The Mission of Hope
was a Christian charity.
It helped the children
of unmarried mothers.

The Mission needed the money
collected in this box
to run its maternity home,
nurseries and children's homes.

Somone who lived
in a Mission of Hope children's home
remembers their experiences:

"There was a certain sense of security,
like we were in a home,
we were well cared for,
we were fed regularly,
we were warm,
all our physical needs
were definitely met.
But I think deep within myself
I knew something was missing."

"I remember one night
I was putting my doll to bed
and I remember tucking her in
and thinking
'I wish I had someone
to tuck me in like that',
that feeling
that someone belonged to me.
I guess I believe they done
the best they could
with what they knew,
but there wasn't a lot of love.
Thank God for them
but no child belongs
in a children's home.
But I am grateful
because it was there
that I gave my heart to Jesus.
And Gods hand

has always been on my life ever since."

The Mission of Hope opened
Birdhurst Lodge in South Croydon
in 1906.
It was a place where unmarried mothers
could give birth to their babies.
At the time
women risked social disgrace
if they had a child
when they were not married.

Some mothers
were able to keep their babies.
Most children were adopted
or moved into a children's home.
By the 1950s
the Mission of Hope ran
five nurseries
and three children's homes.

We are working hard to write
an ‘Explore’ page for every object
in the Museum of Croydon.

If you would like to suggest
a visit, website or book
which would help people
find out more about this object
then please contact us:

Museum of Croydon
Croydon Clocktower
Katharine Street
Croydon
CR9 1ET
Tel: 020 8253 1022
Email: museum@croydon.gov.uk