The Orphanage closes in 1937
The Police Pensions Act of 1921 hastened the closure of the orphanage as it provided an incentive for the widows to keep their children at home. In December 1936 there were 114 children in the orphanage and 406 outside receiving the compassionate allowance of £20 per child per annum.
On 31st July 1937 the orphanage closed.
On closure, the Memorial Tablets were given to the Metropolitan Police Service for safe keeping and were displayed at Old Scotland Yard until its closure; they were subsequently discovered in the old stores at Brixton prior to being transferred to the museum stores at Charlton.
Clockwise from top left:
- The one remaining severely damaged War Memorial
- Detail showing the laser cut recess lettering
- Sycamore laser cut veneer letters being inserted by hand
- Detail of one of the new carvings