St George's House,
Northern Police Orphanage. 1898-1956
Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.
Born on the 19th June,1848, to an affluent and religious middle class family Catherine Gurney was an amazing woman, challenging the social mores of that time which dictated that 'a woman's place was in the home'. The first indication of her drive & initiative came when, in the early 1870's, Catherine Gurney first began a Bible Class at Wandsworth, she then went on to form the International Christian Police Association in 1883 which resulted in a Police Institute being opened in London.
Her next project in 1890 was a Police Convalescent Seaside Home at Clarendon Villas, West Brighton.
The
need for this type of care soon dictated a fund raising exercise which
resulted in the
opening in 1890
of the Southern Police Convalescent Home & Orphanage, Hove.
This was later
relocated to Redhill, where it became known as the Southern
Provincial Police Orphanage.
In
1897 whilst visiting Harrogate, Catherine Gurney negotiated the purchase
of St George's
College building and grounds of 12 acres, for the sum of 10,000 pounds. So began
the
Police Northern Orphanage.
The first child was
admitted to the Orphanage in 1898 and, over the ensuing years,
additional
buildings were added to accommodate the growing number of children being cared
for.
Next to get Catherine Gurney's attention in 1901 was the building of the
Northern Police
Convalescent
Home,
being located on part of the original St George's 12 acres. This
was
opened in 1903 and continues to provide care for
members of the Police Force to this day,
under the name St
Andrew's Convalescent Home.
Catherine Gurney was without doubt a remarkable woman, one who had the
character & drive to
plan & carry out a number of major projects, all with the common aim of
assisting members of
the Police Force and their families. She died on the 11th August, 1930 and
at her request was
interred on the 13th August, 1930 at All Saints Church
Cemetery, Harlow Hill, Harrogate, near to St George's and St Andrew's,
the two homes she had originated in Harrogate.
Police Pall Bearers, representing the County,City & All Saints Church,Harlow Hill,Harrogate.
Borough Forces, at Miss Gurney's funeral, 1930.
Catherine Gurney's
original headstone now relocated to St Andrew's,
Catherine Gurney's new headstone located at her
Rose Garden
gravesite in All Saints Church, Harrogate
Catherine Gurney's work is continued through
both The St George's Police Trust (formed in 2006 after a merger between
the Northern Police Orphans Trust and the St George's Fund) which is based in Harrogate and The Gurney
Fund for Police Orphans based in Worthing.
Income is derived from regular subscriptions from the Police Forces,
donations, legacies and investment income and being registered
charitable trusts, operate according to the aims of the respective
trust deeds, which is, to provide and distribute grants and assistance
to needy orphan children of the Police.
For further information contact:
St. George's Police Trust.- St. Andrew's,Harlow Moor Road, Harrogate,
North Yorkshire, HG2 0AD
The Gurney Fund for Police Orphans- 9 Bath Road, Worthing,
West Sussex, BN11 3NU
Deus vult