This photo, taken exactly a century ago, shows a group of children and adults at the Good Templar and Temperance Orphanage, Marion Park, Sunbury. The Orphanage occupied a house erected about 1750 on the site now occupied by Sunbury Manor School in Nursery Road.
It was originally a large family home, but by the mid-19th century had become a private school. After the school closed in 1876 it was purchased with 13 acres of land for use as an orphanage in 1891. The purchase price was £4000!
The Orphanage was intended for the orphans of total abstainers, i.e. people who had taken a pledge not to drink alcohol, and was opened with a Matron, the splendidly-named Hephzibath Cunningham, a governess and 4 servants (needlewoman, cook laundrymid and housemaid). They looked after 25 girls aged between 4 and 16 years and 30 boys aged between 5 and 13 years.
Wealthy local people acting as patrons of the Orphanage arranged parties and outings for the children. Pictures were taken on these occasions, and the photo above records one such event, the smartly dressed patrons and some of the staff can be seen behind the children.
A school room was added in 1908, and after World War One a gymnasium was built as a memorial to Old Boys lost in the war. These buildings still survive at the back of the present school. The children were evacuated in World War Two, and after the war the building was found to be in bad repair so the Orphanage moved away. The site was purchased by the Council for use as a school, and the old building itself was demolished.
‘The Mount Felix Embroidery’ is the subject of the next meeting of The Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society. The embroidery tells the story of the New Zealand Hospital established during WW1 at Mount Felix, just south of Walton Bridge. It takes place on Tuesday 18th October at Halliford School, Russell Road, Shepperton, starting at 8pm. All welcome, admission £2 to non-members.