Catalogue description WINDYRIDGE PROBATION HOSTEL

Records of the Whitechapel Methodist Mission relating to the Windyridge Probation Hostel, 1925-1977, comprising minutes of the Management Committee, 1949-1977; correspondence, 1936-1955, concerning acquisition of Windyridge, alterations, building services and with the Home Office;
financial records, comprising balance sheets, 1939-1958; accounts, 1939-1948; papers and correspondence concerning accounts and Home Office grant, 1949-1972; cash book, 1947-1952; ledger, 1953-1962;
staff records, comprising papers relating to probation officers, 1925-1926; staff salaries books, 1950-1969; applications for posts, 1938, 1966; papers concerning superannuation, 1965-1968;
publications relating to Windyridge, 1939-1970, including programmes and articles; photographs of Windyridge.

Records of Sion Chapel and Brunswick Hall Congregational Chapel, 1883-1900 (reference: N/C/24/1-2) are held by London Metropolitan Archives.

Whitechapel Methodist Mission

In 1938 Mrs Atterton gave her house, Windyridge, near Thorrington, Essex, to the Whitechapel Methodist Mission in memory of her husband who had been impressed with the work of the Working Lads' Institute. The Mission decided to use the house as a probation hostel. Some of the residents worked on the farm attached to the house, while those who had been there longer and had become more settled got jobs locally, but continued to live at the Hostel. In 1955 the Hostel moved to larger premises at Great Horkesley Park, Essex.
The Hostel was Home Office approved and therefore receive Home Office funding. This has resulted in a large amount of records relating to Windyridge's finances.