Ancestry UK

Mother and Baby Homes — Bedfordshire-Cumberland

The establishments listed below are believed to have provided at least some accommodation for unmarried mothers and their babies, during at least some of their existence. They include maternity homes, before-and-after-confinement care homes, hostels for pregnant working girls or working mothers, and Irish County Homes. Homes that in their day were labelled Magdalen Homes are listed elsewhere.

Where applicable, the 'Places' column shows the accommodation provided for mothers and babies (exact figures could change over time).
Note that over the years, many institutions changed location and/or name, sometimes more than once. The accommodation provided, age of those admitted etc. at a home could also vary.

Bedfordshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Bedford and County Girls' Home, 1 Hill Rise, Park Road North, Bedford193231 March 1957Mothers and babies; 12s. 6d. Maternity ward in the Home.16m/16bno limit
Holt House, 178 Hurst Grove, Bedford19611968Before and After Care Home.11m/6b16-24
Bedford and County Home, 97 Ashbunham Road, Bedford19191932Mothers and babies; 10s. Maternity ward in the Home.12no limit
Widecombe, 36 Grasmere Road, Streatleyby 1961 Before and After Care Home.7m/7bover 17

Berkshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Mother and Baby Hostel, York House, 50 Andover Road, Newbury     
The Warren, Newbury     
Burnell House Hostel, 27 Bolton Avenue, Windsorby 1964c.1967Post-natal home - mothers may go to daily work.19m/19b 
St Michael's, 2 Dorset Road, Windsorc.1925c.1964Before and After Care Home.7m/3b 
St Michael's, 56 Frances Road, Windsorc.19641970sBefore and After Care Home.7m/3b 

Buckinghamshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Mid-Bucks Maternity Home, 33 Bicester Road, Aylesbury1928 Unmarried expectant mothers; first time only; 10s. from diocese; others 12s. 6d.6under 30
Putnam House, 69 Buckingham Street, Aylesburyby 1949 Maternity Home.20m/12b14-20
Mid-Bucks Home, Putnam House, 69 Buckingham Street, Aylesburyc.1949 Rescue and preventive cases; temporarily. Local cases 3s. 6d.; others 10s.18no limit
The Grange, 56 Amersham Hill, High Wycombe1940s Destitute or friendless boys, either orphans or only one parent.  
Slough and District Girls' Home, 11 Sussex Place, Slough1919  2m/2b 
Slough and District Girls' Home, 3 Belgrave Place, Uxbridge Road, Slough1919 Before and After Care Home.2m/2b 

Cambridgeshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Ely Diocesan Maternity Home, 48 Bateman Street, Cambridge1920early 1970sUnmarried mothers with first child. Diocesan cases,10s.; others, 12s.14m/10b15-30

Cheshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
St Faith's Home for Girls, 24 Palm Grove, Birkenhead1912 Mothers and babies; local cases 10s.; others 12s. 6d. Remain six months.15m/20b.15-27
St Bridget's Mother and Baby Home, 15 Lache Lane, Chesterc.19491917Before and After Care Home.20m/12b 
Crewe Shelter /St Hilda's, 71 West Street, Crewec.1937    
Knowle House, Sagars Road, Handforthby 1949 After Care Hostel, later Before and After Care Home.22m/16bover 14
Hoylake Mothers and Babies Home, Prospect House, 7 Trinity Road, Hoylakeby 1949 Before and After Care Home.12m/8b 
Home of the Good Samaritan, 27 Victoria Road, Grappenhall, Warringtonby 1949 Before and After Care Home, some Shelter beds.14m/8b 

Cornwall

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Penzance Shelter, Morwenna, Lescudjack Terrace, Penzanceby 1950. Before and After Care Home.8m/3b 
Truro Diocesan Maternity Home, Mount Prospect, Redruth19161920sUnmarried mothers; Diocesan cases 7s. 6d. And 15s. Confinement fee; others 10s. And £1 fee.6under 20
Cornwall Preventive and Rescue Association Mothers' and Babies' Home, Rosemundy, St Agnes1917 Girls expecting first confinement; Cornish girls, 10s.; others, 15s.; remain three months after confinement.15m/7bunder 25
Mother and Baby Home, Rosewood, Woodland Road, St Austell   24 

Cumberland

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
St Mary's Home for Friendless Girls, Coledale Hall, 94-96 Newtown Road, Carlisle1926 Before and After Care Home.10m/6b