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« on: Sunday 28 February 10 22:30 GMT (UK) »
Hello
I live in feltham - just up the road in fact to where the industrial school was. I dont know about names and dates of inmates etc. But I do know that a lot of boys were actually shipped off to "Canada" of all places; but most were made to join the army. Here is some info about the the school
The Feltham Industrial School was also known as the Middlesex Industrial School. It was founded in 1854 by its own act of parliament and was the first “State” recognised industrial school. It was a large institutional building, set in 100 acres of land, situated at Bedfont Road, where Feltham Young Offenders is today. The school also had its own infirmary, workshops, gas factory, residences for the officers and a chapel, lead by a Reverend Leslie.
It was certified to hold up to 700 boys between the ages of 7 – 14 years and had 52 staff members. The boys would be sent from all over London. They would have been given varied sentences, but the majority of boys would stay until they reached 16 years of age. Boys would be sent to the school for many different reasons, ranging from begging, being in the company of criminals or even for just being an orphan. Very rarely, would they be sent to the industrial school for committing actual crimes, as a reformatory school would normally be used for that punishment.
Once at the Industrial School, the boys were made to work long hours out on the farms. They also had to make their own clothes and boots, but they did receive some basic education. When they had served their sentence, normally at 16 years of age, the boys were licenced out to work; for example, they were made to join the army. Alternatively, or for younger boys, they would be sent to Canada. There would be large groups of boys packed off, on a ship to start a new life. This was accomplished with the help of Barnado’s and they were chaperoned by the Reverend Leslie.
The Feltham Industrial School closed in 1909 and in 1910 the Prison Commission became the new owners, and a year later it re-opened as Feltham Borstal. Although, during the First World War it was actually used as an internment camp for foreigners, but it finally re-opened as a Borstal in 1919.
Julie
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