The History of the Royal Philanthropic Society
   
   
In 1788 a small group of men concerned about the number of homeless children on the streets of London that earned a living by begging or stealing met in St Paul's Coffee House. These children would either die of natural causes or fall foul of the law; either way their future was bleak. As a result of the meeting the men got the backing of the Duke of Leeds and set up The Philanthropic Society, whose aim was to aid the reformation of boys who had been engaged in criminal activities.
...... At first a small child was sent to a nurse and when the number of children in such care reached twelve a house was rented and the children put into residence. The were taught to knit stocking and make lace.
Within two years there were fifty children in four houses and in 1792 an institution was set up at Southwark. Here boys were taught tailoring, shoemaking, printing and rope-making, and the girls needlework, laundry and kitchen skills. In 1845 a decision was taken to care for boys only. By this time there were one hundred boys. Those who did well were found employment, some emigrated to South Africa.
.....The Chaplain of the Society, the Rev. Sydney Turner, was of the opinion that the institute should not be in the town but in the country, away from the crime ridden streets of London. Several sites were found but from most there was local opposition from people fearful of having a group of delinquents in their area. One concerned resident even offered the Society £1,000 to stay away from her area, a sum that was accepted.
....Funds were hard to come by but in 1848 a decision was taken to set up a farm school at Redhill. The farm originally consisted of 133 acres, later increased to 350 acres on a 150 year lease. Included was an option that the farm could be bought at a fixed price during the term of the lease, this being later realised.
......The move to Redhill was in 1849. The main building was the old 16th century farmhouse which was extended to create a warden's house and offices. The bailiff's house was enlarged for the first boys to arrive before work began on a chapel at the top of the hill, the foundation for which was laid by Prince Albert on April 30th 1849. Two full size houses for the boys called Queens and Princes were also built. By 1857 there were five houses accomodating 250 boys, each house having a master and a matron. The houses were called Gladstone's, Gurney's (founder Samuel Gurney), Garston's, Waterlands, Queen's and Prince's. Boys accepted at the school early on were either voluntary cases at expiration of prison sentences, voluntary cases part paid for by parents who could not manage them at home, or very young boys sentenced to transportation. The ........The original Garston's House
Reformatory School Act of 1854 made changes that meant that in place of
these three categories the school began receiving boys directly from the courts. The aim now was to reform boys already embarked on a life of crime rather than to prevent them getting into crime in the first place, which had been the original aim. This was reflected in the name of the establishment which by 1861 was the Redhill Reformatory School. The numbers of boys at the school rose considerably, and at the end of their time at the school many Victorian era boys were sent to various parts of the British Empire. As many as thirty-five boys were sent abroad each year. Some may have bettered themselves and lived long lives, others may have not fared so well in foreign lands..
 
Extract of 1851 census at the Royal Philanthropic Society    
     
  Chaplain Sydney Turner, 36   Staff had families and servants with them
  Schoolmaster Charles Hedgelong, 26   and altogether there were 121 people on site
  Schoolmaster John Butcher, 30   of which 89 were pupils, each boy being
  Schoolmaster Thomas Morgan, 24   listed by his full name. Boys' ages ranged
  Bailiff James Bilcliffe, 39   from 10-17.
  Farm labourer George Brown, 25   This was the third year of the RPS at Redhill.
  Farm labourer William Brown    
  Baker Joseph Kendrick, 61    
  Cook Susannah Kendrick    
  Carpenter Thomas Dye    
         
 
......Chaplain Turner who had first suggested the idea of a move to the country left to take up the post of the Society's first chief inspector and was replaced by the Rev. Charles Walters in about 1857. Henry Rogers was the school secretary in 1861.
.....Apart from the problems faced in reforming the boys there were also health problems. Redhill was in its infancy with none of the services enjoyed today. Wells were the only source of water and there were cases of typhoid. Keeping everyone fed must have also been a problem as there were also dietary problems at the school. Gas and water would not be piped to the school until the 1880s. In May 1900 the Relief of Mafeking was celebrated by an extra piece of cake being given to each boy.
  1930s milking team
Extract of 1861 census at the Royal Philanthropic Society  
   
  Chaplain Charles Walters, 34    
  Secretary Henry Rogers, 31   Along with 275 boy inmates, each one
  Schoolmaster John Lawrence, 51   listed by his initials only, the number
  Schoolmaster John Cowen, 25   of people on the site had grown
  Schoolmaster John Butcher, 39   considerably.There was also a gardener
  Schoolmaster Jabez Howe, 32   and several agricultural labourers plus a
  Schoolmaster John Lawson, 27   bricklayer. Also listed with all those above
  Schoolmaster James Rempshall, 33   is a Pitman at Fuller's Earth, making one
  Bailiff James Bilcliffe, 49   wonder quite how many were not proper to
  Matron Anne Walker, 50   the RPS estate. Nevertheless the total
  Baker James Smith, 43   number listed is 375, making the RPS
  Band and Drill master Edward Holman, 31   organisation a very labour intensive one.
         
 
Extract of 1871 census at the Royal Philanthropic Society  
   
  Chaplain Charles Walters, 44   In addition to those shown there were two
  Secretary John Trevarthen, 34   labour masters. They were shown as
  Schoolmaster William Hearne, 37   servants but were presumably connected
  Schoolmaster John Cowen, 35   with the supervision of the boys.
  Schoolmaster John Butcher, 49    
  Schoolmaster Jabez Howe, 42 . 248 boys are listed. Altogether there were
  Baker James Smith, 54   328 people on site
  Bailiff James Bilcliffe, 59    
  Matron Anne Walker, 65?    
  Out pensioner & writing clerk Edward Holman, 40   Note - In 1861 was band and drill master
  Gardener Thomas Buckland 51   Note - Born in Reigate
  Brickmaker Ebenezer Francis    
         
         
Extract of 1881 census at the Royal Philanthropic Society  
   
  Chaplain CharlesWalters, 52    
  Secretary John Trevarthen, 44   234 boys are listed. Altogether there were
  Schoolmaster John Butcher, 59   307 people on site. Some of the wives have
  Schoolmaster John Cowen, 45   jobs as dairymaids, etc. Some of the older
  Schoolmaster Jabez Howe, 52   children of employees have jobs outside of
  Schoolmaster William Hearne, 48   the school.
  Baker James Smith, 64    
  Bailiff George Bilcliffe, 44    
  Drillmaster teacher William Barker,34   The estate is named as a 'Farm School'.
  Clerk and bandmaster Edward Holman 50 *   The boys are named and listed as 'juvenile
  Matron Sarah Bilcliffe, 57   offenders under detention'.
  Assistant schoolmaster George Benfield, 24    
  Carpenter labour master Thomas Best, 68    
  Cowman Alfed Cooper    
  Farm labour master John Marks, 45    
  Carter Henry Shuttleworth, 26    
  Gardener Thomas Buckland, 61   Note - Born in Reigate
         
 
Extract of 1891 census at the Royal Philanthropic Society    
         
  Warden (Chaplain) George Vine, 40    
  Clerk (secretary) John Trevarthen, 54    
  Matron Sarah Bilcliffe, 63    
  Assistant matron Louisa Cowen, 57   Note - Wife of schoolmaster
  Assistant matron Jane Howe, 60   Note - Wife of schoolmaster
  Assistant matron Anne Hearne   Note - Wife of schoolmaster
  Assistant matron Lucy Walker, 28    
  Schoolmaster William Hearne, 57    
  Schoolmaster Jabez Howe, 60   Note - Son is a solicitor
  Schoolmaster John Cowen, 56    
  Schoolmaster Charles Walker, 31    
  Assistant master William Hearne, 28   Note - Son of schoolmaster
  Assistant master Thomas Day, 19    
  Cook Jane Howe   Note - Dghtr of schoolmaster
  Cook Mary Hearne   Note - Dghtr of schoolmaster
  Gardener Charles Pollard, 59    
  Baker James Smith, 74   Notable this year is the number of
  Bandmaster Henry Mallinder, 48   schoolmaster's relatives who also have jobs
  Bailiff Walter Brown, 36   on site, especially assistant matrons. Perhaps
  Cowman Alfred Cooper, 50   there was one in each of the five houses as
  Farmburser ?? Frank Drewett, 39   there would probably have been one master
  Farm labour master Henry Ford, 56   in each house.
  Farm labour master James Harman, 31   There are 320 people on site, 235 of which
  General nurse Mary Hobson, 41   are boys in detention.
         
   
Basket making in the 1890s
 
  Extract of 1901 census at the Royal Philanthropic Society    
         
  Chaplain and Warden Marshall George Vine, 50   No assistant matrons this time but probably
  Secretary John Trevarthen, 64   the organisation had not changed with a
  Farm Bailiff Walter Brown, 45   schoolmaster and his wife running each of
  Bandmaster and stockeeper Henry Mallinder, 58   the houses. Their jobs would not have been
  Gardener Charles Pollard, 67   9-5 ones.
  Carpenter James Mailing, 43    
  Farm labourmaster James Harman, 42    
  Farm labourmaster George Missen, 36    
  Cowman on farm Alfred Cooper, 49    
  Carter Frank Drewett, 48    
  Medical nurse Harriet Smith, 52    
  Schoolmaster John Cowen, 65    
  Matron Florence Cowen, 36   Note - Dghtr of schoolmaster
  Schoolmaster in training William Pollard, 26    
  Schoolmaster William Hearne, 68    
  Schoolmaster Frank Gouds, 26    
  Schoolmaster William Kellaway? 26    
         
 
It has been suggested that the remuneration for those working at the RPS Farm School were low but it should be noted that although there are many different names recorded in the above censuses there are those who remained in post for many years. James Bilcliffe, the bailiff in 1851, was still in post in 1871 and served at least twenty years before being succeeded by his son, George. Schoolmaster John Butcher, also first seen in the 1851 census, was still there in 1881, serving at least thirty years. Chaplain Charles Walters appears in the 1861 census and aged 34 and also in the 1881 census aged 52, serving at least eighteen years. John Cowen was aged 25 in 1861 and was aged 65 in the 1901 census, a period of forty years. Secretary John Trevarthen appears in 1871 aged 34 and is still there in 1901 aged 64. Jabez Howe went from 1861 to 1891 at least. Their wives stayed with them and their children grew up at the Farm School creating a permanance that belies difficult conditions or poor remuneration. Perhaps a certain amount of job satisfaction was the reason for longevity in their jobs. Perhaps what they had was better than what was on offer elsewhere in Victorian England.
 
RPS staff early 1900s. Here are some of the men mentioned in the census returns above.
 
......The establishment was also known as the 'Farm School' but the 'Farm' seems to have been dropped in the 1920s. The basic training for the boys continued to be working on the land, probably more with the use of the spade rather than the plough. Trade training was also introduced in the form of tailoring, carpentry and shoemaking and as time went by farming activities gradually ceased to play such a large part at the school . A major event in the calendar had been a 'Harvest Home' when the gates were opened to visitors and distinguished guests from the Borough and further afield came to see the work done there and to observe the final harvest being brought in. Precisely when the 'Harvest Home' days ceased is unknown but farming still seems to have been a major occupation in the 1920s and 30s, with Harvest Festivals continuing. They possibly ceased in the 1940s.
1920s tractor on the farm

 

......The school would have continued to produce food during the war as part of the economy and 'Dig for Victory' campaign, so perhaps the end of the war is a more likely date when the plough started to become slightly less heavily used. Farming did not cease altogether, but in 1975 a report mentions that the farm had not made a profit for two years, a cause for concern, and bearing in mind that the school had not very many more years to survive, this could well have been the last straw for the farm (to make a rather obvious pun).
  Making hay in the 1920s
   
......The school uniform was made of tough brown corduroy with a forage cap. Close cropped hair made the boys look like convicts. The corduroy uniform was abandoned in 1925 in the wake of a national feeling against institutionalisation. Boys rarely left the farm estate and had only one or two days holiday each year.
......In the easrly years the school ran entirely on voluntary donations plus whatever profit the farm could make but gradually some government funding became available as well as money from local authorities.
In June 1944 a flying bomb fell just behind the main buildindgs and destroyed the chapel, kitchens and dining hall. No lives were lost however.
  Stacking sheaves in the 1920s before the corduroy uniform went out of use
......Reform, or Reformatory, schools had become approved schools under
the 1933 Children's Act. In 1967 a book laid down new thinking concerning the activities and future direction of all the approved schools in the country. A 1969 Act changed Approved Schools into 'Community Homes'. No longer an adjunct of the prison service, these homes, Redhill among them, now housed boys who were at the school under care instead of approved orders, and who were under the supervision of social workers.
......Previous regimes had been hard and disciplined but major among the changes was the open door approach wherein boys stayed not because they were enclosed within secure walls but because they were a part of a trusting community, a situation achieved at a cost of increased staffing levels, one of the factors that contributed to the demise of the schools. Another factor was that the personal authority of staff members had been eroded and diminished.
... .These changes actually came into effect at Redhill four years after the 1969 Act. Part of the Act's effect was to put the control of the school into the hands of a new administrator, chosen from bids made by areas such as Wandsworth, Lambeth and Surrey, Wandsworth being successful. Although the Philanthropic Society no longer ran the school it was still very much involved in its management, but the resulting structure was heavy and unwieldy.
......The burden of financial responsibility fell on its main administrator, Wandsworth Borough, which ran the school as a business, with profit in mind. It would offer places to other areas, such as local counties and other London Boroughs at so much per week, aiming to house and educate a boy for less and take the profit. Because the new system was inefficient these profits either did not materialise or were there at first but declined as time went by and costs soared.
..... Over the years the school had split into three parts: - The Classifying School, which opened in1955 and was known as the Assessment Centre from 1973 - The Training School, known as the Community Home from 1973 - The Secure Unit, opened in 1965 and becoming the Intensive Care Unit in 1973. Just before closure a new set of buildings was erected north of the railway for a new Community Home and all of the land to the south of the railway was sold, the proceeds going to fund new projects.
..... Due to much of the Society's old control being taken out of its hands problems built up, and in 1986 two year's notice to the Secretary of State for Social Services and to the London Borough of Wandsworth that it would cease to provide premises for the Community Home at Redhill. The building programme north of the railway was not completed due to closure of the Farm School in 1988, the Society's Bicentenial year. It had existed at Redhill from 1849, a period of 139 years. The Royal Philanthropic Society itself still exists, for details see bottom of this web page.
 
1930s haycart The 1930s Metal shop 1950s wood-workers
     
1950s dining hall Dining hall with stage at far end, 1920-30s Sports team, 1928
     
Boxing team Choir of 1935 Milking team on the hillside, 1930s
     
Metalshop 1928 Tailor's shop 1920s-30s A dormitory, date unknown
     
Boat builders of 1975 Leisure hours 1929 Repairs 1920s-30s
     
Hay rake 1931 Haywagon 1920s-30s Hospital 1920s-30s
     
Reaping and binding 1935 On the farm in 1931 Milking

 

 

These have been some of the pictures from publications of the Royal Philanthropic Society's farm School at Redhill over the years. The Society itself still exists and continues its work with young people all over the country. Its offices are at Office Rectory Lodge, High Street, Brasted, Westerham, Kent TN16 1JE
Tel: 01959 578200

 
FURTHER READING: A History of the Royal Philanthropic Society 1788 - 1988. This may be available from the above address.
 
BACK TO INDEX
 
 
1994 accession at Sy Rec Office 4261: A sketch of the principles and working of the Philanthropic Society, Redhill, Surrey, by John Trevarthen, secretary of the Society, published 1867
 
http://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/GetRecord/SHCOL_3521
 
Jabez Howe living at 'Hazeldene' St John's Road, Earlswood, in 1899