Ancestry UK

Mother and Baby Homes — London W/WC Postal Districts

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.

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Loreto House, 17 Pembridge Villas, Bayswater W11by 1949 Before and After Care Home (V.D. cases).17m/10b 
Home for Deserted Mothers and their Infants, 35 Great Coram Street, Russell Square, Bloomsbury WC11864By 1890Young women who, being otherwise of respectable character, have for the first time become mothers of illegitimate children.16no limit
St Agnes' Home, 53 Barrowgate Road, Chiswick W4by 1956 Before and After Care Home.17m/4b 
Devon Nook Home for Unmarried Mothers, Duke's Avenue, Chiswick W41933 RC unmarried mothers, before and after confinement. Girls taught to look after their babies and encouraged to keep them.  
Kensington Refuge, 2 Upper Phillimore Place, Kensington W8by 1930 Fallen girls; 10s.; also mothers and babies.1015-25
North Kensington Home for Mothers and Babies, 65 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill W111912 Mothers and babies, 6s. 6d.9m/9b15-25
St Christopher's, 1 Devonshire Terrace, Paddington W2by 1949 Before and After Care Home.10m/4b 
St Mary Magdalene Home, 14 (later 26) Ranelagh (now Lords Hill) Road, Paddington W21865 Unmarried women before and after first confinement. £16 per annum in advance quarterly. 5s. a week for child after six weeks old. Queen Charlotte's letter must be given with each case. Remain a year.3116-20
Jewish Rescue Home Hostel, 1 Roseford Terrace, Shepherd's Bush W121919 Unmarried Jewish mothers with their babies.6m/6bunder 25
St Marylebone Workhouse Girls' Aid Home, 241 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush W121908 Women with their first or second child; free from Marylebone workhouse; 10s.10m/10bunder 25
St Margaret's Hostel, 466 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush W121917 Unmarried mothers of business girl class, with their first babies; 15s.10under 30
Jewish Rescue Home, Charcroft House, Roseford Gardens, Shepherd's Bush W121885c.1943?Fallen Jewesses; remain in the Home at least one year; free; a few maternity cases received.15m/8bunder 25
St Margaret's House, 13 Burton Street, St Pancras WC11922 Domestic servants; also mothers and babies.717-30
Main Memorial Home for Deserted Mothers and their Infants, 49 Burton Crescent (now Cartwright Gardens), St Pancras WC1by 1890by 1949Young women otherwise of respectable character, before and after confinement; 5s.1217-30
Homes of Hope, 5 Regent Square, Gray's Inn Road, St Pancras WC11860 Mothers, with their first illegitimate children, after confinement; also preventive cases; payment if possible.20under 30