Summer camps for Manchester children

Leaving  Southport

The story of British Home Children is one of those episodes which just goes to show how messy history can be.

Back in the late 19th century when it was in full swing the idea of taking destitute children who were at risk away from the danger and dirt of our cities to new lives in Canada seemed the right thing to do.

There were those who objected to the policy both on political and practical grounds.  For the socialist Guardians on the board of the Chorlton Union the case for sending children was unproven.

Not only did it smack of exporting a problem we should deal with here but there were serious questions about the degree to which the children were treated and the lack of follow up reports.

All of which was bound up with the bigger issues of how the poor were treated, the failure of the capitalist economy and the vision of an alternative society.

Others had expressed their concerns almost from the beginning.

But then as now there were plenty who saw the policy as a genuine way of saving young people. A few saw it as a way of getting rid of children who might slide into criminality others as a a means of populating Canada, while the Unions had done their arithmetic and were persuaded that the cost of sending children across the Atlantic was cheaper than marinating them here.

And as ever there were those who did well in their adopted country and others who were abused, neglected and exploited.

All of which shows just how messy history can be.

More so when it comes to looking in detail at the organisations who sent the children.  Some were heavily involved and have not come out of the inspection well, while others engaged in the policy for just a short time and saw it as only one of a number of strategies to be used in helping young people.

At the summer camp, Southport

The Manchester & Salford Boys’ and Girls’ ‘Refuges while they participated in the scheme were more interested in providing the means by which young people could make a fresh start here in Britain.  

And part of this work involved them in providing holidays and summer camps all of which is covered in the latest posting form their archivist should be on the provision of a summer break.
They've been chucking salt in it!  http://togethertrustarchive.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/theyve-been-chucking-salt-in-it.html#more

Pictures; courtesy of the Together Trust, http://togethertrustarchive.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-together-trust.html