PLEASE NOTE
Homes which are still functioning as children's homes, or which have been closed only recently, have not been included on this site.
The information on this page is as accurate as we can be sure of at the time of writing. However, this is a complex area with scant records, please check all data before using it. Please let us know of any errors: hello@formerchildrenshomes.org.uk
Fairfield, Dudley Park Road
10 beds – boys and girls. Opened 1973-2004
Flint Green Residential Nursery
Sherborne Road. Opened as a 24 hours war-time nursery in 1942 (for parents who were working in the war effort). Became a residential nursery after the war for 25 children under 5. Closed 1980
Vauxhall House
Vauxhall Road. This was opened in 1913 as a working boys’ hostel, taking in boys leaving the cottage homes. In 1952, it closed as a hostel with some of the boys going to Copeley Hill Hostel. The building has since been demolished.
Moseley Road Service Girls’ Home
Opened c1912. Linked to the Moseley Road Service Girls’ Home was the Newhall Street Training Home which trained girls in the skills they would need for domestic service. [1] While this was used by the Board to train former cottage homes girls. The Service Girls Home on Moseley Road closed in 1914. More about service girls' homes
Adams Hill
Purpose-built family group home with 8 beds on the Bartley Green Estate 1963-1986 More about family group homes
Ludford Road
Purpose-built family group home with 8 beds opened in 1963 on the bartley Green estate. Closed 1981 More about family group homes
Stevens Avenue
This was one of nine purpose-built children’s homes built in the early 1970s to accommodate 18 children. The one of Stevens Avenue opened in 1974. It closed in 1993.
Fircroft
Used during second world war for children evacuated from Athlestan Remand Home.
Hyperion Road Working Girls’ Hostel
on Bromford Bridge housing estate. 1967-1982
Reynoldstown Road. Opened in 1967 as a purpose-built family group home for 12 children on the Bromford Bridge Estate. It closed as a children’s home in 1982. More about family group homes
Sheridan Walk
Opened as a hostel for working girls in 1966 in two adjoining houses that had been knocked through into one. It had eight beds. The hostel closed in 1987. More about working children's homes
St Athan Croft
This opened in 1967 as a purpose-built family group home with 12 beds on the castle Vale housing estate. Closed in the c1980s/90s. Later demolished. More about family group homes
Valencia Croft
This was a purpose-built family group home opened in 1967 on the Castle Vale housing estate with beds for 12 children. It closed in 1987. More about family group homes
Yatesbury Avenue Residential Nursery.
This opened in 1967 and later became a reception home for young children. It closed in 1981. More about reception homes
Ipswich Walk
Purpose-built 18 bed children’s home opened in 1974. Closed c.1981
Triumph Walk
This opened as a purpose-built 18 bed home in 1973. It was closed in 1981 as a Birmingham children’s home.
Beaufort Road Service Girls’ Home
Opened in 1914 to replace the Service Girls’ Home on Moseley Road. Moved to Riversdale in 1921. Building since demolished. More about Service girls' homes
Chaddesley Residential nursery
Meadow Road 14 children 1969-1981 (although possibly remained open as a general children’s home until 1986)
City Road
Accommodation for 12 children in two adjoining semi detached houses. 1967-198
Oakhill House
Meadow Road. Opened as a reception centre in 1968. Closed in 2007. More about reception centres
Riversdale / Pebble Mill House
This opened as a working girls’ hostel (service Girls’ home) known as Riversdale in 1921. In 1952, it became a children’s home called Pebble Mill House. It closed in 1976. More about service girls' homes
Saltley Reform School / Norton Approved School
This was an independent reform school on Ryland Road, Birmingham in 1852. It moved to Little Kineton, Warwickshire in 1945.
Appledore
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Beechcroft
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Birkdale
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Braemar
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Canal Boat Hostel
Wood End Hall. Opened in 1951 for the children of families transporting goods or travelling on the canals for work. They were able to get an education while staying at the hostel. It was the first hostel of its kind in the country. 29 children. Closed 1960s
Chattock Close Working Girls’ home.
1965-1966
Copeley Hill Hostel
Funded by Barrow Cadbury in 1934. Was a working boys’ home for for 30 boys who had previously been at Shawbury Approved School. They could stay there while they got their first jobs 1934-1967 when the building was demolished to make way for the building of Spaghetti Junction
Derrydown
One of the houses at Erdington Cottage Homes/The Gardens
Erdington Cottage Homes aka Aston Union Cottage Homes
Fairlawn
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Ferndown
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Glenedyth
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Glenthorne
Purpose-built high security residential treatment centre for 62 young people sent there by the courts. 1978-2002
The Haven
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Littledene
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Orchardside
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Paxhall
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Pype Hayes Hall
Pype Hayes Hall is in Pype Hayes Park. It was initially (from 1919) used as a convalescent home and then a 24 hour nursery (for parents working in the war effort) from 1940. It then became a residential nursery. From 1954, it effectiovely took over the role of both Red House Residential Nursery and Middlemore House as a children’s home. In the 1980s, it became a reception centre and closed in 1988. Children who were at the home in the 1970s/80 often remember the donkeys – Tiny (friendly) and his successor Tiny Two (not so friendly).
Ravenshurst
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Rosedale
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Southview
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Springfield
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
St John’s
Gravelly Hill. This was an independent approved school for girls (run by the Sisters of St Vincent de Paul). In 1976 it became a community home with education (schooling was on-site) and secure units were added and a remand unit.
Sunnyside
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Sutton Road
This home opened in 1967 in an adapted house. It closed in 2005.
The Gardens See Erdington Cottage Homes
The Lindens
Previously the Infirmary, one of the houses of Erdington Cottage Homes / The Garden
Trelawn
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Windyridge
One of the houses in Erdington Cottage Homes/ The Gardens
Hillmount Close Working Girls’ Hostel
Opened 1965- 1967 More about working girls' homes
Church Lane
There were two children’s homes here - one was for 10 children (opened 1970, closed 1986). The other opened in 1961 until 2001 for 16 children
Hawthorne House Residential Nursery, Opened 1948 for 39 children under 5 years old. Closed 1982 and became the local library building.
Milton Grange, Handsworth Wood Road. Opened in 1960 in a former District Nurses’ Home. Became a working girls’ hostel in 1966. Closed in the 2000s.
Lordswood Road Residential Nursery. Opened in 1928 for 30-40 children aged three and under. Children were evacuated in 1939 to Red House Residential Nursery.
Middlemore Emigration Homes, Weoley park Road
Tennal School
Bladen Road. A remand home.
Athelstan House, Moseley Road. Opened in 1911 as a remand home by Barrow Cadbury. Closed as a remand home in 1966 but continued in use as a children’s home until 2001
Highgate Close. Purpose built 18 bed childrens home 1972-1992
Allens Croft Road Hostel for working boys
Accommodation for eight boys 1970-1979 More about working boys' homes
Bicknell Croft
Small family group home for 8 children. Built late 1960s, closed late 1990s More about family group homes
Manningford Road
A purpose-built family group home with 12 beds opened in c1967. Closed 1982. More about family group homes
Shelfield Road
Opened as a purpose-built family group home on the Brandwood Park housing estate in 1951. In 1967, it was knocked through into the house next door. It closed in 1988. More about family group homes
Sunderton Road. This opened as a purpose-built family group home in 1952 on the Woodthorpe Farm housing Estate in 1952, In 1953, a second, almost identical home, opened on the same road. The first closed in 1986 after a brief period of being used as a residential nursery. The second closed in 1988. More about family group homes
Tunnel Lane. This opened in 1951 on the Brandwood Park housing estate as a putrpose-built small family home with eight beds. It closed in the late 1980s. More about family group homes
Rednal Road
This was a working girls’ home opened in the late 1960s. It closed in 1986. More about working girls' homes
Meadway Residential Nursery
Opened in 1942 as a wartime nursery for parents working in the war effort. Converted to a residential nursery in 1950. Closed 1952. Was actally four adjoining houses.
Acorn Grove Working boys’ Hostel
for eight boys 1970-1990s
More about working boys' homes
Duchess Road
Established 1963 as a working boys’ hostel for 8 boys. Two terraced houses knocked into one. Closed 1978 More about working boys' homes
Gem Street School
This became Tennal School
Middleway View
Opened as a hostel for working boys in c1968. Closed in 1981 More about working boys' homes
Newton Street Remand Home
The building was given by Barrow Cadbury in 1928. A juvenile court was on the ground floor and the police station was opposite. In 1939, the home transferred to Riversdale.
Summer Hill
Opened as a receiving home by the Birmingham Board of Guardians in 1905 to support the work of the cottage homes as part of the workhouse structure. After the children were evacuated in 1939, the home did not reopen. More about receiving homes
Alvechurch Road - family group home for 8 children 1963-1986 More about family group homes
Merrishaw Road. Purpose-built family group hone on the West Heath housing etstae. Opened in 1963 with 8 beds. Closed 1981. More about family group homes
Marston Green Cottage Homes
Coleshill Road
Milton Grange
Forest Road. Opened in two adjoining houses in 1948 as a reception home. Became a working boys’ hostel Closed in c1953. More about reception homes
Copeley House Opened in 1967 as a working boys’ hostel to replace Copeley Hill Hostel. A purpose-built house to accommodate 8 boys. Closed 1986. More about working boys' homes
Hospital Street Purpose-built 18 bed children’s home opened 1972 - 1993
Howard House, Villa Walk. Purpose-built working Boys’ Hostel. 8 beds. Opened 1968-1982 More about working boys' homes
Bythorn (initially the Matron’s House). One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Elmdene (initially known as the Probation Home) One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Ferndale aka Cherry Garth. One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Greenways One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Jasmine One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Lilac View One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Melplash One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Merriland One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Middleton Hall Road Opened 1966 in a largem detached house to accommodate 14 children. Closed in the 1990s
Pinewood (initially the infirmary). One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Rose Cottage aka Suncrest One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Rosemead One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Ryedale One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Shenley Fields Cottage Homes. Became The Drive in 1966.
The Lodge aka Shangri La. Part of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
The Trees One of the houses of Shenley Fields Cottage Homes / The Drive
Perry Villa Residential Nursery
Church Road. Opened as a residential nursery in 1944. Closed in 1953.
Irwin Avenue
Purpose-built family group home on the Rednal Housing estate – for eight children. 1952-c.1981 More about family group homes
Appledore
Serpentine Road. Appledore was originally one of the homes at Erdington Cottage homes. 1986-1993/4
Beechenhurst
Serpentine Road. Initially a care home for elderly people, became a children’s home in 1981 for 12 children. Closed in the 1980s.
Brooklands
Selly Wick Road for 12-14 children.1967-1996
Oaklands Receiving Home
Opened c.1912 but moved to Shenley Fields (Home 11) in 1923 and the building became part of Selly Oak Hospital. More about receiving homes
The Limes Service Girls’ Home
Opened in around 1945 Became a remand home for girls in 1950 but closed in 1967 with girls being transferred to Field House. More about service girls' homes
Longmeadow Crescent. Opened as a family Group home with 8 beds in 1962. Closed 1985 More about family group homes
Packington Avenue. The was a purpose-built family home on the Shard End housing estate from 1962 for eight children. It closed in 2006. More about family group homes
Admington Road Small family group home for 8 children on the Garretts Green Housing Estate 1952-1986 More about family group homes
Clopton Road small family home on Garretts Green Housing estate. 8 beds 1952-1979 More about family group homes
Tile Cross Road This was opened in 1962 as a purpose-built family group home on the Tile Cross Housing estate. It had eight beds. It closed in 1986. More about family group homes
Ipstones Avenue. Purpose-built 18 bed children’s home opened in 1974. Closed 1992
Lea Hall Road, purpose-built 17 bed children home opened in 1973. Closed in early 1990s
Bridgeburn Road Small family group home, Woodcock Hill Housing Estate. 1953-1993 More about family group homes
Roundlea Road Opened as a purpose-built family group home on the Woodcock Hill house estate with eight beds. It closed in the 1980s. More about family group homes
More Birmingham homes can be found here.
PLUS
Birmingham Open Air Schools:
Haseley Hall Residential School for Boys
Cropwood Open Air School, Blackwell
Uffculme Open Air School, Moseley
Caerynwch nursery, Dolgellau, Gwynedd. Residential nursery for 40 evacuated children from Erdington Cottage homes 1941-1949
Field House, Clent. Georgian building used from 1950 as a residential nursery – children under 5. Became a remand home for 24 girls in 1967. Closed in 1981.
Forhill House, Bromsgrove. A remand house funded by Barrow Cadbury. Accommodated 50 boys aged 12-17. 1945-1987 (since demolished)
Garth Residential Nursery, Penmaenpool, Dolgellau, Gwynedd. Opened in 1942 for children evacuated from Birmingham children’s homes. Closed 1949.
Kings Residential Nursery, Penmaenpool, Gwynedd. Opened in 1940 to accommodate 30 children evacuated from Erdington Cottage Homes. The building was previously a youth hostel. The children were then moved to garth Residential Nursery in 1942.
Martineau House, Towyn, Gwynedd. Opened in 1935 as a holiday home for children in ‘special schools’ and residential homes in Birmingham. During WW2, it as used to evacuate children from Erdington Cottage Homes. In 1948, it reverted back to being a seaside home, and then moved to Bognor Regis in the 1950s. Closed in the 1980s.
Nicholls Street, West Bromwich. This became a home for Birmingham children in 1964 and could accommodate nine children. It closed in c 1966.
Oaklands Residential Nursery Worcester Road, Droitwich. This was a working girls’ hostel from 1912, became a convalescent home in 1924 and then a residential nursery in 1940. It closed in 1977.
Red House Residential Nursery, Droitwich. Opened 1939 to accommodate children evalucated from Lordwood Road Residential Nursery. Closed 1954.
Red House Residential Nursery, Overbury, Worcestershire. Children were evacuated to here from Lordswood Residential Nursery. It closed in 1954.
Saltley Reform School / Norton Approved School. This was an independent reform school on Ryland Road, Birmingham in 1852. It moved to Little Kineton, Warwickshire in 1945.
Shawbury Approved School, Coleshill. Opened in 1968 as the Shustoke Industrial School
The Briars, Weeford Road, Roughley. 8 children, Surrounded by farmland1965-1981
The Uplands, Greenhill, Blackwell, Worcs. This opened as a reception centre in 1967, the building having previously being used as a children’s convalescent home by the Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund. Most children would go on to Tennal or one of the other remand homes after a few weeks of assessment at the Uplands. Later, it became a community home with education (ie. schooling was on site). A high profile abuse case in 2007 convicted a former member of staff of historic abuse. The Uplands closed in 2010.
Wassell Grove Residential Nursery, Stourbridge. Formerly a convalescent home, this became a residential nursery in 1940 initially for children whose parents were working in the war effort. It closed in 1955.
Wychbury Residential Nursery, Hagley Road, Stourbridge. This opened in 1952 and could accommodate 22 children aged 5 and under. It closed in 1979.
This list does not include homes which are still running or have only recently closed.
Types of home
These homes was part of a programme of new children’s homes, each built on newly developing housing estates, which were to be small family homes – a move away from the pre-second world war larger children’s homes. These homes were built on the principle of a small ‘family’ unit in a house that looked very much like any other on the estate. The first of these homes was completed in 1951, and a further 11 were built over the following eleven years.
The homes accommodation for eight children and were designed so that houseparents would live in the children’s home, with, if they had any, their own children. Usually the housefather would have a job outside the home while the housemother worked in the home full-time. All the children would go to local schools with other children from the estate.
BACK
The purpose of the working children’s homes was to accommodate older children who had been in care, and who had finished their schooling but were not yet 18 and not living independently. They would be supported in finding work or an apprenticeship and would stay at the working children’s home until they were old enough to leave and set up home on their own.
These were for girls who had finished their time at school and were taking on work in domestic service.
BACK
Reception Centres / Receiving homes
These were short-stay homes where children would arrive and be assessed and stay until a more permanent placement (in a home or with a foster family) could be found.
LOOKING FOR INFORMATION
For general enquiries, please contact Birmingham Archives and Heritage, Library of Birmingham.
email: archive.heritage@birmingham.gov.uk
website: www.birmingham.gov.uk/archives
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To access your own records of your time in care. you will need to complete a subject access request form.
The City Council have a page of your rights and what you have to do here
The subject access request form itself can be downloaded here
The details have to then be sent to:
Birmingham City Council
Corporate Information Governance Team
PO Box 16366
Birmingham
B2 2YY
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