Table Of ContentThe Children’s Society
Records and Archives Centre
Catalogue of Children’s
case fles
– Part of the Including the
Excluded project
A better childhood. For every child. www.childrenssociety.org.uk
The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
Catalogue of children’s case files
– Part of the Including the Excluded project
The Children’s Society maintained a case file for each child who was admitted to its
care between 1882 and the 1970s. These were created and managed by Head
Office.
Each case file usually contains the application form for admission to one of The
Children’s Society's Homes. In addition the file may contain correspondence relating
to the child's admission, correspondence relating to work placement(s), health and
education reports, correspondence with child's mother/father/relatives, and
correspondence with the child after leaving the care of the organisation. Occasionally
a photograph may be included.
The series of case files are arranged according to case number, which was allotted
to each child admitted to the care of the organisation. They are therefore arranged
roughly in order of admission date.
For digitised examples, showing what the case files look like and the type on
information they contain, please see the case files section of the Hidden Lives
Revealed website: http://www.hiddenlives.org.uk/cases
Please note: Only a small selection of the case files held at The Children’s Society
Records and Archives Centre have been digitised and placed online. Other case files
can be consulted, in person, at the Records and Archives Centre; please see page 3
for more information.
The scope of this catalogue
This catalogue was produced for the Including the Excluded project. The aim of the
project was to catalogue the reocrds of The Children’s Society that relate to disabled
children.
The case files listed in this catalogue are those for the majority of children who were
born in 1911 or before and who had been placed in any of following homes for
disabled children:
St Nicholas’ Home for Crippled Children, Upper Tooting, Surrey, 1887-1893
St Chad's Home For Girls, Far Headingley, Leeds, Yorkshire, 1889-1939
St Nicholas' Home, West Byfleet, Surrey, 1893-1908
St Agnes' Hostel For Girls, Croydon, London, 1897-1935
St Martin's Home For Crippled Boys, Surbiton, Surrey, 1898-1916
Bradstock Lockett Special School, Southport, Lancashire, 1901-1968
St Nicholas' Orthopaedic Hospital and Special School, Pyrford, near Woking,
1908-1923
St Martin's Orthopaedic Hospital And Special School, Pyrford, near Woking,
Surrey, 1916-1923
St Nicholas' and St Martin's Orthopaedic Hospital and Special School,
Pyrford, Surrey, 1923-1948
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The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
For information about our case files that have not been catalogued as part of this
project, please contact the Records and Archives Centre:
Email:
The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
How to access the records listed in this catalogue
All case files listed in this catalogue are open and can be viewed, in person, at our
Records and Archives Centre in London.
Please note: Because we have a limited number of staff, it will not be possible to
view records in person without an appointment. It is preferred that requests reflect
bona fide interests or projects.
A small number of the case files listed in this catalogue may include documents that
contain personal information relating to living individuals. In these instances, it will
still be possible to view the case file, but any documents within the file that relate to
living individuals will be withheld (researchers will be notified if this is the case).
However, in very limited circumstances (such as academic research), it may be
possible to view the full case file, including information relating to living individuals.
Decisions to grant access to this information will depend on the records themselves
and the nature of the research to be undertaken, and so will be made by the archivist
on a case-by-case basis. The Children’s Society reserves the right not to make
certain records available.
Appointments to consult any of the case files listed in this catalogue can be made by
contacting the archivist and outlining the research you wish to undertake. You can
contact us using any of the methods below:
Email:
The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
Index
This catalogue has been indexed. Index terms are listed under each catalogue entry.
To search for a specific index term in this catalogue, please use the find tool.
The index terms used in this catalogue are listed below.
Types of child-care arrangements:
Foster care
Non-Society children’s homes
Types of disabilities:
Disabilities Disabilities
Amputation Mental diseases
Appendicitis Muscular diseases
Autoimmune diseases Nervous system diseases
Blindness Paralysis
Bone diseases Paraplegia
Bronchitis Periostitis
Burns Pneumonia
Cancer Poliomyelitis
Cerebral palsy Rickets
Chorea Scarlet fever
Cicatrix Seizures
Colitis Skin diseases
Deafness Spinal diseases
Diphtheria Spinal injuries
Dislocations Stroke
Epilepsy Syphilis
Fractures Systemic lupus erythematosus
Frostbite Tuberculosis
Gangrene Tumours
Gastritis Typhoid fever
Growth disorders Typhus
Heart diseases Visually impaired
Hernia Whooping cough
Hydrocephalus
Influenza
Joint diseases
Kidney diseases
Learning disabilities
Limb Deformities, Congenital
Male genital diseases
Measles
Meningitis
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The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
Reasons for the child being taken into The Children’s Society’s care:
Abandonment Neglect
Adoption Non-Society children’s homes
Alcoholism Orphans
Asylums Poverty
Child abuse Pregnancy
Discipline Prisons
Domestic violence Prostitution
Drug abuse Runaways
Emigration Suicide
Foster care Theft
Gambling Truancy
Homelessness Workhouses
Illegitimacy
Reasons for the child being discharged from The Children’s Society’s care:
Adoption Employment
Asylums Millinery
Emigration Mills
Employment Navy
Aircraft industry Needlework
Army Nursing
Baking Photography
Basket making Postal services
Bookbinding Printing
Carpentry Sailors
Child care Stationery trade
Cinema Surgical apparatus and
Cleaning industry instruments industry
Clerical personnel Tailoring
Clothing workers Teaching
Domestic service Travelling circuses
Dressmaking Umbrella making
Electrical equipment manufacture Death
Farming Non-Society children’s homes
Food industry Returned to family
Footwear industry Returned to friends
Framework knitting Runaways
Gardening Workhouses
Grocery trade
Hairdressing
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The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
CF/00002: Case file 2
1882-1930
1 file containing 71 items
Forename: JOHN
Middle names:
Surname: SMITH
Date of birth: 6 September 1870
Sex: Male
Parents' names: Mother: Eliza Smith. Father: John Smith.
DATE AND PLACE OF APPLICATION
February 1882
Clapham, London
REASON FOR APPLICATION
The child's parents were poor and were unable to look after their large family. The
child worked as a crossing sweeper at Clapham Common, and it appears that the
child suffered from neglect. Poor health meant that the child was taken into an
orthopaedic hospital in c1881 and from there was moved to several convalescent
homes. The child was then taken into St Michael's Hospital for sick and destitute
incurable children in Shoreditch, a home not operated by The Society, but the child
could not be kept there due to improving health.
DETAILS OF DISABILITY
The child suffered from curvature of the spine, which was caused by falling over on
ice when seven years old.
CASE HISTORY
14 February 1882 - Received into Clapton Home For Boys, Clapton, London
14 March 1882 - Transferred to a home not operated by The Society: Revd RJ
Elliott's Convalescent Home, Southend
19 October 1882 - Went to several foster homes at Balham
7 May 1883 - Transferred to a home not operated by The Society: Cripples Home,
Kensington
21 January 1884 - Transferred to Clapton Home For Boys, Clapton, London
1887 - Went to work as a clerk for St Mark's Home For Boys, Natland, Kendal,
Cumbria
The case file comprises the application form, correspondence and documents
relating to the child's time in The Society's care.
Also includes correspondence between The Society and the child, now an adult, with
updates on his progress, 1906-1930; and correspondence regarding his illness and
death from tuberculosis, 1930. Includes clippings form 'Our Waifs and Strays'
magazine, 1907, 1922, 1924 and 1927, with articles about him, poems written by
him, and photographs of him as a child and as an adult.
Access status: Open
Information relating to the care subject is open.
Some case files may contain personal data relating to living individuals other than the
care subject. In these instances, the archivist will assess access to this information.
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The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
Index terms:
Disabilities
Spinal injuries
Poverty
Neglect
Foster care
Employment
Clerical personnel
Non-Society children's homes
Death
Tuberculosis
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The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
CF/00057: Case file 57
1882
1 file containing 3 items
Forename: HENRY
Middle names: GABRIEL
Surname: CHAWKLEY
Date of birth: 11 March 1873
Sex: Male
Parents' names: Mother: Frances Chawkley. Father: Joseph Chawkley.
DATE AND PLACE OF APPLICATION
18 June 1882
St Leonards-on-sea, East Sussex
REASON FOR APPLICATION
The child's mother had died and the father had little money. The father was
described as being of 'unsound mind'; he had attempted to commit suicide and had
later exhibited violent behaviour, attempting to throw one of the child's siblings into
the Thames. The child had been sent to a number of residential homes that were not
operated by The Society.
CASE HISTORY
1 July 1882 - Received into Clapton Home For Boys, Clapton, London
2 May 1883 - Transferred to a home not operated by The Society: Miss
Macpherson's Home of Industry, Spitalfields, London
18 May 1883 - Transferred to Clapton Home For Boys, Clapton, London
20 June 1883 - Transferred to a home not operated by The Society: the Boys Home,
Regents Park, London
The case file comprises the application form, correspondence and documents
relating to the child's time in The Society's care.
Access status: Open
Index terms:
Mental diseases
Poverty
Suicide
Domestic violence
Non-Society children's homes
Disabilities
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The Children’s Society Records and Archives Centre
TCS/CF – Children’s case files Catalogued for the Including the Excluded project
CF/00186: Case file 186
1879-c2004
1 file
Forename: HANNAH
Middle names:
Surname: BRITTON
Date of birth: 22 October 1872
Sex: Female
Parents' names: Mother: Mary Ann Britton. Father: Henry Britton.
DATE AND PLACE OF APPLICATION
27 July 1883
Soho, London
REASON FOR APPLICATION
The child's mother had left the family, and the father was losing sight in both eyes.
CASE HISTORY
18 August 1883 - Received into Lampson Home for Girls, Dulwich, London
22 November 1886 - Went to work in domestic service in Forest Hill
23 May 1887 - Went to Arnold Grove Home For Girls, Southwell, near Nottingham,
Nottinghamshire
August 1888 - Went to work in domestic service in Kingston
The case file comprises the application form, correspondence and documents
relating to the child's time in The Society's care. Some of these case papers,
including the application form, cover the child and the child's sibling, case number
187.
The file also includes a brief summary of the case file (produced by The Children's
Society Records and Archives Centre for the 'Hidden Lives Revealed' website)
c2004.
Access status: Open
Information relating to the care subject is open.
Some case files may contain personal data relating to living individuals other than the
care subject. In these instances, the archivist will assess access to this information.
Index terms:
Disabilities
Blindness
Employment
Domestic service
Page 9 of 1965
