Although the term 'Magdalen' home or institution has become particularly
associated with Ireland's Magdalen laundries, it covers to a much wider range of
establishments. Rather than indicating the nature of these institutions' facilities
or regime, it reflects the circumstances of their inmates — girls and young
women who had 'fallen' (or who were considered in danger of doing so), primarily those who
had become pregnant or involved in prostitution. More...
| Name and Location | Founded/Opened | Closed/Moved | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
|---|
|
| Bedford and County Girls' Home, 1 Hill Rise, Park Road North, Bedford | 1932 | 31 March 1957 | Mothers and babies; 12s. 6d. Maternity ward in the Home. | 16m/16b | no limit |
| Bedford Shelter, 32 Brereton Road, Bedford | 1910 | 1919 | Fallen and preventive cases. | 12 | no limit |
| Bedford and County Home, 97 Ashbunham Road, Bedford | 1919 | 1932 | Mothers and babies; 10s. Maternity ward in the Home. | 12 | no limit |
| Luton Shelter, 13 Napier Road, Luton | 1921 | | Friendless and destitute girls; temporarily; Luton and Dunstable cases, free; others, from 5s. | 4 | under 25 |
| Girls' Training Home, 27 Cardiff Grove, Luton | by 1912 | | Fallen and friendless; free. | 13 | no limit |
| Name and Location | Founded/Opened | Closed/Moved | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
|---|
|
| St Agnes' Lodge, 1 Laburnham Road, Maidenhead | 1904 | | Fallen and destitute women; 5s; local cases free. | 7 | 15-25 |
| St Agnes' Lodge, 52 Clare Road, Maidenhead | by 1920 | | Fallen and destitute women; 5s; local cases free. | 2 | 15-25 |
| Reading Shelter, 23 Russell Street, Reading | by 1930 | 1947? | Friendless and fallen; temporarily. | 8 | no limit |
| St Monica's, 37 Christchurch Road, Reading | by 1949 | | | x | |
| Reading Shelter, 41 Russell Street, Reading | 1911 | | Friendless and fallen; temporarily. | 6 | no limit |
| St Mary's Home, 53-55 Baker Street, Reading | 1872 | | Fallen girls, daughters of the poor; remain two years. | | 17-20 |
| The Refuge, 59 Castle Street, Reading | 1878 | | Local penitentiary cases or discharged prisoners; temporarily; preventive cases 6s. to 10s. | 3 | 14-35 |
| Reading Female Aid Society Shelter, 6 Zinzan Street, Reading | 1854 | | Fallen and friendless women; temporarily. | 9 | no limit |
| Reading Laundry Home, 61 Castle Street, Reading | 1891 | | Fallen women and discharged prisoners; from a distance, entrance fee, £5 5s. | 14 | Elderly |
| Rescue Home, Norwood House, King's Road, Reading | by 1890 | | | 50 | |
| Reading Female Home, Redlands Villa, 4 New Road, Southern Hill, Reading | 1871 | | Fallen women; temporarily. | 16 | under 20 |
| St Mary's Training Home, Challow Road, Wantage | 16 July 1935 | | Fallen women; entrance fee if possible; remain two years. | 66 | 15-24 |
| Windsor Refuge, Cambridge Villa, Dorset Road, Windsor | by 1920 | | Rescue and preventive cases; free from Windsor; diocesan cases, 3s. 6d.; others 5s. | 6 | under 30 |
| House of Mercy, Hatch Lane, Clewer, Windsor | 1849 | | Fallen women; remain at least two years. | 86 | 17-40 |
| Windsor Refuge, St Michael's, Dorset Road, Windsor | by 1930 | | Rescue and preventive cases; free from Windsor and district; diocesan cases, 3s. 6d.; others by arrangement. | 6 | under 30 |
| Wellesley Home Refuge / Preventive Training Home, Vansittart Road, Clewer, Windsor | 1882 | | Fallen women; 2s. 6d.; from Windsor free. A few permanent cases received, others sent to Homes. | 12 | under 30 |
| Windsor Shelter, Winton Cottage, 92 Alma Road, Windsor | by 1912 | | Rescue and preventive cases; 6s.; local cases free. | 2 | under 30 |
| Name and Location | Founded/Opened | Closed/Moved | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
|---|
|
| Mid-Bucks Maternity Home, 33 Bicester Road, Aylesbury | 1928 | | Unmarried expectant mothers; first time only; 10s. from diocese; others 12s. 6d. | 6 | under 30 |
| Ayelsbury Shelter, Putnam House, 35 Bicester Road, Aylesbury | 1919 | | Rescue and preventive cases; temporarily. Local cases 3s. 6d.; others 10s. | 6 | no limit |
| North Bucks Shelter, 10 High Street, Fenny Stratford | | | Fallen and preventive cases. | 4 | |
| Slough Girls' Welcome, 3 Belgrave Place, Uxbridge Road, Slough | 1919 | | Rescue and preventive cases; free, from the locality; others, according to circumstances. | 6 | under 30 |
| Name and Location | Founded/Opened | Closed/Moved | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
|---|
|
| Shelter for Girls, 13 Hertford Street, Cambridge | 1922 | 1924 | Fallen or friendless women; temporarily; 7s. 6d. | 9 | under 25 |
| Shelter for Girls, 14 Downing Street, Cambridge | 1854 | 1922 | Fallen or friendless women; temporarily; 7s. 6d. | 9 | under 25 |
| Cambridge Female Refuge / Home of Mercy, 19 Church (now Christchurch) Street, Cambridge | 1838 | | From the diocese of Ely, free; other cases £5 per annum when possible. Must remain two years. | 25 | 15-22 |
| Church Street Mission, 26 Newmarket Road, Cambridge | by 1912 | By 1920 | Fallen or friendless women; temporarily; 5s. | 9 | |
| Ely Diocesan Maternity Home, 48 Bateman Street, Cambridge | 1920 | early 1970s | Unmarried mothers with first child. Diocesan cases,10s.; others, 12s. | 14m/10b | 15-30 |
| Shelter for Girls, 6 Glisson Road, Cambridge | 1925 | 1927 | Fallen or friendless women; temporarily; 7s. 6d. | 9 | under 25 |
| Undergraduates' House of Rescue, Rock End, Histon Road, Cambridge | 1886 | | Fallen women. Cases from a distance 5s. per week. Remain six to eight months. | | no limit |
| Ely Diocesan Refuge, The Haven, Ely | | | Fallen and friendless girls, temporarily; non-diocesan cases, 5s. | 12 | 13-20 |
| Name and Location | Founded/Opened | Closed/Moved | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
|---|
|
| Altrincham and Bowdon Home, 12 Willow Terrace, Willow Tree Road, Altrincham | 1913 | | Friendless girls; from 5s. | 5 | under 20 |
| Birkenhead Rescue Home, 205 Oliver Street, Birkenhead | 1886 | | Unmarried women under 30. Local cases free; others pay entrance fee of 10s. 6d. Remain a few days or weeks. | | under 30 |
| Birkendhead Rescue Home Waiting Home, 23 Grange Mount, Birkenhead | by 1915 | | | | |
| St Faith's Home for Girls, 24 Palm Grove, Birkenhead | 1912 | | Mothers and babies; local cases 10s.; others 12s. 6d. Remain six months. | 15m/20b. | 15-27 |
| Paget House, 45 Westbank Road, Devonshire Park, Birkenhead | 1932 | | Girls in need of help; temporarily. | 7 | no limit |
| Birkenhead Rescue Home, 7 Euston Grove, Claughton, Birkenhead | by 1897 | | Temporarily or for two years. Birkenhead girls free, others £1 1s. entrance fee. | 17 | 12-20 |
| Birkenhead Rescue Home, Alfred House, 5 Alfred Road, Birkenhead | by 1900 | | Birkenhead girls admitted free; for two years. £1 1s. entrance fee with cases from a distance. | 28 | 14-22 |
| St Margaret's Home, Mersey Road, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead | 1888 | | Poor penitent girls, rescue and preventive cases. | 80 | no limit |
| Rescue Home, 10 (later 4) Vicar's lane, Chester | 1883 | | Any class of the fallen; remain about one month. | 9 | under 24 |
| Chester Diocesan House of Mercy, 15 Lache Lane, Chester | 1886 | | Fallen girls from the Chester diocese, fee £1 1s.; others £5. | 29 | 14-18 |
| House of Shelter, 36 Tarvin Street, Chester | 1883 | | Fallen girls and women; temporarily. | 9 | under 25 |
| Chester Female Penitentiary, Christleton Road, Boughton, Chester | 1827 | | | 25 | 14-29 |
| Crewe Shelter /St Hilda's, 28 Stalbridge Road, Crewe | 1925 | c.1937 | Rescue and preventive cases; temporarily. | 3 | no limit |
| House of Refuge, 22 St Thomas' Place, Stockport | 1889 | | Female penitents; free from Stockport, others 4s. 6d.; temporarily. | 6 | 14-24 |
| House of Refuge, 80 (later 91) Chatham Street, Stockport | by 1912 | | Female penitents; free from Stockport, others 4s. 6d.; temporarily. | 5 | 14-24 |
| Name and Location | Founded/Opened | Closed/Moved | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
|---|
|
| Falmouth Shelter, 4 Mount Edgcumbe Villas, Falmouth | 1921 | | Fallen or friendless girls or women; temporarily; 12s. 6d. when possible. | 2 | no limit |
| St Faith's House of Mercy, St Winnow, Lostwithiel | 1864 | | The working class; free; remain two years. | 21 | 12-30 |
| Penzance Shelter, 1 and 7 Penare Road, Penzance | by 1935 | by 1953 | Girls and women needing help. Payment according to circumstances | 6m/3b | under 30 |
| Penzance Shelter, 7 Wellington Place, Penzance | 1908 | | Girls and women needing help. Payment according to circumstances | 3 | under 30 |
| Penzance Rescue and Preventive Society, Albert House, Penzance | 1881 | | Fallen women. Those in danger and children helped; sent to Homes. | | |
| Penzance Shelter, Morwenna, Lescudjack Terrace, Penzance | by 1950. | | Before and After Care Home. | 8m/3b | |
| Truro Diocesan Maternity Home, Mount Prospect, Redruth | 1916 | 1920s | Unmarried mothers; Diocesan cases 7s. 6d. And 15s. Confinement fee; others 10s. And £1 fee. | 6 | under 20 |
| Cornwall Preventive and Rescue Association Mothers' and Babies' Home, Rosemundy, St Agnes | 1917 | | Girls expecting first confinement; Cornish girls, 10s.; others, 15s.; remain three months after confinement. | 15m/7b | under 25 |
| Laundry Home, Alverton, Truro | by 1890 | | Girls after their first fall; £5. | | |
| Epiphany Laundry Home, Mitchell Hill, Truro | 1885 | | Girls after their first fall; £5 yearly; remain until considered fit to go to service (2 to 2½ years). | 20 | under 20 |
| Truro Temporary Shelter, Tabernacle Cottage, Tabernacle Street, Truro | by 1930 | | Preventive and rescue cases. | 3 | no limit |
