Kingsford House, Merton, Devon

From a small record surviving at NDRO 2389A/PZ1 in the Huish records and the Census returns 1891

Matron was Caroline (Head)
Emma Hope was (under head)
Grace Hooper and Alice Snook (17yrs) were laundry Maids

Names and ages of the children in the Merton Home September 1892

Dagmar Winston 14 yrs
Born Jan 22 1877
No parents or friends living
Came from Epsom Union Aug 17 1887
Confirmed May 16 1891

Elizabeth Hales
Born March 22 1877
Mother lives in London but never communicates with the child.
Has had a sister in the home who is doing well in service
Came from London Feb 19 1884
Confirmed May 16 1891

Mary Howard
Born Nov 3 1877
No parents living
Came from Exeter Union
Aug 28 1884
Confirmed Sep 6 1892

Elizabeth Croad (Bessie) 12yrs
Born May 7 1878
Father is a respectable sailor
Mother dead
Has an Aunt who lives at Weymouth and who sent both children here in 1888
Confirmed Sep 6 1892

Florence Hooper 13yrs
Born Oct 20 1878
Has no parents
Has several sisters who are all doing well in London and who constantly write to Florence.
Florence and Two sisters came from London Feb 19 1884
Confirmed Sep 6 1892
A good earnest conscientious girl and clever but not strong.

Ann Thomas 13 yrs
Born March 14 1878
No parents living
Came from the waifs and Strays Home in London 1888
Confirmed Sep 6 1892
A rough rather dense girl – but fairly hardworking and improving

Maud Wayford?
Born June 14 1878
No parents or friends living
Came from S Monica’s Home Petrockstowe Jan 28 1892
Decidedly wanton in intellect and subject to fits

Mary Fitton
Born Jan 28 1879
Has parents and sisters living who write constantly from Mortimer and seem to be respectable.
Came from Mortimer Jan 1891
Hardworking girl and should make a good servant

Charlotte Elizabeth Heybourne
Born Dec 19 1876?
Mother lives in London and writes constantly.
Came from Southampton
July 1888 to S. Monica’s Home Petrockstowe
Came to Merton Home Sep 19 1892

Maggie Martin
Born Jan 18 1879
Has Father living who writes constantly.
Maggie came from London March 12 1892
Confirmed in the Church of Home
A very Tiresome child who has evidently run wild.

Annie Beeks 9yrs
Born April 8 1880
No parents living. Came from a Workhouse in London March 1887
A very excitable forward child – clever and anxious to become a teacher

Ida Smale
Born Dec 16 1882
No mother living – Father comes occasionally to visit the child. Ida came came from Holsworthy when her mother died April 1891 a good child but rather deaf

Caroline Carter
Born June 25 1881
Been in S. Monica’s Home two years
Came from Shrewsbury where the mother lives
Came from S. Monica’s Home
Sep 19 1892

Ella Upcott
Born June 15 1884
Came from London 1890
Knows nothing of her Father or Mother

Eliza Nippin 7yrs
Born Feb 9 1883
Came from Exeter 1889
Ill treated by her Mother who is in prison

Caroline Knight
Born Sep 1890
Mother dead
Came to the Home Oct 1890

Also on the 1891 census are these girls

Mabel Mcinivis 14
Nellie Avis 15
Lilly Miller 15
Mary Hillier 12
Pollie Howard 11
Ellen Thorne 6
Lucy Godhead 9
Nellie Balies (Bales?) 14
Barbara Childs ?

On 1901 Census we find the following
Emma Loweidas? Matron 50 born Swansea Glamorgan
Sarah Edwards 23 Dairymaid born Akertaines (Shropshire)
Rosina Smale 19 Wollin Weaver born Clawton Devon
Eliza Love 21 Laundry Maid born Bath Ampton Somerset
Eliza Sweet 15 Laundry Maid born Egypt British Subject
Pauline Gutrel 27 Laundry Maid born Switzerland
Alice Pitman 18 Housemaid born Weymouth Dorset
Gertrude Northway 13 Kitchen maid born Exeter Devon
Evelyn Northway 8 at school born Exeter Devon
Ellen Lascelles 14 Scullery Maid born Weymouth Dorset
Florence Templeman 12 Laundry Maid born London Middlesex
Annie Norfolk 11 at school born Penzance Cornwall
Caroline Knight 10 at school born Stratton Cornwall
Florence Hooper 10 at school born Aldershot Surrey
Kathleen Daley 11 at school born Egypt British Subject
Nellie Daley 7 at school born Exeter Devon
Cilia Avery 10 at school born Exeter Devon
Edith Bishop 15 Dairy Maid born Chaldon Dorset
Francis Marks 8 at school born Winchester Hampshire

Still to find 1911 census details