Home Of The Good Shepherd For Boys, Hanley Castle

The Home Of The Good Shepherd For Boys in Hanley Castle opened in 1888. The Home had proved so successful in its opening year that a new girl’s home was able to be built from the profits in nearby Belbroughton. This success was jeopardised when negotiations to extend the Good Shepherd Home's lease broke down. The Society’s Worcestershire Committee was forced to set up a fund for building a new home. It was agreed that the Society would contribute £1000 to the fund, but that another £1000 would have to be raised locally. When the lease ran out, and the Home moved in 1891, the Society took over all financial responsibility for both the Homes.

Despite the building work being plagued by bad weather, the new Home Of The Good Shepherd For Boys was opened on May 21st 1891 by Bishop Creighton, the Canon of Worcester. It was ‘within a stone’s throw of St Gabriel’s Church’, where the resident vicar - the Rev G.F. Fieldwick, was Chaplain to the Home. The new building was capable of holding twenty children instead of just twelve like its predecessor. In 1892 additional land was made available to the Home and building work on an extension was started.

For many years Mr E. Topley was the Master of the Hanley Castle Home while the Worcester Diocesan Secretary Rev E.W. Issac acted as their Honorary Secretary. The Home closed in 1950.