Childrens Home Portslade

[funkymum]

Hi Loraine - not wishing to be dim but I keyed in BN42 but could not find St Louise Close.  Thanks anway perhaps I will try when my internet is a bit faster (lots of use on a sunday afternoon and our system is very slow at that time)!!

I am tryin gto get hold of records from when it was a childrens house unsuccessful at the moment!

Thanks again

[Lorraine L]

The link that OneBigFamily posted earlier on this thread seems to be the key that you may be looking for. If you read the whole of the history of the St Clements site, it does say that the entire log books for all three schools still exist. Maybe you could ask them for a look up of the child you are looking for ?
My computer didn't show the photos on that history page but there is clearly something there about the Louis home in pictures ?

Another thought: If St Louis Close is any reflection of the building having been named after the childrens home, then Adur District Council might be able to help you with the history ?

[350velo]

Hello Funkymum.
I have just found this site whilst searching on William Pennington Bickford.
My mother lived and worked at the Louie Home from 1928 until she married my father in 1936.  She is still alive and living in Portslade, and may well remember your father.

The building is still there although now has a different use.

William Pennington Bickford was the rector of St. Clement Danes and his wife Louie ran the home, but I think you may already know this.

Hope this helps, if you want to know I can ask my mother.

Regards

[funkymum]

Hi Thanks for your email.  My father I believe was at the home at the time of the census in 1911 so your Mother probably wouldn't have known him but that being said I don't know how long he was at the home.  Do you have any details about why a child from London, who had recently lost their father, would have been sent to the home.  On the census it shows that he is there with several other children, all from a similar area in London.  Any information on the reasons for the home would definitely be of interest.  I did e mail the charity twice but they did not reply.  I had almost given up hope of finding anything else out.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks

[350velo]

Hello funkymum,

My mother tells me that all the children that went to the home had a connection with St Clement Danes. William Pennington Bickford (the rector) and his wife Louie bought the house in Portslade I think as a private residence. During the summer the chilren from the sunday school came down to stay for a week or maybe two in batches of about eight. Then children from local schools who I guess had a connection with the church came down. For the rest of the year children from the community who were in need of care were looked after. My mum often talks of two brothers who stayed at the home for some time after their parents split up and their grandmother could not manage them. As you may know the church was bombed during the war and William P-B committed suicide at the loss. Louie later did the same by jumping from the attic window of the home in Portslade.
During the year my Mum would clean the house (unpaid) and in the summer months she looked after the children. She was only 12 when she went there from Suffolk but she was preceded by her older sister who was the house keeper. That part of it is a very long story, but if you want to know any more about the home I can sent you something.

[ldp64]

Hi Funkymum, I have just been to visit my Aunt who lives in holland on sea and she was telling me all about our family history. my Auntie Phylis (b1930) and my dad Douglas(b1938) were both born at The louis home in portslade, My Grandma and granddad (Elsie and Cyril) were the housekeeper and groundsman there, my aunt has fond memories of her time as a child there it would seem that some of my grandmas sisters and brothers also worked there (there were 15 siblings!). She said that the children who were there were always well looked after.  She went back to see the place a couple of years ago and they had builders there doing some renovation, so i know the building still stands.  my auntie has a photograph of the home in a frame at her house.

[350velo]

Hello ldp64.

Your dad Douglas must be my cousin. Tell him his Auntie Ellen (My Mother) is still OK. She is the last survivor of the 15 sibligs.

[ldp64]

Hi 350velo

Yes my Dad is your cousin!.  I have passed on your message regarding your Mother and he was pleased to hear she is ok.  I have a family tree which was given to me by my auntie Doreen which was put together by another of your many cousins (i wonder if you know how many there are?) Malcolm, son of James and Audrey Licence.  The family tree shows the direct line through the Licences back to William Licence (Lycense) born in 1540. After visiting my auntie Phyllis and hearing all of her stories regarding growing up and of the Lious home, it prompted me to try to find any more pictures on the web, which is how come i stumbled upon this site.  You are exactly right with your account from your mother on the Lious Home and the children there.  My auntie Phyllis is desperate for her stories to be passed on, as I expect your mother is too. (ps. in my last post i got my dad's DoB wrong it should have been b1935!).

[350velo]

Hello ldp64,

Thought I would let you know that my mum, Ellen, had a fall at home back in July and is now confined to a nursing home called Harmony House. Ironically this used to be the Louie home where she arrived at the age of 12!!