St Margaret's Home For Girls, Penkridge

Even though St Margaret's Home for Girls was open for 30 years there is little mention of it in our records. It seems that the Home was quite content supporting itself. We understand that it was transferred to the Society in 1893 and could house 20 girls aged 7-14. It became one in five homes in the Lichfield diocese, the others being, Shrewsbury, Handsworth, Pelsall and Standon. The Honorary Secretary was Mrs Hill but Miss Gilpin replaced her in 1904. Mrs Kempson took the post over in 1913.

Summer holidays were an important event in every Society home. The girls at St Margaret's were always very excited about their Summer holidays, especially in 1918 when a friend described only as 'Lady H.' invited them to Old Colwyn, by the sea. They were so excited that they could not walk with their bags to the station, they just had to run! Here, one girl describes their adventure:

'We walked about on the beach, and saw things that we had heard of but never seen till then, such as jelly-fish, star-fish, and tiny little fish that would come in with the tide.'

Other events that were a very important part of the Home's life included St Margaret's 'Pound Party'. This was similar to a 'Pound Day' where people gave either a pound in weight of goods or a pound in money. Christmas was also special; carols were sung and the Home received a beautiful Christmas tree from Miss Mary Peake. The Home 'evidently possesses a very warm place in the hearts of those living in the neighbourhood', because of all the generous gifts the girls received every year.

They moved to a more suitable building, still in Penkridge, in 1923 and became the Blanche Wimbridge Home for Girls.