Alice Brooke Home For Girls, Scarborough

The Scarborough Home was established in 1912, after the Society received a substantial sum of money in the will of Mrs Alice Brooke to be used for the maintenance of destitute children.

Due to its coastal location, Scarborough was vulnerable to air raids in the First World War and the children were trained in various safety routines. On hearing one air raid siren, the Matrons and girls all quickly assembled in the Home's basement, which they did with 'the greatest of coolness'. After this event, the girls were evacuated to Snainton (near York) where they stayed until the threat was over.

Many of the children enrolled in the Girl Guides, and were given badges for helping out around the house. According to one visitor, the Home was 'awash with chic yellow scarves' - the characteristic clothing of the Guides.

The Home was open for many years, and in 1963 the girls were moved to a converted farmhouse in nearby Scalby. After 1969 the Home also started admitting boys, many of whom arrived from the recently closed home in Waterloo. Alice Brooke Home finally closed in 1971.