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

Westdene, Knowsley Road, Southport, Lancashire

In 1923, the National Children's Home (NCH) opened a home at 17 Knowsley Road, Southport. The home accommodated twenty-four girls up to the age of 16.

17 Knowsley Road, Southport, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

By 1953, the property had become old and unsuitable for its purpose. The children were transferred to new Westdene home at 39 Park Crescent, Southport, where they were joined by those also being relocated from the old Westdene home premises on Westcliffe Road.

The Knowsley Road property is now a private residence.

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.