Annie Shaw, playing her part in the rescue of children off our streets

I had better get started on the new project because the Local History Studies Centre in Central Library will close from September 2013 till March 2014, and yes that is where the records of the Manchester & Salford Boys’ & Girls’ Refuges are located.

So in the meantime the new blog story on the work of the charity is to be welcomed.  All the more so because it centres on the work of Annie Shaw which is refreshing given “the influences male individuals had on the charity.”

All too often a handful of men dominate the story of child care and rescue in the late 19th century despite the contribution of women like Annie MacPherson and Maria Rye.

Now I know the jury is still out on the whole issue of migrating our children to Canada and I have made no secret that I think it was misguided but history has not served women well in the story of the charities set up to help young people.

Not that we should be surprised. The century into which all three women were born was one where the legal and political rights of women were severely curtailed as were their career prospects.

Now as ever I see no point in rewriting the work of others and so will just point you towards the blog at

http://togethertrustarchive.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/behind-every-great-man.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+TogetherTrustArchive-GettingDownAndDusty+(Together+Trust+Archive+-+getting+down+and+dusty!)

Picture; by courtesy of the Together Trust