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Horncastle
Horncastle maps
Historic maps of Horncastle and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Horncastle maps
Horncastle area books
Displaying 1 of 8 books about Horncastle and the local area. View all books for this area
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Memories of Horncastle
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memories of Horncastle.
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First Time
This is the first swimming pool I ever saw and where I learned to swim. I went to the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and this is where we were taken, once a week, for our swimmimg lessons. I was placed into care when I was 11 years old and in my first year at senior school. The place of care was Holmeleigh Children's Home. I remember my first time here very clearly. I was very nervous, new school and a new home, surrounded by a load of new people and faces and desperately wanting to 'fit in'. "It is swimming tomorrow so make sure you bring costume and towel!" I was told. My new classmates were wanting to know could I swim etc etc and all I could think of at that time was "Well it can't be that hard" and I so wanted to be accepted and feel 'normal' so came out with...."Oh yes I'm a great swimmer, you'll see!"...Wow, what a mistake that was. The following day we were walked 'in convoy'... Read more
Every Day Routines at Holmleigh
Holmeleigh Children's Home had routines, each cottage home operated supervised by housemothers and assistant housemother who were responsible for daily care needs of children under their care which could be up to 14 children at one time. Mr Norman Vardy and Matron Elizabeth Vardy over saw that the homes were running smoothly and behaviour of children acceptable. They enforced discipline when necessary, corporal punishment was used on the boys, the cane I recall, for persistent running away from the home or being problematic to their individual housemother. All the cottage homes had a weekly inspection by Matron Vardy which often resulted in my Cottage Home 9 some lively discussion with our housemother Aunty as on occasions was seen as being a little unkempt messy. From the children's toys play day room. My housemother would stand her ground always stating this is the children's home, it was to be lived in. We had daily tasks to do making own beds assisting younger children Matron often inspected the bedrooms. We had the hospital iron... Read more
Holmeleigh Children's Home, Horncastle
I lived at Holmeleigh children's home from August 1966 until it closed down in 1969 to become a college, an educational facility. We were transferred abruptly from another residential settling different village in Lincolnshire in August 1966. I was moved with a group of children. Other cottages homes started closing down around 1968. Home 9 closed down in December 1969 it was one of the last cottages to be closed. Most cottages where relocated to newly built family group homes throughout Lincolnshire. My care history: I had been in care since birth in different placements and had no knowledge of my birth place of origin or parents or relatives, no family contact, relationships totally absent. I was admitted to Holmeleigh with a group of ten other children in summer 1966, with no preparation what to expect apart from being told by a welfare officer Mr Marshall a few days before going to Horncastle. We were informed that we could no longer be cared for by our then caregivers and... Read more
Great Grandfather Born in Tetford
Researching through census records I have found that my great grandfather George Toyne was born in Tetford in 1829. He married a Mary Richardson who came from somewhere called Gautby. The then lived at Old Bolingbroke for many years after this. If anyone has done any research and found the name Toyne in records of Tetford I would be pleased to hear of it as I am looking to see if I can go back to find his parents and any siblings.
Holmleigh
I hope to recive word from a guy called Tony Savage, he lived in Tennson Gardens with his mum and older brother. I think I was at Holmleigh for about 8 years. If anyone knows of Tony's present address or whereabouts I would like to know, ring me on 01236-620935. I think his mum still lives in Horncastle.
Holmeleigh
I was in this place, it was not the best of places to live but i am here to tell you of my time in the home. We were a family of 5, there were 3 sisters, me and my brother. I would like to know if Tony Savage is still alive, he was a good friend to me as well as Roger Low and Charles Rawling. I would like to hear from others who were in the home at the same time. I was in there until it closed down then I was sent to another place to live. You can contact me on: john13c@hotmail.co.uk or ring me on 01236620935 or tx me on 07854207687
My Mum!
Hi, I am trying to find anybody that would be interested in talking to me about my late mum, Pat Stones, who was in Holmeleigh children's home in the mid 1930s onwards. She was in the home with her sisters, Shiela, Ruby and brothers George and Rodney. Understandable though, it wasn't talked about as I was growing up but I would really like to find out my mum's background and the life she and her family lived. I would so appreciate any details, pictures or just a chat to help my and my cousins search. With regards, Gail Mumby. gailmumby66@hotmail.com Tel. Louth 01507 354889.
Holmeleigh Horncastle Childrens Homesa nd School //Years
By Michael Savage
A reunion of the Horncastle Homes children and the staff was held at the Town Hall (Drill Hall) July 20 1989. Almost 400 people attended the event. “The atmosphere was really great - everyone was talking about the good old days, although some had painful memories to share.”
Generations of children were brought up in a group of houses, known as Holmeleigh, off Foundry Street. According to the reports from former residents, “It was a very Victorian set up. You were hardly allowed to talk to boys and you made your own entertainment as a group of children together.”
The site consisted of several semi-detached house. Each house, known as a cottage, was numbered 1 to 11. Each cottage accommodated approximately 14 to 16 children; there were 3 mixed sex cottages, 2 all girls and 6 all boys cottages, and each cottage was run by a house mother and house auntie. We the children slept in dormitories, and midnight feasts were inevitable. Once a group... Read more
