Orphan Schools in Madras

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There were a number of orphan schools in and around the city of Madras. The details in this article include many references to Google Books sources.

Charity School

  • St Mary’s Charity School in the Fort was established in 1715. Limited View Google Books page 439, The Madras Tercentenary Commemoration Volume 1994 reprint, original 1939. Church Orphans appear to have been supported from an even earlier date. Limited View Google Books page 68, Fort St. George, Madras by Fanny Emily Penny 2009? reprint , original 1900? The School provided for the education and support of a limited number of the orphans of Europeans in India, without reference to the professions of the parents of the orphans. Page 223 of this Google Books link, published 1855.
  • This institution appears to have amalgamated with the Civil Orphan Asylums in 1872. (Refer below)

Madras Military Male Orphan Asylum

  • This Asylum was opened in 1789. Page 223 of this Google Books link, published 1855.
  • The Rev Dr Andrew Bell was the first Director and Superintendent of the Asylum at Egmore from 1789. He wrote two books about the system of education he developed, giving details of the Asylum:
  • An Analysis of the Experiment in Education, made at Egmore, near Madras Edition 3 (1807) 115 pages Google Books (Contents)
  • The Madras School: or, Elements of Tuition: comprising the Analysis of an Experiment in Education, made at the Male Asylum, Madras; with its facts, proofs, and illustrations (1808) 348 pages Google Books (Contents). Page 212 onwards contains letters written by his former pupils to Dr Bell, including a listing of names from the bottom of page 218 to page 223.
  • 1829 letter by W Webbe, former pupil, regarding his schooldays c 1790’s, footnotes pages 397-398. He appears as William Webbe in the list of Foundation Boys for 1790 in the listing of names on page 222 of The Madras School
  • Page 59 of this Google Books link, published 1842. A description of the Egmore Redoubt appears in this article in The Hindu [Newspaper]
  • There was a printing press at the Asylum from 1800 Limited View Google Books page 77, Print, Folklore and Nationalism in Colonial South India by Stuart Blackburn (2005)
  • The Madras Veterinary Establishment was set up in 1810 and boys from the Military Male Asylum and the Charity School were to be trained in the veterinary art, with the eventual rank of farriers. Google Books
  • Drummers are mentioned in this link published 1838 Google Books
  • Diet of the boys in 1863 page 401 Google books
  • 1864-1865 Report Google Books. This report is in the middle of a volume of reports relating to the Civil Asylums.
  • In June 1865, the Gun Carriage Manufactory at Madras was made available for the instruction of the pupils of the MMOA, and other similar Educational establishments, in trades and the use of machinery, the number under instruction being limited, experimentally, to twenty. Google Books
  • Amalgamation with the Lawrence Asylum was considered from 1860. In April 1864 the land at Lovedale, near Ootacamund, was selected for the combined institutions and new buildings were constructed. 220 boys from the MMMOA moved in September 1871 Limited View Google Books The Nilgiris,Volume 1 of Madras district gazetteers by W Francis (1994) reprint of an earlier book, probably 1908.
  • Another mention of the transfer to the Lawrence Asylum, Lovedale in September 1871 Google Books
  • For more details of the Lawrence Asylum, Lovedale, refer Orphans

Madras Military Female Orphan Asylum

  • FIBIS Journal No. 6 (Autumn 2001) "The Madras Military Female Orphan Asylum" by Peter Bailey. To access this article: FIBIS Members view online; Non Members Join FIBIS or purchase a copy of the Journal
  • Page 224 of this Google Books link, published 1855
  • Page 61 of this Google Book link, published 1842
  • MMFOA moved to Conway's Garden, Kilpauk before 1822, Limited View Google Books, page 563 Indian Records Series Vestiges of Old Madras 1640-1800
  • The girls, about 100, were transferred to the Lawrence Asylum, Lovedale in October 1904. Limited View Google Books page 263, The Nilgiris Volume 1 of Madras district gazetteers by W Francis 1994 reprint of an earlier book, probably 1908 and Limited View Google Books, page 315 Gazetteer of South India, Volume 2 by W Francis 1988 (probably a reprint of an earlier book, perhaps 1905.)

Poonamallee Military Asylum

Poonamallee is a town about 15 miles from Madras. An asylum for the children of British Army soldiers, was established in 1819. See page 195 The Calcutta Annual Register (1821) Google Books. It is not clear how long this Asylum continued. Some/all girls were transferred to the MMFOA in 1826, and boys possibly in 1835.

Free/Black Town/Civil Orphan Asylums

  • This Google Books link, published 1855, says a Free Day School for Boys was established in 1807, which in turn led to the establishment of a Female Asylum in 1815, and a Male Asylum in 1823.
  • The Annual report of the Madras Free Schools dated January 1, 1815 stated that the Female Free Orphan Asylum was due to open in April [1815].The Male Free School had completed its eight year, and the Female Free School, its fifth. Google Books
  • A volume from Google Books contains an incomplete set of Annual Reports from 1859-1860 until 1876. (Note the Report for 1864-1865 appears to be for the Military Male Orphan Asylum, refer above.) The following facts were advised:
  1. The Asylums were never intended for illegitimate children (1876 Report, page 6), and
  2. The Woolley Fund supported children of destitute Europeans (1876 Report, page 2)
There are numerous mentions of children throughout the report, pages with most names have been specified.
  • In 1903, the South Indian Railway requiring for its new terminus at Egmore, the buildings occupied by the Civil Orphan Asylums, Goverment suggested that the Civil Orphan Asylums move to the premises of the Military Female Orphan Asylum in Poonamallee Road, and that the girls from the latter Asylum move to the Lawrence Asylum at Lovedale. The transfer took place in October 1904. Limited View Google Books page 263, The Nilgiris Volume 1 of Madras District Gazetteers by W Francis 1994 reprint of an earlier book, probably 1908.
  • The name was changed to St George’s School and Orphanage in 1954 according to this article in The Hindu [Newspaper]. It continues on today.
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