looking for children home in 1965

By Sandra Steele

I”m looking for a childrens  home that I was in 1965,  This was called withbree, not sure how it was spelt  house in ware hertfordshire. i belive it was a private children care home.

This page was added on 03/05/2014.

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  • I was in Widbury house around 1963 . Miss Ross was in the boss . If my memory is correctly she had red hair . I do remember the large green gate by the play area , and a sand pit that I played in . Don’t remember the donkey. Not to sure when I left . Life is much better now . Life can be so hard .
    My name was Stephen John Higgins born 11Aug 1962 . One staff member was Joan Porter later she became Joan Baldock and then after my adoption she became my aunt and still is .

    By Steve Bowd (12/02/2024)
  • Does anyone remember some of the nursing staff who worked at Widbury House in the mid-1960s – Dawn? Mary?, Maggie?, June? They all used to be members of the local YHA club which met every Tuesday evening at Ware Youth Centre : we’re planning a reunion for the YHA club members in June 2024, and would love to hear from any of the Widbury nurses.

    By Andy Robinson (06/02/2024)
  • My youngest brother born 1949 was at widbury house from the early 1950s the Matron then was Miss Stroud her Deputy was Miss Mullry, my mother and I visited Widbury house often and were always given high tea together with both ladies in Matron Strouds office, the 2 ladies took a particular liking to him and followed him from when he left there aged about 11 years, when Miss Stroud and Miss Mullry retired they moved together into a council flat owned by the LCC on the outside of London somewhere, he kept in touch with them until their eventual demise. W Porter

    By W Porter (25/10/2023)
  • I was working at Widbury when Philomena Kelly was there and vaguely remember her brothers and sister. I do remember Patrick and of course Miss Ross.

    By Jane Cowley (14/03/2022)
  • Hi, I am looking for someone who may have stayed at Widbury, from 1962 onwards. Can anyone help? His name was Peter John Dillingham

    By Ellen Sapsford (10/02/2022)
  • I stayed in widbury house with my 3 brothers and baby sister at the time I was around 7yrs old 1974 we were there approx 2yrs my name is Philomena Kelly, brothers brendan robert John and sister Jennifer, Miss Ross run the home at that time. I can remember fondly sally Susan and the night nurse who I can’t remember her name but was very kind to me and brought me her daughters magazines tammy ect. Do remember some of the children there called Delany Kelly and Edel and a handicapped boy called Patrick. Jenny the donkey was always on the loose 🤣.I recently tried to look for my own files but all were destroyed sadly but I remembered this place very clearly and quiet fondly well the staff were kind to me also miss ross had a dog called tiny funny I thought as it was a great dane also remember cocker spanials being there.

    By Philomena Kelly (24/01/2022)
  • We were sent here in June 1966 to April 1967. Family of four children age 1 to 4.
    Do not have good memories of this home

    By Ck (22/11/2021)
  • I was at Widbury from a baby until I was 18 months old from 1967 to 1969 my name was Patricia Lally and I had 3 siblings Richard Mark and Yolande Im not sure if they went there too. We were all adopted out eventually. I remember being told I used to put a fish finger on the end of my fork and throw it on the floor and when my adoptive parents came to see me the staff said you can take her for the weekend and bring her back on monday and they said no if we take her we keep her.
    God Bless them Im so grateful they did.
    Sadly they are both deceased now but I did meet my birth mother and we had a relationship.

    By Patricia Kerman (22/08/2021)
  • I met my x wife when she worked at widbury. Her name was Sally Kelsall.

    By john william costin (28/07/2021)
  • I was placed there from 1953 at the age of months until July 1957 when I was 4 years old.
    Not sure if anyone on here would remember me

    By Pauline Milnes (01/07/2021)
  • I was in the home from about october 1969 until november 1971. I was about two and half years when I left to go to another childrens home in Harlow Where I remained until 1977 when I was eventually fostered then adopted. Both my natural mother and my first foster mother visited me there. I was Andrew Reid then. Obviously I have no recollection of the home but I have My Notes on My time in Care and it describes the place. One worker there was very fond of me she was called Aunt Betty!

    By Andrew Cole (27/06/2021)
  • I used to work at Widbury Children’s home in the late 1970s. I worked as a domestic assistant mostly. In the kitchen and helping to clean. It was a lovely home when I first started but later on older children were included and it became quite different. I often helped with the children and took some home for the day. Two brothers that I particularly loved were Julian and Mark. I don’t remember their surname but still have photos of them and wonder where they are now.

    By Jane Cowley (02/05/2021)
  • I read with interest that Brenda Dealing would like to hear from anyone who worked, as she did, at Widbury House LCC Nursery in the early 1950s. I would love to be put in touch with her as I did my Nursery Nursing training there in 1953/55 and have very fond memories of my time there.
    Not only did I receive excellent practical training at the nursery, but I also valued the equally good day- release education I received at the Hertford College of Further Education which was then located at Scott House in Hagsdell Road, Hertford. Added to these experiences I was also an active member of the Methodist Church in Ware in its original chapel building – now used by a different denomination I believe. They ran a lively youth club there, and one Christmas we visited Widbury and sang carols in the big entrance hall. My nursery student friends would join me in going to the local outdoor swimming pool, and sometimes attending a dance -though I can’t remember precisely whereabouts in Ware the dance hall was. I am so grateful for those two years residential experience which helped turn a rather useless 16 year old school-leaver into a responsible and self-confident 18 year old student teacher – for primary school teaching is what working with the older children inspired me to do.

    By Jane Colvert ( nee Hunt) (04/01/2021)
  • Dear Jane
    We have sent a message to Brenda on your behalf. I hope you hear from her shortly.
    Kind regards
    Editorial Team

    By Marion Hill (21/04/2021)
  • I would be interested to hear from anyone who worked there, 1965 to when I came out around 1968. What I do remember is going each weekend to local family who used to take the children home for weekends, I think the lady who I used to go to was called Cath and had two older children John can’t remember the girls name.
    This was a memory I have always had grown up
    Its a part of my childhood I would like to know more about as have never been given answers in my life. I do have some photos. Which I will try and post on this website
    My name as a child was sandra Marie Murphy I was put in this home from 8 months old till I was about 3 years old I think.

    By Sandra steele (27/10/2020)
  • I was in a childrens home in Ware in 1960-62 I think it was run by sisters I was about 2 years old and then I was adopted

    By Gary Coyne (26/10/2020)
  • It was called Widbury. I was a resident there as a child from 1967 thru 1974. It was a nursery then for children aged 0 – 7 years old. It later housed older children. The superintendents name then was Joanne Ross

    By Emile Emiabata (15/09/2020)
  • I used to work at Widbury House LCC Nursery in the early 1950’s I would love to hear from anyone who worked there then

    By Brenda Dealing (12/07/2020)
  • The home was at Little Widbury. I used to go there at weekends to help in the babies’ room. The house was originally the furlough home for the Buxtons returning from time as missionaries. As I understood it, it was an LCC children’s home. It is now a housing development.

    By Meryl (02/09/2015)
  • You may be referring to Widbury House. It’s mentioned here on the Stanstead Abbotts Local History Society site (see page 11): http://www.salhs.org.uk/Folders/connection/Connection.pdf

    By Lesley (15/12/2014)