These are the records of an eight-year-old boy called Philip, who was put into care in the mid 1960s, at the Highfield Branch of The National Children’s Home, Harpenden, Herts.
They explain the reason why the child was placed into the care of the NCH. The history of the child whilst in care, is shown in various letters and other documents that were kept during his stay at Highfield.

It must be remembered that when these documents were written in the mid 1960s there never was the intention for them to be seen by anyone other than the staff looking after the child during his stay. Some of the text and original written notes have been combined to avoid unnecessary repetition.
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MY FILE

My mother was going to return to London to look after her sick parents. There would not be room in the flat for me.  A solution was needed.  

1. 27.01.65 Letter to Uncle from Governor NCH Harpenden, asking for an appointment regarding Philip. 

2. 01.02.65 Note from NCH regarding a visit to the Uncle.  

3. 02.02.65. Letter to Uncle from Child Care Officer.

I am writing to ask if I can see you and your sister-in-law on Tuesday morning February 9th, regarding your admission enquiry.  

4. 03.02.65  Letter to the NCH at Harpenden from the Uncle.
Thank you for your letter. It will be quite convenient for you to see me on Feb 9th, but as my sister-in-law (the mother) is working in the Isle of Wight, it will be rather difficult for her to be here, if that is all right with you may I suggest 11.30 as a suitable time. If there is anything else you wish to know in the meantime, my wife is at home until 1pm each day, and will be pleased to help in any way she can.  

5. 10.02.65 Note from Governor of Harpenden.
I had a long talk with the uncle and aunt of the boy. The uncle mentioned that he needed to be disciplined as he could be rather badly behaved.

Visited The Uncle 09.02.65. The mother is due in London in a week’s time, with her son Philip. She will telephone or write, and I will write full report after seeing them. At present she is living on Isle of Wight. Philip is 8 years old and is half Indian.  

MY ANSWER. The visit by the Governor and the Child Care Officer to my aunt and uncle seemed to seal my fate. It appears to have been mentioned by him that I needed to be disciplined. I was not really a wild boy, but I was most happy on my own or with just a couple of friends; large group activities were never to my liking.

If the comment that I needed discipline had not been mentioned, I might not have been allocated to the flat, that to nearly every child in the Home was one of the least appealing flats in the Home owing to the Sister’s strict but fair regime. The Sister in charge was not unkind in any way, but having possibly the most experience in years over every other member of the staff in looking after boys, her method of upbringing would be the nearest I would get to a father figure for discipline. To give me a title of ‘half Indian’ is not really correct as my father came from Ceylon.  

6. 23.02.65 Letter to Child Care Officer from The Mother.

With reference to a letter from my Sister. I have now returned to London, & would be pleased to have an appointment at any time suitable to you.  

7. 24.02.65 Letter to The Mother from Child Care Officer.

Thank you for your letter telling me you are now in London. Is it possible to see you during the day on Tuesday, the 2nd March?  

8. 26.02.65. Letter to The Child Care Officer from The Mother.

Thank you for your letter, I would be very pleased to see you on Tuesday March 2^nd; the afternoon would be most suitable, although I shall be at home all day, as I now have my mother home from hospital & she needs rather a lot of attention in the mornings.  

9. 02.03.65. NCH FORM Particulars of child for whom admission is sought.

Name of child. PHILIP JOHN (Boy).

D.O.B. 1957

Place of Birth. Paddington Hospital.

Baptized. No

Religious Denomination. C of E.

Present Address London NW2.

With whom. Mother.

Name of Father Linton Jansen, Nationality Singhalese (Burger). Country of Origin Ceylon. Occupation Trainee in hotel management. Health Good. Religion Burger R/C.

Name of Mother Dorothy Moira Howard. Nationality English. D.O.B. 09.10.21. Country of Origin England. Address London NW2. Occupation Ex-housekeeper. Health Good. Religion C of E.

Wages Four Pounds, Total weekly income Four Pounds

Grandparents Father 88. Retired Accountant. Mother 68 Retired.

Aunts and Uncles .

Harpenden: (Main contact with NCH) Sister & Brother-in-Law. No Children.

Harpenden: Sister & Brother-in-Law.

daughter (age 24).

Harpenden: Brother & Sister-in-Law. Son (age 6) Daughter (age 8).

London: Brother. No Children.

Information: regarding the health, character, habits and mentality of the child.

Very lively. Lack of concentration.

Reason for application.

Mother is having to look after her mother who has had a stroke & father 88 years. Lack of accommodation, and supervision for Philip.

Who takes responsibility for receiving the child if he should prove unsuitable for continued residence in the Home - Mother.

What weekly payment is offered towards the child’s maintenance? - Two Pounds per week plus clothes.

MY ANSWER. The reference to my father as a Burger. Taken from govt book:
Descendents of Dutch settlers who arrived in Ceylon during the Dutch occupation in the 17th and 18th Century. They were encouraged to inter-marry with the Singhalese. On the whole they have kept their European habits, and generally speak English, though many also speak Singhalese.

Continued
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