St Aidan's Home For Boys, Tynemouth

St Aidan's was opened in 1906 to replace the boys' home in nearby Whitley, which had been running since 1901. The Whitley Home had originally been intended only as temporary residence, but St Aidan's took several years to build.

Even though a site was bought in 1902, construction only started on September 12th 1905. On this date, the Duke of Northumberland came to Tynemouth to lay the foundation stone in a special ceremony. The Duke also assisted the Home financially with a donation of £2,000 towards the building costs - over £120,000 in today's money! The building was completed quickly, and the first intake of boys arrived towards the end of 1906. St Aidan's Home was formally opened on 10th January 1907, with a dedication ceremony conducted by Archdeacon Lichfield.

At first St Aidan's could accommodate twenty-five boys, aged between seven and ten. High demand for places meant that the house was quickly expanded, and by 1911 St Aidan's could accommodate thirty-six children. The age range was also increased, and St Aidan's now started admitting boys up to the age of fifteen. The children were looked after by their master and matron, Mr and Mrs Tullip, who worked at the Home during these early years. Under their supervision the boys were trained in various trades, and the whole top floor of the building was used as a workshop. Mrs Tullip also gave the boys music lessons, and they took part in a Concert at Corbridge in October 1907.

St Aidan's was ideally located for holidays on the East Coast. In 1913 they went to Whitley Bay on Scout camp, where they slept under big marquees and took part in a football tournament with children from other Society homes. They also visited the local zoo, where according to one boy they saw 'tigers, snakes, monkeys, polar bears, and a sheep with five legs and six feet.'

The Home carried on running for many years. During the Second World War years (1939-1945), the boys were evacuated further inland to Hexham. St Aidan's closed in 1948, and the Home was reopened as a babies' nursery.