JEWISH EAST END OF LONDON PHOTO GALLERY & COMMENTARY

London's East End Synagogues, cemeteries and more......

My personal journey through the Jewish East End of London

e.mail thoughts & memories to: Phil Twitter: @Philslondon

 

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 The Maud Nathan Home for little children - originally at Stoke Newington, and then Sydenham in South East London.

 

I recently received an enquiry from a researcher seeking information on the long forgotten Maud Nathan children's home, originally located on the fringes of the East End in Stoke Newington.  This got me thinking and led to some research on my part.  Readers may be interested in my reply below:

 

I cannot help you with regard to admission registers for the Maude Nathan Home for Little Children, but I have looked at some of the history of this organisation.  The home was founded in 1923 by Lily Montagu of the Samuel Montagu banking family (who were also cousins of H Samuel the Jewellers).  Additionally, Samuel Montagu was the founder of the Federation of Synagogues and a supporter and financial sponsor of many other Jewish organisations in and around the East End of London. The home was originally located in 97 Bethune Road, Stoke Newington. 

 

The home's aim was to provide a temporary home for children whose mothers were in hospital, or could not be with them.  Maude Nathan appears to have been a young girl who was in regular correspondence with the ‘Aunties’ of the Young Israel League. The League and their 'aunties' had a weekly column in the Jewish Chronicle, and Maud Nathan wrote to them several times shortly before World War One telling of her life and hopes for the future.

 

The Montagus organised regular fund raising events for the home and some of these events took place on the premises of the West Central Synagogue, Soho.  The Young Israel League was still in existence in the 1950s and the Jewish Chronicle of 22 June 1951 reported that the League had established a new financial fund to help maintain the home.  The publicity for the fund stated that children were accepted from the ages of one month to10 years old and that there was a long list of needs for which funding was sought.  By this time the home was located at 72 Crystal Palace Park Road, Sydenham.

 

Children leaving the home were frequently transferred to the Jewish Orphanage at Norwood.  The home closed in February 1962 because only 6 children remained in residence.  The six remaining children were sent to live with the retiring matron, Mrs D P Lipper-Hausman, in Beckenham. The Home was not removed from the Charities Register until 1995

 

Regards,

Philip

Maud Nathan Home for Little Children, 72 Crystal Palace Park Rd

Maud Nathan Home for Little Children, 72 Crystal Palace Park Rd, Sydenham

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