Sharing names - Heritage

[ladyramkin2000]

No: HPFGUIDX 98755

Gina wrote:

I might add that in those days (ever seen or read Nicholas Nickleby?)
that if a father did not want a son, he could pay to have him sent 
away - school, orphanage etc. and more often than not it was a 
horrible place they landed.

Now me (Sylvia)

But Dickens was writing in the 1830's, when it was easier to dispose 
of unwanted children.   By the time Tom Riddle was born, I wouldn't 
have thought it was so easy to summarily dump an unwanted baby. It 
would, of course, have been possible to pack him off to a boarding 
school, but not, I think, to an orphanage.
BTW, not all illegitimate children ended up like Smike.  Harriet 
Smith, in "Emma" by JKR's favourite author, was certainly not wanted 
at home, but was very well provided for and quite happy.