Thorndale House
Type of institution:
Mother and Baby Institutions/Homes
Detail:
The Salvation Army acquired Thorndale House on the Antrim Road, North Belfast in 1920. The institution offered accommodation for twenty mothers and babies. Women generally entered in their final trimester. Thorndale experienced most admissions in the 1960's, with 590 admissions in comparison with the figure of 419 in the 1950's. Numbers dropped throughout the 1970's with just nine admissions in 1976. Thorndale House closed in 1977.
Dates of operation:
1920 - 1977
Also known as:
N/A
Location(s):
Antrim Road, North Belfast
Run by:
The Salvation Army
Records:
The records relating to Thorndale are extensive and quite complex in terms of how the information was recorded. For the records relating to the Mother and Baby Institution there are Day Books, which record separately details about mothers and babies in the institution. These books recorded names, feeding habits, hospital visits, and the next destination of the baby. However, they often offered incomplete information on the exit destination for babies leaving Thorndale. In many cases, they simply cited the name of the local welfare committee taking responsibility for the baby and did not precisely record the destination of the child. The Day Books commence in 1929 and there are gaps in the records on babies between 1938 and 1941. However, information about mothers and babies was also recorded in the monthly statements of exits sent to Salvation Army Headquarters. The records relate to the period 1920 - 1977. The records are controlled by the Salvation Army. Personal records held by the Salvation Army relating to Thorndale House Mother and Baby Institution can be access by submitting a Subject Access Request for information under the UK GDPR. For details on how to make such an application please refer to the guidance on our Accessing Records and Your Rights page. It is recommended that all communication with the Salvation Army should be in writing and copies of correspondence should be kept. The contact details for the Salvation Army are as follows: The Salvation Army International Heritage Centre William Booth College Champion Park London SE5 8BQWhat Records Exist and What Do They Contain?
To What Period Do the Records Relate?
Who Is the Controller of the Records?
How Best Can the Records Be Accessed?
Personal Records
Contacting the Salvation Army