Brixton Orphanage for Fatherless Girls

In 1876, Mrs Ann Eliza Montague née Lawson, founded an institution in Barrington Street, Brixton, Lambeth, Surrey, which became the Brixton Orphanage for Fatherless Girls. The purpose of the institution was, as The South London Press reported on 17 June in that year, "to clothe, educate and maintain orphan girls so as to put them in the way to earn their own living." The home began with just twelve girls but by 1886, had expanded and 300 girls were catered for. Girls had to be between the ages of five and twelve on entry. The older girls helped with the younger children and undertook domestic tasks within the home until, by the age of sixteen, posts in domestic service were found for them. Although the word 'orphan' was used, some of the girls had mothers that were still living but unable to support them. There is a full account of the history of the orphanage on Peter Higginbotham's excellent Children's Homes website.

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For our Forgotten Women Friday, we are researching some of the ninety one girls and three staff who were resident at the home in 1881 and the 304 girls and 9 staff who were there in 1891. There is an index to the 1881 census on Peter Higginbotham's site however we have used the original images. The references are: 1881 RG11 618 folios 66-68 and 1891 RG12 416 folios 134-140.