Collection search - Church of England Children's Society fonds [textual record (microform)] London, England

Record information – Brief
1
Church of England Children's Society fonds [textual record (microform)] London, England

Hierarchical level:

Fonds

Date:

1882-1957.

Reference:

R18344-0-0-E, MG28-I335

Type of material:

Textual material

Found in:

Archives / Collections and Fonds

Item ID number:

107247

Context of this record:

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Church of England Children's Society fonds
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Record information – Details

Date(s):

1882-1957.

Place of creation:

No place, unknown, or undetermined

Extent:

39 microfilm reels negative and positive.

Language of material:

English

Scope and content:

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Fonds consists of the following microfilmed material: emigration agenda minute books 1910-1932, Register Emigration Parties book 1921-1932, Elizabeth Rye Home (Toronto) minute book 1929-1933, reel A-1137; Homes Abroad and Emigration papers 1927-1929, Homes Abroad and Emigration Papers (Toronto) 1925-1957, Homes Abroad and Emigration Papers (Sherbrooke, Quebec) 1893, 1905-1920, microfilm reels A-1138 to A-1139; bound volumes of printed papers "Annual Reports" 1882-1896, microfilm reel A-1140; bound volumes of printed papers "Our Waifs and Strays" 1882-1889, microfilm reels A-1141 to A-1142; bound volumes of printed papers "Brothers and Sisters, Our Waifs and Strays" 1890-1952, microfilm reels A-1142 to A-1175.

Provenance:

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Church of England Children's Society

Biography/Administrative history:

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Church of England Children's Society : The original name of the Church of England Children's Society was the Church of England Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays which was founded in 1881 and changed to its present name in 1946.

Edward de Montjoie Rudolf, a Sunday school superintendent in London, formed the Church agency in order to help destitute and homeless children who lived on the streets and alleyways of the city and to provide proper homes for the orphans. With the help of the Archbishop of Canterbury and other concerned Church of England members, the Society commenced its work.

The Society's initial efforts centred on the removal of "street arabs" and "gutter children" from their immoral surroundings. Neglected or ill-treated boys and girls also became targets for the organization's benevolence. The children entered receiving homes to await placement with suitable foster parents in healthy respectable homes. If this course proved impossible, the Church of England Society cared for small groups in supervised homes instead of large institutions. Close to 100 homes existed by the end of the nineteenth century.

Following the actions of child workers such as Maria Rye, Miss MacPherson and Dr. Barnardo, officials of the Society sent groups of boys and girls to the colonial dominions, especially Canada. The Society believed Canada offered a healthy environment for young people to build new lives. The initial destination was Sherbrooke, Quebec, where the Society operated two receiving homes namely the Benyon Home for boys and the Gibbs Home for girls. The boys were then placed with farm families where they worked as labourers and the older girls entered domestic service. Some children were finally adopted by their foster parents.

Emigration reached it's peak before the First World War where 192 children went to Canada in 1907 and 152 in 1913. The Society's work was interrupted for six years due to the war and resumed in 1920. During the late twenties the English headquarters of the Waifs and Strays attempted to establish local committees to oversee the operation of the Canadian homes, but only the Toronto Committee appears to have enjoyed brief success from 1929-1931. Juveniles continued their trek to Canada until the depression of the 1930s when the demand for labourers and demestic service decreased dramatically because of the economic crisis. The Elizabeth Rye Home in Toronto closed permanently at the end of 1931 because of financial difficulties.

The Second World War stopped all emigration plans and the Society concentrated on caring for war orphans and providing assistance to families experiencing financial trouble in England. Emigration resumed on a limited scale in 1949 to Rhodesia and Australia but not Canada. The changing focus of the Society combined with the new social legislation introduced by the British government after the war made emigration an outdated solution to the problem of orphan and mistreated children.

Finding aid:

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Textual records: (Paper) List of documents contained on each microfilm. MSS2001

Additional information:

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General note:

Acquired in 1976, 1977 and 1978 from PAC Office, London, England.

Subject heading:

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Orphans Church of England Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays

Source:

Private

Related control no.:

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1978/M423

Former archival reference no.:

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MG28-I335
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Conditions of access:

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Textual records: microform

[Consultation90 Open]

Finding aid box [FA 2001] 527--530

[Consultation 10 Closed]

Microfilm reel A-1137--A-1175

[Consultation 90 Open]

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Date modified:: 2024-05-10