I applied for and obtained the record of my father's admission in 1901 to the Shotley Bridge Children's Home from the Durham Record Office several years ago. The information gave date of admission, age, religion, to which cottage they were allocated and nearest of kin. I also found a photo of the homes on http://isee.gateshead.gov.uk Subject headings appear to be children and almshouses and memorial housing. Interestingly, my father was apprenticed from Shotley Bridge Home to a local saddler who seems to have obtained many of his apprentices from this instituation. In a diary entry of around 1910, he writes of going to Shotley Bridge to choose another apprentice. I'm sure there were many cases where admission to the home opened up many possibilities that would have otherwise been denied these youngsters. Jeanette Heath