Essex 1925 ish - Orphanage ?

[estajane]

Hi

I have a great uncle who was born in 1917 - when he was about 7 his father died and he was put into an orphange for about a year... he was so upset by this that he was actually sent home.
He had older siblings and his mother was still alive but at the time I think it was more a case of money and looking after a child with no father around ( hope that makes sense ! )............
My problem is finding out about the orphanage. All I've been told is that he was ' sent to the Post Office Orphanage in Ingatestone'.......his Father and Grandfather both worked for the Post Office.....

Does anyone know of this orphanage ? .... Esta

[Clincher]

There is a building in Ingatestone called 'Trueloves'. It was latterly used by the Shaftesbury Society (founded by the Victorian philanthropist Earl of Shaftesbury) as a home for people with learning difficulties. In fact the last resident left just a few months ago and the home is now closed.
Whether this was previously used as an orphanage I can't say, but worth checking out with the Shaftesbury Society.
On a website referring to a Noel Woodall who was a boffin about unique car reg nos I found this reference to  books he wrote in early 1960s:

"All these books were printed by Weaver & Youles Ltd, of St Annes-on-Sea, and the proceeds going to The Trueloves School for Seriously Crippled Boys' in Essex. Since then he has compiled a total of 24 books on the subject of number plates..."

[hughar]

The Ingatestone entry in the 1925/6 Kelly's Directory of Essex shows Trueloves as the private residence of ASHTON, Herbert Shorrock.  Apart from the public elementary schools, the only mention of a school is "MATHEW, Arthur, M.A., F.R.C.O., boys' school."  And in the classified section of the directory the school is shown as a boarding school for boys.

No other relevant Ingatestone entries under the various Homes, Orphanages or Schools classifications.

However, I did come across a listing for the Poplar Training School at Hutton, nr Brentwood, which is only a couple of miles from Ingatestone.  Might this be the place you are looking for?

[estajane]

Thank you both for your ideas, It all helps. I can see this isn't going to be easy......but I'm not giving up yet ?

I'm going to go back over the information and see if there are anymore details that might help.....It's amazing what people 'remember' the second time around !!

Not knowing Essex at all getting your help is appreciated.

EJ

[hughar]

If you are sure about the Post Office connection, why not try contacting the Post Office Museum at http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/

[andrew burr]

My father-in-law was orphaned in 1927 (at the age of 4) and on reaching school age also went to this boarding school in Ingatestone - as his father had worked for the Post Office.  He has very unhappy memories of Dickensian exploitation by the principal - including skimping on the food so that there was money from the budget left over.  I would very much like to know if the building is still there - it isn't the Shaftesbury Society one, I am sure.

[lizdb]

Hutton Poplars, mentioned in reply#2, was a Childrens Home for destitute children from East London. No link with the Post Office as far as I know.

See:
http://www.huttonpoplarshall.co.uk/history/4585681163

[lizdb]

Only one address in Ingatestone on this list

http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/list/Essex.shtml

[andrew burr]

I will see my father-in-law tomorrow and the picture of Hutton Hall will help.  He came from Stoke Newington - so that ticks 'East London'.  He had lived with his parents and grandfather and they all died (of different causes) in the same year.  But as his father had worked for the Post Office, he was a beneficiary of the Post Office Orphans Fund; but it doesn't follow that they ran whatever school it was he went to - they could simply have paid for a place.  Will post again after I have talked to him.