Mother and Baby Homes — London E/EC 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 Location | Founded/ | Closed/ | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poplar Association Home, Bow House, 83 Bow Road, Bow E3 | 1924 | Unmarried mothers with their babies; payment according to circumstances. | 9 | under 30 | |
| Salvation Army Knitting Home / Mother and Baby Home, Lanark House, 13 Laura Place, Clapton E5 | 1891 | Young girls; mostly preventive cases. | 28 | no limit | |
| Salvation Army Home, Lorne House No. 2, 126-128 Lower Clapton Road, Clapton E2 | 8 February 1945 | Girls and women awaiting admission to the Mothers' Hospital. | 24m/20b | no limit | |
| Salvation Army Home, Sapsworth House, 122-124 Lower Clapton Road, Clapton E2 | 1926 | Girls and women awaiting admission to the Mothers' Hospital. Later Before and After Care Home. | 28m/19b | no limit | |
| Salvation Army Mothers' Hospital, 153-156 Lower Clapton Road, Hackney E5 | 1913 | 1986 | All classes of girls and women; payment according to circumstances. | 75m/70b | no limit |
| Salvation Army Maternity Home, 17-19 Devonshire Road, Hackney E9 | by 1912 | By 1930 | Girls and women awaiting admission to Mothers' Hospital. | 28m/17b | no limit |
| Salvation Army Rescue /Maternity Home, 183 Amhurst Road, Hackney E8 | 1886 | Girls and women in distress.Girls and women awaiting admission to Mothers' Hospital. | 48 | no limit | |
| Salvation Army Maternity Home, 27-29 Devonshire (now Brenthouse) Road, Hackney E9 | 1888 | Girls and women awaiting admission to Maternity Hospital. | 42 | no limit | |
| Ladies' Association Refuge and Maternity Home House, 6-8 Pembury Road, Hackney E5 | by 1930 | Fallen and friendless girls, and unmarried mothers and their babies. | 24 | under 30 | |
| Salvation Army Rescue/Maternity Home, Ivy House, 271 Mare Street, Hackney E8 | 1893 | 1894 | 36 | no limit | |
| Salvation Army Maternity Hospital, Ivy House, 271 Mare Street, Hackney E8 | 1894 | 1913 | Girls and women with first baby, 10s. 6d. to 21s.; second cases exceptionally received. | 36 | no limit |
| Holborn DeanerySt Faith's Home, 2 Myddleton Square, Holborn EC1 | by 1935 | c.1960 | Mothers and babies; also expectant mothers; those outside the Deanery, 10s. | 9m/4b | under 30 |
| Holborn Deanery Association Refuge, 2 Myddleton Square, Holborn EC1 | 1903 | All classes of destitute women; those outside the Deanery, 5s. | 8m/4b | under 35 | |
| St Alban's Diocesan Maternity Home, 40 Cann Hall Road, Leytonstone E11 | 1903 | Girls expecting a first baby. Diocesan cases 5s. per week. | 8 | under 30 | |
| Rescue and Maternity Home, Manor Cottage, 33 Sturry Street, East India Dock Road, Poplar E14 | 1878 | Fallen women; free; maternity cases. | 12 | no limit | |
| Commercial Road Refuge, 31 Arbour Square, Commercial Road, Stepney E1 | 1884 | Fallen girls; not lowest class; a few vacancies for mothers and babies; remain six months; 5s. if possible. | 9 | under 20 | |
| St Pelagia's Home, Stepney Green, Stepney E1 | 1889 | c.1892 | Mothers, with their first illegitimate children, after confinement. Remain twelve months, free. Others lately fallen. | 50 | no limit |
| St Agatha's, 73 Carnarvon Road, Stratford E15 | by 1949 | For friendless or destitute girls and young women and babies | 13m/5b | ||
| Association for Friendless Girls' Refuge, Shirley House, 52 Romford Road, Stratford E15 | 1883 | Fallen women, A few mothers and babies received. | 20 | under 30 | |
| Cotland, 11 Springfield, Upper Clapton E5 | 1912 | Girls and women awaiting admission to the Mothers' Hospital; 7s. 6d. | 38m/25b | no limit | |
| Salvation Army Home, Cotswold, 55/57 Downs Road, Upper Clapton E2 | 1925 | Girls and women awaiting admission to the Mothers' Hospital. | 32m/20b | no limit | |
| Salvation Army Home, Hope Lodge, 4 The Common, Upper Clapton E2 | 1925 | by 1953 | Girls and women awaiting admission to the Mothers' Hospital. Later Before and After Care Home. | 18m/12b | no limit |
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
