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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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ROYAL BRITISH FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM
The foundation of the Royal British Orphan Asylum for the Female Orphans of Sailors, Soldiers and Marines at Stoke had a common ancestry with the Devon and Cornwall Female Orphan Asylum in Plymouth. Both were created thanks to the work of Mrs Mary Tripe, the wife of Mr Cornelius Tripe, surgeon and general practitioner, of Ker Street, Devonport. [1]
The Devon and Cornwall Asylum was started in 1834 and immediately upset some of its subscribers by obtaining a site in Plymouth, instead of Devonport. [2] Because of that and the huge number of applications for places, Mrs Tripe founded the British Female Orphan Asylum on HM Queen Victoria's birthday, May 24th 1839. [3] Its objective, as its glorious title implied, was the support and education of female orphans of seamen, soldiers and Royal Marines, especially those who had lost their lives in the public service. [3] Her Majesty Queen Victoria agreed to become the Patron in October 1839 and the prefix "Royal" was added to its title. [3] Funding for the Asylum came entirely from voluntary contributions. The girls were supported from the age of 5 until 12, when they were old enough to go into service. [3] In May 1840 a house in St Michael's Terrace at Stoke was rented but it was not long before even that accommodation became inadequate. [4] The founder of the Orphanage, Mrs Mary Tripe, passed away on Friday August 12th 1842, 'sincerely regretted by all who knew her worth'. Her short obituary said: 'In all the relations of private life she discharged her duties with exemplary diligence, and unaffected goodness. She was the unwearied friend of the distressed -- her hand was "open as day to melting charity". To the unwearied exertions and great energy of this lamented lady, we are indebted for the formation of the Devon and Cornwall Female Orphan Asylum at Plymouth, and also the establishment of the Royal British Female Orphan Asylum at Devonport; her chief delight was to console the widow and protect the fatherless. Her end was peace.' [4a] On Wednesday April 22nd 1845 the foundation stone of its own building was laid with great Masonic ceremony by the Provincial Grand Master, Hugh the Earl Fortescue. The site had been donated by the Lord of the Manor, Sir E Saint Aubyn. The building cost £6,000 to erect and was formally opened on Thursday June 18th 1846, the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. [4] The Committee of the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund made two large donations to the Orphanage. The first, in 1860, was £500 and was made on condition that the sum was invested and the twenty-five boarders should be received at 'a liberal payment'. Then in 1866 an endowment of £15,000 was made in return for the right to nominate 30 orphans. [4] It was found necessary to enlarge the building in order to accommodate 50 children to be supported by the Admiralty. On Wednesday October 7th 1874 the memorial stone of this extension was laid by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. This raised the accommodation to 200 children by the addition of two wings to the main building. A new and larger school room was in the western wing, with dormitories above. The extension was designed by Mr Alfred Norman and the construction was carried out by Mr Jenkin, of Devonport. [4] In 1890 the Patron was Her Majesty Queen Victoria, with Admiral Sir William Dowell, Kt., KCB., as president. The treasurer was Admiral J E M Wilson; the honorary secretary was Mr Lorenzo P Metham; the secretary to the ladies' committee was Mrs Batten; and the matron was Mrs Catchpool. [5] A further extension to the premises was made in 1892. [3] During 1906 it became the Royal United Services Orphan Home for Girls. In 1931 the Army and Navy Villas at Newquay, in Cornwall, were purchased for use as a holiday home. This became known as Alexandra House. [3] A plan to convert a property called "Abbotsfield" at Tavistock was abandoned in September 1948 because of the high maintenance and staff costs and the house was sold to Tavistock Urban District Council. There were at that time only 40 girls in the Home and during the following decade the word "Orphan" was dropped from the title, it then becoming the Royal United Services Home for Girls. The decline in numbers was to some extent stemmed by the admission of children needing temporary care while their fathers were on active service. [3] By 1963 there were only 15 children in residence and in 1964 boys up to the age of 9 were admitted in exceptional circumstances. [3] In August 1970 it was decided to close the holiday home in Newquay and on February 1st 1974 the Orphanage closed, with the remaining residents being moved to new premises, known as the Alexandra Home, at Saint Budeaux. [3] The old building at the top of Albert Road then became offices for the Ministry of Public Building and Works, later renamed the Property Services Agency. It has now been converted in to private apartments. Sources:
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