Ancestry UK

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys, Torquay, Devon

St Vincent's Orphanage for Roman Catholic Boys was established in 1889 at Teignmouth Road, Torre, Torquay. It accommodated boys who had previously been housed at the mixed St Teresa's Orphanage in Plymouth. Like St Teresa's, St Vincent's was run by the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul on behalf of the Plymouth Rescue Society.

On 14th October 1889, the establishment was accredited as a Certified School allowing it to take boys boarded out by the workhouse authorities who were charged 4s. a week for each child. The home also received orphans and destitute boys. Initially, the premises provided places for up to 60 boys, aged under 14 at their time of admission. By 1920, the capacity had been increased to 150 places.

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys, Torquay, c.1910. © Peter Higginbotham

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys, Torquay, c.1915. © Peter Higginbotham

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys, Torquay, c.1910. © Peter Higginbotham

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys, Torquay, c.1910. © Peter Higginbotham

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys (detail), Torquay, c.1910. © Peter Higginbotham

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys Nursery, Torquay, c.1910. © Peter Higginbotham

Like many homes, St Vincent's held regular fund-raising fetes and fairs. The picture below, taken at one such event in May 1909, show a group of boys dressed as first-aiders.

St Vincent's Orphanage for Boys, Torquay, 1909. © Peter Higginbotham

The home closed in 1982. The buildings no longer survive and Mount Stuart Hospital now stands on the site.

Records

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Bibliography