Under "Reason" the term CH and a date means the child was definitely recorded as being sent to the Cottage Homes that year. Otherwise, it shows the entry in the Workhouse Entry and Discharge Books. Often no specific reason is stated.

Names of children

These are as derived from the Guardians' Minute Books and Workhouse Entry and Discharge Books, different spellings may in a few cases have thus caused two entries for what is in fact only one child. Loake may also actually include Loak. Clipstone may also include Clipston and Clipson, etc, so beware. Do not assume that all those having the same surname are from the same family. Where it is clearly not so I have suffixed a or b.

Christian names

Variations may include Nellie for Ellen, May for Mary, and it is likely that a child with two or more may have preferred not to use his first name, which was used on documents, just as sometimes happens now. The clerk recording Minutes would not be as familiar as some of the Guardians with the children and their names. Some mishearing and incorrect spellings must have occurred.

Dates of birth

Only those having day and month are presumed to be correct. They have not been checked by reference to civil registration documents, which should be sought if definite confirmation is required, others by back-calculating from entering service or apprenticeship (aged 14) or going to the "Exmouth" training ship (aged 12). A wide range, 1899/1904 for example, is from the Discharge Book which only shows children as aged "3 - 8" or "8 - 16".