Children's Fold, Grove Road, London
A Barnardo's home known as the Children's Fold (also referred to as Sheppard's House) was established in around 1887 at 182 Grove Road, London E3. The home's address is sometimes later given as 180 Grove Road so may have expanded into the neighbouring property. Originally used for physically disabled boys, it was later used for children transferred from Barnardo's Babies' Castle. By 1900, the home housed up to 120 boys aged 6 to 12.

Children's Fold, Grove Road, London, c.1907. © Peter Higginbotham
The Grove Road home appears to have closed in around 1912, with many of the boys being moving to the new Boys' Garden City at Woodford Bridge. The building is now in private residential use.
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.