What is a 'found child'?

[SGSmith]

Greetings,

I've been researching my paternal mother's family in ~Abbey/Paisley during the mid 1800s and have most recently have been searching for more information on an older sibling of my great grandfather. I found him first in the 1861 census living with his father and stepmother at age 11years. The only other record I've found of him is at 1 year old in the 1851 census, living with his father and an earlier wife. In this 1851 record he is listed as being a 'found child'. I've not seen this phrase used to describe the position of a member of a household before, and have not been unable to find what it means. Has anyone knowledge of what this phrase might mean? Thanks very much in advance.

-SGS-

[WilmaM]

Hi Welcome To TS,

I take it this is the family in question:

1851
Piece: SCT1851/559 Place: Abbey (Paisley) -Renfrewshire Enumeration District: 6
Civil Parish: Abbey (Paisley) Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 469 Page: 16 Schedule: 70
Address: 5 Renfrew St

ROSS Hamilton Head M M 27 Engineer Mechanic Renfrewshire - Paisley
ROSS Elizabeth Wife M F 27 Renfrewshire - Paisley
ROSS Hamilton Orphan - M 1 Found Child Renfrewshire - Paisley
THOMSON William Lodger - M 14 Weaver's Assistant Renfrewshire - Paisley

I search in Abbey Paisley for a 1 year old male in 1851 on Freecen and he was the only 1 that came up with this phrase.
as it says he is an orphan I take it that he is a foundling, an abandoned baby, that the Rosses have taken in. At age 27 they are likely to be childless so have 'adopted' him or he was literally left on their doorstep.
I don't think formal adoption was common then and orphans were just absorbed into the community either by extended family or given to a known childless couple.

How is he described in the 1861 census? [ Freecen only has 1841/51 for Paisley]

[SGSmith]

Greetings from Canada WIlmaM

Thanks for your reply. Indeed you have winkled out the family in question. The child 'Hamilton', listed as 'found child' in the 1851, is noted as 'son' in the 1861 census. However in the 1861 census the family has changed significantly: the wife Elizabeth (in the 1851 census), died of long-term consumption in 1859 and her husband, Hamilton Ross McLean, married shortly thereafter to Flora Johnston. Besides young Hamilton in the household, a younger sister is living with Flora's parents, and there are now several other children in the household, a number of these predate Flora's arrival, but apparently some were born of yet a different mother (Elizabeth Thomson) - how she figures into the story is the reason I was trying to find the mother of young Hamilton and his slightly younger sister Catherine.

regards,

-SGS-

[Elwyn 1]

There was no formal adoption procedure in Scotland in the 1850s. You just handed the child over. Unwanted babies were often left on the steps of the church (often showing up in baptism records, as has been said, as a “foundling”). The church would then try to home the child. Presumably the Minister knew that this couple had no children and asked them if they would take it. They appear to have agreed, and given it their surname. The birth mother’s identity probably always remained unknown.

[paddyscar]

ScotlandsPeople [url] http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk listing of unusual words lists 'foundling - abandoned child' It's likely just been abbrieviated.


Frances

[paddyscar]

ScotlandsPeople http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk listing of unusual words lists 'foundling - abandoned child'. 'Found' is likely just an abbieviation by the census taker.

Frances