Catalogue description St George's Association, formerly St George's School, Cheltenham

Annual reports, admission registers, confirmation register, correspondence, photographs and other records

See also D1405/15/17

St George's Association, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

THESE DOCUMENTS ARE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH EXCEPT FOR 2/9 WHICH IS CLOSED UNTIL 51 YEARS OLD

Accession 7875 was deposited by the St George's Association, 21 February 1998

• Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

St George's Association has its origins in a mission to rescue wayward girls which began in London in 1885. The Duke of Westminster gave a house in Little Grosvenor Street rent free as a permanent shelter. This became known as the St George's Shelter, later St Georges's Home. In 1889 the Home moved to larger premises at 8 Bourdon Street and around this date the Sisters of the Community of All Hallows, Ditchingham took over its management. The Home was open to girls who wanted to live a better life, many of whom then received training for service. The girls also undertook laundry work to supplement the Home's finances

In 1927 the Sisters of St Peter's Horbury took over the running of the Home, (by now called the St George's Diocesan Training Home) and needlework and other handicrafts were introduced instead of the laundry work. By 1933 there was a split in the Community, the Sisters of St Peter the Apostle taking charge. In 1935 the Home changed its name to the St George's Diocesan Training School, a name which it retained for the next 40 years. In September 1944 the School left London, which had become too dangerous because of the flying bombs and moved to Dean Rise Newnham-on-Severn. When Dean Rise was sold the following year the School moved temporarily to Hardwick Court, but this was considered too remote to be a suitable long term location and so in 1946 the School moved to Oldbury House, Eastington where it remained for nearly 40 years. New regulations introduced in the early 1960s prevented St George's from continuing as a school without extensive modernisation which it could not afford, and so it developed into a home for girls over school age

In 1983 St George's moved temporarily to Glenfall House, Charlton Kings (following the relocation there of the community of St Peter the Apostle from Laleham Abbey, Staines) later moving to its present location in Well Close, Lansdown Parade, Cheltenham. In 1985 it became a home for women with learning difficulties under a Charity Commission scheme. Sister Pauline Mary, who had been involved with the school's management for around 50 years died in 1992. The St George's Association, as it is now known, operates under the Charity Commission scheme with trustees appointed by the Archdeacon of Cheltenham and the Diocesan Board for Social Responsibility. (Ex inf Mrs Waker)

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