Ancestry UK

Mother and Baby Homes — Derbyshire-Essex

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.

Derbyshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Borrowash House /St Joseph's, 67 Nottingham Road, Borrowashc.19461975 17m/17b 
Mother and Baby Home, 10 Vernon Street, Derbyby 1949 Before and After Care Home8m/5b 
Mother and Baby Home, 55 Gerard Street, Derby1882by 1949.Moved to 10 Vernon Street.  

Devon

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Barnstaple Shelter, 28 Carrington Terrace, Yeo Vale, Barnstaple1915 Fallen and friendless; temporarily; local cases free; also a few mothers and babies.8under 30
Salvation Army Maternity Home, Dunmore House, West End Road, Bradninch19401961Maternity Home.22m/17b 
14 Marlborough Road, Exeter     
St Nicholas' House, 20 Alphington Road, Exeterby 1964 Maternity Home.12m/6b 
St Olave's Ladies' Association Home, 32 Bartholomew Street East, Exeter1903 Friendless and fallen women, 6s.; mothers and babies, 8s.12m/8bno limit
St Olave's Ladies' Association Home (The Shelter), 33 Bartholomew Street East, Exeter  First fall cases.5no limit
Mayflower Maternity Home, Abbotsfield, Seymour Road, Mannamead, Plymouthby 1920 Unmarried mothers with their babies.21m/15bno limit
Woodside Mother and Baby Home, South View, 2 Woodside, Plymouthby 1949 Before and After Care Home.13m/5b 
St Ursula's Maternity Refuge, St Ursula's House, Edith Avenue, Plymouth  Maternity cases; 6s.; diocesan cases, 5s.814-25
Torquay Door of Hope, St Marychurch Road, Torquayby 1912 Fallen girls; entrance £1 1s.; mother and infant, 2s. 6d.13 

Dorset

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
St Thomas' Lodge, 12 Charminster Road, Bournemouthby 19491971Before and After Care Home.12m/7b16-35
Free Church Rescue and Training Home, 189 Richmond Park Road, Bournemouth1911 Fallen girls and women and those in danger, 7s. 6d.; some local cases free; mothers with infants, 3s. 6d.9over 14
Free Church Maternity and Training Home, 3 and 11 St Alban's Avenue, Lower Charminster Road, Bournemouthby 1930 First maternity cases; 10s. from locality; others 12s. 6d.: remain at least two months after confinement.24m/12bover 14
Free Church Rescue and Training Home, 3 St Alban's Avenue, Lower Charminster Road, Bournemouthby 1920 First maternity cases; 10s. from locality; others 12s. 6d.: remain at least two months after confinement.12over 14
St Monica's Maternity Home, 17 (later 19)St Peter's Road, Parkstoneby 1949 Maternity Home.10m/10b14-18
St Gabriel's Home, 18 Dorchester Road, Weymouthby 1964 Before and After Care Home.9m/6bover 17
St Gabriel's Home, 6 Abbotsbury Road, Weymouthby 1949 Before and After Care Home.4m/2b 

County Durham

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
St Monica's Home, North Bondgate, Bishop Auckland19091946Unmarried mothers 5s.; and their babies 2s. 6d.12m/12bunder 25
St Agnes' Home, 45 Duke Street, Darlingtonby 1949 Before and After Care Home.7m/3b 
Mother and Baby Home, Ramside, Belmont, Durhamby 19491954After Care Hostel. Some mothers go out to work.16m/16b 
St Faith's Home, 6-8 Grasmere Street, Gatesheadby 1949 Before and After Care Home.16m/8b 
Mother and Baby Home, Smelt House (laetr Fir Tree Grange), Bridge Street, Howden-le-Wearc.1956 Before and After Care Home.17m/8b 
Parker Memorial Home, 25 Kayll Road, Sunderlandby 1949 Before and After Care Home.12m/9b 

Essex

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Chelmsford Diocesan Maternity Home, Sunnedon House, 75 Warley Hill, Brentwood19591969Maternity Home.17m/10b 
Ardmore, 136 High Road, Buckhurst Hillby 1949by 1953After Care Home. Some mothers go out to work,18m/18b 
Bartletts, Tavistock House, 201 New London Road, Chelmsfordby 1964 Before and After Care Home.15m/10b 
Chelmsford Diocesan Maternity Home, Sunnedon House, West Street, Coggeshall19331959Unmarried Girls before first confinement; 7s. 6d. from Diocese; others, 10s.; remain six months.16m/8bno limit
Chelmsford Diocesan Maternity Home, The Red House, 98 Tilkley Road, Coggeshall19251933Unmarried Girls before first confinement; 7s. 6d. from Diocese; others, 10s.; remain six months.7under 30
Good Shepherd Hostel, 87 East Hill, Colchester19381988Before and After Care Home.11m/6b 
Old Mill House, Great Bentley, Colchesterby 1964 Private Maternity Home.6m/6b 
Dunmow Maternity Home, Great Easton, Dunmow1897 First maternity cases before confinement; 7s.; remain six months. Diocesan cases, 5s.814-25
Loreto Convent, Theydon Road, Eppingby 1964 Before and After Care Home.26m/14b 
Hockley Laundry Home, Hockley1904 Fallen women with their infants.20no limit
St Faith's Home, 38 Station Road, Loughtonby 1949 Before and After Care Home.10m/4b 
Girls' Hostel, 51 Junction Road, Romfordby 1949by 1956Before and After Care Home.8m/5b 
Southend Shelter /St Monica's Home, 154 York Road, Southend-on-Seaby 1935 All classes, including mothers and babies; temporarily; payment by arrangement.8m/5b14-30
Ellen Carville Home, 38 The Drive, Walthamstowby 1949 Shelter and Before and After Care Home.5m/5b 
Carville, 38 The Drive, Walthamstowby 1949 Before and After Care Home.  
Carville, 43 West Avenue Road, Walthamstowby 1964 Before and After Care Home.6m/6b 
Beechwood, 2 Westborough Road, Westcliff-on-Seaby 1964 Hostel for Working Pregnant Girls.4