Norwich children's homes and children in care

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.