Little Boys Home in South Darenth in Kent

[smuckerooney]

Hello Folks,
                 Well, I was born in no 5 Stanley Cottages, Lane's End, Sth Darenth in 1949.  When I was a 'big boy' about 9 yrs old I seem to remember playing near a 'boy's home' near Horton Kirby.  It was just by a steam train railway line...I imagine it may have been either a branch (pre Dr Beeching) or one of the connecting lines to the Kent coast.

I think the  'home' may have been in Farningham come to think about it.

Anyway, nice to have the strings tugged.

Best

Rog

Glasgow Scotland.

[malcjscott]

 There were two homes. The one in South Darenth opened in the 1860s and was confusingly called the Farningham Homes for Little Boys. The one in Swanley opened later.

[smuckerooney]

Yes, I think Farningham sounds more like it.  That means my geographical excuses to my Mum were right after all

Good old Mum

Thanks for putting me right on that

Rog

[Hackstaple]

I had an old cutting from " The Builder" of 1882 and this showed an artists impression of the Little Boys' Homes being built in Swanley. This agrees with the other postings as to dates.

[mlrfn448]

My Mother-in-law used to live in a retirement sheltered housing complex, which we understood was once the location of a boys home in South Darenth. The entrance was more or less opposite when you reached the top of the hill from either New Road or East hill. It had its own small church, (original)  which was still there, when I was last there. The nearest station is Farningham Road Station. The railway Line is very close. In Fact I belive the complex was later acquired by Union Railways, when it was thought the Channel Tunnel Railway line would use that section. The name of the complex is called Southdowns. I am not sure whether any original buildings remain, as most of the complex was purpose built about 25 years ago.

Hope this helps

[smuckerooney]

Hi Dave,
             This all seems to confirm it for me.  I am grateful for your help regarding this little memory I had.
I hate to admit this but my cousin and I used to clamber down the side of the railway cutting and place a halfpenny on the line we must have been NUTS
Sigh!

Rog

[smuckerooney]

http://www.hortonkirbyandsouthdarenth.co.uk/

I know this was mentioned earlier but here is the page it's taken me yonks to find.  And I aint gonna miss my moment of fame.

Rog
Glasgow

[Adi1962]

Dave,

I did not know about a church being there.

When were you last in the village ?

Adrian

[casalguidi]

Hi

I don't know if you have made any progress with this but I have found the following which shows a great amount of records surviving (paragraph N) http://www.rootschat.com/links/06v5/ 

I can't quite make out exactly where they are but it seems they were deposited with the National Childrens Homes and are now held .................... Liverpool? Birmingham? University   Perhaps you can look a bit more closely

It says that the records are closed for 100 years but you may be able to apply the "Freedom of Information Act"

Casalguidi