Salvation Army children's homes / homes for women: Millfield House Children's Home and Bradbury Eventide Home for Women

Papers of Bradbury Home, and its predecessor Millfield House, 1914-1992.

The majority of records in this collection relate the site's use as a children's home (1914-1953). Some records contain personal and sensitive material and therefore at present (December 2015) are closed under the Data Protection Act.

The collection includes a Children's History Book which contains details of individual residents at Southend Children's Home (later known as Millfield House). Residents were male and female, aged 3-15 years upon admission. The book covers admissions from January-March 1916.

Information is registered in two sections: admissions ('History') and exit ('Career after leaving the home'). Only the admissions sections have been used; all exit sections are blank. Admission categories include home no; name; age; manner of application; where from; date; cause of application; name and address of parent(s); personal appearance; payment. The admissions section also comprises 'Further Particulars' and details regarding 'History and Progress while in the Home'.

The records have been arranged as follows:

MBH 1: Children's History Book, 1916

MBH 2: Administrative papers, 1914-1992

MBH 3: Photographs, c1917-1950

The site of the present Bradbury Home was purchased by The Salvation Army to accommodate the court welfare work with children and families started by Mrs Colonel Minnie Lamb in Southend-on-Sea. After purchasing the site The Salvation Army used the main building, Millfield House (named after a nearby corn grinding windmill), as a children's home with the same name. It was officially opened on 14 April 1917. In 1922 and 1938 Millfield House underwent extensions, increasing accommodation from the original 25 to 60 children. The newly altered Millfield House was re-opened by General Evangeline Booth on 23 July 1938. From 1940 to 1945 residents were evacuated to Bromsgrove in Worcestershire.

In 1954 Millfield House became an eventide home for women. Its new residents had previously been living at Buzzacott Hall in Wokingham, Berkshire. By 1991 accommodation at Millfield House was considered unsatisfactory and the new house was built and named Bradbury Home. The building takes its name from the financial support provided by the Bradbury Trust. Bradbury Home was officially opened by Sir Teddy Taylor MP, 15 May 1992

Some of this collection is closed to the public. Records of a personal nature relating to identified individuals are closed for the lifespan of the individual. When it is not possible to establish whether an individual has died, a closure period of 84 years (if the individual was an adult when the record was created) or 100 years (if the individual was a child when the record was created) is imposed under the Data Protection Act. Former residents can apply for access to their own records. Please enquire for details. Open files can be viewed in the reading room of The Salvation Army International Heritage Centre, open Tue-Fri 9.30-4.00. To make an appointment or to enquire about your own records, phone: 0207 326 7800; or email: heritage@salvationarmy.org.uk .

A multi-level description of this collection can be accessed in the International Heritage Centre's online catalogue: http://www.calmview.eu/SalvationArmy/CalmView/ . A paper catalogue is available in the reading room of the International Heritage Centre.