Norwich children's homes and children in care

This information guide relates to homes and facilities run by the Norwich Incorporation of Guardians of the Poor or (from 1930) by Norwich City Council.

We have separate guides on children's homes and children in care for Great Yarmouth and Norfolk.

All parishes and hamlets of Norwich (apart from St Mary's in the Marsh in the cathedral precincts) were united for Poor Law purposes by a 1712 Act of Parliament.

The resulting Incorporation of Guardians of the Poor ran two large workhouses.

One was in the former Palace of the Duke of Norfolk and was known as St John's Workhouse, because it was in the parish of St John Maddermarket.

The other was nearby in part of the former Friary of the Blackfriars and was known as St Andrew's Workhouse, because it stood in that parish.

W Chase's Norwich Directory of 1783 (p67) stated:

"Seven or eight hundred souls are supported in the two workhouses at about £10,000 a year, in all expenses; and near £3,000 yearly is paid in weekly allowances to poor out of the houses.

"By a late regulation, the children of St John's workhouse are employed in rooms fitted up for them in Colegate-street; in which street also, the children of St. Andrew's workhouse are employed in spinning yarn.

"About 250 poor children are hereby enabled to contribute towards their own maintenance - their health and morals improved, and the public much benefited!"

Two further local Acts of Parliament, in 1827 and 1831, modified the workings of the Incorporation and the Court of Guardians.

Records, 1712-1834

• Guardians of Poor Court minute books (including references to apprenticing of pauper children), 1712-1714/15, 1723-1804, 1813-33 (NCR 20e/1-15, available on microfilm MF/X/356-357)
• Workhouse register of births, 1769-1814 (N/GP 1/78, available on microfilm MF/X 358/1)
• Workhouse admission and discharge register, 1802-09 (N/GP 1/61, available on microfilm MF/X 358/7)
• Norwich Coroner's inquests (including references to workhouse inmates who had met with sudden deaths), 1669-1835 (NCR 6a, indexed catalogue available)

Norwich Incorporation was largely exempt from the terms of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. 

A local Act of 1863 later brought the Incorporation more into line with the 1834 Act.

A new workhouse was opened on Bowthorpe Road in 1859 and had accommodation for 1,000 inmates.

The site was bombed during the Second World War, but some of the pre-1942 buildings still survive and form part of the present Norwich Community Hospital.

During the 19th century children were usually accommodated in the Poor Law Union workhouse where, unlike most of their contemporaries, they did receive some basic education.

In Norwich, the Guardians of the Poor ran separate boys' and girls' homes from the 1850s.

On 1 July 1853 the Boys' Home and Workhouse School Committee resolved:

"That children admitted with their parents into the Workhouse above the age of seven years be admitted into the Home" (see MS 4356).

The same committee resolved on 29 July 1853 that parents should be allowed to see their children for one hour, every second Wednesday in the month.

Half a century later, on 2 February 1904, the [Children's] Homes Committee:

"Resolved to recommend the [Work]House Committee that the children to be allowed to visit their parents in the House once a month and that a room be set apart for these visits away from the General Visiting Room" (see N/TC 3/89).

The house committee responded favourably and a separate room was made available shortly afterwards.

The 83 and 85 Pottergate Street Mixed Home opened in July 1904. However, it seems that there were still many children in the workhouse.

The same homes committee minute book records, on 11 October 1904:

"Mr Scarlett moved That in view of the large number of children in the [Work]House this Committee ask the Board to at once take steps to carry out the Resolution of 10th February 1904 and in accordance with the Resolution to authorise the hiring of a sufficient number of Cottages to enable us to remove all the Children from the House." 

Matters proceeded rapidly after this. A letter was read to the committee on 6 December 1904 from the Local Government Board:

"Authorising the establishment of Scattered Homes and the hiring of two houses on the North Walsham Road [later known as 10 and 12 Constitution Hill]".

The Committee minutes record on 14 February 1905 that arrangements were to be made for children to be sent to the scattered homes.

Norwich and other Poor Law Unions started boarding [fostering] children out in the community in the early 20th century, as an alternative way of keeping children out of the workhouse. 

Records, 1834-1930 (general)

• Board minutes,1834-1930 (N/TC 3/1-19) - minutes, 1834-52, available on microfilm MF/X 357/5-7)
• Boys' Home and Workhouse School Committee minutes, 1847-56 (MS 4356)
• Children's homes committee minutes, 1855-63, 1897-1930 (N/TC 3/87-97)
• Boarding out sub-committee minutes, 1912-30 (N/TC 3/99-101)
• Register of children in care, 1891-1906 (N/GP 4/4)
• Creed register of children in care, 1911-32 (N/WE 3/27)
• Register of children in homes, 1929-35 (N/WE 2/4)
• Registers of persons receiving infants for reward (including name and date of birth of each infant and name and address of person from whom infant received), 1909-22 (N/GP 1/52-56)

Records, 1834-1930 (workhouse)

Children were often first admitted to the workhouse before being sent on to a children's home.

• Birth register, 1838-89 (N/GP 2/14, available on microfilm MF/X 358/3)
• Birth register, 1890-1942 (N/GP 2/23, section 1890-1900 available on microfilm MF/X 358/6)
• Baptism register, 1868-94 (N/GP 2/15, available on microfilm MF/X 358/4)
• Death register, 1836-72 (N/GP 1/79, available on microfilm MF/X 358/2)
• Death register, 1890-1909 (N/GP 2/16, available on microfilm MF/X 358/3)
• Death registers, 1920-26, 1927-30 (N/GP 2/17-18)
• Admission and discharge registers (all ages), 1848, 1852-69, 1874-85 (N/GP 1/62-69, N/GP 2/1-9, available on microfilm MF/X 358/8-361/2)
• Alphabetical registers of inmates (all ages), 1850-64, 1866-1901 (N/GP 1/70-74, N/GP 2/10-13, available on microfilm MF/X 361/3-362/1)
• Creed register of inmates, 1901-33 (N/WE 1/4)
• Punishment books (all ages), 1846-64, 1866-1900 (N/GP 1/75-77, available on microfilm MF/X 362/2-4)

Records, 1834-1930 (specific homes)

• 10 and 12 North Walsham Road [Constitution Hill] Children's Home admission and discharge register, Feb 1905 - Dec 1934 (boys, Feb 1905 - Mar 1929; mixed, Mar 1929 - May 1931; girls, Dec 1934), with five entries (mixed) for Woodlands, Mar - Oct 1951 (N/WE 3/15)
• Children's home [probably Turner Road Receiving Home] admission and discharge register, Oct 1921 - Apr 1939 (girls, Oct 1921 - Aug 1932; mixed, Aug 1932 - Apr 1939), with pages loosely inserted (mixed), Jan 1953 - Nov 1956 (N/WE 3/16)
• Children's home [probably Turner Road Receiving Home] admission and discharge register, Oct 1921 - Sept 1936 (boys, Oct 1921 - Dec 1932; mixed, Dec 1932 - Sept 1936), (N/WE 3/17)
• Children's home, mixed [unidentified], admission and discharge register, May 1925 - July 1935 (N/WE 3/18)

Records, 1834-1930 (medical officer's report books)

• Medical officer's report book relating to 10 and 12 North Walsham Road [Constitution Hill] Children's Home (mixed) [wrongly labelled Thomas Anguish Home], Sept 1921 - May 1940 (N/WE 3/2)
• Medical officer's report book relating to Turner Road Boys' and Girls' Receiving Home, Dec 1920 - Feb 1928 (N/WE 3/3)
• Medical officer's report book relating to Turner Road Boys' and Girls' Receiving Home, Mar 1928 - Aug 1939 (N/WE 3/4)
• Medical officer's report book relating to 96 Aylsham Road Nursery (mixed), Aug 1921 - Sept 1941 (N/WE 3/5)
• Medical officer's report book [labelled 'Llandaff'] relating to Botolph Street Girls' Home, Oct 1921 - Sept 1922, Llandaff Girls' Home, 80 Grove Road, Sept 1922 - Sept 1941 (N/WE 3/6) and Thomas Anguish Children's Home (mixed), Oct 1941 - Sept 1950 (N/WE 3/6)
• Medical officer's report book [labelled 'Boys' Home'] relating to St Faith's Lane Boys' Home to Aug 1932 then Brooklyn House Boys' Home, 58 Earlham Road, Nov 1921 - Nov 1949 (N/WE 3/7)
• Medical officer's report book relating to Turner Road Children's Home Clinic (and including children from other Homes), Nov 1922 - July 1931 (N/WE 3/8)

There were 22 Poor Law Unions in Norfolk, including those for the City of Norwich and the Boroughs of King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth.

These unions were abolished in 1930, under the Local Government Act of 1929.

Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and Great Yarmouth County Borough Council took on their duties and properties.

Norwich City Council, as part of these changes, established a children's sub-committee of the public assistance committee (which became the social welfare committee in September 1941). 

A separate children's committee was established in July 1948, reporting directly to the council.

The functions of the children's committee were transferred to the social services committee in November 1970.

The city's responsibilities for social services were transferred to Norfolk County Council on April 1 1974. 

Records, 1930-74 (general)

• Children's sub-committee of public assistance committee (from 1941 social welfare committee) minutes, 1931-49 (N/TC 31/3/1-3)
• Children's committee minutes, 1949-70 (N/TC 31/3/4-9)
• Welfare and children's maintenance sub-committee, 1948-58 (N/TC 31/4)
• Social services committee, 1970-74 (N/TC 31/5/1-3)
• Register of children boarded out, 1936-42 (N/WE 2/5). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Boarding out committee payment books, 1942-54 (N/WE 4/1-2)
• Creed register of children in care, 1911-32 (N/WE 3/27). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Report books of superintendent of children's homes, 1935-49 (N/WE 3/12-13)
• Register of children in homes, 1929-35 (N/WE 2/4). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Relief lists register, recording names of children in each home and numbers of days in each week of each half-year spent in the home, Apr 1933 - Mar 1951 (N/WE 3/28). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Register of children in Norwich discharged from the care of Norwich City Council and (from April 1974) Norfolk County Council, Dec 1950 - Sept 1983 (ACC 2004/101). Closed to public access for 100 years.

Records, 1930-1974 (specific homes)

• 10 and 12 North Walsham Road [Constitution Hill] Children's Home admission and discharge register, Feb 1905 - Dec 1934 (boys, Feb 1905 - Mar 1929; mixed, Mar 1929 - May 1931; girls, Dec 1934), with five entries (mixed) for Woodlands, Mar - Oct 1951 (N/WE 3/15). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Children's home [probably Turner Road Receiving Home] admission and discharge register, Oct 1921 - Apr 1939 (girls, Oct 1921 - Aug 1932; mixed, Aug 1932 - Apr 1939), with pages loosely inserted (mixed), Jan 1953 - Nov 1956 (N/WE 3/16). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Children's home [probably Turner Road Receiving Home] admission and discharge register, Oct 1921 - Sept 1936 (boys, Oct 1921 - Dec 1932; mixed, Dec 1932 - Sept 1936), (N/WE 3/17). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Children's home, mixed [unidentified], admission and discharge register, May 1925 - July 1935 (N/WE 3/18). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Brooklyn House Boys' Home, 58 Earlham Road, record book (including register of children accommodated, fire drills, food provided, important events, punishments), Sept 1948 - Aug 1953 (N/WE 3/29). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Turner Road Receiving Home (mixed) register of children accommodated, Feb 1953 - Sept 1954, and record of food provided, Feb 1953 - May 1954 (loosely inserted in N/WE 3/29). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Thomas Anguish Children's Home, Lakenham (mixed), record book (including register of children accommodated, fire drills, food provided, important events), Nov 1948 - Apr 1952 (N/WE 3/30). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• 100 Newmarket Road Children's Home (mixed) record book (including register of children accommodated, fire drills, food provided), Mar 1949 - Jan 1953 (loosely inserted in N/WE 3/30). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• 9 Unthank Road Children's Home (mixed) record book (including register of children accommodated, fire drills, food provided, punishments), Apr 1952 - Aug 1955 (N/WE 3/31). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• 9 Unthank Road Children's Home (mixed) log book, 1950-1955 (N/WE 3/26). Closed to public access for 100 years.  

Records, 1930-1974 (medical officer's report books)

• Medical officer's report book relating to 100 Newmarket Road Children's Home (mixed), Oct 1942 - Oct 1950 (N/WE 3/1). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Medical officer's report book relating to 10 and 12 North Walsham Road [Constitution Hill] Children's Home (mixed) [wrongly labelled Thomas Anguish Home], Sept 1921 - May 1940 (N/WE 3/2). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Medical officer's report book relating to Turner Road Boys' and Girls' Receiving Home, Dec 1920 - Feb 1928 (N/WE 3/3). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Medical officer's report book relating to Turner Road Boys' and Girls' Receiving Home, Mar 1928 - Aug 1939 (N/WE 3/4). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Medical officer's report book relating to 96 Aylsham Road Nursery (mixed), Aug 1921 - Sept 1941 (N/WE 3/5). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Medical officer's report book [labelled 'Llandaff'] relating to Botolph Street Girls' Home, Oct 1921 - Sept 1922, Llandaff Girls' Home, 80 Grove Road,Sept 1922 - Sept 1941 (N/WE 3/6), and Thomas Anguish Children's Home, Lakenham (mixed), Oct 1941 - Sept 1950 (N/WE 3/6). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Medical officer's report book [labelled 'Boys' Home'] relating to St Faith's Lane Boys' Home to Aug 1932 then Brooklyn House Boys' Home, 58 Earlham Road, Nov 1921 - Nov 1949 (N/WE 3/7). Closed to public access for 100 years.  
• Medical officer's report book relating to Turner Road Children's Home Clinic (and including children from other Homes), Nov 1922 - July 1931 (N/WE 3/8). Closed to public access for 100 years.  

The following three reports, contained in the children's sub-committee minutes, list the homes in existence at the time and provide useful information.

• Report on the re-arrangement of staff, 18 July 1922 (N/TC 3/93 pp421-422)
• Report on the proposal for the establishment of an additional home, 14 January 1932 (N/TC 31/3/1, p28a)
• Report on the proposed lease of Anguish's Hospital, 16 June 1941 (N/TC 31/3/3 p250

The following homes have been arranged in order of foundation.

Boys' Home, St Faith's Lane

This opened in June 1853 and was reported as having 40 beds in January 1932. It closed in August 1932, when it was replaced by Brooklyn House.

Girls' Home, 55 Botolph Street

A girls' home was in existence in 1857 but its location has not been established.

A new girls' home opened at 55 Botolph Street on 2 February 1897 and closed in September 1922, when it was replaced by Llandaff House.

83 and 85 Pottergate Street Mixed Home

This opened in July 1904 as a mixed home. On 10 November 1925 the medical officer reported that there had been a "rather high incidence of sickness" at the Pottergate Street Home and that "the house is old fashioned, badly situated and not altogether suitable as a children's home."

The medical officer recommended closure, which took place on 8 January 1926.

At the time the home contained 18 girls. Ten of the girls from Pottergate Street Home were sent to the 12 North Walsham Road home. The six biggest boys from 12 North Walsham Road were subsequently transferred to the Boys' Home.

The remaining eight girls from the Pottergate home were divided among the other three girls' homes (Llandaff House, Aylsham Road and Turner Road). 

10 and 12 North Walsham Road Home (later known as 10 and 12 Constitution Hill)

This opened in February 1905. The January 1932 report stated that number 10 had 11 beds for boys and number 12 had 12 beds for girls.

By the time of the June 1941 report, there were only 10 junior boys in total. The home closed in September 1941 when the boys were moved to the Thomas Anguish Home.

104 St George Street Home

A short-lived home which opened in November 1911 and closed a few years later.

110 and 112 Turner Road Headquarters and Boys' and Girls' Receiving Homes 

These opened in September 1913. The January 1932 report stated that there were 14 beds in the boys' home and 15 beds in the girls' home.

On 9 July 1951, the children were moved to the new children's home at Woodlands, 381 Dereham Road.

On 4 February 1953, the children, staff and equipment were transferred from the Nursery, 100 Newmarket Road, to the new Reception Centre at 112 Turner Road.

Still in existence in 1974, the building subsequently became a youth hostel. It was sold by the YHA in 2003 to a firm of developers and was demolished in early October 2003.

96 Aylsham Road Nursery (or Mixed Infants') Home 

This opened in September 1918. It was reported as having 24 beds in January 1932 and 25 beds in June 1941.

By 1939, it had been condemned by the Ministry of Health and it closed when the children were moved to the Thomas Anguish Home in September 1941.

Llandaff Girls' Home, 80 Grove Road 

It opened in September 1922, as a replacement for Botolph Street Girls' Home.  It was reported as having 24 beds in January 1932 and 25 beds in June 1941. 

The home closed in September 1941 when the girls were moved to the Thomas Anguish Home.

Brooklyn House Boys' Home, 58 Earlham Road

It opened in August 1932, as a replacement for the Boys' Home, St Faith's Lane and was said to have 20 beds.

The June 1941 report stated that it was to continue as the Senior Boys' Home.

It had become an Occupation Centre for Mentally Handicapped Children by 1960 (Kelly's Norwich Directory).

Thomas Anguish Home, Hospital Lane, Lakenham 

The June 1941 report recommended that Norwich City Council should lease the former Anguish's Hospital [or Girls' School of Housecraft] from the trustees.

The report stated that the building would house about 60 of the 100 children in the city council's children's homes and it recommended that Aylsham Road Nursery, Llandaff House and the Constitution Hill Homes should be closed.

This was approved and the Thomas Anguish Home opened on 24 September 1941. It closed in April 1952.

100 Newmarket Road Home 

This opened on 9 October 1942 with 14 children transferred from Little Plumstead Hospital.

These children had been transferred from the Woodlands Hospital (the former Norwich Workhouse Infirmary on Bowthorpe Road) to Little Plumstead following the bombing of the Woodlands in April 1942. They may have been children with special needs.

100 Newmarket Road subsequently became a nursery and closed on 4 February 1953. The children, staff and equipment were transferred to the new Reception Centre at 112 Turner Road.

The Woodlands, 381 Dereham Road 

This home was situated in a large 19th century house off Dereham Road (near the junction with Sweetbriar Road).

This house should not be confused with the Woodlands Hospital (the former Norwich Workhouse Infirmary, which later became part of what is now the Norwich Community Hospital).

The Woodlands Children's Home opened on 9 July 1951, when the children from the Turner Road Homes were transferred there. It was still in existence in 1974.

9 Unthank Road Home 

It opened on 16 April 1952 when 12 children (seven girls and five boys) were transferred from the Thomas Anguish Home. It was no longer in existence by 1960.

33 Sandy Lane Home, Old Lakenham 

A purpose-built home intended to house 10 children in warmer, more intimate surroundings.

It opened on 18 April 1952 when nine children (four girls and five boys) were transferred from the Thomas Anguish Home. It was still in existence in 1974.

68 Palmer Road Home 

A number of dwellings, already owned by the City Council, were converted into a hostel for adolescent boys.

The matron and her husband were appointed on 12 May 1964 and the hostel opened shortly afterwards. 

Boys who were working contributed towards their keep.

In January 1969, the Home Office agreed that the hostel should be redesignated as a children's home in order to maximise its use and reduce running costs. It was still in existence in 1974.

17 Pearcefield Home, off Sprowston Road 

This was originally a purpose-built hostel for six adolescent girls.

The matron and her husband were appointed on 14 December 1966, tenders for the furniture and equipment were accepted on 8 February 1967 and the hostel opened shortly afterwards.

Girls who were working contributed towards their keep.

In January 1969, the Home Office agreed that the hostel should be redesignated as a children's home in order to maximise its use and reduce running costs. It was still in existence in 1974.

The Norfolk Record Office has very few records relating to children's homes and children in care after 1974. 

Norfolk County Council has more information about accessing personal data.