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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Gloucestershire => Topic started by: alf on Friday 10 February 12 13:08 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I am trying to find the name and location of th National Childrens Home in Stroud. I was there in the 1950's and all I can remember it was very large with gardens and a lawn in the front. I can remember walking of a footpath through the gate which had a high wall either side and as I walked towards the house on my right was a long narrow building where you washed and had a bath. It was a short distance from Stratford Park and the school I went to was not very far from the park. That was a small one roomed building which was greyish. Again you walked off the footpath and into the school. I have been trying for years to get the name and location. I have been back quite a few times but Stroud has changed, who knows it may still be in use not as a childrens home.
regards
Alf
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Hi Alf
Try this site (found with google)
http://www.theirhistory.co.uk/70001/info.php?p=9
It's probably the one at Ebley House, rather than Painswick.
Hope it helps :)
Linda
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More references
http://www.theirhistory.co.uk/70001/info.php?p=9 (2 pages)
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2768885 picture
It's now a listed building. If you put
235 Westward Road, Ebley
into google maps, it will show you approximately where it is located
Linda
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Thank you very much for the links, but it is not any of them.
I only gave the subject as National Childrens Home as I was unaware there were other homes. I am now wondering if could have been Roxborough House, all I can remember it was in Stroud and I walked up a narrow road from a hill and the house was on my right. Either side of the gate/door, never saw it closed was a high stone wall with a drive way to the big house I think it was white. At the weekends some of the boys used to go down to a stream to play and walk along the canal towards the brewery. My memory is now devoid of any other information.
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You may find HiddenLives website useful although it appears to be earlier than your dates I found the home my mother and her siblings were placed in and that was around the late 1930's.
Good Luck
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The area you describe seems to be near Butterow, Rodborough. If you go to the following site
http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-131347-rodborough-house-including-gatepiers-to-
there is a description of the house.
This is also interesting:
http://www.francisfrith.com/stroud,gloucestershire/memories/rodborough-house-_70281/#utmcsr=google.co.uk&utmcmd=referral&utmccn=google.co.uk
Lizzie
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Hi
Many thanks for the links. Not Rodborough.
It was in Stoud and not to far from Stratford Park, the Train Station, because I could hear the train leaving the station and the siren from the Fire Station.
What has interested me that there are no records, photos of this place. I have been in touch with the Stroud council but no result.
I am sure it is no longer about, but I will have to try and retrace my walk from Stratford Park, going up hill towards the town and then going off to my right.
Do any one know of the via duct in a valley and not far from a canal in stroud?. Once I have found that it may help.
Sorry to be a pain, but it has been bugging me for so long.
alf
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Hi Alf
If you start from Stratford Park, go up the hill (Stratford Road)and then turn right you are then on the road from Stroud to Painswick, Beeches Green. On the right of that road as you walk towards Stroud there is Catholic Church/school. The school is called Rosary School. If you walk past that to a road junction and turn right onto Merrywallks, the bus station was accessible on your left (it's all changed now) and on the right quite high up off the road you can see the Catholic buildings. If you carry along Merrywalks you walk under a viaduct, towards the railway and canal. At that point you will be on Butterow, where Rodborough House was situated.
Are you talking about the Rosary School do you think? Or does my description of your walk make things any clearer?
You could perhaps contact Gloucestershire County Council, as the home may have come under their jurisdiction, rather than Stroud.
There was a large house called Stratford Lodge on the corner of Stratford Road which is now a Premier Inn that could have been the place you are thinking about. Go to http://www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/STROLD/stroud for a photograph of it.
There is a Stroud Local History society which you can google, I don't know if they can help you.
Lizzie
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Hi Lizzie
Many thanks for your reply. I have had a look at the google map again and I have now found the viaduct thanks to your directions. I have sort of retraced the route us kids and nurses took when we used to go up to the downs. The area where I think the house was has been rebuilt, so no hope in seeing it. The school was church of England and not to far from Stratford park along Stratford Road.
I will make contact with Gloucester County Council and see what they come up with.
Alf
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There's lots of old postcard views of Stroud with Rodborough in distance here:
http://www.rodboroughfort.co.uk/index.php?option=com_g2bridge&view=gallery&Itemid=2
I used to live in Minchinhampton and came down the hill past Butterow turnpike cottage on way to work..........don't remember a children's home other than Ebley tho'
Went back past the fire station and on towards Stratford Park last week didn't recognise the old Tech college, gone and masses of new houses in the process of building. but the trees that they wanted to chop down in the 80's are still there! That's progress
Anne
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Another person has made contact with me and she was in the same home. Roxborough House in Nelson Street, Stroud, now a Community Centre. Now to find the school.
Alf
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Hi Alf. I grew up in Stroud, went to the Rosary school and sometimes walked home along Stratford Road. If you are coming from the Stroud direction, you have the park on your right. All along the left hand side behind the houses is the railway track to Stroud. Right at the other end of Stratford Road, you branch off left onto Paganhill. In the 50's the firestation was situated on the Cainscross Road almost opposite the Marling school which backs onto the Stratford Road. Did you attend a local primary school or one that belonged to the home? Whiteshill school was situated at the Paganhill end of Stratford Road. Of course there was the Rosary school but that was Catholic. How about Uplands school? I still have friends living in Stroud so I will ask them if they can remember anything.
Teresa
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Hi Alf
I live very close to Nelson Street. I will ask some of my elderly neighbours....
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Alf - If you lived at Roxborough House in Nelson Street, and went to a C of E Primary School, you probably went to Church Street School. Having done a search on google streetview, it seems to be called The Whitminster Centre, and is Stroud Youth Centre and Stroud Area Youth Office. It's a pupil referral centre for 14-16 year olds.
Four of my children went there, the headmistress at the time (1960s/70s) was a Mrs Tyrrell and the school motto was "Aspire High", which was a pun on the fact that the church had a spire. :D
Here is a photo. Ring any bells?
Lizzie
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By the way Nelson Street is not near Stratford Park. If you google nelson st, stroud, the first item is a google map. If you look at that you can see how near Nelson St is to Church St.
Lizzie.
ps. Should have said when my kids went to the school, it was just a C of E primary school.
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Agree there Lizzie. Stratford Park is outside of the town, up past Beeches Green. Church Street was the school I couldn't remember so thanks for that. I remember playing against Church Street in a rounders tournament way back in 1964 and we beat them!
Teresa
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The local paper for Stroud is the Stroud News and Journal which can also be viewed online. Perhaps they would print a letter for you? I am sure there are many people in Stroud who could well provide you with the information you are after.
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Hi
The School
All I can remember about the school. That was a small stone building with one room which I found strange having been to Stone school which had 3 rooms. The school was on my right as I passed Stratford Park, but some distance away. To eneter the school you just walked off the foot path and down a few steps and into the school. To the right was avery small playing yard, not impressed. The school was amongst other houses on the road. Something tells me that the school belonged to the home because on my first day I was taken to the school by a lady in a car and all the kids and on the way home we all went and played in the park before going to the home. I could be wrong with the school belonging to the home, but we all left in the morning in a group and returned home sometimes covered in mud in the evening. I know it was quite a long walk and with short legs it took for ever.
Alf
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Hi
I am trying to find the name and location of th National Childrens Home in Stroud. I was there in the 1950's and all I can remember it was very large with gardens and a lawn in the front. I can remember walking of a footpath through the gate which had a high wall either side and as I walked towards the house on my right was a long narrow building where you washed and had a bath. It was a short distance from Stratford Park and the school I went to was not very far from the park. That was a small one roomed building which was greyish. Again you walked off the footpath and into the school. I have been trying for years to get the name and location. I have been back quite a few times but Stroud has changed, who knows it may still be in use not as a childrens home.
regards
Alf
Hi Alf. I have been to Ebley Children's home today as I was there in 1954. It is now under the names of Ebley House Novalis Trust. 235 Westward Road Elbey GL5 4SX. You do walk through some gate and the garden does look down towards the canal. There is a picture of the house on the wedsite www.novalis-trust.org.uk. Hope this helps you. It is an amazing place.
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Hi Alf,
I was in the children's home in Stroud that I think you are allying about. It was Roxborough House in Stroud, I (and my brother) were there from 1955 - 1959 whilst my mother was seriously ill with TB.
I have vivid memories of the house and the school next door although I don't know exactly where it was, however each Saturday we were required to walk to Sandford Park or to Rodborough Common to the Fort there.
When I arrived there was a matron who I think was sacked for cruelty, then a married couple took over, Mr and Mrs King.
Love to share memories with you although a lot of mine are not good ones!
Sally
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Hi Alf,
I think you were at the same children's home as me and my brother; Roxborough House, this was at the top of Nelson Street in Stroud.
It was accessed down a short hilly drive, then through the gates where you turned right, the house was facing you at the end of the path. There was a lawn that included a paddling pool to your left. As you were taken through the main door there was a long line of sinks where we had our hair washed weekly. To the left if the front door was the playroom where we were required to write a weekly letter home, or wherever!
When my brother and I were admitted in (I think) 1955 there was a matron in charge who hit me when I was sick in bed, later a married couple Mr and Mrs King took over.
Saturdays were spent walking to the 'pictures' for the morning and a walk up Rodborough Common in yen afternoon.
I had some bad experiences there.
Please reply to me at if this sounds like the home you were sent to.
Kindest regards Sallyanne.
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Hi Sally,
When buscombe has made another post you will both be able to exchange private messages (should you wish) We do not publish email addresses on RootsChat as this is how spammer pick up on emails.
Sarah ;)
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Hi,
My Dad was at Roxborough and would like to re-connect with other people who stayed there- please do get in touch with me if any of you are still active on this thread!
Thanks,
Grace
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Hi Grace,
Yes, I am still active on here. I would welcome contact.
Regards
Sallyanne
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My Grandmother attended a Children's home from 1950 to 1953. She remembers quite a lot. She is 82 now. Her name was June Ball. There was a Matron called Miss or Mrs Ford. She was Friend's with a girl named Carol. The cook there was called Mrs Barrett. The Vicar was called Father Inon. The headmaster of the school she went to was Mr Loosley. She also said that there was a little girl called Ruth. Who was never visited in all the time she was there. She was just left there and forgotten about. My Grandmother does not have happy memories of the place. But she described the house the same. Up a hill along a short drive and the house was through a gate on the right. There was also a stream with a bridge across it on the way to school.
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Hi Alf,
I'm sure your children's home was Roxborough House. I was there for nearly 2 years with my brother and sister, 1957/8 I believe.
It was situated at the top of Nelson Street, down a short access road bordered by high walls. A door in the left wall allowed you access to large walled field, part of a girls (prep?) school where we were permitted to play rounders and cricket in the summer.
The home itself was a delightful little mansion (white). I'll never understand why Stroud Council allowed its demolition.
Sallyanne's description is quite correct. The one thing I found different though was a major one. There must have been a change of regime. The Master and Matron were no longer Mr and Mrs King, but MR and Mrs Rose. They kept an orderly house, but not a bullying one. I am sorry Sallyanne had such a bad experience. Myself, I spent 2 very happy years there.
Regards to all who passed through the home,
Bill.