Adelle recalls the sad tale of how one of her school friends who lived at the Mandeville Children’s home was killed near the level crossing. The home was closed in 2001 and demolished to make way for Remus Close.
Interview date:26 March 2014. Interviewer: Sandy Norman
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- Mandeville Children’s Home after it had closed.
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- Level crossing looking towards Trumpington Drive c1970s
Well, my both Philip I were there after arriving form then Rhodesia in about (but not sure) 1964-1970 I think. Reading about Terry, I lost my pocket money for swearing, so swore again and lost it for the next week. He took us out once in the car and on the round about I open the back door to see the road – you can guess what happened.
Hi Trevor, I remember you both well! Yes I can guess what happened!
Wow, I dint remember yo specifically I am sorry to say. Philip seems to remember everything mind you. How long were you there?
Terry was my Dad Trevor. We lived in the flat above the garage when you were there along with my mum, Meg and my older brother Michael. I did have younger brother, David but he would not have been born when you were there.
i rem you Jon ,ilived there from 76~78,camped in your garden the night elvis died
Hi Ian, I remember you very well and the night Elvis died. You enjoyed fishing as I recall. You were also very fast at running! Do you remember the night my Union Jack flag got nicked when we went to watch at Albans city football?
that clicks somewhere,used to a lot with ,Colin smith and Martin ellis,both from Manderville
Staff i rem are Linda,Ron,Pertween an old golden lab called ben
Hi Ian, the Lab was called Tim.
thats right,long ago now
Hi Jon. I remember mandeville very well. Your dad, Terry was what was needed. Firm but fair.
I also remember a guy who worked there occasionally called Frank Jarvis . He was an actor who was in the film called the Italian. job.
For all the bad press about childrens homes, this one stood head an shoulders above
As I posted a couple of years back, I was at Mandeville in the 60s,what looks like a garage on the house on the right I’m sure wasn’t there when I was, it must have been added later. There were just the two houses and a one level building between them that housed the laundry etc. only other staff members name I remember was a big jolly lady called Rose she was always good to us same as the rest of the staff. 2 brothers I remember when I there was Doug and Phil Stokes who were good friends at the time. When I’d outgrown Mandeville I was moved from there back to Sparrows Herne Bushey and after a short stop there I was moved from there to The Royal Philanthropic Society School Redhill where I stayed until I was 18 and my care order came to an End.
Jan of 1984 I was 12 years old I remember being dropped off at Manderville childrens home by my social worked Amanda Cornew I was told my key worker was Steve Thornly , got shown my bed room it was oppersite the staff room . Soon settled in there was the t.v room and that was massave had a huge kitchen next door the kind of industrial kitchen you would find in an old school I used to help a lady called Gaynor with kitchen duty’s peeling spuds and washing up Gaynor showed me her take on corned beef hash loved it . I remember it snowed really bad that year we got snowed in and some of the boys jumped out of there bedroom windows to get outside . I remember we used to get pocket money to spend govern to us in little brown packets I can remember going to wales where I had an amazing time I loved that place .