West Lodge Cottage Home for Children

I am currently looking into my great grandmother’s history and have discovered that between the years 1916 and 1921(approx)  she was a house mother at West Lodge Cottage Home for children, which was situated on Chesterfield Road South. The building no longer exists on modern town plans, so I assume it is long gone. I have however found reference to a West Lodge, very close to the existing County House on an old 1900 map. County House is the registery Office. Can anyone confirm the exact position of West Lodge, which apears to  lie somewhere between Limehouse Rise and West Bank Avenue?  My great grandmother’s name was Isabel Tunley. Is there any archive material available about the Cottage Homes in Mansfield?

 

 

 

Comments about this page

  • I worked at West Lodge 1980 to 1983.

    By Sharon (13/03/2021)
  • Hi, I was in West Lodge 83/84, wouldn’t mind catching up with others that were there around the same time.

    By Rose callaghan (24/01/2021)
  • I still have the original gate sign ofor WestLodge , the number is 102 Chesterfield road south and I can still remember the telephone number it’s 23980. Alot of memories mostly good ones, I left in summer 1976.

    By Adrian (17/09/2019)
  • I am so pleased to have found this page. I was a child at West Lodge for a couple of years until 1963, my name was David Paul Salmon, I have since changed it when I was fostered. I used to look like the Milky Bar Kid with my bicycle glasses and white hair and I remember both Mark Knight and his parents Bert and Betty. Brought back a lot of thoughts to my time there. Thank you.

    By Paul Plaskett (23/11/2018)
  • Yes Stephen Bedford was my dad just trying to find out about the lady who has same name as I do,  as Bedford named me after her.

    By jill dennington (08/05/2015)
  • I had an uncle Bedford who was in that home with John and Ted.

    By stephen dennington (05/05/2015)
  • Hello,

    Thank you Jeffrey and Robert for your information.  I am so pleased to now know there was a Jill. Bedford must of really thought Jill was a special person as he always said if he had a daughter he would call her Jill Simone Jeanie.  I would really love to know more about Jill and what kind of person she was.

    I don’t know if dad had brothers called Austin or Morris I only know of Frank,  Ted,  and John, it possible there were more brothers they were big family.  

    By jill (01/05/2015)
  • I was at West Lodge for a couple of years or so up until July 1959 when I left to be re-united with my mother. Myself and about twelve other children moved there from Layton Burrow children’s home which was located at the top of St. John’s Place off Rosemary Street

    Think I can remember a ginger headed lad who was there when I landed ther with Bert & Betty Knight from Layton Burrow, sure his name was Bedford, he became friends with Janet Packer. Bert & Betty had a son first, Mark, he later ran the health & fitness centre on Southwell Road next to the Oak Tree pub, and yes, Jill was the sister.

    Bert & Betty moved to the childrens home in Edwinstowe before retiring. I did speak with Betty Knight  after moving down to Lamberhurst in Kent once they did retire, remember she had a sister Jean who would visit the childrens home from time to time.

    I can remember quite a number of children who were at the two childrens homes if you are interested.  

    Best regards, Jeff Derbyshire

    By Jeffrey Derbyshire (28/04/2015)
  • Hi Jill Bert and Betty did have a daughter and her name was Jill Simone Jeanie I can remember your dad and his brothers were they Austin and Morris? cannot remember names of the other brothers.

    By Robert Gill (25/04/2015)
  • The row of houses that were built at the site of West lodge are in the exact position of the old home.  Next to the above mentioned stone wall.  I was a child of West Lodge, they had a song the kids used to sing about it.

    Come to west lodge come to west lodge it’s a life of misery,

    there’s a signpost in the corner saying welcome to all thee,

    don’t believe it don’t believe it cos it’s all a pack of lies,

    if it wasn’t for the staff it would be a paradise,

    build a bonfire build a bonfire put the aunties on the top,

    put the uncles in the middle and burn the f***ing lot. 

    When it did get demolished I went back onto the site and stole some of the blue window hinges, wish I could remember what I did with them all.

    By Damian Carrington (17/04/2015)
  • I am looking for a children’s home from the 1940s/50s. Perhaps it was West Lodge?  My father, Bedford Dennington went there with his brothers when his parents split up. He was born in 1947 and was about 7 when he was placed in the home. He also attended Rosemanry Street School.

    I believe I was named after the daughter of the people who ran the home. She was called Jill Simone Jeanie.  Did Bert and Betty have a daughter?

    By jill (10/03/2015)
  • Hello Christine, I wasn’t at the childrens home myself but a lad in my class was but I don’t remember his name, I was at Rosemary from 1958 to 1962 and there were one or two Christines but I can’t remember their second names and Gant doesn’t ring a bell. Is that your married name?

    By Peter Bowler (27/09/2014)
  • I remember the children’s home, Visited it because had friends there and Peter Bowler and your name rings a bell and you’re right, some of the children used to go to Rosemary Secondary. Peter Dodsley, weren’t you nick-named Dodsey? If so you were at Rosemary same time as me although I think possibly a year below.

    By Christine Gant (25/09/2014)
  • I was at West Lodge from 1954 to 1956 due to my mum being unable to cope after shattering her hip in a fall.

    Information is very thin on the ground other than has been written here, I believe the lady who was in charge was “Mammy Champney” she had a daughter called Elizabeth and her husband was a doctor. Any info from anyone would be appreciated.

    By Peter Dodsley (07/08/2014)
  • West Lodge Childrens Home was demolished in 1990. It was badly affected by mining subsidence in its later years, and it was decided that it was beyond repair

    By adrian bettley (02/01/2014)
  • Hi I can confirm the details are correct about West Lodge. As I lived there for 2 years back in the 80,s and remember the layout of the home very we’ll.

    By Jason Williams (29/10/2013)
  • Hello Peter and Darren. It looks like you’ve pinpointed the location of the Cottage Home for me, and I’m very gratefull for your input. My next step is to come across to Nottingham and check through the records for Mansfield Workhouse, whose control the home came under in it’s early days. They have told me that there are records of staff for the time that my Great Grandmother was there. Thanks and fingers crossed.

    By Max Driffield (15/04/2013)
  • West Lodge was just to the right of the car sales pitch. There’s a stone wall with gate pier that divides the car sales pitch from the apartments on Limehouse Drive – that would have been the original wall between Westhill House and West Lodge. I think it would also be a fairly safe bet to say that the low stone wall that runs around the apartments now is made of stone reclaimed from West Lodge’s boundary wall. If you look on Google Maps (and if you have access to the 1917 OS plan at all) you can still discern the plot boundaries – the boundary line of the rear of the properties on Jennison Street can be projected in a straight line down to Chesterfield Road and this formed the left boundary of West Lodge as you faced it.

    By Darren Turner (11/04/2013)
  • Hello again Max, I looked on Friday and as far as I can see it looks like the land it stood on is car parking for a business nearby.

    By Peter Bowler. (08/04/2013)
  • West Lodge was exactly where Limehouse Drive is now, just about under the apartments at the left of the drive.

    By Darren Turner (01/04/2013)
  • There’s a photograph on picturethepast that shows West Lodge. Ref No:NCCW000132. It’s the building behind the crane’s tower.

    By Darren Turner (01/04/2013)
  • Thanks Peter, that’s very interesting. As far as I can find the building has now been demolished,however it would be interesting to know exactly where it stood and what’s there now. Thanks very much for replying, I thought it might be a bit of a long shot……Max

    By Max Driffield (01/04/2013)
  • Thanks Darren, you’ve just made my day

    By Max Driffield (01/04/2013)
  • Hello Max, I remember West Lodge or as we always called it Cottage Home I lived about half a mile away and some of the kids that lived there went to my school, Rosemary Secondary Modern but I don’t remember any of their names, I left in 1962. I can see the building in the 1950s and 60s in my minds eye it was rendered and painted white with blue window frames and didn’t stand far back from the road. I don’t live in Mansfield now I moved out in 1973 but only live 12 miles south and occasionally go there I am hoping to be going there this Friday and if the building is still standing I’m sure I’d recognise it, I’ll have a look and report back……Peter.

    By Peter Bowler. (30/03/2013)

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