Little Boys Home in South Darenth in Kent

[mlrfn448]

I know this posting is rather old, but thought I would mention that the home at South Darenth featured in the BBC TV prog WDYTYA on Rupert Everett, (broadcast Mon 26 Jul 2010) as his grandfather was there from around 3 to 14 years of age.

It did not make it clear who holds the records, but they were able to access records from the late 1880s into the 1890s.

Rupert met a local historian in the little church (see my earlier post), where he showed him the registers,

Regards

[grandarog]

The Little Boys  Home at Darenth,featured heavily in last evenings "Who Do You Think You Are" BBC 1 9.00PM  programme about the filmstar Rupert Everrett.

[Valda]

Hi

The Farningham Homes for Boys Association was what was mentioned. Their website is here

http://www.farninghamhomeforboys.co.uk/

The home was founded in 1864

Later admission registers 1931-1955 are certainly held by the The Centre for Kentish Studies as the information given on the link casalguidi gave earlier. See A2A

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/


Casalguidi's link states the records were donated to the National Children's Home when Farningham was closed in 1961.

This is the National Children's Homes website - now renamed Action for Children

http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/content/551/The-Homes


The NCH have deposited their records at Liverpool University

http://sca.lib.liv.ac.uk/collections/colldescs/social.html


But to access the records you have to apply to NCH - Action for children


see the information on DANGO - Database of Archives of Non-Government Organisations for what is held on Farningham


http://www.dango.bham.ac.uk/record_details.asp?id=532&recordType=coll


Regards

Valda

[casalguidi]

Thanks for clarifying that Valda

Casalguidi

[shaneooo]

Hi, i believe the records shown on the show were held by a group started by former children of the home "big boys", but it didnt state where these were held.
shane.

[Hackstaple]

Dave,

I did not know about a church being there.

When were you last in the village ?

Adrian

http://www.kent-opc.org/Parishes/Darenth.html

[Valda]

Hi

Please read my previous post

The Farningham Homes for Boys Association was what was mentioned. Their website is here

http://www.farninghamhomeforboys.co.uk/

as their website states

'A more complete history of the homes can be viewed at our old boys corner in the chapel at Southdowns on Old Boys Day, or by appointment with the manager'

So they probably have the old year books and photographs. However the records of individual children - the admissions registers are held at Liverpool University, but you will need to go through the charity National Children's Homes - now Action for Children, to access them or later children's records from the 1930s onwards are held at the Centre for Kentish Studies. See my previous post for the links to those records.

The home had its own chapel - in the picture on the Farningham Homes for Boys Association website


Regards

Valda

[bullenbell]

Just seen the tv programme "Who do you think you are"? and One of Rupert Everett's (actor) relatives was put in the Darenth home. Google bbc I player and type in the search box - who do you think you are and then you can watch the programme for yourself. Very interesting. 

SylvieX

[cockney rebel]

Hi all

I only caught this thread because I was looking for pictures and photos of the school .

But having read all the postings , I would just like to encourage any one who had a relative at either school to apply for the application details from the NCH records office (mentioned in a previous listing)

 My grandfather was a pupil up until the beginning of WW1
.I applied for his records about 6 years ago and noone was worried about a 100 year privacy rule or any thing like that.
 The records were fascinating....physical description (much like on an army record),psycological profile,circumstances of admission ,family members,etc etc.....although I guess this might alter from case to case.

 Sadly,I am not resident in the UK,and the BBC only broadcast and do programme re-runs over the internet for UK use,so I can't watch the programme itself.

Happy researching to you all

Rebel