Edward Nicholl Home For Babies, Llandaff

There is not a lot of information about this home as it was only open for a few years and is therefore infrequently mentioned in our records. The Home was dedicated and opened on 30 July 1918 by the Bishop of Llandaff and Major-General Lee, and could house 25 babies, each less than one year old.

The Home was the brainchild of Lord Tredegar and Edward Nicholl who in 1917, started the 'South Wales Scheme'. The plan was to build three homes in South Wales - one for boys, one for girls, and one for babies. Tredegar and Nicholl offered to donate three acres of land and £25,000 to the construction of these homes, under the condition that the Society contributed £20,000 to secure the future of the scheme. Mrs Robinson, the Honorary Secretary, immediately started fundraising and in only three years had collected enough money.

This Home was only intended to be open for a short time, as the bigger scheme was to raise more money and relocate the babies' Home to Cardiff. In 1922 they achieved their goal. The larger Cardiff Home could accommodate 50 babies, and quickly earned the nickname the 'House of Smiles' because the children were so very happy in the new Edward Nicholl Nursery.