Home for Incurables, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire

The Barnardo's Home for Incurables was opened in October 1898 at 2 Parkfield Road, Manningham, Bradford.

Home for Incurables, Bradford, c.1906. © Peter Higginbotham

The home could accommodate up to 23 children. The beds, or rather cots, were allocated to various Yorkshire habitations of the Barnardo's Young Helpers' League so that supporters could more readily visit the cots which their own benevolence was supporting. The home's first matron was Sister Marian, a trained hospital nurse.

Boys' Ward at Home for Incurables, c.1906. © Peter Higginbotham

Girls' Ward at Home for Incurables, c.1906. © Peter Higginbotham

Matron, staff and inmates at Home for Incurables, c.1906. © Peter Higginbotham

Matron, inmates and donkey at Home for Incurables, c.1906. © Peter Higginbotham

Fifteen children who dies in the home were buried in a communal grave at Undercliffe cemetery. Their dates of death, names and age were:

In 1911, the home moved to larger premises on Tewit Well Road, Harrogate, which became known as the Roberts Memorial Home.

The Bradford property, much altered over the years, is now a private residence.

Former Home for Incurables, Bradford, 2013. © Peter Higginbotham

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.

• Barnardo's 'Making Connections' and Family History Services — for enquiries relating the records of children formerly in the care of Barnardo's and those of other organisations absorbed by them.

Bibliography

• Barnardo, Syrie Louise, and Marchant, James Memoirs of the Late Dr Barnardo (Hodder & Stoughton, 1907)
• Batt, J.H. Dr. Barnardo: The Foster-Father of "Nobody's Children" (S.W. Partridge, 1904)
• Bready, J. Wesley Doctor Barnardo (Allen & Unwin, 1930)
• Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain's Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
• Rose, June For the Sake of the Children: Inside Dr. Barnardo's: 120 years of caring for children (Hodder & Stoughton, 1987)
• Wagner, Gillian Barnardo (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1979)

Links

• The Barnardo's website.
• The Goldonian Website — memories and information from former Barnardo's children.

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

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