The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-18 00:00:00

NATIONAL ORPHAN HOME.

The eleventh annual festival of the National
Orphan Home, Ham Common, woe celebrated yesterday
evening at the Star and Garter, Richmond. His Royal
Highness the Duke of Cambridge, who is an unvarying
patron of the institution, and has presided at its festivals on
several encasing, again took the chair, and was supported
by an unusually large assemblage of those who take an in-
terest in the charity, sometlifiteriiii-200 gentlemen and •
number of ladies being present. The origin of the institu-
tion, as may be remembered, was peculiar. It was designed
to provide • refuge, an education, and a means of settlement
indite of the orphan daughter-sof persons who died of cholera,
at • time when that disease was 'nodally rife ; but having
been enablished and its immediate objects having tea oertais
extent passed away, it was continued on the broadest basis
of charity. It has now assumed the position of an asylum
which provides maintenance, clothing, and education for
destitute orphan girls of all ages, dames, and denominations
from all parts of the kiogdom. The children are allowed to
remain in the Home until they are fifteen years of age. As
• proof of the extent of the charity, it was mentioned
that when the children wwe presented in the room last
night to the visitor' many of them were of the tenderest
pure, and in nee instance • baby was carried in the arms of
one of the mistresses of the school. In the institution the
children receive • plain education in English, writing, and
arithmetic ; and also, as one great object of the charity ie
that they should be trained for domestic service, practical
instruction in the kitchen, hone, and laundry. When the
children arrive at 15 years of age,should they cot be provided
for by their friends, the managers of the institution endea-
vour to obtain suitable situations for them.
The Home at present contains 106 orphan girls, who
have been admitted from Gloneenerehire, Somenetabire,
Sbrorshire, Wiltshire, Monmouthshire, Staffordshire, War-
wickshire, Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire,
Essex, Surrey, Sussex, Kent, the City, Southwark, Chelsea,
Lambeth, Rotberhithe, Bermondsey, Blackfrian, Bethnal-
green, Pimlico, Islington, Spitalfields. Unto., kn. Elea
tine for the admission of orphans take place half-yearly
bat the committee will at all times (when there is root)
admit children. without election, by an annual payment
from 10 to 15 guineas, or by one payment of 100 to 150
guineas, according to age. For some time the establish-
ment was located in a house hired for the purpose on
Hain Common, but by great efforts • suitable
building was commenced, and at the present
time the centre, the east wing, and the domestic offices me
completed and occupied. When the west wing is built the
new building will afford accommodation to 200 girls, bass
one hued'.ed and ten more than could be received in the
old buildings. It should be stated that the MAlM-
tics is entirely supported by voluntary contribution and
donations at present, no endowment having yet been 'nab-
limbed. and lands are much needed for the current expenses.
The festival yesterday evening was conducted with an
earnestness and a geniality which particularly mark
these gatherings, all the persons who. were present ap-
pearing to take singular interest in its success and the en-
largement of its beinfite. The Chairman advocated the
claims of the charity with remarkable felicity, and the
"puma in its behaltwas responded to by • liberal subscrip-
tion, amounting, as far as somewhat vague information
emblem it to be stated, to over 2,0001.