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HISTORY
St Mary's Home, Tudhoe, had its beginings as 'Tudhoe Certified Poor Law School' (for girls), a charitable institution set up September 1871 to provide for 'the maintenance and education of poor, destitute Catholic children... especially those ... detained in workhouses...' (Quote from the Catholic Publication, 'the Tablet', March 1st 1873) 
St Mary's, Tudhoe.
The premises of the Poor Law School had formerly been the schoolhouse of the 'Tudhoe Academy', a boarding school for Catholic boys which was opened in 1778 and in operation until 1808 when Usahw College was opened for the training of Catholic priests.
In 1876 the Academy then became an orphanage. The building was demolished in 1889 and in 1901 a new building was constructed on the site of the original schoolhouse; 'Tudhoe Home for Destitute Girls' was formally opened with a capacity for 128 girls up to the age of thirteen.
This home in turn became St Mary's Home which was run by the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul, and in its early days accommodated girls. 
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Wednesday 07 October 1891
St Mary's Home Girls 1937.
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Although often referred to as 'St Mary's Orphanage', St Mary's was not an orphanage - an orphan in the strictest sense being a child whose parents are deceased. For whilst its numbers did of course include orphaned children, it also housed children who had been abandoned, who had been put into care, or taken from their parents/families for reasons such as neglect.
Closed in 1965, the home was demolished in 1968. Whilst the site of the home is now the 'St Mary's Grove' housing estate, the Church of St Charles of Borromeo adjacent to the home still stands.
Closed in 1965, the home was demolished in 1968. Whilst the site of the home is now the 'St Mary's Grove' housing estate, the Church of St Charles of Borromeo adjacent to the home still stands.
St Mary's home standing adjacent to St Charles church.
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St Mary' Grove today stands in the place of St Mary's Home.
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