Catherine Gurney OBE, St Andrew’s House, Harlow Moor Rd, Harrogate, N Yorks, UK - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The plaque reads

“Catherine Gurney OBE

St Andrews, the Police Treatment Centre, was established by charity worker and philanthropist Catherine Gurney OBE ( 19th June 1848 – 11th August 1930), who, concerned with police welfare, set up police convalescent homes and orphanages. In January 1898 the former private St George’s School in Harrogate was re-opened as The Northern Police Orphanage, later known as St George’s House, the Convalescent Home being contained in the same property, until a new building, St Andrews designed by HS Chorley of leeds and built at a cost of £9,500 was opened on 16th May 1903 by Viscountess Mointgarret. St George’s was demolished in 1976, but St Andrews remains as a valuable amenity where injured police officers receive the latest treatments and therapies to assist their recovery.”

The plaque was unveiled on 22nd April 2012

Catharine Gurney was born to a wealthy Quaker family in 1848. She was a determined woman, years ahead of her time. In the early 1870s she began a bible class in Wandsworth. By 1883 she formed the International Christian Police Association. This resulted in a Police Institute being opened in London. A Police Convalescent Seaside Home at Clarendon Villas, West Brighton and the Southern Police Convalescent Home & Orphanage, Hove were opened in 1890. By 1897 Catherine Gurney turned her attention to Harrogate, where she raised funds to purchase St George’s College and to construct St Andrew’s House. The orphanage, opened in 1898, took in 644 children until it closed in 1956.

Type of Historic Marker: Plaque Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Harrogate Civic Society Age/Event Date: 04/22/2012 Related Website: [Web Link] Give your Rating:

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