[an error occurred while processing this directive] St Mark's County Home / Home for Girls, Carnarvon, Carnarvonshire, Wales
Ancestry UK

St Mark's County Home / Home for Girls, Carnarvon, Carnarvonshire, Wales

The St Mark's Home for Girls was founded in around 1880 and had premises somewhere in Carnarvon (the then usual Anglicised spelling of Caernarfon). It was originally known as St Mark's County Home for Destitute Girls of Carnarvonshire.

In 1889, the Home became officially accredited as a Certified School, allowing it to receive girls from the workhouse system, placed by Boards of Guardians for a weekly payment.

In May, 1890, the Home relocated to 13 South Road, Carnarvon. The property could accommodate 18 girls, who were aged from 6 to 14 at their time of admission.

In 1893, the running of the home was taken over by the Waifs and Strays Society.

The St Mark's Home operated in conjunction with the St Mark's Nursery Home at Tregarth, also taken over by the Society in 1893. Girls from Tregarth were transferred to the Carnarvon Home at the age of 11.

The girls at St Mark's were prepared for an eventual life in domestic service and trained in housework, laundry work and cooking.

St Mark's Home for Girls, Carnarvon, c.1914. © Peter Higginbotham

St Mark's Home for Girls, Carnarvon, c.1922. © Peter Higginbotham

The St Mark's Home closed in 1924. According to one newspaper report, this was apparently because of lack of funds.

Records

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Bibliography