Revealing more of the work of the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls‘ Refuge.

Parent Indenture, 1903

Now I always look forward to a new post from the archivist of the Together Trust which hold the records of the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls‘ Refuge.

From 1870 this charity extended its work from providing a bed and a meal for destitute children from the twin cities to an organisation which campaigned for the rights of children, offered training to enable young people to rise from poverty and settled some on farms and homes across Canada.

What I particularly like is the insight into the work of the charity and today’s post focuses on the agreement undertaken by the charity, the children and their parents.

There maybe those who criticise the language of the indentures as a tad patronising and question also the degree to which a parent was expected to surrender authority over their child in favour of the charity and I have to say they sit uncomfortably with me.

But that merely goes to highlight the degree to which poverty and the lack of real State intervention made the work of such charities necessary.

As the secretary of the Manchester & Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges reflected the charity had “during its forty-six years helped 10,831 children, and “besides these thousands of temporary cases have been helped [along with] poor delicate children sent to the seaside home, ........ poor boys sent to summer camps for a week’s holiday which have numbered no fewer than 55,891.” *

This was a record set against the desperate degree of poverty and hardship experienced by our homeless children back in the 1870s who were “getting their living by begging, selling papers and matches, or by blacking boots in the streets, and when they could not raise 3d. for a night in a common lodging house slept out.

They were to be found lying under stalls in Shudehill Market, in the various alleys under the railway arches, and among bales of cotton in railway yards.”

Forty-six years on the secretary commented “I could have taken you to half a dozen places where you would have found young lads sleeping out; today I do not know of one.  Indeed I do not think boys and girls are to be found sleeping out, .... thanks to the work of our own agencies and of others in Manchester and Salford.”

At which point I will stop and direct you to that post which contains some interesting documents with its observations on the work of the charity and offers no better start fo anyone wanting to research the issues of child poverty and destitution..**

Pictures; courtesy of the Together Trust

*The Passing of the City Arab Manchester Guardian January 3rd 1916

**Getting down and dusty, http://togethertrustarchive.blogspot.co.uk/