IN A GIRL’S HOME.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5104, 23 March 1927, Page 1

IN A GIRL’S HOME.

PUNISHED BY COLD BATH&

CHARGES AGAINST OFFICIALS.

Damages for alleged neglect of duty for pain and suffering, ill-treatment, and injury to health were claimed by Miss Frances Smellie, aged .18 years, in an action, brought as an infant, through her father, Mr George Smellie, of Lawrence Road, Tottenham, London, against the Tottenham Education Committee and Miss Marion Robertson, in charge of the St. Barnabas ’ Children’s Home, Chislehurst, Kent.

Mr Percy Handcock, for Miss Smellie said that she was now in domestic service. Her mother had been injured in an air raid during the war and lost her reason. After the war her father .was sent to prison for 12 months ‘for - ill-treating his daughter. The girl was then sent to the home.

She had been up at six in the morning to scrub the stone floors with cold water, and afterwards wash the breakfast utensils.

Breakfast as a rule consisted of two thick slices of bread and margarine, with a mug of thin cocoa, the margarine being occasionally substituted by dripping.

Sunday’s dinner was a small slice of cold meat, two potatoes, and some mik pudding.

Dinner on cither days was usually a laclleful of lentil soup, with suet or milk pudding. Friday’s dinner —it being a Church of England establishment —was one small, piece of fish, two potatoes, and one shallow plate of milk pudding. The only day in tlie week on which they had green vegetables was Saturday. BREAD AND WATER DIET. No sugar was given with tea. When she broke a plate she was put on bread and water for a day. She developed curvature o'f the spine, and this had become incurable. Her name was changed frpim Francis Georgina Smellie to Francis Florence JoneS, Mr Valetta, for the defence, put letters to Miss Smellie that she had written. In these she mentioned treats and presents that had been given to them by Miss Robertson. In one she said they were nearly always having picnics and that she and others were lucky to be there. Mr Valetta : De you say in face of these letters you were unhappy ?— Yes, but I did not like to complain because I was afraid o'f getting punished. She said she broke several plates, but only once was punished with bread and water for it. Georgi, aged 16, who .was in the home from January 1920 to November 1921, said that on two or three occasions her sister (the plaintiff) with several other girls, was punished wfth a cold water bath. Another time her sister, punished with dry bread, threw it. at the matron. The hearing was adjourned.