St Christopher’s Railway Home, Derby

St Christopher’s Railway Home, Derby

The needleblog has been made aware of allegations of abuse at this home.

This orphanage was set up in 1875 for the children of railway workers who had died during the course of their duties. This very narrow condition of entry was relaxed over the years to include children whose parents had died of national causes and then, in 1927, children whose mothers were incapacitated were permitted.

The orphanage which could house up to 300 children, was renamed the St Christopher’s Railway Home in 1948. Numbers at the orphange fell after the Second World War and so the large old building weas demolished and replaced by two smaller houses in 1977. By 1982, only one of these houses was needed and, in 1993, the homes was closed.

The Railway Orphanage in Derby served the north of the country, there was another Railway Orphanage in Woking which served the south of the country.

Childrens Cottage Homes