Ancestry UK

Mother and Baby Homes — Gloucestershire-Kent

The establishments listed below are believed to have provided at least some accommodation for unmarried mothers and their babies, during at least some of their existence. They include maternity homes, before-and-after-confinement care homes, hostels for pregnant working girls or working mothers, and Irish County Homes. Homes that in their day were labelled Magdalen Homes are listed elsewhere.

Where applicable, the 'Places' column shows the accommodation provided for mothers and babies (exact figures could change over time).
Note that over the years, many institutions changed location and/or name, sometimes more than once. The accommodation provided, age of those admitted etc. at a home could also vary.

Gloucestershire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Mother and Baby Home, 11-13 Snowdon Road, Fishponds, Bristolby 1949 Before and After Care Home.20m/12b 
Mount Hope, 10 Ashley Hill, Bristolby 19491968Maternity Home.26m/12b 
Elm House Shelter, 10 Whatley Road, Bristolby 1964 Hostel for Working Pregnant Girls.18 
Grove House Home, 148 Redland Road, Bristol19191947Destitute girls and women; temporarily. First maternity cases, after birth.12m/12bunder 25
Hostel of the Good Shepherd, 15 Wellington Park, Clifton, Bristol1933 Young mothers with their babies; remain at least six months.9no limit
St John's Diocesan Home, 27-29 Ashley Road, Bristolby 1949 Before and After Care Home.16m/8b 
Bristol Maternity Hospital and Home, 50 Southwell Street, Bristol1865 Mothers for their first confinement.32no limit
Bristol Female Mission, Elm House, Marlborough Hill, Bristol1855 Destitute girls and women; temporarily. First maternity cases, after birth.10no limit
Salvation Army Maternity Home, Mount Hope, Ashley Hill, Bristol1925 Unmarried mothers and their infants.34no limit
St Raphael's Home, Severn House, Hallen Road, Henbury, Bristolby 1961 Before and After Care Home.26m/26b 
Bristol Temporary Home and Lying-in Hospital, Southwell House, Southwell Street, Bristol1865 First maternity cases only; 5s. and £2 for special expenses.18no limit
St Catherine's, 2 Berkeley Villas / 21 Pitville Lawn, Cheltenhamby 1950 Before and After Care Home.12m/6b 
St Mary's Lodge, 16 Alexandra Road, Gloucester1905by 1953Before and After Care Home and Shelter.7m/5bno limit

Hampshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
St Thomas's Lodge, Darlington Road, Basingstokeby 1949 Shelter and Before and After Care Home.11 beds 
St Andrew's Home, South Hayling1893 First maternity cases; servants of the better class; 5s., and entrance fee, £1 1s.20under 20
Nazareth House Larmenier Wing, 33 Hill Lane, Southampton19232000 25m/14b15-30
Hope Lodge, 41 Belmont Road, Southamptonby 1939 Temporary refuge for unmarried mothers and infants and for any girls in difficulty.8m/4b 
16 St David's Road, Southseaby 1964 Hostel for Working Pregnant Girls.10 
St Andrew's Laundry Cottage Home, Fawcett Road, Southsea1893 Fallen women; first fall only; a few mothers and babies received; £5 entrance fee; if before confinement, £8.20under 20
Portsmouth Free Church Council Hostel, Woodlands, 22 Albany Road, Southsea1919 Unmarried mothers with their first babies.12no limit
Winchester Refuge for Penitent Women, 1 North Walls, Winchester1846 Fallen girls from all parts; usually remain two years.14under 20
Winchester Diocesan Maternity Home, 1 North Walls, Winchesterby 1949 First maternity cases from Winchester diocese; 5s. and £1 1s. Fee.16m/12b16-20
The Haven, Vigo Lane, Yateleyby 1949 Maternity Home.18m/18b 

Herefordshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
St Martin's Home for Girls, Walnut Tree Avenue, Hereford26 October 194321 March 1951 20m/10bunder 20

Hertfordshire

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
Crossroads Club, Ashlyns Hall, Berkhamstedby 1949by 1953Before and After Care Home.24m/12b 
Cheshunt Maternity Home, Hope House, Cheshunt1913 Girls chiefly of the servant class; 8s. 6d.9under 25
Crossroads Club, 33 Lyonsdown Road, New Barnetby 1949 Before and After Care Home.20m/10b 
Campions, Green Street, Shenleyby 1949 Before and After Care Home.15 beds 

Isle of Wight

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
The Hostel, Staplers Road, Newport1921 Women and girls needing help; temporarily; post-maternity and probation cases received; payment when possible.314-24
Mount House, Staplers Road, Newportby 1964 Before and After Care Home.6m/4b 

Kent

Name and LocationFounded/OpenedClosed/MovedClasses Received, Weekly fees, etc.PlacesAdmission Age
The Lodge, Faversham Road, Kennington, Ashfordby 1964 Before and After Care Home.11m/4b 
St Faith's Home, St Faith's Lane, Bearstedby 1930 Girls with their first illegitimate infants.25m/12bunder 20
Rochester Diocesan Home, Ravensbourne House, 9 Blyth Road, Bromleyby 1949 Before and After Care Home.14m/6bover 14
Chatham Salvation Army Home, 42 New Road, Chathamby 1920 Girls and women in distress.17m/5bno limit
Oakhurst, 33 Lesney Park Road, Erithby 1949 Before and After Care Home.25m/9b 
Folkestone Refuge, 221 Dover Road, Folkestoneby 1900 Fallen women and maternity cases, before and after confinement.1014-25
St Lawrence Home, 78 Rock Avenue, Gillinghamby 1956 Before and After Care Home.13m/3bover 14
Kendall House, 46 Pelham Road, Gravesendby 1949 Pregnant girls under 17 in need of care and protection.16m/3bunder 17
St Faith's Home, 1-3 Lower Fant Road, Maidstoneby 1912 Girls with their first illegitimate infants; 5s.1216-25
St Faith's Home, 3 Wilton Place, Maidstone1899 Workhouse girls with their first illegitimate infants in the diocese of Canterbury; 5s.8 
Ramsgate Hostel, 41 South-Eastern Road, Ramsgate1919 Unmarried mothers of respectable upbringing, with their first babies. Free from Kent; others £5 entrance fee.12m/12bunder 25
Thanet Hostel, 55 Ashburnham Road, Ramsgateby 1930 Unmarried mothers of respectable upbringing, with their first babies. Free from Kent; others £5 5s. entrance fee.12under 25
Mother and Baby Home, Braeside, 25 Margate Road, Ramsgateby 1949 Shelter and Before and After Care Home.11m/2b 
Deacon House, Vicarage Road, Southborough     
Mother and Baby Home, 13 Broadwater Down, Tunbridge Wellsby 1949 After Care Home. Some mothers go out to work,10m/10b 
'Heatherlands' Mother and Baby Home, 184 Forest road, Tunbridge Wellsby 1953 Before and After Care Home22m/14b18-45
St Christopher's, Pembury Road, Tunbridge Wells19471976Single mothers and young children. In 1972, the Ravensdale and Woodlands day care units were opened.