Ancestry UK

Magdalen Homes — London W/WC Postal Districts

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...

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 LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Home for Deserted Mothers and their Infants, 35 Great Coram Street, Russell Square, Bloomsbury WC11864By 1890Young women who, being otherwise of respectable character, have for the first time become mothers of illegitimate children.16no limit
Sister Mabel Hostel, 1-5 Siddons Buildings, Drury Lane, Covent Garden WC219211938   
St Giles' Christian Mission / Refuge, 25 Drury Lane, Covent Garden WC2by 1900 Homeless and destitute; temporarily; free.50no limit
St Giles' Christian Mission / Refuge, 26 Great Earl Street, Seven Dials, Covent Garden WC21888 Homeless and destitute; temporarily; free. no limit
St Giles' Rescue Home, 46 Neal Street, Covent Garden WC21885 To receive fallen girls and to help them to lead a better life. Most cases passed on to more permanent Homes.  
Church Army Home, 27 Nutford Place, Edgware Road W2by 1930 Girls passing to other Houses.2516-30
Church Army Home, 28 Nutford Place, Edgware Road W2by 1920 Destitute and fallen women 5s.816-40
Church Army Classifying Home, 29 Nutford Place, Edgware Road W21896 Fallen women. 5s. or £2.2s. entrance fee. no limit
The Refuge or House of Probation, 23 Agate Road, Hammersmith W6by 1890 Girls of immoral character who wish to lead better lives. Remain a fortnight or month, according to circumstances; 3s. 6d. per week.6 
Hammersmith and Chiswick Ruri-decenal Refuge, 36 Glenthorne Road, Hammersmith W6c.1923c.1952Fallen and friendless; 5s. Local cases free.8under 30
Hammersmith Ruri-decenal Shelter, 59 Eyot Gardens, Hammersmith W61908 Fallen and friendless; 5s. Local cases free.5no limit
Asylum of the Good Shepherd, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith W61841 Fallen women; two guineas entrance fee where possible.190no limit
Kensington Refuge, 2 Upper Phillimore Place, Kensington W8by 1912 Fallen girls; local cases free. Diocesan cases by arrangement.1014-25
Kensington Refuge, 2 Upper Phillimore Place, Kensington W8by 1930 Fallen girls; 10s.; also mothers and babies.1015-25
The Refuge, 3 Durham Place, Campden Hill Road, Kensington W81885 Girls who have fallen or who are in danger of falling; 1s. a day.714-20
Female Mission to the Fallen Dressmaking Home, 63 Milson (or Milsom) Road, Kensington W141879 Young women who have not gone deeply into sin. Payment required.1217-23
Paddington andSt Marylebone Ladies' Association Home, 4 Lanark Villas, Clifton Road, Maida Vale W9by 1920 Maternity cases; local cases preferred; 10s.9under 30
Rescue Society Home, 205 Great Portland Street, Marylebone W11853 Receiving House, from which the young women are transferred to the Homes of the Society.1814-25
Church Army, Park Home, 30 Homer Street, Crawford Street, Marylebone W11898 Destitute and fallen women; 5s.; or entrance fee, £2 2s.816-40
St George's Diocesan Shelter and Training Home, 8 Bourdon Street, Berkeley Square, Mayfair W11885 Girls of the better class in difficulty or danger, who are sent on to other Homes.  
Mayfair Union Home, 8 Bourdon Street, Berkeley Square, Mayfair W11885 Fallen girls; free from Diocese, a small entrance fee expected with others. Outfit given only to those remaining two years.2515-25
St George's Dioecesan Training Home, 8 Bourdon Street, Berkeley Square, Mayfair W11885 Girls on probation, and others needing training, 10s.; some free.3014-22
Female Aid Society Mission House, 61 St Charles Square, North Kensington W101856By 1920.Fallen; temporarily. A few cases with infant after first confinement, 7s. 6d.14no limit
St Anne's Home for Ophthalmic Roman Catholic Girls, 311-317 Portobello Road, Notting Hill W10October 7 19101929   
St Anne's Home, 311-317 Portobello Road, Notting Hill W11by 1930 Girls who have lost their character through immorality or drink; free.5016-30
Refuge, 85/86 Portobello Road, Notting Hill W11by 1890    
St Mary Magdalene Home, 14 (later 26) Ranelagh (now Lords Hill) Road, Paddington W21865 Unmarried women before and after first confinement. £16 per annum in advance quarterly. 5s. a week for child after six weeks old. Queen Charlotte's letter must be given with each case. Remain a year.3116-20
Church Army Refuge, 2 Devonshire Terrace, Paddington W21900 Girls in need or distress, temporariliy; some free.714-30
St Mary Magdalene Home, 30 Weymouth Street, Paddington W21865 Unmarried women before and after first confinement. £16 per annum in advance quarterly. 5s. a week for child after six weeks old. Queen Charlotte's letter must be given with each case. Remain a year.3116-20
Rescue Home for Girls in Need of Care & Supervision, Winchester House, 20 Manor Place, Paddington W219881989   
West London Mission Home, Winchester House, 5 Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington W218991913Fallen women (superior class); 7s. if possible.10under 30
Jewish Rescue Home Hostel, 1 Roseford Terrace, Shepherd's Bush W121919 Unmarried Jewish mothers with their babies.6m/6bunder 25
Church Army, Clifton Home, 127 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush W121897 Destitute and fallen women; 5s.; or entrance fee, £2 2s.3816-40
St Marylebone Workhouse Girls' Aid Home, 241 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush W121908 Women with their first or second child; free from Marylebone workhouse; 10s.10m/10bunder 25
St Margaret's Hostel, 466 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush W121917 Unmarried mothers of business girl class, with their first babies; 15s.10under 30
Home of the Good Shepherd, Aldine House, Uxbrdige Road, Shepherd's Bush W121883 Fallen women who have passed through a two years' Home, and who, from moral deficiency, are unable to shift for themselves; may remain for any period.30no limit
Jewish Rescue Home, Charcroft House, Roseford Gardens, Shepherd's Bush W121885c.1943?Fallen Jewesses; remain in the Home at least one year; free; a few maternity cases received.15m/8bunder 25
Blue Lamp Refuge, 10 Great Marlborough Street, Soho W11891 Fallen women; 5s. a week. Free from the district of Mayfair.6under 25
Countess Dowager of Aberdeen's Home, 28 Foubert's Place, Regent Street, Soho W11881 Fallen young women, especially those who have not long led a sinful life and who may be considered hopeful cases. 7s. a week for special cases brought by ladies, otherwise free.5under 30
Refuge of Our Lady of Pity, 31 Soho Square, Soho W11885 The fallen; temporarily; free.25no limit
Mayfair Union Blue Lamp Refuge, 38 Great Pulteney Street, Soho W1by 1900 Fallen women; temporarily; 5s. Local cases free.8under 25
St Margaret's House, 13 Burton Street, St Pancras WC11922 Domestic servants; also mothers and babies.717-30
The Refuge, 15 Heathcote Street, St Pancras WC11883 Free; open all night.  
London Female Preventive and Reformatory Institution / London Have for Women and Girls, 2-4 Liverpool Street (now Birkenhead Street), St Pancras WC11920s Friendless or stranded young women3214-25
St Pancras Shelter, 3 Crescent Place (now Burton Place), Cartwright Gardens, St Pancras WC11907 Fallen women and girls; 5s. St. Pancras cases, free.8no limit
The Refuge, 301 Gray's Inn Road, St Pancras WC1by 1890 Fallen women.  
Open-all-Night Refuge, 37 Manchester Street (now 47 Argyle Street), St Pancras WC11872  2815-25
Refuge of Our Lady of Pity, 4 Percy Street, Tottenham Court Road, St Pancras W1by 1890 Women or girls desirous of forsaking a life of sin; temporarily.  
Homes of Hope, 4 Regent Square, Gray's InnRoad, St Pancras WC11860 Fallen women of previous good character before confinement; payment according to circumstances; free.15under 30
Rescue Society Home, 45 Cartwright Gardens, St Pancras WC11853  1014-18
Main Memorial Home for Deserted Mothers and their Infants, 49 Burton Crescent (now Cartwright Gardens), St Pancras WC1by 1890by 1949Young women otherwise of respectable character, before and after confinement; 5s.1217-30
Homes of Hope, 5 Regent Square, Gray's Inn Road, St Pancras WC11860 Mothers, with their first illegitimate children, after confinement; also preventive cases; payment if possible.20under 30
Homes of Hope, 6 Regent Square, Gray's Inn Road, St Pancras WC11860 Fallen women; temporarily; free.20under 30
Lock Hospital, 283 Harrow Road, Westbourne Green W21842 V.D., certified cases under Mental Deficiency Act, 1913; and maternity cases162no limit
Lock Hospital Recovery and Welfare Home, 283 Harrow Road, Westbourne Green W2by 1936 Training in laundry and household work given during residence of 6 or 15 months, and situation found.12 
Lock Asylum, Harrow Road, Westbourne Green W21849 Limited to females discharged from the Lock Hospital, and willing to remain a year in the Asylum.86 
Rescue Home, Harrow Road, Westbourne Green W21849 Limited to females discharged from the Lock Hospital and willing to remain a year or more in the Home.7016-25
House of Help, 1 Great Scotland Yard, Westminster SW11909 Fallen women; temporarily,814-30