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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Hertfordshire => Topic started by: muso_bob on Thursday 28 March 13 10:23 GMT (UK)
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My father Walter Bedwell (deceased) was sent to Australia as an "orphan" [subsequently I have proved he was not an orphan] under the Fairbridge Farm scheme. He used to say that he was at Benington Farm or School in UK and I have not been able to confirm this. He also sent me this photo of "a school". So I am trying to see if I can have this identified and where I may go to seek further information. Dad left England for Australia on Jervis Bay in 1934 He was born at Lambeth - mother from Leiston SFK.
I know I am clutching at straws, however, I would like o find out as much as I can before I come back to UK at the end of the year.
I have had so much assistance from Rootschat with my maternal side of NBL and my dad's side from Leiston - now hoping to add "flesh to the bones".
Thank you in muso-bob
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On Ancestry, there is a story written by Walter "Blue" Bedwell - is this your father?
As such, the building may well be the Orphanage at St Augustine's, Kilburn, London?
Benington is a small picturesque village in Hertfordshire (population c1000), and would have been unlikely to have such a large building?
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Bob,
I agree with Kevin, that looks very much like a town school to me. My immediate reaction was that it was a London County Council school, but my inner-London-born husband disagrees on the basis of the architectural style ::)
As such, the building may well be the Orphanage at St Augustine's, Kilburn, London?
A small part of the orphanage can be seen here, in the foreground http://www.rootschat.com/links/0t9p/, the photo taken in 1957 and the building in a state of disrepair. Only a small part of it can be seen, but I'm not convinced it's the same place. (The lighter coloured building beyond it is St Augustine's itself, which is very much NOT in a state of disrepair!)
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He also sent me this photo of "a school".
Bob, please could you clarify - did your father say this was the school he attended?
He used to say that he was at Benington Farm or School in UK
If he was an Inner London lad it's possible he went to Benington under the auspices of something like the the Children's Country Holiday Fund http://www.cchf-allaboutkids.org.uk/ourhistory.htm :-\ My own father-in-law and his brothers all went regularly to a village near Peterborough from Camden town in the 1920's and 1930's on CCCF holidays
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Kevin - thank you for your response. I know that 'story' on Ancestry. Unfortunately it refers to quite a number of living people. The statement re his father O'Connell is totally unfounded and not recorded anywhere. The family tree you refer to is not one I have added to that web-site.
I have my father's birth certificate and no father is recorded. The statement re Kilburn I have located among my papers now and is one I will investigate further. I appreciate your reply and the lead to look at the Orphanage angle.
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Hello Jen, Thanks for your efforts with my NBL quests.
My dad gave me a number of clippings, copies of photos etc and I am trying to identify as many as I can. This picture is one he had printed at a photo shop and laminated. No description at all unfortunately. Certainly now the orphanage is a probability I feel. I did not think of that as I thought this looked like a school. Once again Rootschat proves its immense power as a resource.
To answer your queries - no dad did not say this was the school he attended or any of the other bits I have. He just told me that he went to school and during the war visited places he believed he had been.
Your link does look very much like my photo. So I will do some digging in that area.
Even when dad met 'Aunty Lily' during WWII while he was stationed in UK she never owned up as his mother. Also I have since found his sister (deceased). Also Lily was one of 3 children and step-sister to others when her mother married for the first time to a Benjamin Miller of Leiston, SFK.
Thanks again and pleased our paths have crossed once again. I will be in UK Dec 2013 to Apr 2014 searching. Bob
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Hi
Various ramblings ...................... (feel free to ignore)
My initial reaction to the photo was "workhouse".
4 stories high. (Kilburn St Aug does not look like 4)
The Boston (Lincs) workhouse was 4 stories, and seems to have links to Ben(n)ington (Herts) / Herts Union-Poor Law
You don't mention Lily Bedwell's age/dob.
There is a family.... Lily born Watford, one of eight children, whose parents come from Gt Barrington (Glos)
(A number of Bedwell names around Watford)
Ray
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Your link does look very much like my photo. So I will do some digging in that area.
Bob, you have misunderstood what I said. I said I felt that what could could be seen of the orphanage in the link was not the same as your photo.
Only a small part of it can be seen, but I'm not convinced it's the same place.
The only part of the orphanage in the photo I linked to is in the foreground. The large building beyond is the church. St Augustine's.
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Hello Ray, thank you for your contribution - it may be a workhouse and if so a new question: why did my da have this and give to me in his package.
Lily, his mother (my grandmother) born Leiston 1 Jul 1886 died Leiston 12 Mar 1959 - I have visited her unmarked grave. She is the daughter of Elizabeth Anna (maiden name) Bedwell (1886-1901) who had 3 daughters, Rosa 1883, Lily 1886 and Annie 1891; then married Benjamin Miller 1892 and gave birth to 4 children before dying at age 33 - all Leiston. My grandmother was in service and worked at the Belgravia Hotel, Kensington around the birth of my dad.
So I am not sure how there could be links with a workhouse. That is a new area for me to consider so will do my homework. I appreciate all of these ideas.
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Jen, sorry I did mis-read. I looked went and did something and came back without re-reading.
I read my quote in your message as your words.
I need to be more careful.
Bob
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just realised I had my mother's stamped card identifying where she resided in 1945 after discharge end of war until she departed for Australia end of 1946 - November 1945 she was at "Fairbridge Farm School, Benington House, Benington nr: Hertford. One of the reasons for my post here. A most interesting card with its stamps. Not sure if its title.
Bob
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just realised I had my mother's stamped card identifying where she resided in 1945 after discharge end of war until she departed for Australia end of 1946 - November 1945 she was at "Fairbridge Farm School, Benington House, Benington nr: Hertford.
I thought it was your father who was at Benington, as per your original post.
My father Walter Bedwell (deceased) was sent to Australia as an "orphan" [subsequently I have proved he was not an orphan] under the Fairbridge Farm scheme. He used to say that he was at Benington Farm or School in UK
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'....the doctor recommended my sister and myself go into this Fairbridge home at Benington in Hertfordshire. We were the two youngest. I think I was nine. The eldest sister was just old enough to go to work and the next eldest, my brother, went into a military cadetship.
Benington was in a beautiful, rural setting so it was really great. It was a holding area for children going overseas – Canada or Australia – so a lot of the children were only there for about two or three months. My mother didn’t visit very often. It was a fair way and I guess transport was a problem.'
http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibition/belongings/baker/
'.....it was a big manor house....... it’s quite an interesting place too. It was in the rural part of
Hertfordshire. It had a dairy facility and vegetables and a huge expanse of area for children to run'
http://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/cms/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Fairbridge14-EddieBaker.pdf
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Sorry should have added - my mother and father met during WWII both on active duty in the Air Force, so were an "item" post war. I was born JAS 1946. So I am assuming that my father took her to the school. They were both people with no ties! Don't know any more than that. I added the detail more to identify the name of the school my dad claimed he attended. My dad did travel to places he had links with when he was in UK for the war. He met his mum in1944 not knowing when he did and even after he had met Lily that she was his nmother. My father was 22 and my mum 21 in 1945. My mum was educated in Cramlington. Bob
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Thanks Jen for the added information. "A holding area for children going to Australia that fits - so my father did have a link with the school, however, not the building in the photograph. I may see if I can find Benington House when over there. Bob
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I'm afraid there's definitely no way the school in the photo you've posted is Benington House - here's a photo of it http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2280137
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Bob, you said your father was born in Lambeth. So I'd suggest that this is where you need to start your search.
There are loads of old photos of Lambeth schools on this site http://landmark.lambeth.gov.uk/default.asp
Simply put the word 'school' into the box marked 'image title'.
You might be lucky :)
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I could be wrong here, but I think Fairbridge Farm School was in Australia?
On 15 April 1912, Kingsley Fairbridge and his wife Ruby Fairbridge arrived in Albany, Western Australia, from England and made their way to Pinjarra, arriving on 16 July that same year to establish the world's first Fairbridge Farm School.
Perhaps The Old Fairbridgians Association can offer some background information?
http://oldfairbridgians.org/history/
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Hello Kevin - my father was a member of Old Fairbridgians and I contacted them a while ago and they do not recognise the building for Pinjarra WA or Molong NSW. Only that it is not Australia.
I am attaching an extract from my mother's Identity Card re Benington. REgards Bob
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From British History Online, re Benington:
Beyond the village to the north the road rises to Box Hall, with Cabbage Green a short distance to the east. Along the road turning south-east from the centre of the village is Benington Place, surrounded by a large park, the residence of Mr. Richard Hargreaves, J.P., and south of it the hamlet of Hebing End, in which is Benington House, the residence of Mrs. Parker, widow of the late Rev. James Dunne Parker, LL.D., D.C.L. To the west of Hebing End is Burn's Green, and to the south Cutting Hill.
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Hello! You probably already have this information but ..... the picture is not that of a school in Benington. Benington is a rural village and does indeed have its own school but this picture would not be it. I used to live a short distance from the village of Benington in the 60s and 70s. The school was a village school surrounded by cottages mostly and trees. That pic looks much more industrial .....
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just realised I had my mother's stamped card identifying where she resided in 1945 after discharge end of war until she departed for Australia end of 1946 - November 1945 she was at "Fairbridge Farm School, Benington House, Benington nr: Hertford. One of the reasons for my post here. A most interesting card with its stamps. Not sure if its title.
Bob
Have you seen this link of the building which I think is the one you are referring to as Benington House.
http://www.beningtonlordship.co.uk/
Also the village website.
http://www.benington-herts.co.uk/history.htm
Steve
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The photo of the school does look very much like a London County Council building, which would fit with him being born in Lambeth.
Perhaps the photo should go onto the Photo board, where people are very good at identifying places. However, reading these posts I see that muso_bob is probably in the UK at the moment.
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Thank you both for your input. I am now back in UK until end of March - have been away from computers for a bit. I will look at the Photo Board, thank you.
I won't have a chance to go to the Benington area this trip - been 3 months - however will do so when I return.
I really do appreciate your posts, regards, Robert
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Hi Bob
I went to Benington approximately 2000. I took this picture of the school in the village. In case it's not a very clear, the school was founded in 1873. Also there is a Fairbridge Farm School, which I think, is on the outskirts of Pinjarra in Western Australia.
Regards Lyn.
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hi ibenington park was called benington place in the past it was a childrens home in ww2 for kids it was a fairbridge home i work as a gardener there i can supply picture and any information u need regards leni the picture u have of the school is about half amile from benington house which is a private estate.
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I've only just joined RootsChat and seen this posting. I went to Benington School in the 1950s and so confirm that the small school building Exessexgirl sent is Benington School. Also that during WW2 there were children at either Benington Place or Benington Park, but I believed they were refugee children from London. I am interested in all history to do with Benington so would be interested in hearing from anyone who know that the Fairbridge children were definitely there or indeed anything about life at Benington Place or Park in WW2 as I believe my mother's cousin worked there as a cook.
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Our daughter used to live in Benington and I can honestly say we have never seen this building before.