St Joseph's Cottage Home, Hinton Martell, near Wimborne, Dorset
St Joseph's Cottage Home 'for little boys taken from bad homes' was established in 1903 by Father Alban Henry Baverstock at Hinton Martell, near Wimborne, Dorset. The Home was run under the auspices of the Holy Family Homes, a Society of Anglo-Catholics in which Baverstock was a leading figure. The Society aimed to extend to children 'the advantages of a real home life'. St Joseph's could accommodate 14 boys, aged from 5 to 12 years at their date of admission.
St Joseph's Cottage Home, Hinton Martell, c.1909. © Peter Higginbotham
St Joseph's Cottage Home inmates, Hinton Martell, c.1909. © Peter Higginbotham
St Joseph's Cottage Home - youngest inmate, Hinton Martell, c.1909. © Peter Higginbotham
St Joseph's Cottage Home inmates, Hinton Martell, c.1910. © Peter Higginbotham
By 1908, the Home had set up a Boy Scouts Patrol which provided useful occupation for the boys on Saturdays and in the holidays. In the summer of that year, the Patrol undertook a forty-mile walking expedition lasting three days and visiting Bowerchalke (where the photo below was taken), Salisbury, Fordingbridge and Aldershot.
St Joseph's Cottage Home Scout Patrol at Bowerchalke, 1908. © Peter Higginbotham
In 1909, St Joseph's established a 'continuation home' known as St Crispin's in Bournemouth, where older boys were transferred.
St Joseph's is believed to have closed in the 1930s.
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.
- None identfied at present — any information welcome.
Bibliography
- Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain s Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
Links
- None identified at present.
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
