Spurgeons Childrens homes

[bagpuss63]

Apparently I went to one in Kent, for 3 months-I remember (1970) the home, some people and favourite member of staff, yet a cousin says she was in the car when I was taken/dumped there-don't remember her, just her Mum taking me to enormous house in grounds. Cousin (now ill) told her sister to tell me it was a seaside town, but just replying to another thread has reminded me about this-I can't remember a beach-just the walk to school and 'march' to church, why don't I remember? She was 11 I was 7, so she'd be right wouldn't she? Her older sister remembers nothing, but she doesn't believe in living in the past,anyway.Is there any way I can find out?real Mum died I hadn't seen her after in the home,and wasn't allowed at funeral. Going to bed now

[bagpuss63]

Ok, this sounds like late night rant, but I would like to know-Is it possible I didn't know i was near the sea? Is there any way I can find confirmation which home I was in? Its my cousin who said it was Kent(nearer her)but I was living in Birmingham

[SeaJayPea]

From Wikipedia:

"Spurgeons was founded in 1867 by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, to care for fatherless boys (the first girls were accepted in 1879). The original orphanage, in Stockwell, was the base for most of the charity's first century, until a move to Reigate and then Birchington, in Kent."

Birchington is on the coast, near Margate.

[SeaJayPea]

Oops sorry, managed to post that before I finished, here's the Wikipedia link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spurgeons

Hope you can sort your memories out. Perhaps a trip might be in order...

[bagpuss63]

Thanks seajay-I'll have a look

[pink-kittens]

If it's the one in the link I have been past it a number of times on the way to Margate
It's a huge building although, as the new road has been built and you no longer go past on your way to the sea side, I don't know if it is still there.
I remember there being a huge cart wheel leaning against the wall by the door
This looks like a pic of the home
http://landmark.lambe...tion=landmark&id=5518

[daffy654]

Are you sure it was a Spurgeons home?
There was a National Children's Home in Sutton Coldfield called Princess Alice Children's Home, I know this because myself and my 6 siblings were all there in the early 70s. I can't figure out why you would get sent to Kent when you lived in Birmingham... so close to an enormous home in Sutton Coldfield.

[bagpuss63]

Hi daffy,not been on here for a while, so just read your post,its my cousin in London who says it was in kent, she lived in Cheam at the time, and her sister (at uni) told me she says it was so I was nearer them, but don;t remember them visiting-don't suppose Matrons daughter lived in big room where you went? I was put in with her and she hated me for it,we were both 7-she ran screaming to her Dad every saturday-little pig-in front of everyone....

[jordabel]

Hi, I don't know much about this place, other than I went there sometime in the '70s, but only for days, not as a permanent home. I lived in Birchington until I was 12, in 1982. It is a seaside town, but the home was a fair way from the beach - being at the other end of the town, so it is quite probable that you never visited the beach. I don't know much about it otherwise, but was just looking it up online and saw your post! It isn't there now, a housing estate has been built there now. Regards, Melanie

[Heidimessenger]

Hi, I was was at Spurgeons Homes, Park Road,Burchington in Kent at the same time. My brother, two years younger, and I had two spells there. We spent about three yeas in total. I can confirm the long walk, in pairs - a bit like in matilda but without the posh hats lol, to the local school. The children their, although on the main accepting, did treat us all a little differently. On sundays, we all wore our 'Best' out fit, which we laid out the nght before and wnet to church. Everyone lived in 'houses' with beteeen 10 and 14 children. We slept in dorms, and had to make our bed and keep to the chore schedule. Polish our out door shoes and wear slippers indoors. There was a sick bay, a depot where we got our clothes. Any personal belongings were 'put away' so we all had everything, down to underwear, with labels. To be fair, a lot of us turned up looking like raggamuffins, so the new clothes were very welcome. We had prayers and bible study. On the whole thought, coming from the situations that most of us were in - it was a safe place. For me, I had a chance to be a child, even though it was very institutional. We ate on time, had clean clothes to wear and didnt have to be respnsible for or concerned all the time about younger siblings, something which for me was very pressing at the time. There were some very kind people there, who genuinely wanted to help the children. Thankfully no abuse. For me it was a safe place, and whist lonely for the rest of my fragmented family, I learnt many good lesson that helped me later in life. For whatever reasons you ended up there, I'm sorry and have great empathy. We were all in the same boat, I guess its what we do going forward that counts :) One thing I do know is that every child had a different, often terribly sad, story. This kind of made us look out for each other. If you have any other specific questions about that time - I have many, pretty clear memories of then, so please feel free to come back to me if you have other questions. Kind regards.