Ancestry UK

Heathfield House / New Kenward, Maidstone, Kent

At the end of 1947, a Barnardo's home was opened in a property known as Heathfield House situated on Heathfield Road, Maidstone. The first children to take up residence were transferred from the Kenward home at Yalding.

The location of the home is shown on the 1936 map below.

Heathfield House site, Maidstone, c.1936.

After the closure of the Yalding home in around 1969, Heathfield House — sometimes informally referred to as New Kenward — officially took over the name Kenward. From April 1975, the home catered for children with emotional difficulties. The home was eventually closed in July 1981. The property no longer exists.

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.

Bibliography

  • Barnardo, Syrie Louise, and Marchant, James Memoirs of the Late Dr Barnardo (Hodder & Stoughton, 1907)
  • Batt, J.H. Dr. Barnardo: The Foster-Father of "Nobody's Children" (S.W. Partridge, 1904)
  • Bready, J. Wesley Doctor Barnardo (Allen & Unwin, 1930)
  • Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain's Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
  • Rose, June For the Sake of the Children: Inside Dr. Barnardo's: 120 years of caring for children (Hodder & Stoughton, 1987)
  • Wagner, Gillian Barnardo (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1979)