Hi my father james henry barber was in the cottage home from apprx 1920 until 1931? 18mths to 11yrs old. He is still alive & living in Australia,he too speaks with much love of Mother murgatroyd. KATH |
I am looking for more information about the cottage homes in Wardle as believe that my grandfather was placed there (aged 10 years) circa 1935 after the death of his father. His name was Derrick Cockayne, and may have been placed with his step brothers Bobby,Bert and ?Brian. The three brothers were later collected by their mother, but Derrick was left behind, possibly until his mid-teens. Is there anywhere I can access a list of admissions to the cottage homes to verify this information? Thanks for your time - the website is great. Regards, Jo Whitcombe. |
Hi! I've just recently discovered your website and, yes I was in the Cottage Homes somewhere around the 1939/1940. I remember going to school inside the home and then I was fostered out. Unfortunately, I got shipped back to the home and it had then converted to a remand home. I was the only boy allowed out to school and subsequently out to work as an apprentice at Tweedale & Smalley. My memories of the home were very unhappy; the governor was a Mr Farmer who, because he had to treat me differently, made life very difficult for me. Because I was under the durisdiction of the Rochdale Education Authorities I remained under their care until I was 17 years old. I remember the caretaker was a gentleman by the name of Tom Slack, who I believe lived in the village. By a strange quirk of fate, in 1965 whilst working as a representative for Mars Ltd, I came back to live on Pennine Estate. I recently visited the area and made contact with Mr and Mrs Butterworth who have converted the home into a beautiful domestic property. Whilst there Mr Butterworth gave me a dvd with all the pictures of the cottage homes for which I was very grateful. Upon leaving the care of the education authorities I discovered that my real name was not Charles Davies, but Charles Forbes. I have always been known as Chuck Forbes. The school I attended was Heybrook. I would love to hear any stories of the home or, better still, if anyone can remember me. Regards Chuck Forbes |
Hi Julie my name is June Slocombe, nee June Wrigley and I live in Australia the state of Victoria and I am answering your letter about the Cottage Homes at Wardle Rochdale Lancs. I also was brought up there in the 1930's to its close in the 1940's, I was three when I first went there in 1931 and was there until age 12 in 1940/41. Then I went to a place at Bolton for Two Years. My foster/cottagemother, Mother Edwards was extreamely good to all of us and we were in cottage Number 5. Also there was Annie Fogg, who I am still in touch with now and have visited recently. In our Cottage there was Annie's Sister Alice Fogg and near the closing in about 40 to 41 she had to come to our cottage for about six months before closure of the homes Because at the time the children from near Manchester were in some of the other cottages until they were billeted out. Also in our cottage there was a girl called Martha McMunn who went to Bolton with me though we went to separate homes. A brother and sister called Harry and Elise Graham lived at the cottages there also, though before our time, though they kept in touch with Elsie's cottage mother who was also my mother and I ended up marrying Harry Graham. I kept in touch with Mother Edwards until she died at 88. She came out to Australia to visit Harry and me for six months in about 1958. It was great to see your request for information June Slocombe |
I was a child in the Cottage Homes in 1930's. the homes were requisitioned in 1939 when war broke out .I was in No 10 and was the last child in the homes when they closed. My Brother George was also there for a while. We went to St Mary's school in Littleborough as we were Catholics. Mother Murgatroyd was the Mother for No 10 she was a very kind caring lady and I kept in touch with her until her death in ? 1949.She was very proud of me because I was training to be a S.R.N. she died before I qualified. Other girls in my cottage were Rose Schofield Elsie Greaterix And three Horridge sisters .I would love to hear from any one of them. email 2 There were 10 Cottages in all. Some Mothers were very good and at least one, who used to be a relief for holidays, was unkind in her attitude.Mother Wood thought we were beneath her and sub -human. I don't know of any abusive personnell.most of the children were homesick at first but settled eventually. We had great fun going to school through fields and there was a brook we used to jump from one side to the other. All of us had jobs to do after school. shoe cleaning potato peeling. cleaning brass door knobs etc, we did the jobs in rota so all of us had equal amounts. Our Mother was a very good cook and we were better fed than most of our school friends. Mother taught us to knit and sew ,we mended our own socks, darning them as they were woollen. I look back now and know that all the things we did were a preparation for going into service ,which was the expected thing when we left. there were lots of toys and games the radio was always on in the evening so we were not deprived of things to amuse. I can't remember the exact time the home closed but it wasn't at the begining of the war because we had evacues from the Channel Islands.Guernsy .A whole school including the Nuns who were their teachers came over. We were fascinated by them because they spoke French and there English accent was also unusual to us. Nee Frances Forrester (Axon) fran keeping in touch |
I don't have any information to give, I am actually looking for information. Last year I began to research my family tree, and I discovered that my Great Grandmother had a spell of mental illness and she was sent away to Whittingham Mental Hospital in the early 1920's. Her daughters were shipped out to relations and her son was sent to Cottage Homes. We believe that it was in Blackburn Lancashire, in the Queens Park area. We are very interested to find out all we can about this children's home as it will help my Uncle as he has hardly any memories of his early childhood and I would like to help him discover where he spent the first few years of his life. As there was such a stigma attached to mental illness in those days, whenever he asked questions about where he had been sent he was always told that that part of his life was over and hadn't to be ever discussed. Laura Birkbeck |
Cottage Homes |
Anyone with any information Please could you email me Thank You |
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Click for larger picture |
UPDATE added 10th January 2004 |
Make all emails subjects Wardle please as I delete a lot without opening. |
I don't have any information to give, I am actually looking for information. Last year I began to research my family tree, and I discovered that my Great Grandmother had a spell of mental illness and she was sent away to Whittingham Mental Hospital in the early 1920's. Her daughters were shipped out to relations and her son was sent to Cottage Homes. We believe that it was in Blackburn Lancashire, in the Queens Park area. We are very interested to find out all we can about this children's home as it will help my Uncle as he has hardly any memories of his early childhood and I would like to help him discover where he spent the first few years of his life. As there was such a stigma attached to mental illness in those days, whenever he asked questions about where he had been sent he was always told that that part of his life was over and hadn't to be ever discussed. Laura Birkbeck |
Laura Birkbeck |
I was a child in the Cottage Homes in 1930's. the homes were requisitioned in 1939 when war broke out .I was in No 10 and was the last child in the homes when they closed. My Brother George was also there for a while. We went to St Mary's school in Littleborough as we were Catholics. Mother Murgatroyd was the Mother for No 10 she was a very kind caring lady and I kept in touch with her until her death in ? 1949.She was very proud of me because I was training to be a S.R.N. she died before I qualified. Other girls in my cottage were Rose Schofield Elsie Greaterix And three Horridge sisters .I would love to hear from any one of them. email 2 There were 10 Cottages in all. Some Mothers were very good and at least one, who used to be a relief for holidays, was unkind in her attitude.Mother Wood thought we were beneath her and sub -human. I don't know of any abusive personnell.most of the children were homesick at first but settled eventually. We had great fun going to school through fields and there was a brook we used to jump from one side to the other. All of us had jobs to do after school. shoe cleaning potato peeling. cleaning brass door knobs etc, we did the jobs in rota so all of us had equal amounts. Our Mother was a very good cook and we were better fed than most of our school friends. Mother taught us to knit and sew ,we mended our own socks, darning them as they were woollen. I look back now and know that all the things we did were a preparation for going into service ,which was the expected thing when we left. there were lots of toys and games the radio was always on in the evening so we were not deprived of things to amuse. I can't remember the exact time the home closed but it wasn't at the begining of the war because we had evacues from the Channel Islands.Guernsy .A whole school including the Nuns who were their teachers came over. We were fascinated by them because they spoke French and there English accent was also unusual to us. Nee Frances Forrester (Axon) fran keeping in touch |
Frances Forrester (Axon) |
Fran is also looking for her brother George, Does anyone know George's whereabouts? |
Hi Julie my name is June Slocombe, nee June Wrigley and I live in Australia the state of Victoria and I am answering your letter about the Cottage Homes at Wardle Rochdale Lancs. I also was brought up there in the 1930's to its close in the 1940's, I was three when I first went there in 1931 and was there until age 12 in 1940/41. Then I went to a place at Bolton for Two Years. My foster/cottagemother, Mother Edwards was extreamely good to all of us and we were in cottage Number 5. Also there was Annie Fogg, who I am still in touch with now and have visited recently. In our Cottage there was Annie's Sister Alice Fogg and near the closing in about 40 to 41 she had to come to our cottage for about six months before closure of the homes Because at the time the children from near Manchester were in some of the other cottages until they were billeted out. Also in our cottage there was a girl called Martha McMunn who went to Bolton with me though we went to separate homes. A brother and sister called Harry and Elise Graham lived at the cottages there also, though before our time, though they kept in touch with Elsie's cottage mother who was also my mother and I ended up marrying Harry Graham. I kept in touch with Mother Edwards until she died at 88. She came out to Australia to visit Harry and me for six months in about 1958. It was great to see your request for information June Slocombe |
June Slocombe Nee June Wrigley |
email from June 12 October 2006 I have been in touch with one of the girls who was in the homes at Wardle at the same as me but she went to the Littleborough As she was Catholic Girl and it was great to hear from her she was Frances Axon(nee Forrester). If you hear from anyone else from the same area at about this time please feel free to give them my detail as i would love to hear their stories or rekindle any lost friendships. Thank you for your interest |
Hi! I've just recently discovered your website and, yes I was in the Cottage Homes somewhere around the 1939/1940. I remember going to school inside the home and then I was fostered out. Unfortunately, I got shipped back to the home and it had then converted to a remand home. I was the only boy allowed out to school and subsequently out to work as an apprentice at Tweedale & Smalley. My memories of the home were very unhappy; the governor was a Mr Farmer who, because he had to treat me differently, made life very difficult for me. Because I was under the durisdiction of the Rochdale Education Authorities I remained under their care until I was 17 years old. I remember the caretaker was a gentleman by the name of Tom Slack, who I believe lived in the village. By a strange quirk of fate, in 1965 whilst working as a representative for Mars Ltd, I came back to live on Pennine Estate. I recently visited the area and made contact with Mr and Mrs Butterworth who have converted the home into a beautiful domestic property. Whilst there Mr Butterworth gave me a dvd with all the pictures of the cottage homes for which I was very grateful. Upon leaving the care of the education authorities I discovered that my real name was not Charles Davies, but Charles Forbes. I have always been known as Chuck Forbes. The school I attended was Heybrook. I would love to hear any stories of the home or, better still, if anyone can remember me. Regards Chuck Forbes |
I am looking for more information about the cottage homes in Wardle as believe that my grandfather was placed there (aged 10 years) circa 1935 after the death of his father. His name was Derrick Cockayne, and may have been placed with his step brothers Bobby,Bert and ?Brian. The three brothers were later collected by their mother, but Derrick was left behind, possibly until his mid-teens. Is there anywhere I can access a list of admissions to the cottage homes to verify this information? Thanks for your time - the website is great. Regards, Jo Whitcombe. |
Hi my father james henry barber was in the cottage home from apprx 1920 until 1931? 18mths to 11yrs old. He is still alive & living in Australia,he too speaks with much love of Mother murgatroyd. KATH |
