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C. was an orphan, both his parents had died of tuberculosis. Following his mother's death C. and his brother were living with their married sister who was regarded as their Guardian. The sister wrote to an uncle and aunt for help maintaining the children but they replied that as they had their own families to support they could do nothing. The sister then said the same thing so the boys were sent to Morpeth Workhouse. The employers of another brother who had died while working as a groom were interested in the orphaned children "and they [were] going to subscribe to the Home". C. was admitted to St Aidan's Home, Whitley on 20 December 1902. Application was made for his brother to be sent to the Northern Counties Orphanage. In July 1904 it was reported from St Aidan's Home that C. had been caught "in various acts of theft". The boy had been talked to and punished and he although he promised not to offend again he had done so. The authorities at the Home were worried because nothing they did seemed to have any effect on the boy and they wanted advice on how to proceed. It was decided that C. would do better in a Home for older boys where he was under the charge of a Master and on 12 August 1904 he was transferred to the Tattenhall Home for Boys in Cheshire. Unfortunately in April 1905 the Secretary of the Home reported that C. had again been stealing. She feared that the boy was "a regular thief" and it might be difficult to make him mend his ways. On 7 April 1905 C. was transferred to the Standon Farm Home for Boys in Staffordshire and in May 1909 he went out to work as a Groom in Bridgend, Glamorgan. |
