Dr. Barnardo boys home

[crankedup5]

When I was a kiddie of six years old my Mum was taken seriously ill and hospitalised. Along with my three brothers we had nowhere else to go but Dr Barnardo stepped up and took us in, looked after us. I have just looked up the home named ‘Dalziel of Wooler Memorial Home’ Kingston up Thames, Surrey. We didn’t stay for long but we did get sent there twice within a year. I have many memories of my stay.
Any other PHer a former ‘Barney Boy’ ?

[StevieBee]

I used to work for Barnardo's in the 90s. Fascinating organisation. One of the most enjoyable few years of my 'employed' career.

If it's of interest, I would highly recommend a visit to Barkingside - their HQ and site of the first home which is still there as a sort of museum.

[Spare tyre]

What happened to mum?

[crankedup5]

StevieBee said:

I used to work for Barnardo's in the 90s. Fascinating organisation. One of the most enjoyable few years of my 'employed' career.

If it's of interest, I would highly recommend a visit to Barkingside - their HQ and site of the first home which is still there as a sort of museum.

Thanks for that, I will certainly be visiting in the New Year.

[crankedup5]

Spare tyre said:

What happened to mum?

TBH would rather not talk of mums illness, it remained with her for rest of life controlled with a combination of various addictive drugs.

[rastapasta]

crankedup5 said:

When I was a kiddie of six years old my Mum was taken seriously ill and hospitalised. Along with my three brothers we had nowhere else to go but Dr Barnardo stepped up and took us in, looked after us. I have just looked up the home named ‘Dalziel of Wooler Memorial Home’ Kingston up Thames, Surrey. We didn’t stay for long but we did get sent there twice within a year. I have many memories of my stay.
Any other PHer a former ‘Barney Boy’ ?

are the memories positive?

[jeremyc]

crankedup5 said:

I have just looked up the home named ‘Dalziel of Wooler Memorial Home’ Kingston up Thames, Surrey. We didn’t stay for long but we did get sent there twice within a year. I have many memories of my stay.

Now the site of Kingston Hospital.

[LeadFarmer]

I remember in junior school 1980 - 1984 we had a guy from Barnardos visit once every now and again to show us a video or slide show of work they did, but I can't recall what he told us!! All I remember was that when we were all told to go to the assembly hall and sit down, it meant the Barnardo guy was here and we had a couple of hours away from boring lessons.

[crankedup5]

rastapasta said:

crankedup5 said:

When I was a kiddie of six years old my Mum was taken seriously ill and hospitalised. Along with my three brothers we had nowhere else to go but Dr Barnardo stepped up and took us in, looked after us. I have just looked up the home named ‘Dalziel of Wooler Memorial Home’ Kingston up Thames, Surrey. We didn’t stay for long but we did get sent there twice within a year. I have many memories of my stay.
Any other PHer a former ‘Barney Boy’ ?

are the memories positive?

U fortunately not, saying that,I was to young to understand what was happening the morning my dad told us ‘your going for a car ride’. Remember this is the mid 1950s, we didn’t have a car so going for a ride was exciting!,
Arrived at the home, lucky I was with my brothers, recall having to learn to make my bed properly, bath night queuing up with the boys all of us undressed waiting our turn. I think it was every third bath the water was changed so the regulars worked out where to be in the queue.
Meal times in a hall all together at set times, on my Birthday I was given a musical box, stand up and turn the handle which played Happy Birthday. Then pass your card which went around the entire hall for all the boys to have a look, a tradition. Card was a bit dog eared upon its return
After breakfast file out of the hall, if you were tapped on head you went outdoors to play otherwise your indoors for the day.
Sunday we would go to Church.
We did get to go on holiday once to Hastings. Our ‘hotel’ was a church hall and our sleeping bags laid out on the floor ready for bed. No getting up in the night was the instruction, of course I had to once and received a telling off for getting out of bed.
Lots of other things, but it all left an indelible mark upon myself and brothers, we didn’t understand what was happening to us being taken away from parents into a massive home for boys.
Dr Barnardo kept our Birth Certificates until we were each 21 years of age.
Having said all this I am grateful to the charity for doing what they did, their very best for all the boys in their care. Without them I don’t know what would have become of us.Must have been hard work for the staff and the reason everything was so regimented. The first thing I learnt was how to make my bed properly, and all beds were inspected, like I said I was six years old.
We were never mistreated in any way and I do not recall hearing or seeing any mistreatment.

[crankedup5]

jeremyc said:

crankedup5 said:

I have just looked up the home named ‘Dalziel of Wooler Memorial Home’ Kingston up Thames, Surrey. We didn’t stay for long but we did get sent there twice within a year. I have many memories of my stay.

Now the site of Kingston Hospital.

The home seemed to be massive with a great winding staircase that seemed to go up and around forever! The grounds seemed big as well. I heard from my eldest bro’ that the home had been demolished, but I’m not sure the whole building went or not.