Unused postcard - Photos Pittuck Serries 1 - Date c1905
Captions (clockwise from top left): Youths’ Home; Brothers’ Library; General View of Colony buildings; Brothers and Staff; Brothers Ready for Work
A proposal for a 'Farm Colony' was put forward by Salvation Army founder William Booth in his 1890 book “In Darkest England, and the Way Out”. Booth's idea was to assist the nation's destitute men by resettling them “on an estate in the provinces, in the culture of which they would find employment and obtain support.” The scheme was first realised at Hadleigh in Essex where a 3,200-acre estate was acquired in 1891.
The Wallingford colony initially comprised 515 acres and accommodated 120 colonists who were divided into two sections: youths under twenty-one, and men from twenty-one to fifty. Again, around ninety percent were sent by Boards of Guardians. A feature of the training at the Wallingford colony was the participation of 'brothers' — men 'who give themselves to the work from altruistic motives and share the life of the colonists.' The aim of the colony was to prepare men either for emigration to none of the British colonies, such as Canada, or for employment on an English farm. Later known as Turners Court Farm School, the Wallingford establishment continued in operation until 1991.
(Ref: https://www.workhouses.org.uk/labourcolonies/ - accessed October 2022)