Hidden Lives Revealed. A virtual archive - children in care 1881-1981 * Image of handwritten text

Case 9288

Case number: 9288
Application year: 1902
Name:

G

Gender:

Male

Year of birth: 1895
Home: Knebworth Home For Boys

Description:

G's father died in February 1902 following an operation for a rupture. His death was sudden and unexpected and he left a wife and three children. G. was the youngest and the only boy.[This is according to the information on the application form although the letter of 10 July differs in its description of the members of the family]. The family were very respectable: the father, who was a member of the Church choir and a communicant, had been steady and hard working and the mother did her best to bring up her children "as a parent should do". The loss of her husband meant that it was a great struggle for G's mother to provide food and clothing for the family and to pay a heavy rent. She took in a lodger when possible to earn a little money. It was felt that she would be greatly helped if G. could be cared for by the Society. On 20 November 1902 he was admitted to the Knebworth Home. In April 1904 G's mother became distressed at the proposed transfer of her son to the Society's Home in Dolgellau, Wales. It was a long way from her home in Watford and she would find it difficult to visit him. G. was to be moved because he was going to be ten on his next birthday, and it was felt that he needed to be in a Home for older boys where the discipline was more rigorous and he would be under the control of a Master. The Knebworth Home was intended for "quite little boys." There were no vacancies in Homes closer to London hence the proposed move to Dolgellau. The Society thought that it would be reasonable for G. to return to his mother if she so wished, as the older children were now earning some money and she had no-one dependent on her. G's mother took her son home from Knebworth on 28 April 1904.


Keywords: Health; Poverty

Items: 1. Application to the Waifs and Strays' Society 14 July 1902
2. Letter to the Waifs and Strays' Society enquiring about help for G's family 10 July 1902
3. Letter from Revd R. asking if there will soon be a place for G. in one of the Society's Homes 3 November 1902
4. Copy letter giving news that G. was to be admitted to the Knebworth Home 7 November 1902
5. Card from Revd R. announcing that G. had gone to the Home 22 November 1902
6. Letter from the Matron of the Knebworth Home acknowledging G's arrival on 20 November 26 November 1902
7. Letter from Revd R. concerning G's mother's distress at the child's proposed move to Dolgellau 26 April 1904
8. Copy letter from Revd Edward Rudolf concerning G's case 27 April 1904
9. Card from C. Montague-Price about G's return to his mother 28 April 1904
10. Letter from Mr Wakefield mentioning his decision to allow G's mother to remove her son from the Knebworth Home 28 April 1904
11. Copy letter from Revd Edward Rudolf about G's discharge 29 April 1904




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