The material below is taken from the web page Unless otherwise indicated, content is copyright Peter Higginbotham and may not be re-published without permission.
Ancestry UK

Stelling Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland

In 1954, the National Children's Home (NCH) relocated its Elswick House home in Newcastle to Stelling Hall at Newton, near Stocksfield, a rural setting about fourteen miles to the west of the city.

The building was divided up to accommodate five 'family groups', each under the charge of a house-mother — and NCH Sister. Space was also allocated for a library and a community hall. The children engaged in a variety of outdoor activities such as swimming and fell walking, and also helped on local farms.

Stelling Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

Stelling Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

The property is now in private residential use.

Records

Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.

  • Action For Children (formerly the National Children's Home). Can provide access to their own records for individuals who were adopted through the charity or who resided in one of its homes. Help also for those searching for family history information.

Bibliography

  • Bradfield, William The Life of the Reverend Thomas Bowman Stephenson (1913, Kelly)
  • Curnock, Nehemiah The Story of the Children's Home (C.H. Kelly, 1901)
  • Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain's Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
  • Horner, Francis Shadow and Sun (Epworth Press, 1920)
  • Howard, Philip J Philip: a Strange Child (Dalkeith Publishing, 2007)
  • Philpot, Terry Action For Children (Lion, 1994)
  • Walpole, Cecil F. Golden Links (Epworth Press, 1941)

Films

Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.