) & Mary (74), Son John (45) and g.son William (17). The ages are right, the birthplaces - parents and John in Cwmyoy and Wm. in Pontypool are also correct.

I have assumed that my grandmother was correct in saying he was dead as her uncle was a witness at her wedding in Croydon and she told her children that her father could not cope with his wife Anne's death in 1885, "gambled away" his business and then committed suicide. However, I have found no record of a suitable death of a John Price b. 1845, from 1885 until the two Workhouse deaths in 1900. Neither of the Workhouse deaths are of "gunshot wounds" so I presumed that the suicide was just a "family story" for some reason.

You are quite correct Annette, I really don't know when and where John died it is just making the best of circumstantial evidence. That is why I would like to find out as much as poss. about the chap who died in Newport.

Thanks so much for all the help.

Lorna

Update from a happy camper

Currie wrote:
I’m not sure how you would get the records without going there.

Up came a generous offer from a TS member in Wales to down tools on his DIY "holiday" and spend time in Cwmbran looking up records for me. isn't that just great

I have phoned the records office and in Newport and Pontypool they did not take details. No parents noted for adults and no addresses. They note illnesses, whether lunatic and on discharge or demise give details of diet
They tried to be helpful and sent me on details of what records are available.

Thanks for the guidance.

Lorna

Hi Lorna,
I saw your post regarding Newport Workhouse records and your success with the Record Office.
I too, would like a search made of these records but on their website they say that they charge £25 per hour.
Were you charged at all for the information they gave you over the telephone please? I hope you don't mind me contacting you.
Sue

Hello Sue
I don't mind you asking at all, certainly not. Newport did not charge me for answering very superficial questions about what info they had available etc. and they sent me on an info sheet re their available archives with a list of folk prepared to do researches. I was lucky in having an offer from a contact on TS for whom I had done a look up here in Scotland. He was the one who did all the actual finding. For a subsequent search I contacted a lady on the Newport Archives researchers list. I had met up with her at an FHS conference and decided to enlist her paid help. She found another link in my family chain but to be honest I think I was very, very lucky in having such good co-operative allies!

Gwent FHS are a very active group and might well help you. I joined up prior to visiting Wales for a research weekend and included their conference on my agenda. However, obviously not everyone can buzz off to Wales, but they do print requests and interests in their quarterly booklet. All that will sound a bit long winded and I am sorry I cannot make any suggestions that would offer a speedier and cheaper answer.

If you want to ask about something I have not touched on do just ask.
Regards
Lorna

Sue!

Hope you find the information you're looking for. As Lorna said, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!

All the best,
Sarah