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Birmingham Childrens' Homes in the 1950s

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Hi I was in erdington cottage homes between 1959 to 1963 ( not continuos) all my family were there 3 boys and 2 girls . I have tried to remember which house i was in but it wont come to me.
What i do remember was the lady who was our house mother was an elderly lady and i loved her to pieces. she first took care of me at six months and then when we had to return there i would always end up with her.

In 1965 we were sent to a place identical to erdington cottages only difference is it was up in yorkshire called panel ash ( just outside harrogate.
After this we were sent into foster parents in sheldon (radleys)

My familey reasons for us being in care was we were a single parent family and my mom was very ill with diabetis and heat troubles.

colin
 
Hi all, its a while since i posted on the Aston Homes link, but to confirm I was there at least christmas 1953 up till easter '54. - then we moved back to Liverpool

I was with my brother Donald (he was about eleven at the time, i was seven) in a newish building i believe at the top of the road, and my brother Roger (aged about eight) was in a house i think right opposite the main office.

I think the macdonalds looked after my house at the time

derick
 
hi to all, just reading messages about erdington cottage homes i was there in first house the Lodge has you went in the gate the homes are still there you must go and have a look it brought back a lot of memories for me. most of them good but our mom an my nan gone now and that made me feel bit sad remembering them taking us back after being at home for weekend. Me an my sistyer doreen were in the lodge and my brothers trev an charl were in seaview. I remember thee cocoa in the mornings and how all our shoes were laid out and polished every day. The witches out down on the fields and the blazers we used to wear mine was red funny thing is i never liked red all the time i was growing up dont know if it was memories of the homes but we were looked after well just wanted to be with my mom and dad .our dad was unable to work and mom must have found it really difficult with 7 of us so think thats why we were there. There was no bath in our home i think we were a bit unkept. I love my parents an family so i never wanted to stay in the homes we were all glad to be back home. Midlands counties ice cream thats what i liked.
 
Hi I was in Erdington cottage Homes Birmingham from 6 months old in 1946 until I was thirteen . i was in home 14 on the left hand side at the end . Does anyone know the name of the house I only remember the number. Two Ladies run the home Miss Percy and Miss Hammond . Miss Hammond was a wonderful person . At the time I remember only a few names ,Michal and Pat brother and sister , john Hurry ? Agnis . does anyone remember.
 
Hi, Miggy: Go to "Search" and write in "Pype Hayes End of an Era". There are quite a few posts on that subject will give you a lot of information about Pype Hayes Hall - including one from myself. (my wife was a children's nurse at Pype Hayes Hall during the late Forties and early Fifties...)

Cheers,

Jim Pedley (pedlarman)
 
Hello, I remember, before Miss Percy we had a Miss Coe, I also remember Miss Hammond. I think Michael had a sister "Agnes" John Hurry had a sister Sheila. I was the youngest girl with a girl named Pat who was a little older. We used to go through the boys dormitory and through a little door into the next home when we did fore practice. There was a wardrobe on the landing with a mirror on the front. In the night if you went to the toilet it was terryfying, the trees were reflected in the mirrror and there was never a light on. Pantomimes at Christmas given at local works and trips to the Licky hills. Holidays in Barmouth and great fun in the old washhouse out back. Saturday morning pocket money and cinema day. So happy. My brother was in a home opposite, I hardly ever saw him. I went to Osborne Road school. Life changed when I left at the age of ten years, 1956. for many years I have wandered what happened to the other children. I did return once to visit but things were not the same. Miss Percy seemed very stict aftere Miss Coe. Stay in touch, It would be interesting to hear from anyone else who was there.
 

Hi yvonnerruth thanks for info ,yes miss Percy was strict but miss Hammond made up for it. I do remember the Fire drills going through that little door next door.what i liked about christmas was going down to the cinema in Erdington high street and all being able to pick a present from under the christmas tree.
Went to a little school in the homes and a teacher called miss Spencer but she had a son there as well so it may have been Mrs
then I went to Osbourn road it was a bit awesome
Happy Days . Kingsmen.
yvonneruth said:
Hello, I remember, before Miss Percy we had a Miss Coe, I also remember Miss Hammond. I think Michael had a sister "Agnes" John Hurry had a sister Sheila. I was the youngest girl with a girl named Pat who was a little older. We used to go through the boys dormitory and through a little door into the next home when we did fore practice. There was a wardrobe on the landing with a mirror on the front. In the night if you went to the toilet it was terryfying, the trees were reflected in the mirrror and there was never a light on. Pantomimes at Christmas given at local works and trips to the Licky hills. Holidays in Barmouth and great fun in the old washhouse out back. Saturday morning pocket money and cinema day. So happy. My brother was in a home opposite, I hardly ever saw him. I went to Osborne Road school. Life changed when I left at the age of ten years, 1956. for many years I have wandered what happened to the other children. I did return once to visit but things were not the same. Miss Percy seemed very stict aftere Miss Coe. Stay in touch, It would be interesting to hear from anyone else who was there.
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:)Thankyou for replying Kingsmen, how did you get on when you left the home. Did you have anyone to go to? hope you don't mind my asking. How about work , what sort of employment did you seek? I am trying to come to terms with what has gone wrong with the care system today. We all seemed to be far happier in care than out in the community. As was I for a good few years. Have you had contact from anyone else who was there?
Ruth
 
Gudrun said:
Hi. For anyone wanting to find out more about Council-run children's homes in Birmingham, have a look at www.connectinghistories.org.uk/childrenshomes.asp. I have just finished working on it and would be really interested to hear what you think of it.
Gudrun
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....WELL-DONE..GUDRUN..great-info...the school register for shenley-fields, where can it be looked at"...my gfather spent most of his young life in the homes..from 1915-1928...firstly @ summerhill, then shenley-fields.. i did copy some of the register at KEW.. from 1912-1916..is there any school reports or leaving cert,s.. my gfather,s name was jack preen, it was,it until 1940, when he married he was told his real name..john newman.. his mother married 7,times, & is buried very close to most of them"... my gfather went to a reunion in 1974,..to meet his old class-mates..[THE TREES]. i have photos, fr this,.. a year on from this my gfather passed away..taking all his memories with him...bless him.... regards,...christy..
 
Re: Princess Alice (nch)

My mother was in Princess Alice Orphanage in 1940. It wasnt a nice place to be. Mum was very unhappy there and has many upsetting tales to tell. She remembers Eward Pink who was in the boys house, I wonder if anyone remembers him. Mum's name was then Joan ( Edna ) Tiddiman
 
Hello, I wonder if you remember a Mary Teresa ( Tess ) nee Johnson born 1945. Mary was in Shenley Fields after her mother died in 1950. There are no records of her after 1961 so we think she may have gone abroad. Desperate to find her. Sorry you had such a horrible time, my mum was in Princess Alice in 1940 and went through hell ! Regards Christine
 
Can anyone please tell me anything about Barrowash House? Was it a Children's home in the 1950s, or part of a children's home?
Many thanks Rosy
 
Can you tell me please if there is a register for Shenley Fields Childrens Home for the 1950's we are searching for a Mary Teresa nee Johnson born 1945
, regards Christine
 
Hi,

1950-1962 approx, does anyone remember Foster parents with the surname Cope please? I think it would have been
in the Erdington Cottage Homes.
Many thanks
Rosy
 
Hi no but i can tell you another person whom done a great job in fostering kids from there a lady way back in the fifties was a mrs frisby whom adopted two or three from thereher story was in the news papers
and i became good friends with one of them for years a great lady ; sadly she died many years ago it would be great ifthere was more like her around today it did not matter about the race or creed she took them both ; she fostered them ;; astonian;;;
 
Thankyou Astonian. That is very nice to hear. It's so nice to read something good.
But if anyone knows of foster parents with the surname COPE, 1955-1962 approx, in the Erdington cottage homes it would help us tremendously
in our search for my sister please.
My sister may have been put with them as she was a bit 'wayward'. And they were a Religious family.
Thankyou Astonian & everyone
Rosy
 
Rosy said:
Hi,

1950-1962 approx, does anyone remember Foster parents with the surname Cope please? I think it would have been
in the Erdington Cottage Homes.
Many thanks
Rosy
Click to expand...

Hi Rosy

The Bham Electoral Roll shows an Elizabeth Cope in 1955 at Shenley Fields Childrens Homes and a Florence E Cope in 1950.

Suzanne
 
Hi Suzanne,

Thankyou for that info, and for looking it up.
The Christian names we have, if they are correct, are Lesley & Margaret. But that could be wrong.
The Florence E Cope would be going back too far, as my sister didn't go in the home until then at the age of 5 years.
But thankyou for the info about Elizabeth Cope. I will follow that up.
Thankyou so much for your help. Have a nice evening
Rosy
 
hi guys
I am wondering just how any homes was there in brum all those years ago as i have found a site today and it was full of homes and the history behind them ; and i read a good article onthe mosely rd remand home and its history and how it was a boy and girl home and not all was tear aways
once owned by the city council and social services for kids whom lost thre parents for various reasons then it was the local remand for the courts mainly the cadburys famly whom decided on the fate of kids as they ran the system in those days it late became known as atherstone house for boys and girls up to a or remand for courtscertain age and at a cwertain age they would be shipped to forral house in kings norton which also you learn about the the owners and the kids being kept there for the courts where hey was held then if they was guilty of a crime and the cadburys felt punishment was need they would go back and shipped tpo some where else up the country ; but there is a dozen or more all over birminggham in those days which i nerver knew about
its a very good topic to log into and tells you the ownrs of such big houses ;
i know why atherstone was closed down and it was not the cost of the running but the carrying ons there ;as the kids ran amok and let out on there own to the shops and smoking weed in them days as i recall the article in the birmingham mail and it was closed down in the1970 so its been standing empty for 13 years now
so why have the council allowed it to deteriate all these years surely it could serve a good person for the homeless hostel or some think
so just how many childrens homes was there ; in brum years ago any ideas ;? astonian;
 
HI CAROLINA ;
Hope you are well and having a nice evening ; on the subject of letting you know i most certainly wiill tommorrow
as i am researching them nowad i have to close down now as i have got to drive to redditch the other side of worcestershire
to pick up my dear old dutchess as she as gone out dancing with out me tonight as i am having a feild day today discovering such alot
of things that are coming to light with me sorry about this but i will definately do it for you and any other members whom are researching this topic
take care astonian;;
 
There is a site on Birminghams' children's homes that I did a few years ago here https://www.connectinghistories.org.uk/childrenshomes.asp that you might find useful. In total, I found around 100 children's homes run by the council at one time or another. There are just a handful now.

I went past Athelstone House a couple of days ago - and it has all been done up. It looks like it might be apartments now.
Gudrun
 
I am asking for help on behalf of my father who attended tennal school from 1950-1956 from the age of 10-16. He as very vivid memories od his time there and of the teachers and would very much like to talk to anyone who was there with him,if they are still alive as my dad is in his 70s now.
 
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