Dr Kate Bradley appeared in a recent episode of the BBC series ‘Who do you think you are’, which followed Twiggy’s quest to find out about her ancestors.
Social historian Kate Bradley described the likely reason why Twiggy’s Great Uncle Henry, who had been with his family in Kilburn as a baby, was found to be living in a home for homeless boys in Kent in the 1890s. Kate explained “The family must have fallen on hard times and Henry, like many young boys in Victorian London, was sent to a home in the country”. Kate showed Twiggy a copy of the founding minutes of the home stated that they would feed, clothe, educate and train for work young boys up to the age of 10 whose families were unable to care for them.
The filming took place at a chapel standing in the grounds of what was the boys’ home, but is now a retirement community.
The programme can be viewed on BBC iPlayer until Saturday 8 November