Cottage Homes

The carpenter's workshop at the Cottage Homes in Wednesfield, c.1900.

Once they entered the workhouse children were normally separated from their parents, although very young children were sometimes allowed to sleep with their mother at night. Eventually in the 1870s the notion of separate homes for children was considered to provide a more caring environment compared to the workhouse.

In 1889 the Wolverhampton Board of Guardians built cottage homes in Amos Lane, Wednesfield. The children were educated within the homes as local residents were opposed to them attending local state schools. Although an improvement on the workhouse, conditions were still comparatively austere by today's standards. When the children reached they age of 13 they could be apprenticed out under supervision. After 1930 the Cottage Homes became children's homes but by the end of the 1960s the buildings were used for different purposes. They have now all been demolished.

The most useful records are registers of children and daily admission and discharge books, which have survived for 1890-1950. Bear in mind that because of the sensitive information contained in registers they are closed to public access for 100 years. Information may be released from the records subject to the necessary permission being obtained. Please contact us for details on how to proceed.

The registers usually include the date of admission, name of the child, sex, weight, where born, religion, home sent to, name of a relative, and date of discharge.

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