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Ancestry UK

Lingfield Epileptic Colony, Lingfield, Surrey

An institution for children suffereing from epilepsy was opened in 1898 near Lingfield, Surrey. It formed part of a farm colony at St Piers Farm, established in the previous year by the Christian Services Union (CSU), which also included a training facility for 'unemployable' pauper men. In most cases, both the men and children were placed at Lingfield by the workhouse authorities in the London area.

In 1905, the site was certified as an educational institution, meaning that children could be placed there by the Local Education Authorities. In that year, when Princess Louise visted the colony, there were 100 epileptic children and just 60 farm trainees. By 1911, Lingfield was caring for 200 epileptics an 100 'unemployable' men. In that year, a new building was opened for children over school age.

The colony site is shown on the 1912 map below.

Lingfield Colony, c.1912.

Lingfield Colony, early 1900s. © Peter Higginbotham

Lingfield Colony, c.1907. © Peter Higginbotham

Lingfield Colony (detail), c.1907. © Peter Higginbotham

By 1930, the site had become known as Lingfield Epileptic Homes and School, with accommodation for 465 children from the age of 5 upwards. Education were charged 26s. a week for each child, others 20s. 3d.

Home for Epileptic Children, Lingfield, c.1920s. © Peter Higginbotham

Griffith Home, Home for Epileptic Children, Lingfield, July 1947. © Peter Higginbotham

In 1972, the school admitted its first children without epilepsy. In around 1990, its name became St Piers School.

In 1999, Alan Laver, a former house master at the school, was jailed for seven years after pleading guilty to the sexual abuse of five of boys during the mid-1970s.

The establishment is now St Piers School and College, catering for children and young people with special educational needs.

Records

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Bibliography

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