Mother and Baby Homes — London SE/SW Postal Districts
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.
Name and Location | Founded/ | Closed/ | Classes Received, Weekly fees, etc. | Places | Admission Age |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Female Aid Society Mission House / Wandsworth and Battersea Ladies' Association, 3-4 Chivalry Road, Battersea Rise, Battersea SW11 | 1880 | Fallen; temporary Refuge. Maternity cases received before and after confinement. | 20 | under 30 | |
St Mary's House, 9 Vicarage Road (now Crescent), Battersea SW11 | by 1920 | ||||
Maternity Hospital, 145 Brixton Hill, Brixton SW2 | by 1900 | Maternity cases; before and after a first confinement; 5s. | 8 | ||
Home for Mothers and Babies, 9 Stansfield Road, Brixton SW9 | 1885 | To receive young women of otherwise good character before or after confinement, and restore them, if possible, to their former position. Child boarded out at mother's expense. | |||
Ballantyne, Lushington Road, Catford SE5 | by 1964 | Before and After Care Home. | 43m/24b | over 16 | |
St Mary's Home, 15 Wellington Square, King's Road, Chelsea SW3 | by 1900 | Maternity cases, before or after confinement. First cases only. Young servants and girls to be placed in service. | 8 | under 25 | |
St Mary's Home, 18 Oakley Crescent, Manor Street, Chelsea SW3 | 1889 | By 1900 | Maternity cases, before or after confinement. First cases only. Young servants and girls to be placed in service. | 8 | under 25 |
Day Servants' Hostel, 31 Danvers Street, Chelsea SW3 | 1912 | Unmarried mothers with their babies. | 15 | no limit | |
Fellowship of St Michael and All Angels, 5 Bloomfield Terrace, Chelsea SW1 | by 1964 | Before and After Care Home. | 18m/6b | ||
St Monica's Maternity Home, 8 Bramerton Street, Chelsea SW3 | by 1912 | First confinement cases, 7s. and £1 fee; local cases free. | 6 | under 25 | |
Maternity Home for Deaf and Dumb Girls, Dunbar Lodge, 20 King's Avenue, Clapham SW4 | 1928 | Deaf and dumb unmarried mothers with their babies; also deaf and dumb girls in moral danger. | 17 | no limit | |
Home of the Society of the Good Shepherd, 35 Cedars Road, Clapham SW4 | 1896 | Friendless and fallen women; chiefly maternity cases; 52. before and 7s. 6d. after confinement. A few local cases free. | 25 | 15-30 | |
Clapham Maternity Hospital, 41 Jeffrey's Road, Clapham SW4 | 1889 | Married women and young girls with first baby, if hitherto respectable. Patients received on commencement of labour. | 12 | no limit | |
Mothercraft Hostel, 49 North Side, Clapham Common SW11 | by 1949 | After Care Hostel. | 18m/18b | ||
Battersea Hostel, St Mary's House, 32 Macaulay Road, Clapham Common SW4 | 1918 | Mothers and babies; also pre-natal cases; local cases 10s.6d.; others from 12s.6d. | 16m/6b | no limit | |
Camberwell Home, 24 De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill SE5 | 1909 | 1925 | First fall cases; those from Southwark diocese 6s., others 7s. 6d.; without baby 5s.; stay three months. | 10m/2b | 14-25 |
Home of the Good Shepherd, 63 Ongar Road, Fulham SW6 | 1901 | Maternity cases; from 6s. | 10 | no limit | |
Southwark Diocesan Maternity Home, Stretton House, 273 Baring Road, Grove Park SE12 | 1928 | Unmarried expectant mothers (first time); from 10s.; remain 3-4 months after confinement. | 22/12 | under 30 | |
Rochester Diocesan Association for the Care of Friendless Girls, 127 Kennington Road, Lambeth SE1 | 1888 | Girls who have been previously respectable before a first confinement. Local and diocesan cases, 5s. | 9m/4b | under 24 | |
St Thomas' Hostel / Northcote Trust Hostel, 148 Lambeth Road, Lambeth SE1 | 1919 | V.D. cases; payment by arrangement. | 13/4b | no limit | |
St Anne's Shelter, 26 Berwick Street, Pimlico SW1 | 1889 | Maternity cases; temporarily; 7s. | 6 | no limit | |
Home for Deserted Mothers and Infants, 3 Cumberland Street, Pimlico SW1 | by 1870 | ||||
House of Compassion, 63 Sutherland Street, Pimlico SW1 | 1883 | By 1935 | Maternity cases before and after a first confinement only, and with previous good character; 6s. to 7s.; remain six to twelve months. | 11 | under 25 |
St Anne's Shelter, 67 Denbigh Street, Pimlico SW1 | by 1920 | Maternity cases; temporarily; 10s. | 6 | no limit | |
Pimlico Ladies' Association, St Elizabeth's Home, 40 Bessborough Street, Pimlico SW1 | by 1912 | By 1930 | Maternity cases; first confinement, 7s.; remain not less than six months. | 10 | 16-22 |
Pimlico Ladies' Association, St John Baptist's Home, 162 Ebury Street, Pimlico SW1 | 1890 | By 1930 | Maternity cases before or after first confinement; remain six months or longer; 7s. | 11m/6b | 15-25 |
Pimlico Ladies' Association, St John the Baptist Shelter, 16 Ranelagh Grove, Pimlico SW1 | 1890 | By 1900. | Deserted mothers with their infants (only after confinement); remain about six weeks; 5s. to 7s. | 4 | under 25 |
Southwark Diocesan Home and Hostel, 14 Spencer Road / 15 Spencer Walk, Putney SW15 | by 1930 | Mothers and babies; Diocesan cases, 10s.; others, 12s. 6d. | 8m/8b | no limit | |
Putney Home for Mothers and Babies, 15 Genoa Avenue, Putney SW15 | by 1964 | Before and After Care Home. | 12m/8b | ||
Southern Diocesan Home and Hostel, 82 Chelverton Street, Putney SW15 | by 1920 | Mothers and babies, 10s. | 6m/6b | under 30 | |
Beechwood, Putney Heath Lane, Putney SW15 | by 1964 | Before and After Care Home. | 15m/7b | ||
Anchorage/Cleevedon Maternity Home, 16-18 Tennison Road, South Norwood SE25 | by 1953 | 1966 | For unmarried expectant mothers, and babies under two years of age. | 16m/20b | |
The Retreat, 19 (later 35) Ross Road, South Norwood SE25 | 1916 | by 1953 | Girls before birth of first baby; remain three months after confinement; 12s. 6d. and £1 1s. fee. | 30 beds | no limit |
Southwark Diocesan Home, 47 Haydon's Road, South Wimbledon SW19 | 1901 | Fallen girls; 5s.; confinement fees, £1 1s. local cases free. 5s.; local cases free. | 12 | under 25 | |
Southwark Diocesan Home, 56 Gap Road, South Wimbledon SW19 | 1901 | Fallen girls; 10s. and maternity benefit. | 12 | under 25 | |
House of Help, 201 Camberwell Grove, Southwark SE5 | by 1920 | Young unmarried mothers with their babies; 13s. 6d. | 16 | no limit | |
Guy's Hospital Hostel, St Thomas' Street, Southwark SE1 | by 1912 | Patients and others (with first children only), desiring amendment of life. | |||
St Joseph's Home for Mothers and Babies, 188 Clapham Road, Stockwell SW9 | 1922 | R.C. unmarried expectant mothers and mothers with their babies on leaving hospital, first cases only; payment according to circumstances. | 10 | 15-25 | |
Carisbrooke, 149 Upper Tulse Hill, Streatham SW2 | by 1949 | Before and After Care Home. | 24m/12b | ||
Mother and Baby Home, 10 Rutford Road, Streatham SW16 | by 1949 | Before and After Care Home. | 13m/7b | ||
The Babies' Home, 131 Upper Tulse Hill, Streatham SW2 | For unmarried mothers and their babies. | ||||
St Anne Mother and Baby Home, 144 Leigham Court Road, Streatham SW16 | by 1949 | Before and After Home. | 20m/10b | ||
St Christopher's, 179 Tulse Hill, Streatham SW2 | by 1953 | Before and After Care Home. | 12m/12b | ||
Annesley House, 22A Christchurch Road, Streatham SW2 | by 1964 | Hostel for Working Pregnant Girls. | 15 | ||
The Limes, 5 PalaceRoad, Streatham SW2 | by 1964 | Before and After Care Home. | 15 | over 15 | |
Brent House, 6 North Drive, Streatham SW16 | by 1964 | Before and After Care Home. | 21m/14b | 18 | |
St Mary Magdalen Refuge, Russell House, Tooting Bec Gardens, Streatham SW16 | 1888 | Penitent fallen women; free, on application by letter to the Warden or Head Matron; remain two years. | 35 | under 40 | |
Princess Alice Emergency Hostel for Mothers and Babies, Castlebar, 46 Sydenham Hill, Sydenham SE26 | by 1949 | Before and After Care Home. | 40m/20b | ||
The Lambeth Home, 11 St Nicholas Street, Upper Tooting SW7 | by 1920 | Mothers with their babies; remain one year if possible; from 10s. | 8 | 14-25 | |
Victoria Emergency Hostel, 76 Warwick Way, Victoria SW1 | by 1964 | Shelter for Emergency and Post-natal Cases | 9m | over 16 | |
Church Army Home, 64 St Ann's Hill, Wandsworth SW18 | 1915 | Unmarried mothers with babies; 10s. | 9 | under 30 | |
Unmarried Expectant Mother Home, Grove House, 1 Bolingbroke Grove, Wandsworth Common SW11 | by 1964 | Hostel for Working Pregnant Girls. | 16 | 15-25 |
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.