Sir,—I am searching for historical or social information about howsingle pregnant girls were helped in giving birth in Dublin around thebeginning of the twentieth century. In particular I have evidence of anumber of births in 1916 at 590 North Circular Road. The person givenas present at the births was a Frances Moran. Dr Barnado’s, ChristChurch Place, informs me that quite a number of people who came to themlooking for their birth-parents give 590 NCR as their place of birth.Before 1916 the address of the house was 30 Richmond Place. It is stillstanding near the corner of Summerhill and the NCR and is believed tobe two hundred years old. On the NCR there were many nursing homes, butin contrast to number 590 they were registered as such. Local knowledgeis very sparse, but I have been informed that the house was usedexclusively for girls from the country and certainly not for girls fromDublin. It was run by a midwife I am told. In particular I aminterested in the question how and by whom and for how long this‘private’ home was run.
CHARLES GRADY
cathal@zonnet.nl