Genealogy Chat

My great-grandmother is listed on the 1901 census as a 'Penitent' (she was transcribed as a 'Patient' until I saw the actual image myself). I don't know why, but I always thought that a Penitent was a nun in training; however, the word penitentiary cropped up today and I realised that this was a prison/reform school. Has anyone else come across a Penitent, and if so, please could they put me right? Many thanks, Mandy :)

Definitions of penitent on the Web: feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds (Roman Catholic Church) a person who repents for wrongdoing (a Roman Catholic may be admitted to penance under the direction of a confessor) www.cogsci.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/webwn [church] Those who were undergoing penance for sin Sounds like a kind name for a lesser offending 'criminal' of some sort- maybe not a criminal but someone thought to have done wrong?

Thanks Jess, I'd checked the dictionary, but for some reason I was sure I had it in my mind about the nun in training bit. Please let it not be a senior moment lol! Mandy :)

Hi Mandy, This world is getting smaller!!!!!! Have you looked for the address where she is described as a Penitent? My gt grandmother was found in a Penitentiary in York in 1861 but she is described as an inmate/ laundry maid not a penitent. Vivienne

Thanks Joy for your help. Thanks Vivienne - no I haven't looked for the address yet as I'm working on another branch and only came to mind because I saw 'penitentiary' mentioned. Where on earth did I get that trainee nun thing from? LOL! Mandy :)

I don't think you are wrong Mandy. I'm sure I read that somewhere also. It may have been in a book I read as child, called Behind Convent Walls. It was set at the time of the Huegonots & was a sunday school prize. Now how did I remember that, it was over fifty years ago? Vivienne

Hi Mandy, As far as I'm aware a penitent is someone seeking forgiveness for sins. There lots of stuff on the catholic websites about this - mostly under the Sacrament of Penance. There are also quite a lot of works of art showing penitents (usually rather classically gaunt men in sackcloth and ashes) and many of the catholic saints are described as penitents. On the nun thing, maybe you were thinking of a postulant who is a trainee nun. Also all people entering a religious order would need to undertake the Sacrament of Penance so they must be a 'penitent' at some time in their training before taking up Holy Orders. The term penitentiary was adopted for prisons which intended to reform criminals (rather than simply house them before they were executed or deported) during the move away from capital punishment in the 18th century. Therefore most people in penitentiaries would be described as inmates or prisoners. I'm not aware of a particular link to any religious orders but I'm sure that someone on here will correct me if I'm wrong. Hope this helps. Louise

Thank you Vivienne and Louise, your replies were really helpful. I can see now where the connection comes between penitent and penitentiary. Nuns would obviously have to repent their sins so maybe she was a nun in training after all - and being described as a penitent rather than an inmate or prisoner would tie in with that. Right - next job is to check on the actual place where she was living. Many thanks everyone, much appreciated. Mandy :)