Ancestry UK

Dobroyd Castle School, Todmorden, West Riding of Yorkshire

On February 7th, 1942, an Approved School for Senior Boys was certified to operate at Dobroyd Castle, Pexwood Road, Todmorden.

The premises could accommodate up to 75 boys aged between their 15th and 17th birthdays at their date of admission. The training provided by the School included market gardening, building construction and carpentry. There were also small facilities for dairy farming.

Dobroyd Castle, Todmorden, early 1900s.

In 1973, the School became a Community Home with Education (CHE) under the control of West Riding County Council.

The property is now used as a residential activity centre.

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.

  • The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 4DU. Has several documents relating to 'Claims for compensation for damage or theft by children in care.'

Bibliography

  • Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain's Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
  • Hyland,Jim Yesterday's Answers: Yesterday's Answers: Development and Decline of Schools for Young Offenders (1993, Whiting and Birch)
  • Millham, S, Bullock, R, and Cherrett, P After Grace — Teeth: a comparative study of the residential experience of boys in Approved Schools (1975, Chaucer Publishing)