"Orphanage" on Mount Pleasant Road

[Kevin Hyland]

Hi

I'm trying to look into the family history after my grandfather past away and I'm really needing some assistance.

My grandfather William (Bill) Hyland was born in 1909 supposedly in or around Ore - his birth does not appear to have been registered so I cannot trace his parents but it's believed to be Marcus (Mark?) Hyland and Jane Louisa Wells (Or Rice!).

My grandfather did not like talking about his past so we're guessing there was something to hide or he was uncertain of somethings. The one bit he does know is that around about 1914, he and his sister (Lizzie or Elizabeth) were found "abandoned" while playing in a field, while their father was away somewhere. They were taken into care, the father was arrested for neglect or something like that and basically the kids taken away from the family. My grandfather says he was taken to an "orphanage" on Mount Pleasant Road in Hastings (?) but when I checked on the 1901 census there does not appear to be an "orphanage" on that road.

Does anybody know if such an "orphanage" existed and if so, what it was called and if any records could have survived? I'm hoping that if there are records, there may be some clue as to my grandfathers parentage.

Sorry if I waffled on a bit here - I don't really have much to go on so I'm trying to put down what bits I know!

Thanks in advance for any assistance

Kevin

[Deborah]

Hi,
Just wondered if you found the orphanage you were looking for?
I too, have a similar story. My Granny and her brothers were sent to an orphanage in that area. She would never speak of it and destroyed any documents after questioning her.
She was born in St. Leonards and the last known address was in 1910_ _ _Bourne Walk, Hastings. I can't for the life of me, find any death record for her parents_ _ _from that time forward.
Deborah

[Ann]

Hi Kevin
My name is Ann Cureton (nee Hyland)
We are second cousins. Your father Mike and my father are cousins.
My email address is acureton@optusnet.com.au
Please contact me?

Regards Ann

[lyn_van_vuuren]

Hi Kevin and Ann,
I think it is awesome the two of you have found family. I too am looking for an orphanage in Hastings where my Grandmother and her siblings went after being, I am told, abandoned by their father. My Gran was Elsie Clark, her sister Dorothy and Rose her brother was William and I am told she continually visited the ophanage until she left England to join my Grandfather George Daniels in the Rhodesia. Has anyone got any more information on this childrens facility for me. I would be thrilled to hear for you.
Regards
Lyn

[louise_williams]

Hi Kevin,

Just browsing the net myself looking for the Orphanage on Mount Pleasant Road and came across this site with your message! My Nan was Lilian Caroline Hyland born 1912 and was the sister of you grandfather William (Bill) and Elizabeth (Bessie). My Nan who has now passed spent her last years living at Mount Pleasant Court a warden care home which is situated close, or in fact on the actual site the orphanage was. She briefly spoke of her time there as a child and said that she was surprised to meet up with her brother William after her and her brothers and sisters were separated after their mother died and Father had to fight in ww1. I know that on her birth certificate her Fathers name is Marcus Hyland and her mother is Julia Louisa Wells.please reply asap!

[mike_hyland]

[quoted]
Louise Williams wrote:
Hi Kevin,

Just browsing the net myself looking for the Orphanage on Mount Pleasant Road and came across this site with your message! My Nan was Lilian Caroline Hyland born 1912 and was the sister of you grandfather William (Bill) and Elizabeth (Bessie). My Nan who has now passed spent her last years living at Mount Pleasant Court a warden care home which is situated close, or in fact on the actual site the orphanage was. She briefly spoke of her time there as a child and said that she was surprised to meet up with her brother William after her and her brothers and sisters were separated after their mother died and Father had to fight in ww1. I know that on her birth certificate her Fathers name is Marcus Hyland and her mother is Julia Louisa Wells.please reply asap!
[/quoted]
Hi Louise,
Please contact me - mike6pump@talktalk.net

[mike_hyland]

Would Louise Williams please contact me as soon as possible re our ancestry.
Thank you

Michael J. Hyland ( William's son )

[kim_owen]

[quoted]
Kevin Hyland wrote:
Hi

I'm trying to look into the family history after my grandfather past away and I'm really needing some assistance.

My grandfather William (Bill) Hyland was born in 1909 supposedly in or around Ore - his birth does not appear to have been registered so I cannot trace his parents but it's believed to be Marcus (Mark?) Hyland and Jane Louisa Wells (Or Rice!).

My grandfather did not like talking about his past so we're guessing there was something to hide or he was uncertain of somethings. The one bit he does know is that around about 1914, he and his sister (Lizzie or Elizabeth) were found "abandoned" while playing in a field, while their father was away somewhere. They were taken into care, the father was arrested for neglect or something like that and basically the kids taken away from the family. My grandfather says he was taken to an "orphanage" on Mount Pleasant Road in Hastings (?) but when I checked on the 1901 census there does not appear to be an "orphanage" on that road.

Does anybody know if such an "orphanage" existed and if so, what it was called and if any records could have survived? I'm hoping that if there are records, there may be some clue as to my grandfathers parentage.

Sorry if I waffled on a bit here - I don't really have much to go on so I'm trying to put down what bits I know!

Thanks in advance for any assistance

Kevin

[/quoted]


Hi Kevin, my Grandfather was in a mother less boys home called St Leonards, in Hastings. There was a girls home and a boys home in the town. My grandfather passed away about 5 years ago - but he wrote a book about his time in the home. Its a really nice book and goes into lots of detail about the home and the boys in the home. The home was up a hill from the sea_ _ _.? The Book my Grandfather wrote is called "Don't forget to yell", its a nod back to the fact that they all got the cane a lot and if you yelled anyway as the cane came past your legs sometimes the Captain missed you out by accident. I have talked to my Grandfather in length about his time there. It was tough but he was treated very fairly, and he turned out to be a fantastic man, with a lovlely family and an admirable set of values which he always says was due to the home. My grandafather was there from when he was 7 till the age of 12.
I live in New Zealand, but if you want more info or I can help you heres my email:kim@fedpac.co.nz

[kim_owen]

Hi Please see my reply to the posting above. I have a copy of the book my grandfather wrote about the home, St.Leonards. My grandfathers name was Len Hill (his nick name at the home was skinny). I am guessing he was there in the early to mid 1920s..
Kim@fedpac.co.nz You might find a copy of the book on ebay??
Kim Owen

[kim_owen]

[quoted]
Deborah wrote:
Hi,
Just wondered if you found the orphanage you were looking for?
I too, have a similar story. My Granny and her brothers were sent to an orphanage in that area. She would never speak of it and destroyed any documents after questioning her.
She was born in St. Leonards and the last known address was in 1910_ _ _Bourne Walk, Hastings. I can't for the life of me, find any death record for her parents_ _ _from that time forward.
Deborah

[/quoted]


Hi Deborah, yes there was a motherless girls home/ orphanage. Please see my other posts on this site. My Grandfather wrote a book, he was in the boys home, St. Leonards and mentions some of the girls in the girls home vitising at xmas etc..