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Child in Care - CIC No. 2050.
Family - SLACK
Father (Putative) - R.S.Jones.
Address - 66 Tudor Road, Leicester.
Mother - Ethel Grace Slack (as per 9/1958 - Mrs Jones).
Address - 66 Tudor Road, Leicester.
Ref.
Children -
William
Date of birth - 1.6.1944.
Place of Care -
Wing Lodge - 14.05.54 - 30.06 --
- - -Lodge. - 25.05.57 - 21.06. - -
R. Alexandra & Albert School, Reigate. 21.06.57 - 31.07 ---
Wallingford Farm Training School. 10.08.59 - 20.1 - -
c/0 Mrs - - ,Sycamore Farm, - - - - 20.12.60 - 13.01.61
Mrs - - , 45 Churchill Lane, Ay - 13.01.61 - 29.01.61 & 29.01.61 - 0,10.--
Cottage, Kingswood House,
- - Williams, 5 Council House, Boxford, - - 10.61
Susan
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15 February 1954
County of Leicester
Miss K. Ruddock B.Sc. Childrens' Officer
Childrens's Department, St. Christopher House, Talbot Lane, Leicester
To-
Miss E.R.S. Duncan, Children's Officer, Children's Department, 22. Silver Street, Aylesbury.
Dear Miss Duncan,
Re:- William Slack (1.6.1944).
c/o Mrs G. Slack, Bencombe Farm, Marlow, Bucks.
The above-mentioned child was referred to this department during the Christmas period by the local Medical Officer of Health who had seen the boy at school, Countesthorpe C.of E. Primary School.
The child's father, Mr R. S. Jones (Richard Stanley Jones), 66 Tudor Road, Leicester had, on the 22nd March 1953, placed the child with a Mrs D. Harrison Barker, The Old Cottage, Willoughby.
The foster-mother had never registered, although Mr Jones was paying ְ£6 per month for the child's maintenance. The Medical Officer gave adverse reports of the Foster Mother, who openly admitted thrashing the boy regularly at Mr Jones's instruction.
Before calling at the foster home, my Visitor warned Mr Jones that should the the home be found unsuitable, he would be requested to make other arrangements.
The Foster Mother was found to be completely lacking in affection and her main purpose seemed to be that of "licking William into shape and using all methods of a 'hard disciplinarian,' In addition she repeatedly sent requests to WIlliam's schoolmaster that he should cane the lad.
When my Visitor saw William he told her about his recent holiday with his mother and expressed the wish that he could go to live with her.
I subsequently wrote to Mr Jones requesting him to come to this office on a Saturday morning. He declined on accout of his work, and before he could be seen at his home, the school informed us that the child was going to be transferred to his Mother's care.
My Visitor was given to understand that Mrs Slack, who already had a daughter, left her husband to co-habit with Mr Jones and William was the result of this association. When it ceased in March last year, William was left in the care of his father, but spent school holidays with his mother.
In view of the unsatisfactory arrangements made for the lad whilst in the father's care, I should be grateful if you would keep a watchful eye on the boy to make certain that he remains with his mother and does not return to Mr Jones' custody.
May I assure you that I shall be pleased to reciprocate at any time.
Yours sincerely,
K.L. Ruddock, Childrens' Officer,
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Buckinghamshire County Council
Children's Committee
Application for Reception into Care.
1. Children for whom application is made.
Surname - Slack
Christian Names - William
Sex - M.
Date of Birth - 1.6.44
Place of Birth - Nottingham
Religion - C/E
2. Address of children named above.
Wing Lodge, Wing.
3. Other children in family for whom accommodation is NOT required.
Surname - Slack
Other names - Susan Mary
Date of Birth - 7.3.46
School or Occupation - Marlow Junior
4. Parents
Surname - Mother - Slack, Grace Noreen. Age - 43 (23?). Occupation or Employer - Domestic - Mrs Stapleton.
Address - Bancomb Farm, Marlow.
5. Date and place of marriage & mother's maiden name - 29 August 1931, Little Eaton, Derby, - G.N.Pass.
6. I hereby make application for reception into the care of the Bucks County Council of my children named in section 1 above and I consent to their being immunized against diptheria and whooping cough and vaccinated against smallpox if recommended by the Medical Officer.
I also give consent to any treatment recommended by the Medical Officer and to the administration of an anaesthetic and emergency operation if advised after admission to hospital.
I fully understand that I shall be required under section 23 of the Children Act 1948 to contribute towards the cost of his/her/their maintenance and accordingly to pay the Bucks County Council the amounts at which I may be assessed.
I acknowledge that it is my duty under section 10 of the Children Act, 1948 to give notice to the Children's Officer of any cange of my address during the period that my children are in the care of the Council.
Signature of Parent - G.N. Slack.
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Buckinghamshire County Council.
Children's Department.
Surname - Slack
Other Names - William
Address - Bencombe Farm, Marlow, Bucks.
Date of Birth - 1.6.44
Place of Birth - Nottingham
Defective or Handicapped -
Ch. Act. 1.
Date Vaccinated - 6 months & 7 years. - Measles at 6 months - Chicken Pox - 1949 - Whooping cough - 1949 - Mumps at 8 years. Had and still has cough - seen Leicester Chest Clinic, short time at Open Air School, Diagnosis inconclusive.
Reason for Application - Breakdown of private foster home. Mother unable to make other arrangements.
Father - Full Name - Richard Stanley Jones, 66 Tudor Road, Leicester.
Occupation - Civil Servant, (Electronic Engineer).
Mother - Full Name - Ethel Grace Noreen Slack - Bencombe Farm, Marlow, Bucks. Resident Domestic Worker. Employer, Mrs Stapleton.
Children - William 1.6.44. Susan - 8 years (April 54). (with mother).
Other Relatives - Grandmother. Mrs Swannell, 38 Aspley Lane, Bobbers Mill, Nottingham.
Referred by - Children's Officer, Leicester County. - 15.5.54
Admitted - Wing Lodge - 15.5.54
Undertaking of Parent
(To be retained by central office)
I, the undersigned, hereby make application for my child(ren) to be received into the care of the Bucks County Council and certify that the information I have given is true and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.
I fully understand that if the child(ren) is/are admitted, I shall be required to contribute towards the cost of his/her/their maintenance in the Nursery or Home, and I accordingly undertake to pay to the Bucks County Council the amounts which may be assessed and to notify any change of address.
(1) William Slack. - signed E.G.N. Slack Parent. Bencombe Farm, Marlow. 15/5/1954
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In Reply please quote 6/JL. 14 April 1954
TO Mrs G. Slack - Bencombe Farm, Marlow, Bucks.
Dear Mrs Slack,
I forgot to remind you that when I was speaking to you on the telephone that when you do manage to get William settled in a foster home it will be necessary for the foster mother who is looking after him to notify us of the fact that she is undertaking his care, and then either Mr Harding or myself will call occasionally and see how William is getting on.
I am enclosing a form for whoever undertakes the care of William to fill in and send to this department.
I do hope you are able to find a family for him where he will be happy and be able to settle down.
Yours sincerely,
Children's Visitor -
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Record of Visits.
Name - William Slack.
2.4.1954 - Visited Mrs Slack. She is working as a (house?) keeper at Bencombe Farm, Marlow, and it is not possible (for her?) to have William with her. She has a younger daughter who she is able to have.
When William was in the care of his father he came to her for holiday periods and it was then that she became aware that he was not being properly treated in the foster home where father had place him.
Mrs Slack therefore brought him to these parts and placed him with foster parents in Marlow Bottom, almost two miles away: Mr and Mrs Smidt, "Canberra," Marlow Bottom. Is paying for this but Mrs Smidt has never notified us as she does not wish to be regarded as a permanent foster mother.
The Smidts had William only temporarily and Mrs Slack has been unable to find other foster parents. Was referred to Miss Turner at the Marlow Nurses Home, who said she would consult Miss Robinson.
Told Mrs Slack something of the way in which William was treated with the foster parent in Leicester and advised that he should not be permitted to return there.
Record of Visits.
Name - William Slack.
12.04.54 -
Mrs Slack definitely does not want William to be admitted to a children's home. She now has him at the farm with her temporarily and has hopes of a foster home after the Easter Holidays.
Record of Visits.
Name - William Slack.
12.05.54 - Mrs Slack at office. Foster parent who has William wishes him to be moved by the end of this week.
I enquired as to the reasons and Mrs Slack did not tell me as much as Mrs Stapleton had said when she phoned recently (possibly Mrs Stapleton knows more than Mrs Slack).
From what she says it seems that William does not fit into the foster home but that there have been very few specific complaints.
The foster mother has spoken of William's attitude to the world at large as a difficulty.
Mrs Slack says William has been difficult since early childhood and it seems that now she is the only person who has any control over him. He will defy others and deliberately disobey them and Mrs Slack says he gets pleasure from doing this.
At the same time he always owns up regarding his misdemeanors - never lying his way out - seemingly enjoying any punishment that comes. He has developed temper tantrums and these are becoming worse.
Discussed the possibility of boarding school and suggested the Alexandra and Albert. Mrs Slack would like to look into this and as a temporary measure agreed William should go to Wing Lodge, but this every reluctantly.
Did not want the boy to go to a Children's Home and did not want to divest herself of responsibility.
In view of this I suggested she should make application herself to the Alexandra and Albert School, but that Miss Robinson should first discuss the boy with the Head of the School.
Record of Visits.
Name - William Slack.
15.04.54
Took William to Wing Lodge. Left his mother quite happily. She did not tell him that he was going to a Children's Home but left him with the impression he was going away to school. She told me of this.
Also, William's conversation en route gave the impression that he had been led to believe that he would see his mother tomorrow. He chatted fairly freely on the journey and gave the impression of a normal, intelligent boy who was very capable of standing up for himself.
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14 May 1954
Bucks County Council Children's Committee.
Admission to WIng Lodge Home.
Name of Child - William Slack.
Date and place of birth - 1.6.1944 - Nottingham
Religion - C/E
Ordinary Residence - Bencombe Farm, Marlow
Admitted from - private foster home in Marlow.
Family -
Mother - Ethel Grace - Mrs Noreen Slack - Age 41 - Bencombe Farm
Father - Leonard Slack - age 47 - 66 Tudor Rd, Bucks. (was R.S.J. instead)
Brothers and Sisters - Susan Mary - aged 8 - Bencombe Farm, Marlow.
Reasons for Admission - Breakdown of foster home - Mother unable to make other arrangements.
18 May 1954
Buckinghamshire Education Committee
Movement of Buckinghamshire Children of School Age in Care in of Children's Committee.
Slack, William - D.of B. 1.6.1944
Address of Parents - Mother, Bencombe Farm, Marlow,
To - WIng Lodge
18 May 1954
Buckinghamshire County Council - Children's Department.
To the County Assistance Officer.
The following details of children taken into care, and I should be glad if you would arrange for the assessment and collection of contributions towards the cost of maintenance from the parents concerned.
Will you please let me know the amount of the parental contributions if this is not already covered by a Contribution Order.
Surname - Slack
Christian Names - William
Date of Birth - 1.6.44
Date admitted into Care - 14.5.1954.
Present Place of Care - Wing Lodge
Reason - Child illegitimate. Breakdown of private foster home - mother unable to make other arrangements.
Mother - Mrs Ethel Grace Slack, Bencombe Farm, Marlow, Bucks.
Father (Putative) Mr R.S. Jones, 66 Tudor Road, Leicester.
Other information - Leicester C.C. are being asked to accept responsibility for collection of contributions from father.
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