A short History of Woodford Bridge.

The first 34 boys in residence are recorded as coming from the Youth's Labour House and Sheppard House in the East End of London and lived in the large dwellings on the site awaiting the building of the new house. Dr. Barnardo Council were wishing to close some of the East End homes which were cramped and transfer the boys to the fresh air and open countryside.

Until the church was built the boys attended services at local churches and there was family worship in each house daily-night and morning. The swimming pool was presented as a gift a donation of 1,000 guineas was made by Mr and Mrs Andrew Johnston as a golden wedding memorial and from these funds the pool was built In December 1911.

13 houses had been given as promised five actually built, furnished and occupied, they were:

1. King Edward VII House
2. Dr Barnardo House
3. Canon Fleming House
4. Samuel Gurney Sheppard House
5. Empire House

They were all different in detail-two rough cast, two purple brick and two with upper walls tiled and eight were either in the process of being erected or furnished.

6.   Angus House
7.   Ackworth House
8.   Christine House
9.   Lucking House
10. Natal House
11. Pellew House
12. Union Jack House
13. Barnardo Saturday House

When all 13 houses were completed they were to accommodate 390 boys and this was anticipated for spring 1912. The roads and walks were beginning to take shape. On the 13th May 1912 The Boys Garden City was opened formally by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Albany and there were over 300 boys in residence. Three London homes had been closed and a fourth gradually closing.

1913

It had taken over 30 years to build The Girls Village at Barkingside, and only three years to erect The Boys Garden City. Three more houses were in 'use'.

14.  Britannia House
15.  New Zealand House
16.  Kempstone House

there were 34 boys in each house. Pellew housed mostly delicate boys and was used as an outpatient department and the baby of the City aged 2½ was in Union Jack house whilst older boys were in King Edward VII House

The boys attended four local schools; they grew sufficient vegetables for the 450 boys and repaired their own boots as well as basket making. It was proposed to build a 'public' hall and name it Canada Hall and each house would have its own table and place. It was to effect considerable economies in the budget-allowing the mothers to give more time to the children as the cooking would be done centrally.

Each house had its own mother, who was helped by an assistant the boys made their own beds and scrubbed and the older lads worked on the land growing potatoes, cabbages and flowers.

In 1919 The Rev and Mrs Howard Bannister came from WNTS and in the next 10 years or so enormous improvements took place-not least that child care was merely a matter of the provision of adequate food, shelter and clothing. During the war time shortage of food had always been difficult and while mass feeding in the dining hall continued until the outbreak of the Second World War diets were much improved.

The playing fields, which had been used as agricultural land were restored to recreational purposes but at the same time greater use of the farming land on the Thurlby estate provided much of the fresh produce needed in the Canada Hall kitchens.

There were also notable reforms in clothing there was much less 'passing' down of out-grown garments and boots, and stockings were turned below the knee (but elastic garters so useful for catapults became less readily available) and in due course the sailor suits and round flat seamen's hats with inscribed ribbons were abolished even for the Sunday morning parade. It was not until 1923 that the practice of close cropping of heads was modified and short fringes were permitted among the older children. Although the weekly bath night ritual was carefully supervised and economy in heat and water demanded infrequent changes of bath water, the rigours of the strip-wash twice a day, under the spray of the often freezing water from pipes suspended over long troughs, could rarely be avoided.

In 1921 the new bakery was built and three more houses:

17.  McCall House
18.  Corby House
19.  Wakefield House

In August 1921 the first organised party of boys emigrated to Australia it caused some excitement as it was a new departure for Dr. Barnardo’s and interest was shown by The Prince of Wales (the then Duke of Windsor) who with the aged Mrs Barnardo saw the party off from the docks. In the same year the last of the Stepney boys came to Thurlby, when Mr H. N. Eayrs started up the tailoring school for handicapped lads.

There was other provision for the handicapped in the boot repair shop and basket making shop though in the main the 700 boys were from every grade of attainment, age and ability. Throughout the 1920s a remarkable tradition of friendly rivalry in sport developed and a Scout troop was formed.

In 1976 as part of its policy of continuing modernisation Barnardo's was to build a new residential home for 32 school age children in the grounds and it opened on the 6th April 1977 and was named Garden City House. The work at Hood House with the mentally handicapped and at Britannia House which was used as a day centre for pre-school age children was to continue. The John Capel Hanbury residential school (formerly the hospital) was transferred in 1975 to New Mossford at Barkingside. Sadly because of the developments it meant the loss of the following buildings in the following years:

New Zealand House; the Swimming Pool; Milne House; JCH and School; Kempstone House; Dr. Barnardo House; Angus House; McCall House; King Edward House; Natal House; Gurney Sheppard House, Pellew House; Saturday House; Canada Hall; the Tin School Annexe; Public Schools House.

Changes in child care practices over the years had drastically reduced the number of children using The Garden City so most the cottages were demolished. In 1985 Gwynne House and the stable block were sold to a developer who restored and rebuilt the buildings which are now used as a hotel and banqueting suite. The chapel and kitchen garden sites were also sold. A small area of land on and around the old gymnasium site was retained by Barnardo's and 10 detached houses were built. In 1978 contracts were exchanged by house builders Roger Malcolm Limited of Wembley to develop 18 acres of land and provide over 200 dwellings.

The work of Hood House was also changing, four houses were purchased in Redbridge to provide accommodation for the mentally handicapped and the site of Hood House and Britannia House were to be progressively developed, Hood House closed in 1986. The rapidly changing child care needs in the late 70s and early 80s reduced the need for Garden City House and this property was sold to the Guide Dogs for the Blind.

1990 almost the end of an era

The residential development of the Britannia site has now been completed. The Residence, when built in 1966 as part of the Barnardo’s centener rebuilding programme is now leased to ELHAP (East London Handicapped and Able Persons).

Hood House is being used by two Barnardo projects. The Bridge use part as admin offices and help children and young people up to age 24 with learning difficulties, they are looked after in four houses in the community.

Daybreak is community based and provides respite care for children with learning difficulties providing clubs in the evenings, on Saturdays also in the school holidays.

There remains nine acres of playing fields (including the old cricket field) currently let to London Borough of Redbridge education department for use as school playing fields. It is intended in the future to carry out residential development of part of the site.

The above information takes us to 1999.

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