Hi - I have just been to The National Archives to read file "BN 62/3236 Marian House, Hill End, Henbury, Bristol : Registration". Unfortunately the "registration" being referred to is not the registration of the girls arriving at Henbury, but is rather a technical discussion about whether Marian House needed to be re-classified as a "Voluntary Home". The file does provide interesting background on what buildings the Convent of the Good Shepherd had at Henbury in the 1950s / 1960s and what each was for. Also there are some Chief Inspector's Reports on the Institution as a whole.
In the late 1950s / early 1960s The Convent of the Good Shepherd at Henbury Bristol seemed to consist of : (1) The Convent House (2) Severn House - Mother and Baby Home (which at a point in time was renamed "St.Raphael's Home for Mothers and Babies" (3) Hostel accomodation for girls that wanted to keep their babies with them - the girls would be employed locally (4) Marian House (old building) which housed ladies over the age of 18 years of age on a long term basis (many were over 50 years of age). These includes ladies from the Good Shepherd Convent who have lived most of their lives in semi seclusion and those of "dull intelligence". Marian House was also used occasionally for girls awaiting placement within St.Raphael's and also occasionally for girls who were Approved School cases transferred to St.Raphael's from St.Joseph's Ashwick Hall.
Hope this is helpful - please contact me for further information.
