The full title of the above school is "St Monica's Home Industrial School for Girls, 28 & 29 The Waldrons, Croydon" but there are not enough characters in the header to let me quote it in full.

I am assisting an elderly family friend to trace her 5 siblings all of whom were adopted, some within the family and others outside. She has given me a copy of her birth certificate. She was born in 1942 at 29 The Waldrons, Croydon. This was the address of the above-named school, but the friend does not appear to be aware that it was anything other than a family home. From the information she gave me her mother was "sent away" as she was unmarried at the time of her pregnancy. Actually, the mother never married although she had 6 children.

My research tells me that the school was opened in 1913 and became an approved school in 1933 which would tie in with the "sent away" bit. However, my further research confirms that at the time of the friend's birth her mother was 32 years old having been born in 1910 and the friend was the 3rd child.

This begs the question of why a 32 year old unmarried woman would be in a "school" of any description in 1942 unless she worked there which I think unlikely -- staff member, unmarried, pregnant would give a bad example to pupils.

Has anyone come across this school or knows what it might have been in 1942? Numbers 28 & 29 The Waldrons appear to have been demolished before "The Waldrons" became a conservation area in 1973. I have been in touch with Croydon archives for information from the Electoral Registers but their time-frame for responses of "20 working days" is testing my patience somewhat.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.