19 December 2024
The Caldecott Community was (with four former communities) featured in PETT's 2011 booklet Therapeutic Living with Other People's Children, c.1930- c.1980' [downloadable from the Internet Archive here]. One former child referred to Miss Leila's concept of the right environment as putting children in a beautiful building in wonderful countryside, out of London, for them to find their own 'social milieu'. Another said that an important thing about Miss Leila was that she always chose to live in big houses, usually a sort of stately home or a very comfortable house where children had plenty of room to roam round, transforming attitudes.
These comments broadly seem to fit Charlton Court, Kent (1917-24), Goff's Oak, Herts. (1924-32), The Mote, Kent (1932-40), Hyde House, Dorset (1941-47) and especially Mersham-le-Hatch, Kent (1947 to about 2000), although at the latter there was a little separation for the Nursery (later Garden House). More modest old houses with grounds were used for an off-shoot not far away for a family type group initially at the Paddocks, Smeeth (1957-65) and then at Lacton Hall, with further developments later. The nearest to a purpose-built unit had been the 1958 Colt House playroom space, with sleeping accommodation added in 1962.
A special unit was built, to be opened in 1985 (Lacton House, now Pine Lodge). When in 1992 Caldecott took over the Paddocks (Caldecott House), the grounds gave space to build new units, more urgently needed once it was clear that the lease of Hatch would not be renewed and so adjoining land was acquired to build school premises.
At Smeeth there are groups resident at Summer House and Hornbeam, plus Pine Lodge and Willow Trees at Willesborough. The specialist Caldecott School largely caters for children not resident full time with Caldecott Foundation. Fostering is also an important part of Caldecott's activities these days. Children now do not have grounds with ponies, nor even the Deer Park as almost a back garden as we had, although they visit woodland not far away. They doubtless need special facilities more than a setting of a stately home, although Caldecott House is to hand. The old Colt House at Hatch served its purpose for longer than must have been expected, but we had the benefit of the stately home, grounds, Deer Park and Hornbeam Wood and also ponies.
No lions or elephants - children can't have everything.