Ancestry UK

Widowers' Children's Home, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

The Edinburgh Association for Providing Homes for Widowers' Children was established in 1897 to provided care for the children 'of widowers of the poorer class, resident in Edinburgh, who cannot otherwise provide for the respectable upbringing of their children'. If a candidate for the admission of his children had a suitable female relative, able to take charge of his home, the children were not admitted.

The Home initially occupied premises at 8 Warrender Park Crescent, Edinburgh, By 1903, 11 Warrender Park Crescent had been added to its accommodation, taking its total capacity to 45 places.

Children were admitted between the ages of 2 and 12 years, with those of school age attending the nearby Board school. The fathers paid sums varying from 2s. to 5s. a week according to their wages. A deduction was made in the case of several children coming from the same family. The payment covered the cost of clothing as well as that of board. Each father was expected to visit the home on Saturday afternoons to see his children and make his payments.

In around 1910, the home moved to new premises at 235 Corstorphine Road, Murrayfield. The property had previously housed the Murrayfield Children's Home which had been run by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

The Home closed in 1979. From 1980 to 2013, the Corstorphine Road property was used as offices by Barnardo's. The site was sold in 2016.

After the closure of the home, its assets passed to the Widowers' Children's Home Trust. In 2016, a new charity known as the WCH Trust For Children was formed to take over the assets and activities of its predecessor.

Records

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  • WCH Trust for Children, c/o Geoghegans, Chartered Accountants, 6 St Colme Street, Edinburgh. The Trust holds Annual reports and accounts (c.1900-1980). Children's records no longer exist.

Bibliography

  • None identified at present.