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{{Short description|Former children's home and residential school in Banstead, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{coord|51.3286|N|0.2246|W|display=title|region:GB}}
[[Image:Beechholme gates.jpg|thumb|The entrance to Beechholme from Fir Tree Road]]'''Beechholme''' was a residential school and children's home in Fir Tree Road, [[Banstead]], [[Surrey]]. It was founded in 1879 as the '''Kensington and Chelsea District School, Banstead''', became '''Banstead Residential School''' in 1930, before adopting its final name in 1953. It was initially intended for poor children from the slums of [[Kensington]] and [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]] and was run under a village system. Children from other London boroughs joined the school from 1913 onwards. Beechholme closed in June 1975. The buildings were demolished and the site is now occupied by the High Beeches estate. Historical allegations of child abuse at Beechholme have been reported to [[Surrey Police]] and a survivors' group has been formed.
==Description==
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| caption = Map showing Beechholme in 1959: The red circle on the right is [[Banstead railway station]].
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Known as the Kensington and Chelsea District School, Banstead, when it opened in 1880, Beechholme was a residential school in north [[Surrey]], England. The living accommodation consisted of 24 large, detached houses on both sides of a long, tree-lined avenue. The houses were named after trees and shrubs (e.g. Beech, Oak, Cedar, Acacia) and were autonomous,"family" units, managed by "house parents" and run under a "Cottage Home" philosophy. Each of the 16 girls' houses could accommodate up to 30 pupils, while each of the seven boys' houses could accommodate up to 40.{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=8-9}} A report published in December 1881 noted that, after its first year of opening, around 500 children were attending the school, split roughly equally between girls and boys. Trades taught to the male pupils included shoemaking, tailoring, carpentry, plumbing, baking and gardening. Girls had the opportunity to learn needlework, but were generally being prepared for careers in domestic service.<ref>{{cite news |title= The District Schools at Banstead |date= 24 December 1881 |work= Kensington News |issue= 677 |page= 3 }}</ref>
[[File:Blacksmith's forge, Kensington and Chelsea District School, Banstead (later Beechholme) 1.jpg|thumb|right|Blacksmith's forge {{circa|1895}}]]
The [[London Metropolitan Archives]] hold records of the children who resided at the school. Former residents of the home include the television presenter [[Dilly Braimoh]], who is producing a television programme on Beechholme and its former residents. ▼
Alongside the pupils' living accommodation, were teaching and administrative buildings (including a blacksmiths' forge and a sewing room), a [[porters' lodge]], a [[concert band|band]] room and a library. The school superintendent and matron had individual residences on site and there was a shared house for other staff. The central laundry building opened in 1882 and there was also an outdoor swimming pool. There were two infirmaries, one of which was for pupils suffering from infectious diseases. Newly arrived pupils were subject to a period of quarantine in one of two dedicated houses.{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=8-9}}<ref name=Higginbotham>{{cite web |last= Higginbotham |first= Peter |title= Kensington & Chelsea School District |publisher= The Workhouse |url= https://www.workhouses.org.uk/KensingtonAndChelseaSD/ |access-date= 6 January 2024 }}</ref> The school was served by a private [[siding (rail)|siding]] connected to the [[Epsom Downs Branch|Epsom Downs branch line]].{{sfn|Mitchell|Smith|1992|loc=Banstead}}
[[File:Girls' cottages, Kensington and Chelsea District School, Banstead (later Beechholme).jpg|thumb|right|Girls' cottages {{circa|1895}}]]
All children were required to attend religious services in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd on the school site. The vicar of Banstead was also the chaplain, but later this responsibility was transferred to a local curate. A two-manual [[organ (music)|organ]] was installed in the chapel in 1903 and, in January 1921, a memorial window was dedicated to former pupils who had died in the First World War.{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=21-23}} The building was destroyed by fire in the early hours of 24 February 1968 and thereafter, children attended services at St Paul's Church, Warren Road, [[Nork, Surrey|Nork]].{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=31-33}}
Conditions at Beechholme were harsh, but were typical of private residential schools of the same era. Contact between the children and their parents was minimised. There are local newspaper reports of [[pantomimes]], concerts and other performances put on by pupils at the school, which residents from the Banstead area were invited to attend,<ref>{{cite news |title= Pantomime at Banstead Residential School |date= 24 December 1934 |work= Sutton and Cheam Advertiser |issue= 3554 |page= 3 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Christmas at Banstead Residential School |date= 28 December 1956 |work= Surrey Mirror |issue= 4196 |page= 8 }}</ref> as well as an annual [[fête]] and sports day.<ref>{{cite news |title= Kensington and Chelsea School District : Annual fête and sports |date= 17 July 1914 |work= Kensington News and West London Times |issue= 2376 |page= 3 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Sports and fête at Banstead Residential School |date= 22 July 1938 |work= Surrey Mirror and County Post |issue= 3155 |page= 7 }}</ref> Pupils were given the opportunity to go on school-organised holidays to the south coast and [[Isle of Wight]].
==History==
The Kensington and Chelsea School District was created on 15 August 1876. Soon afterwards, it purchased {{cvt|140|acre|ha}} of land at Banstead, Surrey, for a new residential school for £7414 16s 6p.{{sfn|Sweetman|2005|pp=33-34}}{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=2-3}} The aim was to "rehabilitate children subject to the [[Poor Law Amendment Act 1834|Poor Law]]" who had previously "been left with adults in [[workhouse]]s" in the district.{{sfn|Sweetman|2005|pp=33-34}} The school was designed by the architects, Arthur and Christopher Harston, and the initial 33 buildings were constructed at a cost of £57,000.<ref name=Higginbotham/><ref>{{cite news |title= Banstead |date= 16 August 1879 |work= Surrey Times and County Express |page= 7 }}</ref> The first children were admitted to the school in September 1880.<ref>{{cite news |title= Kensington and Chelsea School District |date= 4 June 1881 |work= Westminster & Chelsea News |volume= XXII |issue= 1099 |page= 5 }}</ref>
In 1916, children from [[St Marylebone Parish Church|St Marylebone Parish]] began attending the school, following the closure of a previous facility at [[Southall]].{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|p=15}} In 1930, the name was changed to "Banstead Residential School"<ref>{{cite news |title= New name |date= 3 April 1930 |work= Sutton and Cheam Advertiser |issue= 3203 |page= 5 }}</ref> and, in the same decade, children began to attend local secondary schools run by [[Surrey County Council]].{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|p=15}}<ref>{{cite news |title= Banstead Central School |date= 12 March 1937 |work= Surrey Mirror and County Post |issue= 3084 |page= 11 }}</ref> During the Second World War, pupils were moved to accommodation in Reigate and their places were taken by young, disabled [[evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II|evacuees]] from London.<ref>{{cite news |title= Banstead Residential School |date= 27 December 1940 |work= Surrey Mirror and County Post |issue= 3282 |page= 3 }}</ref>
Following the implementation of the [[Education Act 1944]], the emphasis of school began to change and was refocused away from teaching and towards providing child care. In 1953, it became known as "Beechholme". In 1965, the [[Greater London Council]] succeeded the [[London County Council]] and responsibility for the school passed to the [[London Borough of Wandsworth]].{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|p=15}}
By the mid-1960s, increasing running costs, coupled with a desire for children in care to live in the communities from which they came, meant that closure was being considered.{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=95-96}} A thanksgiving service for the work of the school took place at St Paul's Church, Nork, on 20 October 1974 and Beechholme closed on 13 June the following year.{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=97-98}} All buildings were demolished and the site is now occupied by the High Beeches housing estate.{{sfn|Sweetman|2005|pp=33-34}} The playing fields, part of which became Beechholme Recreation Ground, were passed to [[Reigate and Banstead|Reigate and Banstead Borough Council]].{{sfn|Maciejewski|2010|pp=97-98}}<ref>{{cite web |title= Parks and recreation directory - Beecholme Recreation Ground |publisher= Reigate and Banstead Borough Council |url= https://www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/directory_record/1057442/beecholme_recreation_ground |access-date= 6 January 2023 }}</ref>
▲The [[London Metropolitan Archives]] hold records of the children who resided at the school. Former residents of the home include the television presenter
==Accusations of child abuse==
Since Beechholme closed, allegations of historic child abuse at the school have been made, some of which have been reported to [[Surrey Police]]. A survivors' group has been formed.<ref>{{cite news |last= Morris |first= James |date= 28 September 2017 |title= Beechholme: Police investigate historic abuse claims at children's home where 'hundreds' of Islington kids went |work= Islington Gazette |url= https://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/crime/21232167.beechholme-police-investigate-historic-abuse-claims-childrens-home-hundreds-islington-kids-went/ |access-date= 5 January 2024 }}</ref> One former pupil, who arrived at the school in 1960, described it as a "rape factory" and a "sweet shop" for paedophiles, alleging that he was "abused dozens of times in the two years that I was there".<ref>{{cite news |last= Simpson |first= Craig |date= 5 October 2017 |orig-date= 7 August 2017 |title= Beechholme children's home was 'like a sweet shop for paedophiles' says former resident |work= Surrey Live |url= https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/beechholme-childrens-home-like-sweet-13719598 |access-date= 5 January 2023 }}</ref> Another, who does not claim he was sexually abused, stated that staff "thought it was their right to knock you around".<ref>{{cite news |title= 'I am a victim, but I won't be beaten' {{!}} Children's home abuse victim tells his story |date= 26 January 2018 |work= MK Citizen |url= https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/news/i-am-a-victim-but-i-wont-be-beaten-beechholme-childrens-home-abuse-victim-tells-his-story-1052798 |access-date= 5 January 2024 }}</ref> A claim has been made of a link between an abuser at the Shirley Oaks Children's Home near [[Croydon]] and staff at Beechholme.<ref>{{cite news |last= Simpson |first= Craig |date= 19 January 2018 |title= The extent of alleged 'perverted' sexual abuse at Beechholme children's home has been revealed - with figures expected to rise |work= Surrey Live |url= https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/extent-alleged-perverted-sexual-abuse-14169496 |access-date= 5 January 2024 }}</ref> [[Jimmy Savile]] may also have abused children at the school.<ref>{{cite news |last= Matharu |first= Hardeep |date= 27 March 2014 |title= Claims Jimmy Savile abused children at Banstead school to be investigated |work= Your Local Guardian |url= https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/11107552.claims-jimmy-savile-abused-children-at-banstead-school-to-be-investigated/ |access-date= 5 January 2024 }}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last= Maciejewski |first= Ralph |year= 2010 |title= Beechholme : A children's village |publisher= Banstead History Research Group |location= Banstead |isbn= 978-0-95-507684-8 }}
* {{cite book |last1= Mitchell |first1= Vic |last2= Smith |first2= Keith |year= 1992 |title= West Croydon to Epsom |publisher= Middleton Press |location= Midhurst |isbn= 978-1-87-379308-4 }}
* {{cite book |editor-last= Sweetman |editor-first= John |year= 2005 |orig-year= 1993 |title= The history of Banstead |volume= II |edition= 2nd |publisher= Banstead History Research Group |location= Banstead |isbn= 978-0-95-127419-4 }}
{{refend}}
==External links==
* [http://www.bansteadhistory.com/beechholme_feature.html Beechholme children's school in Banstead] Banstead History website
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210506042215/http://users.tpg.com.au/
{{Schools in Surrey}}
[[Category:1879 establishments]]▼
[[Category:1974 disestablishments]]▼
[[Category:Surrey]]▼
▲[[Category:1879 establishments in England]]
▲[[Category:1974 disestablishments in England]]
[[Category:Adoption, fostering, orphan care and displacement]]
▲[[Category:Defunct schools in Surrey]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1879]]
[[Category:Educational institutions disestablished in 1974]]
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