A Foundling ‘of colour’ – Fanny Kenyon

By John D Ellis

Like many of the early nineteenth century London poor, Fanny Kenyon’s exact date of birth was unknown. Either she did not know it, or those that kept the records she appeared in were not bothered in recording it with any precision – other than it was c.1804.  In Fanny Kenyon’s case, this may have been exacerbated by the fact that she was “of colour” and had been a ward of the Foundling Hospital in Holborn from birth.^[1]A ‘foundling’ is a child, usually a baby, that has been abandoned by their parent and discovered and cared for by others. On admittance to Newgate Gaol Fanny Kenyon identified the Foundling … Continue reading The reference to her being ‘of colour’ does not reveal whether she was of African or Asian origin or ‘mixed heritage’.

A Foundling

Built in the 1740s, in 1756 the House of Commons decreed that the hospital should be open to children aged between two and twelve months from all over England. A strict criterion had to be met for an infant to be admitted: The previous good character of the mother, that the child should be the first born of their mother and that the father of the child had abandoned the mother. With illegitimacy frequently being stigmatised, Fanny Kenyon was one of several foundling children baptised at the hospital in June 1804.^[3]England & Wales Non-Conformist Births And Baptisms. TNA/RG/4/4238. findmypast.co.uk Baptism was a well-intentioned attempt to assimilate the wards of the Foundling Hospitable into ‘respectable society’.

Fanny Kenyon was brought up in the Foundling Hospital, until she reached an age upon which she could be apprenticed (probably at 10-12 years old), when she was placed with a Mrs McKenzie of Hatfield, Hertfordshire for six or seven years.^[4]Minute Book of the Refuge for the Destitute, 23rd October 1822. Hackney Archives Department. HAD D/S/4/6. Old Bailey Associated Records … Continue reading Domestic service was frequently the fate of foundlings, orphans and those female children unfortunate to find themselves in the poorhouse. In Fanny Kenyon’s case, the fashion at that time, for servants of Black or Asian origin, may well have been a mixed blessing. A search of the London based British newspapers in the archive held on findmypast.co.uk for the years ‘1810-1822’ and the words “woman of colour” identified several advertisements seeking servants ‘of colour’.

Some were clearly intending that service was undertaken in Britain, including an advert from November 1811 by a “Lady in ill health” who had resided “almost all of her life in the West Indies” and wished to “engage a Black woman or Woman of colour (a native of any of the West India Islands)” as an attendant.^[5]Morning Post, 11^th November 1811. findmypast.co.uk

Others were looking to recruit ‘women of colour’ for the purpose of accompanying their employers to either the East or West Indies.^[6]London Courier and Evening Gazette, 20^th December 1817. Morning Post, 10^th March 1820. findmypast.co.uk For example, in February 1814, a lady “going abroad” advertised for “a WOMAN of COLOUR, who understands mantua making, millinery, hairdressing and setting up lace…”^[7]Mantua was a style of loose gown fashionable in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Morning Post, 17^th February 1814. findmypast.co.uk

Advertisements were also placed by individual ‘women of colour’ themselves seeking employers planning on travelling to the East or West Indies: From the Morning Post, January 1813: “A steady middle-aged Woman of Colour would be happy to TAKE the CHARGE of CHILDREN or wait on a Lady during her passage to the West Indies. Can have an undeniable recommendation and character”.^[8]Morning Post, 20^th January 1813. findmypast.co.uk From the London Courier and Evening Gazette, 1813: “A Woman of Colour would be glad to attend a Lady going to Jamaica”.^[9]Interestingly, the address (postpaid) for this advert was H.M. at Griffith’s Library, Bideford, Devon. London Courier and Evening Gazette, 14^th October 1813. findmypast.co.uk

Turned over and Transferred

With the stability provided by Mrs McKenzie coming to an end, and in quick succession Fanny Kenyon was “…turned over to one Preston, 33 King Street Westminster, with whom she lived six months: again transferred to Mr Ward – 7 Great Smith Street, Westminster: again transferred to Mr. Sharpe, 9 Brunswick Square: again to Mr. Williams, Fountain Court, Strand: then to Mr. Cross, Whitcomb Street and lastly to Mr. Glaskin of Wick Street, Hackney.”^[10]Book of the Refuge for the Destitute, 23^rd October 1823. Hackney Archives Department. HAD D/S/4/6. The terms “turned over” and “transferred to” are taken from the “Book of the Refuge for the Destitute” (1823) and reveal much about contemporary attitudes both to the poor and women.^[11]

Newgate Gaol and the Old Bailey

In October 1822 and following the (relative) stability of the Foundling Hospital and Mrs McKenzie, being “turned over” and “transferred” between Messrs Preston, Ward, Sharpe, Williams, Cross and Glaskin (also rendered as Gaskill), appears to have been too much for Fanny Kenyon. Facing destitution with the loss of her place of employment and residence, or at best being “turned over” and “transferred” again by the Foundling Hospital, Fanny Kenyon appears to have decided to provide for her own future after a lifetime of institutionalisation. She was admitted to Newgate Gaol on the 21^st of October 1822, charged with stealing silk purses to the value of 30s, the property of her most recent employer – Joseph Glaskin.^[12]TNA PCOM2/196. On admittance, she was described as 5 feet 3” tall, a “woman of colour” born in the “foundling hospital”.^[13]Ibid. No occupation was given, simply her marital status – spinster.^[14]TNA PCOM2/196. Out of 2,900 inmates admitted to Newgate Gaol from 19th June 1822 to 20th September 1823, 18 have been identified as being “of colour” (approximately 0.62% of those admitted). … Continue reading

The following day, the Morning Herald (London) provided their readers with a nuanced version of the events that led to Fanny Kenyon’s incarceration.^[15]Morning Herald (London), 22^nd October 1822. findmypast.co.uk

Fanny Kenyon, a young woman of colour, was charged with robbing her master, Mr Gaskill, of Wick Street, Hackney.

Fanny is about nineteen years old and was brought up in the Foundling Hospital. Mr Gaskill engaged her only five weeks ago. She had been in service before; but having been out of place for some time she was much impoverished, and on her entering the service of Mr Gaskill, the Foundling charity very bountifully supplied hr with clothes, &c. as a fresh outfit. For the first fortnight or three weeks everything went on very well. Fanny was pleased with her mistress, and the mistress had every reason to be pleased with Fanny; but after that time she became morose and neglectful of her duty; and at the end of the fifth week, which happened yesterday, she and her mistress mutually agreed to part. There had, however, been something in her conduct which excited suspicion of her honesty; and her master suggested the propriety of inspecting her trunks, before they were taken from his house. This was done, and unfortunately his suspicions were too true, for a great number of new silk purses, and other articles of the same kind, (Mr Gaskill is a manufacturer of these things), were found concealed among her clothes. She was, in consequence, given in charge to a constable; and she then confessed that she had stolen many more things than those which had been found upon her. She even told of two persons with whom she had deposited property of her master to a considerable amount.

This was the substance of the evidence, and the Magistrate immediately issued search warrants against the two persons she had named. One of them, a young woman, was brought to the office in less than an hour after, together with the property; but as there was no direct evidence to show that she had received it, knowing it to be stolen, she was, and the request of Mr Gaskill discharged; and Fanny Kenyon was fully committed for trial.

Mr Gaskill made an appeal to the Magistrate on behalf also of the unfortunate Fanny; but his Worship said he could not listen to it – the law must take its course.^[16]Ibid.

Fanny Kenyon stood trial at The Central Criminal Court (‘The Old Bailey’) on the 23^rd of October 1822:

584. FANNY KENYON was indicted for that she, on the 21^st of October, being servant to Joseph Glaskin, did steal fifteen purses, value 30s, his property.

Joseph Glaskin: I live in Michael Street, Hackney. The prisoner was in my service for five weeks – she was going to leave me on the 21^st of October, I asked to see her box, she said she could not fine the key – I found the key which opened it, and in it were these purses, which are mine. I am the manufacturer. She begged for mercy.

GUILTY^[17]The records of the ‘Old Bailey’ suggest that Fanny Kenyon was 21 years of age and was sentenced to one month in prison. However, those for Newgate Gaol indicate that she was 19 years of age and … Continue reading

The relative leniency of the sentence (there were over 200 capital offences at the time), probably reflected both Fanny Kenyon’s immediate admission of guilt and Joseph Glaskin’s earlier appeal on her behalf. Fanny Kenyon was not destined to serve her time in Newgate Gaol, instead, she was admitted to the ‘Refuge for the Destitute’, whose records for the 23^rd of October 1822 reveal something of her history:

Fanny Kenyon, 19 years of age – brought up in the Foundling Hospital, and apprenticed by that Institution to Mrs. McKenzie Hadleigh, Herts, – with whom she lived six or seven years. She was then turned over to one Preston, 33 King Street Westminster, with whom she lived six months: again transferred to Mr Ward – 7 Great Smith Street Westminster: again transferred to Mr. Sharpe, 9 Brunswick Square: again to Mr. Williams, Fountain Court, Strand: then to Mr. Cross, Whitcomb Street and lastly to Mr. Glaskin of Wick Street, Hackney, with whom she lived 5 weeks, and by whom she was accused of stealing some purses.^[18]The ‘Refuge for the Destitute’ was opened in 1804 by the Reverend EW Whitaker with the aim of assisting juvenile former prisoners with clothing, shelter and work training, in order to help them … Continue reading

Postscript

It has not been possible to identify Fanny Kenyon in any records following her admittance to the ’Refuge for the Destitute’. It is possible that somewhere in the archives of that institution a clue remains as to her fate. If she returned to a life of domestic service then she did not fall foul of the law again. She may well, with the help of the ‘Refuge for the Destitute’ have emigrated to Australia. Her fate remains unknown.