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The
Story of St George's House, Harrogate.
The
following is taken from her book “The Story of St. George’s House”,
written and printed at
the request of the Committee,
June 1948.
Miss
Evelyn Mainwaring Knocker
Lady
Superintendant 1926 - 1949
The Story of
St George's House, Harrogate
formerly known as the Northern Police Orphanage
It was the year of the
Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Victoria; it was the time of
Dickens and of the Earl of Shaftesbury and of the expansion of many
philanthropic schemes. It was the age towards which women made such a
strong contribution.
Had not Florence Nightingale only recently stirred men's consciences
with her reports of the conditions of the nursing of wounded soldiers in
the Crimean War ? Was not Agnes Weston rousing the interest of the
public in the men of the Navy ?
Education for English
girls was rapidly improving, largely owing to the inspiration of Mary
Gurney, and, in the heart of her half sister, Catherine Gurney, the
desire was formed to do something herself for the Police, a body of men
in whose welfare no one so far had shown much interest.
Miss Catherine
Gurney OBE
In the year 1897
Northern Police Forces expressed a definite wish to Miss Gurney for an
Orphanage for their own children in their own area, and she immediately
responded. Coming from a family of keen business men, her father
belonging to the firm of W.B.Gurney & Co., Shorthand Writers to the
Houses of Parliament, intermarried as the Gurneys were with such
families as the Trittons and the Barclays, Catherine Gurney chose the
sites of the Homes she founded with acumen and with a keen eye to the
future development of the area. Harrogate was a Spa, healthy, with keen
moorland air, and in an accessible position.
In November 1897, walking over the Stray, Miss Gurney met a Constable (P.C.Chappell,
who became Supt. Chappell later on).To him she put the query as to
whether he knew of any house suitable for an Orphanage for the children
of the Police. He told her of a Boys’ School, St. George’s College, that
the Headmaster wished to sell. Immediately at first sight Miss Gurney
knew that this was the house she wanted. It had possibilities possessed
by
none
of the many other houses she had seen. After obtaining a report on it
from the West Riding Surveyor, she made an offer of £9,500. To her
intense dismay this was bluntly refused, the purchase price was stated
to be £12,000. This was a figure beyond Miss Gurney’s means, especially
as much of her own private income had been used for the Southern
Orphanage and Home. Yet, she felt, here was the very house she needed.
She left Harrogate to stay with Colonel and Mrs. Ainsworth at Smithills
Hall, Bolton, and while there the thought of St. George’s College
pressed very much on her mind. She herself said later, “I felt that the
question must be fully faced and thought out. It was about 3.30 a.m.
when I finally decided in prayer to make a bid for this house.”
Accordingly from the Post Office at Wigan she sent a pre-paid telegram
to the owner in the South of England offering £10,000 and adding “as for
an Orphanage hope it may be accepted.” On her return that evening from
Police Meetings in Wigan and Blackburn, she found a telegram awaiting
her at Smithills Hall. Nor are the contents surprising when the
circumstances in which her offer was made are considered. The reply was
“As for Orphanage will agree subject to legal advice.” Thus St. George’s
College with its accompanying grounds of 12 acres passed into Miss
Gurney’s hands to be held in trust by her for the Northern Police Forces
of England and Wales.
The
original St George's House building.
The next obstacle to be met and overcome was the £10,000 to be paid.
Many kind and influential friends became interested in Miss Gurney’s
project, among them to be remembered are Sir Thomas Brooke, J.P., D.L.,
of Huddersfield, who was the first Honorary Treasurer, holding the
office for 10 years when it was taken by Mr. William Brooke who with his
wife, gave and did much for the children. Other names were Sir Theo
Peel, Sir John Barran Bart., of Leeds and Mr. E. P. Arnold-Foster. Nor
must the help given by Sir Henry Mitchell of Bradford be forgotten. Sir
Henry was introduced to Miss Gurney by the Chief Constable of that City,
and he soon discerned her predicament as to where the final £5,000 was
to be procured.
To quote Miss Gurney’s own
words here, “Sir Henry said, ‘I understand what you want, Miss Gurney.
You come down to the Bank with me and I will see what I can do.’ It was
a pouring wet day, but he readily came down with me to the Bank of which
he was a Director and arranged with the Manager for me to draw on the
£5,000 and to leave the Deeds in the Manager’s care till the whole was
paid.” Sir Henry remained a subscriber throughout the whole of his life.
The purchase of the house and estate was completed at the Office of Lord
Harewood’s Solicitor, Lord and Lady Harewood evincing much interest in
the Orphanage and taking much trouble to explain to Miss Gurney the
mysteries of being accepted as a Member of the Forest of Knaresborough.
During these early years Miss Gurney was visiting the Northern County
and City and Borough Police Forces, explaining her project and certainly
obtaining their interest and help. They arranged collections, they
introduced her to influential and wealthy business men, the West Riding
Constabulary voluntarily subscribed half a day’s pay to her Fund. Small
wonder is it that within 2 years the purchase money was provided, and
immediately Miss Gurney branched out into the building of the Northern
Police Convalescent Home. This was in 1900.
In 1893 the Christian Police Trust had been formed to act as Trustees
for the Institutions already in existence at that date and to preserve
the religious basis of the Institutions. The original Trustees were men
of large means, Sir Herbert Tritton, a senior partner in Barclay’s Bank,
Ltd., and one of the leading men in the city of London, became Chairman
and Honorary Treasurer of the Trust, his fellow Trustees being Mr John
Cory, Sir Algernon Coote and Mr John Gurney, Sir Hildred Carlisle
(brother of Prebendary Wilson Carlisle of the Church Army), Sir
Archibald Campbell
and
later on Mr. Harold G. Judd. The names of the Trustees are always on the
first page of every Annual Report. Their work is to hold the funds in
trust for the different Institutions on whose behalf they are invested.
From the beginning it was laid down that to divert the funds to any
other purpose would be a breach of the trust. The financial year of the
Trust Corporation closes on February 28th so that the Balance
sheet of the Accounts can be ready annually for each Institution. Also
from the outset there has been representation for the Northern and
Southern Institutions on the Christian Police Trust Corporation.
In March 1899 the Trustees were holding the Title Deeds of St. George’s,
as the loan of £5,000 had been entirely paid. Miss Gurney had also put
through successfully an appeal for exemption from Income Tax and House
Duty on the ground that the Orphanage was supported by charitable
contributions. She had also managed to arrange for the assessment of the
Orphanage for the local rates at half the considered amount.
In January 1898 the first child had been admitted, Minnie Smith from
Sunderland. Ten days later two brothers, George and Alexander Nuttall
from Burnley Borough were admitted. Both have been back several times
since leaving and have brought their grown-up daughters with them. These
first children, however, and others coming at this time, lived in a
temporary home in Harrogate, while St. George’s was being altered and
repaired. At the first recorded Meeting of the General and Finance
Committee a Resolution was passed that the title of the house should
henceforth be The Northern Police Orphanage. This continued until June
1942 when it was officially changed at an Annual Meeting of the General
Council to St
George’s House (for the
children of the Northern Police Forces), the words in brackets to be
used when needed officially.
The children continued to come. At the end of the first year 27 had been
admitted and not one child had been refused. The conditions of admission
were a recommendation from the Chief Constable. Motherless children were
to be considered if there was a vacancy and by payment. No Mother was
ever asked to make any payment. The rules in force at Redhill were
adopted and provision for an exception to the rule was usually to be
found in any rule affecting the child personally. From the beginning the
child was the main centre of the Orphanage, for the child it had been
bought, equipped and was being run.
At first the children and the convalescent Police were under the same
roof as St. George’s, but in November 1899, the Police moved into a
temporary house while the Convalescent Home was being built and St.
George’s remained for the children.
The first Lady Superintendent was Miss Emma Chapman, who with Miss
Gurney had the uphill work of pioneering and running the Orphanage
without a settled income.
In 1903 discussions re amalgamation took place between the Committee at
Harrogate and the Committee in Manchester of the Manchester and Salford
Police Orphanage, which
had been opened in 1889 by Miss Mary Hopkinson. It was eventually
decided to close the latter and to send some of these children and
subsequently others to the Northern Police Orphanage. A great work had
already been carried out by the Manchester and Salford Orphanage, and
unofficial visits to Harrogate were paid by Miss Hopkinson, herself a
close friend of Miss Gurney. The report of these visits was completely
satisfactory and an agreement was made to pay a stipulated sum for each
child admitted; a grant of £200 was given from the Manchester & Salford
Fund other special contributions followed. Miss Hopkinson and Miss
Armitage were invited to join the General and Finance Committee of the
Orphanage at Harrogate and Miss Hopkinson is still, in this Jubilee
year, a Member of that Committee.
Miss Mary Hopkinson, photo dated 1939.
Miss Emma
Chapman
From the outset the children of the Liverpool City Police went to their
own Orphanage at Liverpool and the neighbouring Forces of Bootle,
Birkenhead, Wallasey and Warrington joined with them.
With this increase in the number of children resident and likely to
come, it was found necessary to improve and to make structural additions
to the building, so that in 1906 the Gymnasium was built at the end of
the building nearest to the Convalescent Home, a large hall
approximately 60 x 27 ft. with locker seats round two sides and a
platform, so that the room could be used for Concerts. Since then the
Gym has been equipped with modern apparatus from the Firm of Niels
Larsen, Ltd., of Leeds, who overhaul this annually and keep it in
repair.
To return to structural alterations – in 1913 it was found that the
foundations of the South Wing were unsafe and the drainage was
defective. The Wing was therefore reconstructed and a second storey
added. This is the Wing on the Otley Road and contains mainly Staff
rooms, the Food Stores and various pantries. The Laundry was also built
during this year and for many years the children’s personal clothing and
small household linen were done on the premises, large things such as
sheets and blankets were sent to an outside laundry. In 1936, owing to
the difficulty of procuring laundry maids, and also because larger
electrical apparatus was necessary, it was decided to close the Laundry
as such. In the 1939-45 World War it was used as a sectional A.R.P.
Post.
All these improvements needed money, and the increasing family needed a
more steady income, while the children who had left, quite frequently
needed financial help. The Bank balance was often dangerously low. Many
Forces had formed the habit of sending donations from various Sports
Days, in the opening years Teams from Lancashire and Yorkshire had
played Cricket Matches naming such “The Wars of the Roses.” All money
sent in from Sports had been earmarked by Miss Gurney for the Endowment
Fund, and she was also building up a large War Memorial Fund for a
Seaside Home, by means of a Shilling Fund, and by other ways. To this
Fund, the Bradford City Police presented a cheque for £4,000 in 1922,
raised largely by collections made under the auspices of the Chief
Constable, Mr. J Farndale, and Alderman T Sowden, Chairman of the Watch
Committee and Lord Mayor of Bradford in that year. £500 paid direct or
built up by regular contributions, endowed a cot in perpetuity at the
Orphanage. Since those days the brass plates have been removed from the
beds, for the sake of eliminating an Institution touch, but a record is
kept on a list on an oak Board at the front door.
The
income however was not sufficiently stable and Miss Gurney was often
openly anxious. In 1920 she received a request from the Police
Federation of England and Wales for representation for the various ranks
on the Committee of the Orphanage. A meeting about this request was held
on November 16th, 1920 at St. Andrew’s and a promise was made
to Miss Gurney of increased subscriptions if representation was given.
Subsequently the following Resolutions were made by the Joint Central
Committee in 1921 – “That the Joint Central Council shall appoint 1
Inspector, 1 Sergeant and 1 Constable as representatives of the Cities,
Boroughs and Counties of the Northern Forces” – “That in view of the
fact we now have representatives on the Board of Management of the
Police Orphanages, the Joint Central Committee recommends that a weekly
subscription of 3d.per week be made by the Members of the Forces
interested.”
The first serving Members were
Insp. P. O’Neill from Kendal, Sergt. R. Whiteley from the West Riding
and Constable G. Strangeways of Newcastle-on-Tyne.
During World War I, 1914-1918, the routine life at the Orphanage was
broken. The Council School buildings were occupied by the Military and
the Gymnasium at St. George’s was used for education. The Educative
Authorities provided teachers
and desks. And the children of the Orphanage, with a number from
outside, were taught at home.
During the War 37 old boys from St. George’s served, and of these 10
gave their lives. George Nuttall was gazetted as Captain in the Royal
Navy, and Richard Ashbourne gained Meritorious Medal for an act of
special gallantry in France.
In December 1918 the War Memorial, the gift of Dr. and Mrs Crawford
Watson, was unveiled by the Right Hon. Sir John Grenfell Maxwell, P.C., G.C.B., etc., Commander in Chief, Northern Command. Major F.H. Fawkes
presided at the Ceremony, and after a dedicatory Prayer offered by the
Rev. E.A.Chard, St. George’s hymn was sung by the children. The Memorial
is the work of the late Miss Frances Darlington and portrays in plaster
the vision of St. George appearing to and succouring Richard Coeur de
Lion. It is surrounded by a dark oak frame, with the Crusaders’ Motto
“Deus vult” inscribed in gold on the pediment. Underneath is a brass
plate containing the names of those who served in the War, the names of
those who gave their lives had the capitals engraved in red.
In
this year also the work of Miss Gurney for the Police and their children
was recognised by H.M. the King conferring on her the honour of the
Order of the British Empire.
Further, in 1918, the property
was enfranchised and conveyed to the Christian Police Trust Corporation
Ltd., to be held in trust for the Northern Police Orphanage and Northern
Police Convalescent Home. Hitherto the property had been held by Miss
Gurney as a tenant of the Duchy of Lancaster.
We pass to 1923 when the Police Orphanage was 25 years old, and we find
that the children were beginning to receive Secondary education. It was
in this year too that the present Honorary Treasurer, Lieut-Col. Sir
William H. Ingilby, Bart., J.P., of Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, took
up his work as Honorary Treasurer. In 1936, at the unanimous request of
the Members of the General Council at their Annual Meeting Sir William
became President as well as Honorary Treasurer and he has held both
these positions ever since.
At the Christmas Party in 1923 to commemorate 25 years of work for the
children of the Police, an illuminated address and a cheque for £500 was
presented to Miss Chapman by Major Fawkes on behalf of the Committee and
other friends.
In 1926 owing to ill health, Miss Chapman had to resign as Lady
Superintendent. Since the opening of the Orphanage in 1898 she had
supervised the house and the Staff and cared for the children. She was
unable to give any warning of her resignation and an Emergency Committee
was called at short notice. The children returned from their summer
holidays
on
the day the Committee was held. Miss Gurney put forward the name of Miss
Evelyn M Knocker, who had been at the Redhill Orphanage and was at that
very time staying at the Police Convalescent Home. The Committee had an
interview with Miss Knocker and offered her the position of Lady
Superintendent, and that very evening within an hour of her appointment
she walked across to the Orphanage to welcome the children back from
their holidays and to take up her new duties.
Miss Evelyn Mainwaring Knocker
Ten days later,
at a full Committee, it was decided to start on several large and
necessary renovations. Domestic hot water on a circulatory system was
put in, the Children’s Pantry was enlarged from the size of a cupboard
to a room with two sinks, the mark of the original pantry being left on
the floor as a momento of the work. Patterned crockery was bought for
the children’s use and the Dining Hall was enlarged. The house was
painted throughout on cream Dulux paint, brightly coloured linoleum was
laid in the children’s rooms and the front stairs were covered with buff
coloured patterned linoleum with rubber nosings. The cold water cisterns
in the false roof were raised and a third one was added to increase the
amount of storage. A new Feed Pipe from the main in the road was brought
up to these tanks. The coal house near the kitchen was made into a
Surgery and the walls painted white. Outside the larger of the two
Greenhouses was rebuilt in 1927, and in 1929 a Cricket Pitch for the
boys’ use was levelled and laid in St. Andrew’s field.
In 1931 Electric ovens and a Boiling Table with four plates were
installed in the Kitchen. In 1935 an outside shed was converted into a
Woodwork Room for the boys and furnished with Tables, Benches and Tools.
In 1928 it was decided
to build a Boys’ Wing with Common Room, Study, 2 Dormitories, a Bathroom
and above a Flat with bedrooms for Staff use. This was to be a War
Memorial by the Northern Forces and the money already accrued in the War
Memorial Fund was used for payment. Up to this time the boys had no
recreation room besides the Gym, which was not inviting nor homely
enough for the week-ends and wet Sundays. In May 1928, the Foundation
Stone of this new Wing was laid by the Chairman, Major F. H. Fawkes and
a silver trowel was presented to him by the youngest boy. On May 31st
1930, this Wing was officially opened by H. R. H. The Princess Mary,
Viscountess Lascelles. Viscount Lascelles accompanied the Princess and
the guests consisted of Members of the Police Service. The Architect,
Colonel R. B. Armistead of Bradford, presented Her Royal Highness with a
gold key with which she unlocked the Wing and this door has hereafter
been called “The Princess Mary Door.”
Before this an
important piece of house reorganisation had occurred. In 1926 at the
children’s own request a Company of Girl Guides and a Scout Troop were
inaugurated, both registered at Guide and Scout Headquarters as the 6th
Harrogate (St. George’s) Girl Guide Company and the 6th
Harrogate (St. George’s) Scout Troop.
On January 22nd 1927, the King’s Colours and the Company and
Troop Colours were officially presented at a ceremony at the Police
Orphanage. The King’s Colours for the Guides were given by Lieut-Col.
Sir William Ingilby and the Guide Company Colours by Miss M Hopkinson of
Manchester. The Scouts’ King’s Colours were the gift of the late Sir
Philip Lane (C. C. Lancashire) and the Troop Colours were given by the
Harrogate Division of the West Riding Constabulary. Later on, the Cub
Colours were the gift of the sons of two Police Officers at Salford.
For some time Miss
Gurney had given up all active work in connection with her 5
Institutions, but she had never given up her interest. On August 11th
1930 the news came that she has passed into the fuller life, into the
presence of the Master whom she had so faithfully served. She died at
Hove, but had expressed the wish to be laid to rest in Harlow Hill
Cemetery near the two Northern Homes that were so especially near to her
heart. Both the Orphanages at Redhill and Harrogate were closed for the
holidays, but St. George’s was re-opened and several children recalled
to represent the boys and girls at the Funeral Service. This was held on
Wednesday, August 13th, and representatives of a large number
of Forces were present. The bearers were 6 Police Officers representing
County, City and Borough Forces. Miss Gurney’s cousin, the Bishop of
Plymouth, spoke a few words referring to her life’s work for the Police
Forces of England and Wales through her determined but humble spirit. He
gave her the titles of “The Lady of the Helmet” and “The Mother of the
Police” and referred to her own words that she was “handing on her work
to others.” The Cemetery, where she is laid to rest, is but ten minutes’
walk from St. George’s and St. Andrew’s. At St. George’s her crest is
emblazoned on the glass vestibule door, and the bed used by the head
girl is named after her, while in 1930-31 a Wing for the Girls was added
to St. George’s and named the Gurney Wing. This consists of a splendid
large Playroom for the girls with oak lockers and dressing room and wash
room attached. Above is a large dormitory for the younger girls and
above that another dormitory for the younger boys. The Foundation Stone
was laid in June 1931 by Dr. Crawford Watson, and a silver trowel was
given to him by the youngest girl as a memorial.
In
1931 the Committee were much occupied with important discussions
concerning the organizing of St. George’s and St. Andrew’s. It was felt
that the administrative side should be on an approved permanent basis
and therefore in December 1931 the Charitable Trusts Act 1853-1925 were
applied by an order of the Charity Commissioners to both the Orphanage
and the Home. In this Scheme the official composition of the General
Council and the Committee is detailed and also the administration of
income; the religious foundation of the work is also given. All the
invested funds are still held by the Christian Police Trust Corporation
Limited as Trustees. Thus the work, begun many years before by one who
at the time was a comparatively young girl, was recognised and
incorporated into an established business Scheme.
In May 1935, the Silver
Jubilee of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary was commemorated
by a visit to Belle Vue, Manchester, at the invitation of that City
Police Force. Also the same day, on their way back to Harrogate, the
children were the guests of the Leeds City Police for tea. In addition,
at the invitation of the Home Office, 8 boys and girls went to the Royal
Review of the Police and Constabulary in Hyde Park in July, when owing
to hospitable arrangements made by the Police Federation they also
“toured” London on a private coach and saw some of the main sights.
In February 1936 the news came through to St. George’s by telephone of
the sudden and tragic death of Major Frederick Hawksworth Fawkes, who had
been hunting on Stainburn Moor and suddenly collapsed on the field. This
was a heavy blow for St. George’s. Major Fawkes had been Chairman since
1912 and President as well since 1931 and had steered and guided St.
George’s through many channels, but always upstream. Many improvements
to the building and estate and much progress for the children’s life and
been carried through during the time of his wise and tactful management
of Committee administration. Moreover many enjoyable Whitsuntide camps
had been spent by the Scouts and Guides of St.George’s on his moors, some
even being on the grounds adjoining Farnley Hall. It is a matter of much
congratulation for St. George’s that the position of Chairman of the
Committee still remains in the Fawkes family and the present Chairman is
a nephew of Major Fawkes. Indeed one of the reasons given by Major Le
G.G. W. Horton-Fawkes for accepting the position of Chairman at the
Committee’s request, was the close association between his family and
St. George’s for so many years. A framed photograph of Major F.H. Fawkes
was presented by his sister, Miss Fawkes, in his memory and hangs in the
Hall.
In 1937 Major
General Sir Llewelyn W. Atcherley
(see footnote) consented to hold the
position of Chairman for a time and in 1939 on his resignation, Mr. G.
C. Vaughan (C. C. West Riding) consented to take on the duties
temporarily. In 1944 Major Le G. G. W. Horton-Fawkes accepted the
invitation to the Chairmanship of Committee.
In 1936 a circular letter re finance was sent to every individual Member
of each of the Northern Forces. At the Annual Meeting of the General
Council in June 1935 a note of warning had been sounded very forcefully
by the Honorary Treasurer, Sir William Ingilby, who stated that the
finances of the Orphanage were in a very serious condition and needed
the attention once again of the Northern Forces. It was felt now that a
uniform subscription from every Force on a definite basis was the only
way of assuring a steady income, apart from interest derived from
investments. This latter source was quite insufficient by itself to be
responsible for the annual expenditure. The circular letter therefore
appealed for a subscription of 2d.per week per man. The full results of
this letter were not known for a period of approximately two years, but
as they trickled in from Force after Force, it was heartening
to
read of the reception given to the letter, and now in this Jubilee year,
and in fact for many years since 1936 regular subscriptions have been
sent from practically every one of the Northern Forces. Thus the income
is now established on a reliable foundation.
In December 1936, news came
that Miss Emma Chapman, the first Lady Superintendent, from 1898-1926,
had passed away in the south of England. Thus another and important link
with the beginnings of St. George’s was severed.
In 1937 the Coronation of their Majesties King George VI and Queen
Elizabeth was commemorated by a repetition of the visit to Belle Vue,
Manchester, once again as the guests of the hospitable Manchester City
Police.
From the fateful day in September 1939 when Mr. Neville Chamberlain
proclaimed that Great Britain was once again at war with Germany, news
came in from every quarter of old boys enlisting, training, going
overseas. A record was kept of each boy and girl on active service and a
monthly news letter was sent to each one during the War. Later on news
came that Richard
Peacock
(Middlesbrough) had gained the Distinguished Flying Cross for
persistent bravery in a flight over enemy territory. From time to time
old boys on leave turned up, and those on embarkation leave came to say
goodbye and to visit their childhood’s home before leaving the Old
Country. St. George’s was called to give only five of her sons to pay
the supreme sacrifice. Owing to the vicinity of a large reservoir at the
back of the house, it was considered unsafe to build an Air Raid shelter
in the field for the children. Thanks to the kindness of the Chief
Constable of the West Riding, a uniformed Police Officer was detailed
for duty at St. George’s when the siren went at night. The children
helped the war effort in many ways, by knitting, by making camouflage
nets and by regular collecting of salvage from the neighbourhood. This
last was undertaken by the Scouts. The children were also trained in
fire-fighting and new apparatus was bought for the protection of the
house.
When the war was
over and life became hopefully more normal it was possible to resume the
annual Reunion of old girls and boys at Easter. Every girl and boy
leaving St. George’s becomes automatically an old girl or boy and
receives a Christmas card and a letter with news of the recent
happenings at St. George’s. Before Easter everyone hears again with an
invitation to the Reunion, which, properly held on Easter Mondays, has
its beginnings for many on the Saturday before, The Reunion of 1946 was
one of Thanksgiving for mercies during the war and the Address was given
by the Chairman, Major Le G. G. W. Horton-Fawkes. In 1947 the War
Memorial Tablet to the five old boys was unveiled by the President and
Hon. Treasurer, Lt. Col. Sir William Ingilby and the address was given
by the Rev. A. Edwards-Beswick, Hon. C.F., R.A., Ch.D.
The War Memorial Tablet
was the outcome of an Old Girls’ and Boys’ Committee, formed at the 1946
Reunion, with 7 Members, who met periodically at St. George’s and who
sent out a circular letter to their comrades asking for subscriptions
for the purpose of a Memorial. Over £100 was given thus, and when the
Tablet had been paid for, the old girls and boys bought 3 Radio sets for
the children’s rooms, and some sports equipment. The Jubilee Reunion in
1948 was one of thankfulness for God’s goodness through Miss Gurney and
St. George’s House.
Various
outstanding traditions and customs characterise St. George’s House as
they do every school and especially every residential school in the
Country. With many other similar institutions St. George’s has been
honoured since 1911 by having King George V, King Edward VIII and King
George VI as Patrons.
The Specialists and Doctors, who from time to time have seen the
children, have always generously given their services. Among them we
would mention Mr. Herbert Franklin, C.B.E., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Mr. C.
D’Oyly Grange, F.R.C.S., Mr. T. Vibert Pearce, M.D., F.R.C.S., Mr. A. B.
Pavey-Smith, M. B., F. R. C. S., and Mr. T. Gowans, F. R. C. S., who
himself was a boy at school at St. George’s College before Miss Gurney
bought it in 1897. The work of M. O. H. for St. George’s was most ably
filled from 1898 to 1939 by Dr. Crawford Watson. Dr. W. Yeoman joined
him as M.O.H. in 1926 and for some years before Dr. Watson’s death in
1939 and ever since he has been a kind and capable friend to the
children in illness. The children’s teeth are attended to by Mr. Winter
of Messrs. Wood and Winter of Harrogate. Mr Winter comes twice every
year for dental inspection and has been attending to the children’s
teeth since before 1926.
St.
George’s House Sports Day is now well known. The first Sports Day was
held on July 20th 1929 and the programme was prepared and
carried through and the prizes provided by the City of Bradford Police
Athletic Association, by kind permission of the Chief Constable at that
time, Mr. Joseph Farndale. Every year since then our good friends at
Bradford have done the same and now jealously guard Sports Day as
“their” day for the children of St. George’s By the generosity of the
Yorkshire County Cricket Club Association to large silver cups were
bought, to be competed for as Championship Cups, and the first name on
each cup is Rita Smith and John Walmsley, both, as it happens from the
Lancashire Constabulary. Major General Sir Llewelyn W. Atcherley
presented the prizes on the first Sports Day. Many silver cups and
trophies have been given since. Each girl and boy belongs to one of
three Houses---Gurney, Fawkes, Ingilby (and it is not difficult to see
why those names have been chosen) and on Sports Day the House Cup is
given as well as the individual Cups for Sports, Gym, Swimming, Scouts
and Guides etc.
From the very start of this Story of St. George’s it will have been
sensed by a careful reader that both as the Northern Police Orphanage
and as St. George’s House, the work has had the uplift of an
enthusiastic and altruistic Committee led by keen and capable Chairmen.
There has always been unanimity and a spirit of definite enjoyment and
pleasure prevailing at the meetings of the Committee, and no pains have
ever been spared as regards any act of progress or development for any
child or for the children as a whole. Their careers, when they have
left, are closely watched, and every help is given to them, including
financial help in the form of an Apprentice
Grant, when necessary. Thus we find that education is furthered by every
possible means and advanced education put within the reach of any boy or
girl capable of using it. In the very few cases of bad illness no
expense has been considered too large for any treatment desired by the
doctor or surgeon. The spirit of Miss Gurney has passed into her work
and the ruling thought of every Committee Member is a child of a Police
Officer in need, a child whose circumstances are such that he or she is
one whom the home life, education facilities and material comforts at
St. George’s can benefit. The Committee has always felt that the
fatherless child and the one deprived of both parents have first claim
on their sympathies, then the motherless children have made their very
definite plea and received help. The majority of resident children have
always had a parent living.
In another direction too has Miss Gurney’s spirit lived on. It will be
remembered the work at St. George’s arose out of a night of definite
prayer, and that spirit of prayer for each child and about the plans for
the organisation has been the unseen mainspring of the whole work. That
spirit of prayer has enabled many a boy and girl to overcome difficult
habits, to fight successfully against temptation and to lay the
foundation of a good and unselfish character. It has led many a boy or
girl to the right career and has opened the way before them. It has
guided many a one to Christ Himself. In very truth “More things are
wrought by prayer than this world dreams of ".
Miss Evelyn
Mainwaring Knocker.
Editor's footnote:
following
text, per courtesy of Bob Carswell. Author.
Following in his father’s footsteps Llewelyn W. Atcherley was
originally commissioned in the East Lancashire Regiment in 1890,
however,
about four years later
he chose to transfer to the
Royal Army Service Corps. In the early days, promotions could be
bought and sold in the armed forces and being a member of the RASC
was often seen as a solution for gentlemen of little means.
Generally, to the aristocracy, it was considered a dull place to end
up. But, it certainly was not that for the Major General who found
himself on the Ashanti Expedition in 1895-96 followed by the Boer
War in South Africa 1899-1902 as he rose through the lower
commissioned ranks.
In between the two events, he came home to marry Eleanor Francis
Micklethwaite, the daughter of Richard Michelthwaite, a Justice of
the Peace. They settled at Fulford Villa, in Fulford, York. By
1905,
after 15 years in the
army, he had had enough of the RASC and he had seen enough of
war to satisfy him, or so he thought. Retiring as a colonel in the
RASC in 1905, he took up a
job as Chief Constable for Shropshire,
but he retained his rank in the reserve. Home for his family at that
point in their lives was still Fulford Villa at Fulford, Yorkshire.
By the year he retired from the army, his twin sons had been born
and he was needed more at home than off on some expedition into the
unknown looking for an enemy that really had little to do with what
was happening in Yorkshire. Born in 1865 he was only forty when he
became Chief Constable of Shropshire, a place that had been home to
him.
The job suited him. In 1908, as he watched his young lads grow, he
took over as Chief Constable of the West Riding of Yorkshire, a post
he held until 1919 even though he returned to regular service in
1914 when war was declared and remained there until it was over.
During WWI, he was Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General, V
Corps, from April 1915 until June 1916.
In 1917 he was equivalent to the modern-day Salvage Controller at
the War Office.
In 1918 he was promoted to the rank of Major General. On return to
his previous job in Yorkshire in 1919
which he had also held in absence
throughout the war, he was appointed as His Majesty’s Inspector of
the Constabulary for Northern England.
Throughout his military career,
this self-made man earned considerable respect and recognition of
his country. In 1925 he was created a Knight Bachelor already having
been appointed KCMG, otherwise known as the Knight Commander of the
Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, an order
recognising chivalry and the KCVO or the Knight Commander of the
Victorian Order. Having served in the Ashanti Expedition, the Boer
War and WWI he was entitled to wear the Queen’s medal with six
clasps, the King’s Medal with two clasps and the Ashanti Star in
addition to wearing the Victorian Order, established by Queen
Victoria in 1896. In addition to these obvious awards, he was also
twice mentioned in dispatches during the South African campaign as
part of Lord Kitchener’s staff at Pretoria. After retirement, he
died in 1954 at the age of eighty-five, having lived a good
long life through a period of four
military actions, the last of which he had to live through the lives
of his twin sons Richard & David, whose individual successes made
him immensely proud.
They both gained recognition in the RAF and were highly decorated for
their achievements, they ended their careers with the rank/title
of: Air Marshal Sir Richard Atcherley and Air Vice Marshal David Atcherley.
Maj.Gen.Sir
L.W.Atcherley
Air Vice Marshal David Atcherley
Air Marshal Sir Richard Atcherley
See web links below for further information:
http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/AtcherleyR.htm
http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/AtcherleyD.htm
Deus vult
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