Rodborough House

It was Roxburgh House, or maybe Roxborough House.

It was Roxburgh House childrens' home located at the top of Stroud by Castle Street. I was there from 1953 to 1956 with my brother and 2 sisters, but three of my younger sisters, all aged under 5 years, were sent to Enderley House childrens home in Amberley. I went to Church Street boys school but my sisters went to Castle Street primary school. In the grounds of the home there was a paddling pool that leaked continually so it was converted into a sand pit. I recall that before becoming a sand pit we were caught racing snails in the empty paddling pool and as a punishment, when we sat down for tea in the dining room we were given snails on our plates. Needless to say we were not made to eat them. The large gardens at Roxburgh House had a full time gardener and a good vegetable plot. The crafty gardener would challenge us to see who could collect the most caterpillars from the cabbages! What a good way of ridding the vegetables of caterpillars! I remember the long room to the right of the entrance where the wash basins were located for us to "strip wash" every night. We also had to clean shoes on a Rota basis in this room. I believe that there were some 24 pairs of shoes (or rather uncomfortable hard leather boots and shoes). We had bread and dripping for supper most days. There were 2 dormitories, boys and girls slept separately and each had a small sick bay offset from the dormitories. Tea time was usually bread and butter with diced beetroot and cheese. Four or five children would be sat at each table and each child had a pile of bread and butter placed in the table centre. If you didn't manage to eat your pile in double quick time then have no fear one of the others would have your share. If we were caught talking at night in the dormitory after lights out, one particular nurse, Nurse Wedley, would remove us from our beds and make us stand downstairs in the dark dining room until Matron came back to the home. We absolutely detested this nurse and I believe that a few years after I left she was sacked after being reported by a staff nurse for her cruel attitude to the children. In 1956 I was taken with my brother Harold, sisters Maggie and Dorothy and Jean (who had just recently come to Roxburgh House from Enderley House) to live in Blakeney at a small childrens' home called Meadoway with my 2 youngest sisters. My experience of Roxburgh House was now complete although I was aware that the house was later demolished and a youth club building was sited there.

Wow, it's good to hear from someone with similar memories to my own. I remember all that you mentioned, including the line of sinks - I was having my hair washed here one day when I felt claustrophobic, probably because of the steam and tried to move away, but I had my head firmly pushed down by the nurse causing me to cry which made everything worse for me. I remember the day she was sacked as she ran through the dining room crying and we did not see her again - no loss! There were many such cruelties including being sick in my bed and although I was ill I was hit for it. We were also made to sit with any part of a meal that we had not eaten until well after everyone else had left, until a more kindly cook would tell us to go and she would get rid of it. I will still not eat fish and my brother vegetables because of this!i was at the school just outside the gates (the gates and the slope leading down to them are still there), this was Black Boy School - this building remains there also. My brother and I were in the small room at the end of one of the dormitories when we arrived at the home - I presume we had an illness such as Mumps or Measles. Do you remember things like, Saturday morning pictures in Stroud, Sandford Park and walks to the ruins on Rodborough Common? What about, once a week, lining up naked and being quickly dipped in the bath and out in order for the next one to be put in.Whilst we were there the matron left and was replaced by a married couple Mr and Mrs King; as a treat, once a week we were taken up to their flat at the top of the home in order to watch The Lone Ranger.Apart from six months when I was at Standish Hospital with TB , we were at the home for about 2.5 years until 1958 or 9 and we then went back to Cheltenham to live with our mother.Thank you for replying to my memory - it has taken almost all of my life to find out more about this place that had such a devastating impact on me and my brother. However until recently it was shrouded in mystery as my mother either didn't know or would not talk about it.

I also remember having to swallow Cod Liver oil capsules at breakfast time. I couldn’t swallow them and usually ended up with the capsule bursting in my mouth and making me sick. It would be good to see some photos of the house. I believe that during the 1970,s the house was demolished and replaced with a red bricked youth club. This is no longer there and the space is a car park linked to the school I believe.

Do you remember the low table for the 5 year olds to sit at in the dining room and broad rimmed dishes for breakfast and other meals?

hullo, I have just found this site. I was also in this place in the early 50s whilst mum went in to hospital, I was with my older sister. Everything you have said is still in my memory, awful place. I went to th school at the end of the drive and one day it was snowing/ raining and I was given a pair of wellington boots that were 3 sizes to big and had to wear them all day. I remember they used to check your nails every day and I used to bite mine quite badly, well, the telling offs I used to get were beyond a telling of, I wouldnt be surprised if we all didnt bite our nails , When we went in MUM took a ;load of sweets in a bag bought from Woolworths before we went it, we never saw those sweets again, the lady sais they would get shared out. atahose awful sinks all in a row, the toilets with no doors on, the weekly bath , oh God it was awful, I will write more when Iknow this short message has been received .

Hi Carole, it’s comforting to hear that your experience at the home was similar to mine. I visited the site a couple of years ago - it is at the top of Nelson Street; the slope down to the gates is still there, it was quite eerie being there again!
The experience has had a profound effect on my life; I was five when I went there and as one of the ‘older’ ones had to help out with younger children. I also had bad experiences with Mr King!!!
A few years ago I applied to Gloucester County Council for any records (under ‘Freedom of Information’) of my time there and received quite a bundle. I was shocked that I had been diagnosed with TB and spent six months in hospital but when I returned to the home they missed check up appointments, My birth year was wrongly recorded they thought I was a year older and was described as possible backward. as I have had a very successful career in the Prison Service and Police this was not borne out!!!

Do you remember just having two outfits that you wore week about?
I hated one of them and felt miserable in it every other week. I was also called out by the PE teacher for not having the required navy blue pants for PE and had to ask the lady who came in to do sewing to make me some, which she kindly did.
Love to hear any other memories.
Regards Sallyanne

Hi! My Dad was here from 1957 to 1959, right up until the house was closed and the children were dispersed to other homes. It seems like there was a change of management in the mid-50s, when the much kinder Mr and Mrs Rose took over. He has very clear memories of happy times spent there. I'm sorry to hear people who stayed there in the earlier 50s were treated so poorly.