Christie Homes, Scotland
The Christie Female Industrial Homes were founded by John Christie in Lauriston, Edinburgh in 1889, with a residential establishment, Inverey House, being opened on the High Street, Portobello, in 1892.
Three further homes were opened in Haddington, East Lothian. The first of these, in 1898, was Tenterfield, located at the start of Dunbar Road, though its address was sometimes given as Hardgate. Its location is shown on the 1906 map below:
After Christie died in 1902, part of his estate was used for the purchase of another large house in the town, Templedean, on Florabank Road. After being extended, the new home opened in 1903.
After the Portobello home was forced to close, due its site being compulsorily purchased by Edinburgh Corporation as the location for the new Portobello town hall, a third home, Carmendean, was opened at Haddington in October 1912. It was built on land adjoining Templedean, at the east of the existing building, to which it was linked by a corridor. A school was also provided for all the children in the Christie homes in Haddington, who had previously attended local state schools. The opening of the new buildings was the subject of a report in a local newspaper.
The report also noted that since the homes were founded, 250 girls had been sent out to domestio service and and other employments.
In about 1938, a seaside holiday home for the Haddington children was opened at 2 Tantallon Terrace, North Berwick.
After the Second World War, the Tenterfield Home taken over by Midlothian County Council. It and the other homes closed in the early 1970s.
The former Templedean premises have been divided into two separate dwellings, the front portion now known as Templedean House and the side and rear as West Templedean. The Carmendean building is now known as Templedean Hall. The Tenterfield building, now Tenterfield House, has been divided into apartments. The North Berwick also survives.
Records
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- None identfied at present — any information welcome.
Bibliography
- Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain s Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
Links
- None identified at present.
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.