Social reformer and philanthropist. Youngest daughter of William Cotton, remained unmarried. Opened a Home for Friendless Girls in 1865, at Forest Glade, in Whipp's Cross Road. Then 1876, she bought the 8-acre estate in Davies Lane once owned by Mary Bosanquet, together with the house, which she re-named "The Pastures". There she built, in 1879, the "Home of the Good Shepherd" for young girls. This included an industrial laundry. She arranged that on her death it would be taken over by the Clewer Sisters, a religious community. It closed c. 1940-2 when the children were evacuated, and was not reopened after WW2. Premises sold 1948.
(Note: The Community of St John Baptist was established in Clewer in 1852 as an Anglican Religious Community for women, initially to run the House of Mercy established in Clewer in 1849 to rescue "fallen women".)
Including the Pastures, the site is extensive but still (2024) seems to be in community use.
There seems to be no image of Agnes so we are using a plan of The Pastures and the Industrial Home (girls).
Sources include: , , , .
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