Miss Mittendorff’s orphans
As noted in the 2013 article about the now-lost Clayton/Mittendorff House in Epsom’s East Street, what began as a school was taken over in about 1880 by the highly religious Miss Dorette Charlotte Mittendorff. She ran the place as a domestic training establishment for orphan girls with the aim of not only caring for those who (in those pre Welfare State days) could so easily be quite destitute but also equipping them for paid work “in service”.
We recently came across another description of Miss Mittendorff’s “Kindergarten” in an 1888 edition of The Quiver magazine. This was founded by John Cassell and published by his “Cassell & Co” from 1861 until 1956 – initially weekly but monthly from 1865.
Subtitled “for Sunday and general reading”, the magazine was explicitly “designed for the defence and promotion of Biblical truth and the advance of religion in the homes of the people.” John Cassell’s prescription for the magazine was to have one article each: to address the intellect; full of gushing feeling to address the heart; of a literary theme; and of a juvenile tale.
The text of that 1888 article is as below.
THE ORPHANS’ KINDERGARTEN
The name of Epsom is with many associated only with the idea of racing; but there, as almost everywhere in these days of Gospel light, the Lord’s people are widely unfurling His standard, and proclaiming His righteousness and love. And here stands the Orphans’ Kindergarten – the home for destitute and deserted children of which Miss Mittendorff is president.
Visitors to Epsom frequently see a throng of red-cloaked little maidens about the streets and lanes, or perched – robin-like – upon the fences, or wandering amidst the sweet, fresh breezes on the Downs. These are Miss Mittendorff’s children – her vast family of girls, whom she takes in between the ages of three and ten to train and educate and fit for domestic service. And the longing and prayer of those who take charge of these little maidens is that all of them may definitely and openly be living witnesses for Him who is the Father of the fatherless.
The wants of the large household are supplied from the Lord’s treasury. Many Christian friends esteem it a privilege to help Miss Mittendorff with gifts of money or kind, for almost everything in the way of food, clothes, house-linen, etc. can be utilised here, and there is a continuous call upon the fluctuating resources. “Once,” says Miss Mittendorff, “when in great distress, I seemed to hear the words, ‘Is the Lord’s hand waxed short, that He cannot help?’.”
Miss Dorette Charlotte Mittendorff.
Public domain image from “The Quiver”, with thanks to the Internet Archive.
The history of the Home is one long record of Almighty aid. Contributions have been received at the time of greatest need, and prayers alike for spiritual and temporal blessing have been richly answered; again and again has the crooked been made straight, and rough places have been made plain.
The Kindergarten can be inspected on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays, after 2.30 pm. May many new friends be moved to make room in their interest and sympathy for this institution, where “nearly a hundred children are in hourly dependence upon our loving Father’s bounty.”
Peter Reed & Roger Morgan 2022