ah - that is THE question! and if you/we knew, we'd solve a huge mystery surrounding many people in the past poorhouses! My first thought would be that since they labeled him as *idiot*, perhaps the others were labeled too - sometimes the census worker did not write them down. Also, the fact that he was 22, he could go to work for someone, whereas children were apprenticed out when someone wanted an extra hand around the home/farm, etc. [boys more so than girls]. Perhaps the mother couldn't keep all the children in her care when she was widowed; it sounds harsh to us now, but back then I guess they had to do what they could to survivie. Your best source would be to check with the local historian from the area of the poorhouse - they will have records that may shed more light on their situation [registration book, forms, inventory of their goods, perhaps letters, etc.]. I did a book about one of the former poorhouses of western NY, and reading some of the records of the facility were amazing - how terrible some were treated, while others appeared to be doing well. Good luck in your researching! : )Linda ----- Original Message ----- From: <gc-gateway@rootsweb.com> To: <POORHOUSES-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2011 8:12 AM Subject: [POORHOUSES] Devizes poorhouse > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Author: greylyla > Surnames: > Classification: queries > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.institutions.poorhouses.general/113/mb.ashx > > Message Board Post: > > My Ancester, was Kate Cummings, and she is listed in the workhouse of > Devizes, Wiltshire in the 1881 census, along with her sister MArtha > Cummings (age 6) and brother William Cummings (age 22.) > > William is listed as "idiot from birth" (which was previously unmentioned > in the other censuses.) Are there any records available which might > suggest why these children (Kate and Martha) were submitted to the > workhouse, while their other siblings were able to stay with their mother, > their father being deceased? > > any help would be greatly appreciated!