Plymouth, Royal British Female Orphan Asylum, Devonport

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The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History

ROYAL BRITISH FEMALE ORPHAN ASYLUM

The Royal British Orphan Asylum for the Female Orphans of Sailors, Soldiers and Marines was founded by a Mrs Tripe on Queen Victoria's birthday, May 24th, in the year 1839. 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. It started in a private house.

The Royal British Female Orphan Asylum at Stoke, Devonport

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.

Her Majesty Queen Victoria agreed to become the Patron in October 1839 and the prefix "Royal" was added to its title.

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.

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 and the building had cost £6,000 to erect. It was opened on Thursday June 18th 1846.

The Committee of the Lloyd's Patriotic Fund endowed the Asylum with £15,000, in return for the right to nominate 30 orphans.

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.

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.

A further extension to the premises was made in 1892.

There were nearly 200 inmates in the Orphanage in July 1895. Read list..........

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.

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.

By 1963 there were only 15 children in residence and in 1964 boys up to the age of 9 were admitted in exceptional circumstances.

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 St Budeaux.

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.

With thanks to Anne Morgan of the Plymouth & West Devon Record Office for special assistance in compiling this webpage.