Stockwell Orphanage

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 89627

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "a_reader2003" 
<carolynwhite2 at a...> wrote:

Carolyn: 
> Geoff, a further point on location. As you will have gathered, I 
> wouldn't choose Baptist history as my starter for 10 on Mastermind, 
> but a faint bell has just rung in my head about the Welsh Baptists, 
> as a well-known and vocal part of your church. 
> 
> There are so many Welsh threads in the series, not least about 
> Godric's Hollow, dragons, green eyes etc etc.. could this be 
another? 
> Is Little Hangleton on the Welsh border perhaps ?

Geoff:
The Baptist church in England is very widespread and is one of the 
strongest of the UK non-Conformist churches. It is a bit thin on the 
ground in Devon and Cornwall - the Wesleys got there first :-) - but 
usually there are a number of churches in most areas.

The Welsh Baptists tend to be a bit of a law unto themselves and are 
very independently minded. I would have doubts as to whether, if 
seeking an orphanage for someone like young Tom, they would go to an 
English institution in London. 

There has been discussion on Little Hangleton. Some folk place it in 
the north. If you drew a 200 mile radius circle round Little Whinging 
which folk place in the northern bit of Surrey, it could include 
parts of Wales.

My own view, for what it's worth, is that it is in the West Country. 
I've said before that the pub name - "The Hanged Man" - resonates 
with me as being a relic of the West Country Monmouth Rebellion of 
1685. I may be totally wrong; it's just a gut feeling.

There is no other data to draw on. The only Hangeltons listed in a 
road gazeteer are around Brighton on the south coast of Sussex and a 
mere 50 miles from London.