Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Site of Home for Little Boys, Farningham

Monument Types

• CHILDRENS HOME (Post Medieval to Modern - 1867 AD to 1961 AD)

Full description

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Site of former Home for Little Boys, Farningham. The original home was situated in a disused parish poor house in the suburban village of Tottenham, north London, by the founders and benefactors W H Williams Esq., Robert Culling Hanbury(MP for Middlesex) and A D Charles Esq. In later years HM Queen Mary became Patron and Field Marshal the Viscount Montgomery of Alamein became the home's President. In the early years overcrowding soon became a problem in Tottenham, so a site wasaquired in rural Kent and the new, larger home was built. It was renamed after a local village - Farningham. As the home expanded over time, it took in boys of all ages and from all backgrounds, creating craft houses to give them the opportunity to take up an apprenticeship in one of the six trades - and ultimately send them out into the world equipped for life.
Some 300 boys were housed in 10 cottages, each with houseparents. There was also a superintendent's house, chapel, school and workshops. The home was opened in 1867 and closed in 1961. In 1962 it became North Downs Approved School with many of the original buildings gradually being replaced. The site is now Southdowns Retirement Village.

Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 2nd Edition, 1897-1900): Landmark Epoch 2 (Map). SKE30965.

Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 4th Edition, 1929-1952) (Map). SKE30967.

Sources and further reading