[an error occurred while processing this directive] The Croft, Edgbaston, Birmingham
Ancestry UK

The Croft, Edgbaston, Birmingham

In 1966, The Croft — a hostel for seven teenage girls — was opened by the National Children's Home at 15 Sandon Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The hostel was for girls who had started work and needed a stable background but, for various reasons, were unable to live with with their parents or other relatives or be placed in ordinary lodgings. Although the hostel had a superintendent, the girls were provided with separate cooking facilities so that they could begin to move towards independent living while staying there.

A view of The Croft, Birmingham, 2013."

In recent times, the council-owned property has been used as bed-sit accommodation.

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

  • Action For Children (formerly the National Children's Home). Can provide access to their own records for individuals who were adopted through the charity or who resided in one of its homes. Help also for those searching for family history information.
  • The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU.
    File BN62/2966 — Registration, with plan (1965-66).
    File BN62/2967 — Reports of visits (1966-70).

Bibliography

  • Bradfield, William The Life of the Reverend Thomas Bowman Stephenson (1913, Kelly)
  • Curnock, Nehemiah The Story of the Children's Home (C.H. Kelly, 1901)
  • Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain's Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
  • Horner, Francis Shadow and Sun (Epworth Press, 1920)
  • Howard, Philip J Philip: a Strange Child (Dalkeith Publishing, 2007)
  • Philpot, Terry Action For Children (Lion, 1994)
  • Walpole, Cecil F. Golden Links (Epworth Press, 1941)

Films