Ancestry UK

Leamington Home for Girls / St Anne's Home, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

The Leamington Home for Girls was founded in 1880 by the Honourable Mrs Leigh, widow of the late Dean of Hereford. The institution, also known as the Worcester Diocesan Home for Girls, first occupied premises were at 30 Clarendon Avenue, Leamington Spa. On 12th February, 1883, the home was accredited as a Certified School, allowing to receive girls boarded out by the workhouse authorities and train them for domestic service.

Leamington Home for Girls, Clarendon Avenue, Leamington Spa, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

In 1884, the running of the home was taken over by the Waifs and Strays Society. The home then housed 16 girls aged from 6 to 16.

On 30 July 1891, the Society's first ever 'Pound Day' was held at the Leamington home. Local supporters of the home were invited to donate 'a pound of something', either a pound in cash or a pound weight of foodstuffs or other goods such as rice, sugar, tea, soap etc. Pound Days soon became an annual feature at the Society's homes.

In 1893, the home moved to a new location at 4 Portland Place, Leamington Spa. The new premises were formally opened on October 11th with the Rev. W.C. Furneaux performing a ceremony of dedication. The home was for many years formally known as the Worcester Diocesan Training Home for Girls, although by 1917 had begun to be referred to as St Anne's Home.

Former Leamington Home for Girls, Portland Place, Leamington Spa, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

Former Leamington Home for Girls, Portland Place, Leamington Spa, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

Leamington Home for Girls, Portland Place, Leamington Spa, c.1897. © Peter Higginbotham

The Portland Place house was much more spacious than the one at Clarendon Avenue and could accommodate 25 girls. There was a gravel playground at the rear of the house.

Leamington Home for Girls, Portland Place, Leamington Spa, c.1908. © Peter Higginbotham

Leamington Home for Girls, Portland Place, Leamington Spa, c.1915. © Peter Higginbotham

In 1923, the St Anne's home moved to yet larger premises at 6 Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, where up to girls could be housed.

Former St Anne's Home, Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

St Anne's Home, Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, c.1924. © Peter Higginbotham

The home remained a girls-only establishment up until 1947 but then, in line with many other children's homes at the time, became mixed.

St Anne's Home, Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, c.1927. © Peter Higginbotham

The home was closed sometime in the 1970s. The property is now a private residence.

Records

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Bibliography