J. came into the care of the Waifs and Strays' Society when he was three and a half years old. He was illegitimate and both his parents had died. From November 1896 he and his elder sister had been cared for by a couple of "labouring people in no way connected with them" out of kindness without any financial help; however, as their means were scanty, the couple found themselves obliged to seek help to place the children elsewhere. The children's relations did not "care a straw" about them and wished to be exempted from all responsibility for their welfare. J. was accepted by the Society in May 1897 and on 19 June 1897 he was admitted to the Byfleet Receiving Home. He was boarded out under the supervision of Mrs Mansfield of Bracknell on 28 June 1897. In November 1897 it was reported that J. was an extremely delicate child and his foster mother was anxious that he should be removed from her care and exchanged for a stronger child. His supervisor felt that he should not be in a cottage with people who were unskilled in sickness. J. was placed with several different foster mothers over the next few years. In 1900 he was living in Enfield and his foster mother reported that she had taken him to the doctor who said that he was "very far gone in consumption" [tuberculosis]. His condition gave rise to great concern and it was feared that he would not live. He was taken to see his sister and the Society told his foster mother that no expense was to be spared in obtaining every medical care and attention. The child responded to treatment as he is next heard of in April 1906 at the Tunbridge Wells Home where he appears to have been transferred from Dover. Unfortunately the authorities at this Home wished him to be transferred as they found him impossible to deal with. The matron suspected that he might be mentally disabled. On 26 April J. was transferred to St Luke's Home, Burgess Hill where he was found to be in an appalling physical condition: he appeared half starved and his weight was that of a child half his age. In September 1906 he was given a medical examination . His weight had gone up from 3 stone 3 lbs to 4 stone 12 lbs. His mental condition gave rise to great anxiety. His schoolwork was erratic, he would appear to be doing well for a time then would suddenly "collapse" and everything would have to be gone over again. He was described as "frequently very peculiar in his manner. He refuses to join the other boys in their games preferring to stay in some corner and sing or talk to himself. He only joins in games under compulsion". The doctor who examined him stated "his facial expression is peculiar and inclined to be furtive and suggests that his habits may probably be immoral". The Society felt that alternative arrangements should be made for J's future care as they had no Homes for the feeble-minded and they corresponded with Miss Frances Williams, who was interested in his case, about the various options available. It proved very difficult to transfer J. to a Home run by any other organisation and his relations would have nothing to do with him. In January 1908 Mrs Bridge of St Luke's Home suggested that he might earn his living as a farm labourer. He was given trials at farm work but these were unsuccessful and in March 1908 St Luke's Home requested that he be transferred elsewhere. J. was received into the St Boniface Home for Boys, Sampford Peverell, Tiverton, but by May 1909 they were requesting his removal as they had been unsuccessful in finding employment for him and he was difficult to manage. The Society had reached the conclusion that the boy should be handed over to the Poor Law authorities when the Master of the Sampford Peverell Home found a situation on a farm in Wales which seemed suitable. J. left for Llanelli on 10 June 1909. He wrote a cheerful letter to his former Master in September 1909 and it seemed that he had settled well. In December 1910 news was received that J. had run away from the farm. The police discovered him at Llanelli Workhouse and he was removed from there to the Society's Standon Farm Home in Staffordshire. He was received at the Home in a "deplorable condition". He was "ragged, dirty and his feet were in a pitiable state". The Superintendent of the Standon Farm Home gave a hopeful report of him in January 1911. In January 1913 he went out to a situation but it was very short lived and in late May the Superintendent of the Home wrote to Revd Edward Rudolf saying that he saw no signs of improvement and that J. was an "imbecile". In August it was again decided to place him with the Poor Law authorities, but he was still in the Home a year later. The problem of his future was raised again and the same decision to refer him to the Poor Law Guardians was taken. He did not, however, go to the Workhouse but was placed on a farm in Kidwelly, Wales on 8 September 1914. In October 1914 the clergyman who was keeping an eye on J. wrote to the Standon Farm Home to say that unfortunately he was unsatisfactory and the farmer wanted to discharge him. Some personal details of J. are given, he was clean and tidy and decorated his bedroom tastefully, the vicar also reports he "has lately manifested a great anxiety for pince-nez instead of spectacles...his spectacles are in good order, but I suppose the others would look more swellish." The Society again decided that they could do no more for J. who was now over 20 and had been in their care for 17 years. It was felt that his care should be taken over by his sister or the Poor Law Guardians. The final mention of J. on the file is more optimistic. In a letter dated 2 March 1915 the Superintendent of Standon Farm Home refers to a letter he had received in January from the clergyman at Kidwelly stating that J. was "doing very well" and had "improved". The Superintendent suggests leaving him alone as he seemed well established in his situation and able to fend for himself. | 
