Hi, I am working with Gudrun on the book memories of Portsmouth Cottage Homes; we still need some personal memories of the Homes on the Hill. You can send them to me at the e-mail address above or to Gudrun - gudrun@childrenscottagehomes.org.uk - thanks Dave

Nice to see the Guest Book up again - Thanks - have missed it

I have reasearched fully the history of Penkhull Cottage homes and compiled a full history form in inception until it closed. Each person I interviewed not one stated that they knew of any sexual abuse at that home. Physocal abuse yes.
My work containing over 21,000 words and many photogrphs of children at the homes can be found in my history book The Royal Manor of Penkhull.
I am an authority on the subject locally and also that of the Pooe Law.
Further information from richard.talbot88@btinternet.com

Hi My father his sister and brother were all residents in the Cottage Home in Hornchurch i am trying to find out any information that i can about their stay at this home.
their names were,
Joseph john Carter
Edward carter
Florence carter
Sadly Joseph myfather and Edward my Uncle are both now deceased only Flo is alive but cannot remember much can you help.

myself my brother .Paul Anthony johnson. and my sister .Ruth Amelia johnson were in cottage homes . amos lane.wednesfield . app 1951. myself and paul were in cottages 7- 8..Ruth was in girls cottages . we were only there while our mother was in hospital and converlesant home. our time spent there allthough being away from rest of family was good .well looked after .good food .we went to church. also swimming (own pool) . we had our plastic money (bus fare) each morning .on saturdays we would go pictures or football match .. hope this is of interest to anyone., P S Johnson

Hi
I'm searching for a Magdeline Patricia Allsop, apparently she was a school teacher in Derby in the 1960's she had two sons of which I don't know there names. She adopted her third son Paul Allsop at 6 weeks old in 1966. I believe Paul was in an home for the 6weeks before adoption. Magdeline lived at 35 reeves road, derby at this stage. I'm very interested in any information about her or the two sons she had.
Thanks for reading.
E-mail carliejayh@msn.com

My name is Brian Parkes and I was in Fazerkley Cottage Homes from 1940 until approximately 1955. I had two brothers John Parkes and Michael Parkes who were older than me and we were all put in there in 1940 when I was a baby. If anyone remembers me please get in touch. My e-mail address is kathparkes123@btinternet.com.

Hi I was in the Cosham homes between 1946 till 1949 and again in 1957 to 1958. I was in the nursery to start with i was 17months left when i was 6 . Not a lot of memory of first time . The 2nd time i was 13 yrs old The Superintendents at that time were MRS PERRIN who had 2 daughters in the same cottage. My stay there was happy both times as far as i remember. I believe these cottages have now been demolished. Cannot find a picture anywhere on internet. Loved to go up the hill to the old fort. I am almost 69 now ( January) If anyone remembers me please email

My Sister and I were in St Christoper's from 1963 - 1965. I was very scary and we were treated like the hired unpaid help! We were also put in the Board room if we spoke at night, it was very dark and scary for a 7 year old. The only good thing that came about from me being there was that I went to a foster mother at weekends Iris Smith (rip) she was lovely and so were her 3 daughters, whom I still keep in contact with. I suppose they were a necessity but still very scary for a young child. My mum used to visit when she could but being a widow and not having anyone to look after us, this was the only option.

I WAS IN ERDINGTON COTTAGE HOMES FOR 3 YEARS WITH MY BROTHER, WHO WAS IN A SEPARATE PART. 2 WHEN I WENT IN 1956 TO 1959

I was in the Hessle Cottage Homes in Hull and it was an ideal 'stop-off' for children who's parents were not able to look after them for short periods and also for children who were more unfortunate and had to stay there for more intense and sometimes, unfortunate reasons.

i use to live at no 4 cottage homes leicestershire in the 60s before it moved to tatlow rd it was run by auntie kath , my nickname was totty , iremember the peters girls, the miller brothers, paul dann, john mckillop to name just afew

My name is David Whittaker, born David Alexander Colclough. I Believe I was in Penkhull Homes, Stoke on Trent probably in the late 50's to early 60's, having been eventually adopted in 1963.
I am keen to hear from anyone who was there at that time, and possibly remembers me. Any details about Penkhull Homes gratefully received.

Hi my mother Frances Lee was in the Cosham cottage in the 1950s. and returned later after her adoption. her name was changed when adopted to Doris Drew and the birth date was the wrong date on the official adoption certificate. Her natural mothers name was Kathleen Alice Hopkins whom was married to a Leonard Lee. It has been along time researching the family tree due to the in-correct birth date on my mothers adoption certificate. Mothers actual birth date is 22nd Dec 1943 - not 22nd November 1943.
We have had phots of Frances in the cottage home but have mislead them.

Michael Marvin (birth name Adams) born in 1943 is looking for Roy John Adams born 03/03/1945. The mother of both boys was Evelyn May Adams of Leicester. Roy John may have lived in the Countesthorpe Cottage Home. Any information would be appreciated

Evelyn, Hope you find what you want about the homes on the hill, and happy that you read the book. I also hope that WordWorks book on the homes answers some of your questions when its published. My brother & Sister were in the Nursery in 1954, they cannot remember much, I was 8 and remember vividly. If you are ever in Portsmouth call in at the records office in the Central Library. Good Luck. Dave

Hi, my name is Charlie Forshaw, my twin brother and I lived at BEECHHOLME between 1951 to 1955, we lived in Cedar cottage.I have many fond memories of the place. Does anyone remember us boys.

safety.adviser@ntlworld.com
dave
thanks for that, will look and see, i was in the homes late 50s onwards started in the nursery lol.

i was in portsmouth cottage homes for a good while whilst i was a youngster, have just read the book forgotten, very upsetting, i dont remember dates of times i was in care i was in the nursery, so would be late 50 s as i was born 55, then i was in again, in the mid sixties, i would love to put dates to this, but really have a jumbles up head for these dates, my dad and big sister both died, my mum, was the reason i was in the homes, so i wont ask her, i would like to sort this out,

I was in this care home from 1941 to 1944

trying to find information on my father john stewart who was in ponteland cottage homes does anybody remember him ?

My Great Aunt Jane Doris Smith (b:1897) was taken from her family in 1905 and placed in the Princess Mary Village Home Addlestone Surrey, and was discharged in 1913 aged 16. According to Surrey Archives she would have went in to local employment (no records of this) however she wouldn't have been obligated to stay in it. The Surrey Archives also informed me that there was a holiday home provided by the school as accommodation for the girls who had no where to go when on leave. I can't seem to find the name of this home or any information on it. It also appears from other records and information that Jane Doris Smith never returned home to her family's care. Hoping to find more details on Jane Doris Smith or any of her descendants. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Thanks
Karen

i am Pat Little, I was in Hornchurch Milton cottage home from 1956 to 1959.
Does anyone remember me? I have 3 brothers Paul, Peter and Tommy Reid.
The house master was Mr Jack & Jill Papworth, then Mr & Mrs Cousins.

I am on here to find others who knew me at that time and maybe we can share what happened to us.
I was on friends reunited some years ago but have not found anyone on there.
Get in touch if you know me.
Pat

Pat Little here, resided in Milton Cottage from 1953 to 1959.
Anyone who knows me or my brothers Peter and Paul , get in touch.

I am searching for Mary (TESSA) Johnson born 1945 and was in Shenley Fields Childrens Home in the 1950's. Mary (TESSA) went to Tinkers farm and cotteridge schools. Please done anyone have any idea what happenend to her. Her family are searching.

In reply to post 71, the answer is Penkhull infant's, Hatshill junior's and Penkhull senior's.

JAMES LIONEL WESTON.I forgot to put the homes dad was in from 1943/44.They were union cottage homes in Wednesfield Wolverhampton.thankyou.

My farther namedJAMES LIONEL WESTON past away in 2006.We had talked about putting a family tree together but never got round to it.Will be so hard now.He was here aged aprox 9 due to moms death.Father was JAMES PRICE.He is long gone.I would love to hear from anyone who remembers my dad,JAMES WESTON.He was born in 1935 he had a cousin named Joan now deseased and an older sister named Sheila now deseased.we think he was there from 1943/1944??we have no idea when he was there until?Dad was born in newcross hospital and lived his life until retirement in and around willenhall.He had quite dark memories of the cottage homes.he was eventualy fosterd,as the adoptive family who were to take him in declined last minute when they found out his natural father was still alive.thankyou for reading.

Hello I am helping a friend trace his family history. We have been fairly successful in tracing his history since the age of about 15 but his early years (1952-1959 approx) were spent in a home in Birmingham. He believes this may have been Sunnyside or Suncrest or something similar. I think these homes were part of the Shenley Fields Group. Does anyone know if any records about admissions discharges case files etc still exist for these homes from the 1950's?
Regards
Alan Howe

REPLY FROM CHILDRENSCOTTAGEHOMES.ORG.UK

Hi Alan
Suncrest was the name of Home 2 of Shenley Cottage Homes. There are some records (admission and discharge registers) for these homes - held in Birmingham Archives and Heritage at Central Library. If you go to the Shenley Fields page of this website
(http://www.childrenscottagehomes.org.uk/shenley.html), there is a link to a leaflet at the bottom of the page which will guide your friend into trying to find any information about himself from these records.
Sunnyside, was the name for Home 1 of Erdington Cottage Homes. Like Shenley, there are some admissions and discharge records held by Birmingham Archives and Heritage. Again, the page on Erdington Cottage Homes on this site, has a link to a leaflet which will give you all the details. (http://www.childrenscottagehomes.org.uk/erdington.html),
Any problems, please drop me a line gudrun@childrenscottagehomes.org.uk

Gudrun Limbrick
www.childrenscottagehomes.org.uk

i wrote about me and my sister in fullwood cottage home i forgot to put the year it was 1944 from albert sykes

i was in f.c.h when i was 7years old due to my mum dying iwas in with my sister miriam what year i dont know anybody can tell me thank you

my dad was in penkhull homes in the 1920 s long gone now bless him he never talked much about the times in there his name was george william birkin does anyone know him

Hello again
Regarding Penkhull Homes - which schools (middle & high school) would the children have attended in the late 40' & early to mid 50's and are the records accessible?
Thanks

This web site is great!

My dad (who sadly passed away 4 yrs ago) was in Penkhull Home 13 after his mom passed away. He was there from the age of 5 to when he finished high school. I have a photo of him & another gent in front of the house probably taken in the mid 50's. I also have one of him with about 80+ others in the dining room. I believe I have one of him and others in the kitchen peeling potatoes. He said he peeled so many potatoes that he could peel them without breaking - one long strand of potatoe skin. The house mother was Mrs. Wade. She attended my parents wedding. Have that photo as well. He told me of the good times & the bad. I've connected with a second cousin on my grandmother's side and finally have a photo of her and his brother. Too bad my dad didn't get to see what she looked.

my father-in-law, Reggie Chritchlow, was placed in the Countesthope Cottage Homes, in Leicestershire, on 30 August 1913 along with some of his siblings. He passed away aged 50 in 1956. We would love to know if anyone who was there at that time remembers Reggie. One of his siblings placed there with him was Florrie, I'm not sure if Gladys and Ivy were placed with him. He had 10 siblings in all, but as yet, there is one whose name I cannot find.

Hi, I was in wednesfield cottage homes from 1951 till 1967, although i was fostered out for a couple of years during that time. If you remember me or just want to chat about your time there get in touch, you can find me on facebook. I know there were bad times but there were also some good times.

i was in home 3 from 1947 to 1952. the house mother was miss hall.and miss roberts.

ponteland cottage homes, does anyone remember my mother margaret hetherington?she was in house 8 from 1935-1944.

I was in Cockett Cottage homes was there for about a year. I remember that i was the only one left there for the Christmas it was very sad time in my life.. i think the year was 72 or 73.. looking for photo's or info on the people that were there at the same time as me...

Regards
Debz <3 xx

I was in the Shenley fields cottage homes, i cant remember which one i was in I was 4yrs old(1970) and remained there till i was 7yrs old, (I only have bad memories of the people who ran my home) they were nasty and very very unkind) made to sleep on the landing for talking, and if you spoke after that you were put to stand in the matrons bedroon all night. I was then moved to South Acres childrens home in Halesowen where i stayed untill i was 16yrs old. The first people who ran it were horrable also, but then another couple too over who were nice and kind, but the damage of not trusting people had been set, thanks to the other bad people who ran the other ones :(

I was in cottage homes in ferzakerly at about 1953/1957. I don't know which house I was in, but I do remember riding a little three wheeled trike up and down the pavement. the house I was in was about half way down the drive on the right as you look from the gates. I was always by myself, I don't know why. But I know that when I was taken from there I went to strawberry field childrens home. I don't know if anyone will remember me or not.

My 2 brothers & 2 sisters were in The Erdington Cottage Homes in the 50's & 60's in house number 11 Trelawn. I remember quite a bit of our times there and although they were strict, it taught you well and prepared you for later life. They were never cruel to us and at least we could all stay together. My mother had been taken very ill and was in hospital for a long long time (she died not long after we left the homes) and my father was 'adsent'. They considered fostering us out but no one was prepared to foster 5 children and my mother did not want us split up. I have been back to look at the Homes a few times and it brings back many memories. I would love to hear from anyone who was with us at the time

Hi Briana
Please send me an email and let me know what your husband and his brother have tried in terms of looking for records from BRIDGEND Cottage Homes and I'll see if I can help.
gudrun@childrenscottagehomes.org.uk
or end a message through the 'getting involved' section of this site.
Many thanks

hi my husband and brother were in bridgend cottage homes in the early 70,s we have tried for months to find records of their stay there and following there fostered by the house parents, but NO records of them anywhere, any ideas please?

i lived at erdington cottage homes from 1954 to 1963. i was in cottage 5 braemar and would love to hear from any of the boys who lived there at the same time as i did.The house parents were Mr and Mrs Lisle.
I have many vivid memories of my time there,and sadly did not know that Gudrun Jane Limbrick was writing a book all about erdington cottage homes,i would dearly loved to have made a contribution to the book.
I have now read the book and it has brought so many memories back to me.
Many thanks for the book.

myself and brothers lived in merryland shenley fields approx 1963. my name is susan phillips my brothers hubert and roy. our house parents were mr /mrs saddler who had 2 children robert and evyonne . things are really sketchy, but i remember some good times, i remember a girl called marion kinoshy and my first boy frind, who gave me a record of percy faith lol. love to hear from anyone who was there at the time. oh i went to our lady of saint rose of lima. our house parents were friends with frank ifield

Hi, i would be interested to hear from any one who was in the Penkhull childrens homes S. O. T., between 1943 and 1951, especialy Peter Mahley, who was in the nursery with me. good memories remain of those days.

Hi - I'm reading the book by Les Cummings, "Forgotten." I'm SO ANGRY! How could ADULTS treat children like this? What a disgrace to think that "foster" "parents" treated children in this manner and top of it - the supposed "head" of the household doing the most despicable things to this child. SHAME ON THEM! SHAME!

I trust that nothing so repulsive EVER happened to any other children who walked through the doors of a Children's Cottage Home.

Thank you.

I spent three very happy years in the Erdington cottage homes in the early fifties
in Orchardside

Continued: for a teenager, but they looked after you. If you were there after the war, things changed, some say for the worst, an ex resident Les Cummings wrote a book about his life at the Cosham Cottage Homes, called “Forgotten”, it’s worth reading. Hope you get to find your roots.Dave