The Girls Village Home was opened 1876 as a large complex of homes for girls, run on family principle. Closed in 1939 on the outbreak of the second world war all the children were evacuated. Barkingside would never be the same, the sixty four cottages and the Village Hospital were taken over. The grass was turned over for food production, all this and more can be seen on the Unofficial Barkingside web site click here to view