How long in mother and baby home?

Carol My Mum was there a little after you - I was born in 1952. She did keep me. She found it very difficult to talk about - but seemed grateful for the support she received. Only found out about the place a few years ago. i did visit - very unnerving!! I unearthed a newspaper article about St. Monicas but have found it difficult to find out any other information.

Hi Thanks for your reply, do you have still have the newspaper article about St Monica's, if so would you be able to e mail it to me. I am going to visit the Archive department at Kendal Town Hall as soon as I can and will share anything I may find about St Monica's with you. Regards Carol

I too would be very interested & grateful for anything further you learn about St. Monica's... Best wishes Rolf

i haven't an electronic copy. Its a two page spread from the Westmorland Gazette. Either ring them or the library for a paper copy. Its hidden upstairs somewhere - will dig it out for you. I found St. Monica's a few years ago I went there purely on impulse and had no idea what type of place it was - it is a residential home for the elderly now. There are a few staff who were around when it was mother and baby home - one had photos. The impact of the visit was so emotional I couldn't bring myself to go back. For the first time I realised my mother was treated like some kind of criminal. Its quite difficult for me as my family still live in Cumbria and do not know much about the time I was born. I now feel ready to push it a bit more.I do know that there was a fire in the 70's and all the records were destroyed. Let me know what you find. Chris

Found article about St. Monica's. It was in the Westmorland Gazette, November 30 2001. Karen Barden's people. It featured a few people who had been born there and some photos of Matron - Miss Stannard and sister Roberts and the home .I cannot seem to get an electronic version but I think I got it from Kendal library.

Hello, this is my first time of using this site, With his permission as he doesnt know how to plug one in let alone use a computer, i am searching the web for any information to do with St monicas Mother and child home. My Father in law was adopted in 1942 from here , he has only just found this out on applying for his birth certificate. If the information already about St Monicas is that they were young mothers then it is a good chance his mother may well be alive. He is eager for more information and would like to meet her. Has anyone got any information on St MONICAS, Kendall, in 1942, please.

my mother was in care from the age of 6 1940 my niece has just got her care records back and it was a real shock to know she was in st monicas in 1956 may expecting a baby how can i even start to try and trace my sybling brother or sister my mother died 13 years ago please can anyone help st monicas in dalton drive kendal

ive just found out from my mothers care reords that she was in st monicas dalton drive in may of 56 what a shock so am looking for older sybling

Here is a link to the article you described. [url=http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/cumbria/245834.loss_of_church_records_leaves_trail_of_heartache/]Loss Of Church Records Leaves Trail Of Heartache (From The Westmorland Gazette)[/url]

Here is the link....that one didn't work for me.....

Here is the link.......Did you ever find anything else out?? My Mother was there in 1958 Barbara Sutton, she was just 16 when I was born in September of that year. She told me a little about that time and was there for quite a while (10 months) although she said that was unusual but she made herself useful and well liked, so managed to stay longer..... she didn't really want to go home as her father did not know at the time. HiThanks for your reply, do you have still have the newspaper article about St Monica's, if so would you be able to e mail it to me.I am going to visit the Archive department at Kendal Town Hall as soon as I can and will share anything I may find about St Monica's with you.RegardsCarol]

Renda, they were kept at SPRINGFIELD HOUSE ON CASTLE ROAD until they were having their babies and then moved to St. Monica's I think. St. Monica's was then for the babies and Mother's .......my Mom had me in there in September 1958 and she stayed 10 months or so. She told me that was NOT the norm. 3 months seemed to be but she was going home with me and NOT adopting. She helped and made herself useful as she didn't have much to go home to and being 16 was very ashamed. My Mother told me a few tales of her stay there and she really enjoyed her time there perhaps because it was so calm and organized unlike her home life at the time.Was wondering if any birth mothers , could tell me how long was an average amount of time to spend in a mother and baby home in the uk in the 1950's.It sounds vague I know, but any feedback would be good, its just that my sister was in one as a baby for 3 months with her mother, whom was very young at the time. Is this a long time, are most babies sent away sooner?What could have been the reasons for the long stay?Has anyone got any information on what the home in Dalton drive KENDAL, known as St Monica's was like during the 1950's.Its difficult for you I know,but any feeback would be very helpful.thanksRenda[/quote]

Carol was your mother at the one in Springfield, IL? 1958 around September 23 was the time my dads mother was there giving birth to him. She stayed there for 5 months prior. Her name was Eleanor Gordon. She was around 18, blondish hair with green eyes. Could you ask her if she remembers her? That’s the name we got off his original birth certificate. I’m just hoping you can confirm!

[/quote]Renda, was your mother at the one in Springfield, IL? In 1958 around September 23? That was the time my dads mother was there giving birth to him. She stayed there for 5 months prior. Her name was Eleanor Gordon. She was around 18, blondish hair with green eyes. Could you ask her if she remembers her? That’s the name we got off his original birth certificate. I’m just hoping you can confirm! He was born a red head

I know this is a very old posting but the recent articles of a mass unmarked babies grave in Kendal has brought things to the fore a little.Does anyone have information on who to contact to find out names of babies by forced adoption from St Monicas, Kendal?My mother was sent there in the late 50's, shocking stories of her time there, and her baby boy was taken.With these recent articles I would like to find out if there is a record of the baby