Mother and Baby Home run by nuns in Churt, Hampshire in the 1960's

[KathrynBryant1]

Hi, not sure if anyone can help please?  In 1965 I was sent to a home run by nuns in and (if my memory serves me well) it was in Churt, Hampshire.  You know how you have flash backs, well I remember being treated abominably by the nuns there especially when giving birth.  I had my child with me, a boy, for about six weeks when my mother came to pick me up and take me by taxi to Southwark, London, where my son was handed over to his adoptive parents.  Am wondering if anyone can name this place where I had my son please?  I had heard some years ago that the building was converted into flats.  I remember it being down a long, narrow, leafy lane and the grounds were extensive.  Any help would be much appreciated.

Kind regards

Kathryn

[carol8353]

If you get no local help from this board,how about trying ....

Catholic Children’s Society, 49 Russell Hill Road, Purley, Surrey CR8 2XB

Tel: 020 8668 2181

www.catholicchildrenssociety.org.uk.

Good luck

Carol

[KathrynBryant1]

Hello, thank you for that information.  Am just hoping that someone may be able to help on this site.  Will give it a week and then if there is no further information I'll contact the Society you have given me the details of.  It may well be that someone will read this post and they too may have been at the home.

Kind regards

Kathryn

[KathrynBryant1]

Hello, I've just found these details given below.  So I think I have posted my message on the right board.  Obviously these are the details of my son's birth but it's just that I would like to locate the home etc and if anyone else was at the home at anytime to contact me please.

Date of Registration:

Jul-Aug-Sep 1965

Registration district:

Alton

Inferred County:

Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Isle of Wight

Kind regards

Kathryn

[carol8353]

Here's a list of all those places covered by the Alton district.

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/alton.html

[KathrynBryant1]

Thank you Carol, you are most helpful.

Kind regards

Kathryn

[dee-jay]

Although the placename Churt is familiar to me, it didn't 'ring any bells' as a Hampshire name.  However, the link below will take you to its county location as Surrey, so you might get more success via that county forum on here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churt

Good luck!

[LizzieW]

Alton is definitely in Hampshire, it's about 8 miles or so from Basingstoke.  I always thought Churt was in Surrey, we used to have friends who lived there, although the link dee-jay has given you suggests it is on the Hampshire/Surrey borders so perhaps the home you went to was near to Churt, rather than in Churt.

A google search for a Catholic mother and baby home Churt, brings up a site about Headley with this paragraph:

Assisi
    In Hammer Lane – Now a private house split into separate dwellings, at one time it was used as a Catholic maternity home for unmarried mothers – We are often contacted by people who were born here and are trying to trace their mothers – a useful contact for them is the Catholic Children’s Society, 49 Russell Hill Road, Purley, Surrey CR8 2XB – Tel: 020 8668 2181 www.catholicchildrenssociety.org.uk.

The start of Hammer Lane, Headley is only half a mile from Churt, so that looks like the place where you had your baby.

Lizzie

[janeh]

I am a volunteer at the Curtis Museum in Alton and we do get queries such as yours and I am wondering if you might be thinking of the following:-
A picture of ‘The Cenacle’ can be seen at the end of an article on the history of the Grayshott war Hospital on the Grayshott Village web site at
www.grayshott-archive.org.ok/articles/GrayshottWarHospital.html.
The buildings were sold for redevelopment in 1999.

Another web site gives the information:-
Assisi [house name]
In Hammer Lane – Now a private house split into separate dwellings, at one time it was used as a
Catholic maternity home for unmarried mothers.
We are often contacted by people who were born here and are trying to trace their mothers.
A useful contact for them is the Catholic Children’s Society, 49 Russell Hill Road, Purley, Surrey CR8 2XB – Tel: 020 8668 2181 www.catholicchildrenssociety.org.uk.

The Sisters of the Cenacle moved to Netley:-
‘After 80 years in Grayshott, the Sisters of the Cenacle have moved to a smaller house in Netley Abbey, where they are continuing the ministry of individual retreats, spiritual direction and counselling.
The Netley Cenacle is situated by Southampton Water, close to the Royal Victoria Country Park and the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey.
The Sisters also take their ministry to the wider community in the form of courses in human and spiritual growth, retreats in daily life and weeks of guided prayer
For further information, please write to :
The Retreat Secretary, The Cenacle, 48 Victoria Road, Netley Abbey, Hants, SO31 5OQ.
Telephone Number: 023 8045 3718.’
Fax Number: 023 8045 3718
e-mail: cenacle.netley@ntlworld.com
Yours Jane