Children's Homes

The following is taken from the general minutes of the West Riding County Council (WRCC) dated 2nd April 1953. It includes a list of children's homes run by the WRCC at that time which were regulated by the Children's Homes Visiting Sub-Committee.

Visiting Committee Home
Group 1 230 Lane End, Chapeltown
Cubley Hall, Penistone
138/140 Green Lane, Rawmarsh
The Leas, Scholes
Daneshill, Rotherham
Group 2 Elm Grove, Pontefract
Eastwell Lodge, Carleton
Greenawn, Goole
Group 3 Sandal Hall, Wakefield
The Cedars, Hemsworth
Skellow Hall, Doncaster
Wyndthorpe Hall, Hatfield
Group 4 Waterloo Manor, Swillington
Bramham House, Leeds
Ainsty Lodge, Wetherby
Fairholme and Sunny Lea, Knaresborough
Leadhall Grange, Harrogate
Group 5 Pateley Bridge Nursery
Aireview, Skipton
Burnside, Skipton
Wheatley Lawns Nursery, Ilkley
Hill Top, Ilkley
Group 6 The Court, Burley-in-Wharfedale
Inglewood, Otley
Tong Park House, Baildon
Southville, Stanningley
Woodville, Pudsey
Group 7 The Mount, Dewsbury
Gaythorne Terrace and Beaconsfield Road, Clayton
Gomersal House
Follingworth, Gomersal
Dryfield, Batley

The WYAS does not hold any collections of records for the above homes and we are not aware of any other repository holding them. Unfortunately it is assumed the records have not survived and were lost or destroyed at some point over the years. Researchers are advised to contact the Social Services department of the relevant local authority to see if any records of a particular home or person can be found.

The only record of WRCC children's homes held by the WYAS: Wakefield is a series of Children's Committee minutes for the period 1948-1971 (ref. WRC/30/1-22). This committee was established at a meeting of the County Council held on the 20th October 1948 under the Children's Act 1948 and the first meeting was held on the same day. At a meeting of the County Council on 17th March 1971, following the Social Services Act of 1970, it was resolved that the responsibilities of the County Council under this Act should be exercised by the new Social Services Committee. The last meeting of the Children's Committee was held on the 4th March 1971.

These minutes are generally concerned with the running and administration of children's homes; they only occassionally refer to individual children and do not contain detailed case histories or personal information. However, please note these minutes are subject to restricted access conditions and researchers wanting to consult them are advised to contact the WYAS: Wakefield for further information.

For information about adoptions see Adoption records.


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