The material below is taken from the web page Unless otherwise indicated, content is copyright Peter Higginbotham and may not be re-published without permission.
Ancestry UK

Laleham Home, Oxted, Surrey

In 1910, the National Children's Home (NCH) opened its Laleham Home for 38 girls at 54 Bluehouse Lane (formerly Barrow Green Road), Oxted.

The Laleham Home was originally founded by Miss Hannah Pipe and had previously been located in houses at Streatham and Balham, as well as in temporary premises in Oxted before returning to Balham. After Miss Pipe's death in 1906, the Bluehouse Lane property, which had been used by Miss Pipe as a women's convalescent home, passed to the NCH. It was then converted to become the permanent premises for the Laleham Home.

The formal opening of the new premises took place on November 1st, 1910, and was performed by Mrs Annie Nash of Limpsfield.

Laleham Home, Oxted, early 1900s. © Peter Higginbotham

Laleham Home, Oxted, 1915. © Peter Higginbotham

Former Laleham Home, Oxted

In the late 1940s, the Oxted Home was relocated to new premises known as Pastens, on Pastens Lane to the south-east of Limpsfield.

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.

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

Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.