Description:Home 8 was one of the first homes built in the Cottage Homes complex and was initially built to house 24 boys. For the first few years, it was isolated on the side of the Drive opposite the Lodge as the other five homes built prior to 1893 were all built on the other side of the Drive.
One of the earliest housemothers was Miss Smith, she was follower by Miss Gibbs who was in post in the 1920s and 1930s. She was followed, later in the 1930s, by Miss Sparkes.
In 1949, Home 8 was given the name of Melplash. Melplash is a village in Dorset not far from Bridport, is this what the home was named after?
In the 1950s Beryl Cullen was in post as housemother. She was followed by Nancy and Gordon Gough, the first married couple to be houseparents of Home 8.
In the early 1960s, when the Goughs were in residence, there were only 14 children accommodated in Home 8, including some older boys who were no longer at school, but had jobs and were thus waiting for hostel places. Girls were also living in the Home at the time. The Goughs left in approximately 1963. Mr and Mrs Wilkinson were then post and left after approximately 18 months. Mr and Mrs Jones then took over.
At this stage (the early 1970s), Melplash was an assessment centre – taking children straight from the courts on 21 day interim care orders.
In the 1970s, Beryl and George Neish were houseparents. They had previously been at Erdington Cottage Homes. When they left, to go to Triumph Walk, Mr and Mrs Kiczma took over, followed by Mr and Mrs Poray.
By 1979, Melplash had accommodation for 12 children, boys and girls.
Melplash moved to St Vincents in Moseley (116-120 Moseley Road) in 1984 - with Cherry Garth. In 1989, in the Moseley Road premises, it had 16 beds. By 1991, the home was closed.
In 1988 it was decided to close Melplash, despite union objections on the grounds that the closure would impact negatively on the children living in Cherry Garth children's home next door.
After the closure, a decision was taken by Social Services to use Melplash for the residential work which had previously taken place at Athelstan House. It is not, however, possibly to verify whether this transfer took place or not.
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Image: A copy of a visiting card issued to parents of children in Shenley Fields Cottage homes in 1949. The card enabled parents to visit approximately twice a month for two hours at a time.
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Source: This history was compiled by the Birmingham Children's Homes Project, an initiative to explore Birmingham City Council-run children’s homes between 1949 and 1990.