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Shenley Fields

The name didn't mean anything to my mother. She can't remember much about Shenley Fields as she was only 3 or 4 when she left. My mother doesn't know anybody of that name in Mountain Ash either, sorry. Don't give up though, we'll ask around :). What about Jill Plumley's book on Shenley Fields? If you read back on this thread you will see her phone number. Good luck!
 
Please thank your Mother for tryiing. I have had Jill Plumley's book for many years, and have found it very interesting, and is a good account of Shenley Fields, but unfortunately did not give anything which I could connect with myself.
I will keep trying myself, and intend to contact Jill Plumley shortly. Once again may thanks for your interest and assistance.
 
I checked the phone books for O'Grady but no luck. When I spoke to Jill Plumley she was hoping to contact children who were evacuated to Mountain Ash. Hope you find what you're looking for. :)
 
In June this year I mentioned about my Dad being put in Shenley Fields aged 10 in 1920 with one of his brothers. and how he occasionally talked about it, and how I got the impression that he had a hard time there. As a teenager I didn't listen that much, and since wished I had.
However, I recently found 4 sheets of paper on which he had written a very detailed description, of the place and the people running it.
One paragraph in his writings mentions one of the many daily chores about large tins of 'Ronuk' polish for the bedroom floors applied with a 'bumper' wrapped in a blanket, but the boys often turned the chore into 'fun' by wrapping blankets round their feet and sliding along the floors. Another paragraph mentions a big coal fired boiler, from which hot water, was carried by the boys for bath nights and how, one night, a boy named Fielding tragically fell into the boiler.
 
What a wonderful find oldMohawk. It must be quite emotional reading something like that.
 
my dad was in the home from 1945 to 1953 he was in ryedale home 10 his name was Leslie Fream , doe's any one remember him , as he passed away 16 years ago , and would love to know if any body remembered him.
I was in the home from 1947- 1950. My name was Robert Cooper born on July 24th 1941.
 
my dad was in the home from 1945 to 1953 he was in ryedale home 10 his name was Leslie Fream , doe's any one remember him , as he passed away 16 years ago , and would love to know if any body remembered him.
My name was robert cooper and i was in the home from 1947-1950. does anyone have a? Thanks. copy of the book the childen`s home by jill plumley to sell
 
My name was robert cooper and i was in shenley fields until 1950
 
Is there anyone who would like to sell a copy of the book written by Jill Plumley- One Hundred Years of Memories?
I live in Australia and cannot find a new or used copy.
I`ve tried Ebay/ Amazon and still no luck.
Thanks,
Robert Cooper.
 
hi,robert.. on page 2, there is jills, number..give her a buzz..or e,mail most librarys, in brum they should help you out.. or try kings norton library..ok..all the best,...christy..
 
Hi Christy,
I am replying for my brother, Robert Cooper, as he has no internet.
Would you know of Jill`s internet address?
Thanks so much for getting in touch. I would really love to suprise him with the book.
Kind regards,
Robert Cooper and Julie Bird.:wave:
 
ok i will try, why don,t you bell jill, her number is on page 2 of this thread, i know the time wise as to phoning its 1pm here in brum now, as i do this message,i,ll have to work that out...let me know how you get on ok,...christy..
 
hi jacqueline, i have spoken to jill plumley who wrote all about [SHENLEY-FIELDS]homes her number is 0121 475 5623 to order your book your family may well be here, best of luck,christy
hello, robert try her number ok...best wishes...christy..
 
Hi My Husband Stephen Baker was in shenley fields 1965-1970-71. He was in ryedale. He was 7yrs old when he left. Was anyone there at the same time. He remembers Mr & Mrs Stephenson he had the small bedroom to his self as he was the youngest there.
 
Hello Mohawk

Many have spoken about the difficult experiences of being 'in care' in the twenties and thirties. I have put this in other places but will put it again. It would have been illuminating for our parents and grandparents to have had a site like this to communicate through before they died. If our relatives did not have the workhouses and children's homes they would have had less. Hard and even cruel they may have been at times, but my father for example had a good life, children and happiness later. Although he carried the loss of never seeing brothers and sisters that he was removed from very early and never saw again. A rhyme he used to sing to me as a little boy was a ryme he said they used to sing in Shenley Fields Children's Home. Perhaps used for other childrens homes over the decades?

"There is a rotten place called Shenley Fields, where we have bread and jam for all our meals. Egg and bacon never seen, nor no biscuits in a tin, that's why we run away from Shenley Fields". Ps - My father never ran away!

My father James Edmunds-Littleford (Jim), born 1919, was in a workhouse as an infant before being going to Shenley Fields Children's home in early 1920's and Royal School for the Deaf. After this, at about 16, he went to a working Home for boys in Birminham then went to a college in Manchester studying Baking and Confectionary. I believe this was a difficult life but my dad was always grateful for his chance and enjoyed his life with many successes including meeting my mom and having two lovely children (me included) perhaps he was one of the lucky one's. It is interesting that he went to his deaf club - Institute for the Deaf in Granville Street, Birmingham, followed by an hour in the Granville pub (now a theme pub O'Neil's ?) cormer of Granville Street and Broad Street. He did this from 18 (college time aside) to 83 when he died after his last night at the deaf club which had then been moved to Ladywood.
 
Thank you for sharing your father's memories with us Peterz. I don't think we have any idea today what some went through in these times. It's so nice your Dad had such a positive view.
 
The Birmingham Archives and Heritage have started a project called "The History of Childrens Homes in Birmingham", which is to be based on the memories of people who have lived or worked in any of the childrens homes and the project is funded by the Heritage Lottery fund.

They are hoping to develop an archive of materials and photographs relating to all the childrens homes within Birmingham thus creating a valuable archive of historical materials and facts which will greatly assist others in the future who may be looking for information either about the history of a childrens home or details about an ancestor who may have lived or worked in one of the homes.

Anyone wishing to contibute any photographs or written or verbal memories to this worthwhile project can contribute their memories anonymously if they wish and can contact the team in confidence at:
Childrens Home Project,
Birmingham Archives and Heritage,
6th Floor, Birmingham Central Library
Chamberlain Square
Birmingham
B3 3HO
Tel: 0121 464 0993
Tel: 0121 303 4549
e-mail: [email protected]

https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellit...apper%2FWrapper
 
My dad was in Shenley Fields in the 40's with his brothers and sisters hes name was Brian Hollis he spent 8yrs there and left when was 9yrs old, anyone here remember him or his family Maisie, Leslie, Pauline and Sheila.
 
Hi

My Dad was put in Shenley fields in 1939 aged 2 by his father, His name was Stanley Sutton. He was evacuated to Mountain Ash in 1942 and was collected from the home by his Mother in 1945 as Stanley Harrison. Dad remembers very little about the home as he was so young, does anyone remember him?

I have tried to contact Jill Plumley to get a copy of the book for him, but I haven't been able to get hold of her. Does anybody have a copy I could buy or have any other way of contacting her? An email address maybe?
 
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