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Watford Orphanage
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Can you help? - Orphanage, Watford Junction.
Does anyone know anything about the Orphange that was in Watford in the early 1900's on Orphanage Road? I would like to know more about the history of this building which is now luxury flats called the Reed Complex. Hope you can help.
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Hi Mo
Watford Orphan School and Asylum
The London Orphan Asylum was opened in 1871 originally housing 450 children. The Asylum was originally based in Clapton, east London and, after an outbreak of typhoid fever, moved to Watford for more space and a cleaner environment. The building cost £63,000 to erect and the foundation stone was laid in July 1869 by the Prince and Princess of Wales. The buildings are Grade II listed and the complex was sympathetically converted into residential apartments in the 1980s.
Best Regards
M.Pritchard -
can u help me please i am trying to find a relative who was a border at the asylum he was there in 1911 aged 12 but on his death certificate at23 it states his occupation as mental nurse.his name was George William Arthur Hille thank you
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Hi Mo
I am an ex student from LOndon Orphan School/ Reed's School.Watford. IAt the age of ten entered the school on Septamber 15th 1939.
Iam getting pretty old now bit I have only just discovered information on Google.
Idon't think much had changed from early days when I started but things changed dramatically during the war years when we were evacuated.
There was an unique way of getting a position in the school, which involved an interview and then if successfulone had to get votes from subscribers.
If any of this interests you I would be happy to fill you in.
I have been trying to find out where the remaining girls went when the girls' section of the school sadly closed in 1955.
hoping for a reply
Regards Kath George nee Elphick -
I have also tried to find information on orphanage in Watford, My father was there about 1920 and I thought the orphange was in Leavesden Road. He left there for another orphange which I believe to be in called 'Hocketts" at New Barnet. If anyone can help I would appreciate it
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I believe my father, along with his younger sister, may have been student's at the London Orphanage from about 1916 (when their father died) to 1924. In those days Army recruiters used to visit these establishments to recruit boys for the army. When my Dad was shown a picture of a Scottish soldier in full Highland Dress, he decided he wanted to look like that, although he wasn't Scottish! He went on to serve over 28 years in the forces.
Considering the circumstance he think he had a reasonably happy life at the school. He learnt deaf & dumb sign language as quite a few of the children were deaf, he was also very good at darning socks! One of the deaf boys later became an assistant to Logie Baird the pioneer of television and became one of the first people to have his image displayed on a TV screen.
I remember him telling me he saw, from the school grounds, the first German Zeppallin shot down near Watford, in September 1916 by Leefe Robinson VC.
Does anyone know if there any school records still available which can be examined? -
I am looking for information about an Orphanage/Childrens home that my Mother and her siblings were put into in 1943-4 until the end of the war. It was in Ashby Road in watford, just off Leavesden Road. They thought it was called Ashby Homes but it may have been something like Merrifield. If any one can give me any info about the place or where to find some I would be very grateful.
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hi rachel
I was in this home in 1952/3 andits name was merryfield,earlier called ashby homes,as a childrens home it closed in 1963,today its flat for pensioners,its location is first on right as entering from leaveden rd
regards jim -
Hello Rachel and Jim,
I and my brother Brian Chandler were sent to Merryfields' Children's Home in November 1952 which consisted of two houses; one for the boys and one for girls. I was 14 and Brian 9. The home was run by two lovely ladies who looked after us very well and comforted us when we cried for our mums but eventually I settled down and started to enjoy myself. One of the tricks I and another 'inmate' used to get up to was to tie knots in sheets secure them firmly round the legs of a bed and get the other girls to help us climb down and then we went and met the boys! Great stuff! Surprisingly we never got caught. I hated the clothes though - school knickers (navy from memory) and brown lisle stockings (which were removed in the shelter in the park opposite and replaced after school) worn with boys' black lace up shoes! Horrors of horrors, especially as when I was at home I used to borrow mum's shoes (without her knowledge, of course) and strut around like a good un!! I remember a little girl there, about 9, who had a false eye, which she used to place in a glass of water overnight and one of her 'party' tricks was to wake one of us up and then hold her eye socket open, very close to our eyes, which naturally made her scream and wake up the rest of us. She was quite fair though. as she made sure that we all got a fright by this method!
My younger brother Edward (4) went to the infants' home not far away from us, but we were never allowed to know where he was and didn't see again until he was ten. We remained at Merrifelds until we were fostered out to a couple in Barnet by the name of Edwards in June 1953 where there were already three other foster children + a little lad called Bobby that they had adopted. He had been found abandoned down a coal mine and if he ever dared be naughty he was threatened with being sent back there. The Edwards' we decided were only into the fostering lark for the money (I think they got £2.50per week per child, which was quite a lot of money in those days) plus a clothing allowance, but, as you can guess we only had clothes from jumble sales and they used to keep all the good food locked in a cupboard in their bedroom and we existed on dry bread with a scrape of jam if we were lucky. I remember once Mrs. Edwards acquired a goose egg. It must have been six months old or more because when it was cracked open it turned out to be green and the smell was unbelievable and guess what? she made me eat it because she'd paid for it I would jolly well get it down me!! I've never eaten once since! Fortunately we did get get school dinners. So, understandably I longed to be back in Merrifields and still, 66 years later think of it with great affection, as one of the happiest times of my life. I hope you were as happy there as I was.
If you come up with some more memories I'd be pleased to hear them.
Regards,
Pat Kelsey
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I am looking for genealogical information for Doris Rusconi who is listed at the Watford Orphanage on the 1911 census. She came to Canada in 1923. Could anyone tell me where I might access her family records? I would appreciate any assistance as I am new to English research.
Regards, Tamara Secrist -
Hi Pat
i do remember you and brian at merryfields( have a good memory)then brian was quite pale with fair hair ,you were quite tall i remember with fair hair ,and at the time was friendly with another inmate,a girl who came from a travelling family(gypsies)mr ruddle was the home head and matron his wife the only other girls name was christine anderson,her mum was the home cook,she had a brother called john,yes for me too merryfield " good time"and i also got some terrible digs anyway enough of that,if you want to have a chat look me up in friends reunited log onto MIDDLESEX REGIMENT,bye for now
regards jim anderson -
I have a medal from london orphan asylum watford year 1893 for general proficiency that I received from my mom. Does anybody know the history of these. Thanks