An Abstract from the Account of the Asylum, Or

A N ABSTRACT FROM THE ACCOUNT OF THE ASYLUM, O R, HOUSE OF REFUGE, SI.UATE IN THE PARISH OF LAMBETH, In the County of Surry ; INSTITUTED IN THE YEAR 17*58, FOR THE RECEPTION OF FRIENDLESS AND DESERTED ORPHAN GIRLS, The Settlement of whofe Parents cannot be found. PRINTED BY ©RDER OF THE GUARDIANS, 1799. A N ABSTRACT, Kc. r HOUGH the excellency of our laws, and the benevolence of the national chara&er feem to have made a provifion for almoft every fpecies of diftrefs to which the poor are liable, yet fituations will fometimes ari/'e, which the moft aftive and watch- ful charity could not at firft forefee. , and other indi- The children offoldiers, failors , their at a gent perfons bereft of parents , difiance to from relations, and too young afford the neceffary information refp effing fettlements, are often left de- and at when finite of proteffion fupport, an age they are incapable of earning fubfiftence , and contending with the dangers whichfurround them. Females of this defcription are, in a peculiar manner, objects of companion ; and have alfo a double claim to the care of the humane and virtu- ous, from being not only expofed to the miferies of want and idlenefs, but, as they grow up, to felicitations of the vicious, and to all the dread- ful confequences of early fedudlion. 1 his Charity owes Its ellablilhment to that vigilant and adkive Magiftrate, the late Sir John Fielding ; who had long obferved, that though the laws ofthis kingdom had provided a parijhfettle- merit every perfon, by for birth, parentage, appren- ticejhip, idc. yet many cafes continually occurred, in -whichfuchfettlements were difficult to he afcertained and therefore he, and others, were folicitous to remove, in part, this fource of female wretched- neis. By their exertions, and the continued endeavours of thofe who have hitherto conducted the plan, their benevolent intentions have been rewarded by the moft fignal fuccefs. The generous and dis- cerning Public has bellowed the Means, which have profpered in the hands of the Guardians, by whole care two hundred deserted females are daily flickered and protected from vice and want, fupplied with food and raiment proper for them, and taught whatever can ren- der them ufeful in their llation, or comfortable and happy in themfelves. Carefully inllrudled in the principles of reli- gion, in reading, writing, needle-work, and houfe- hold bufinefs, and trained to habits ofinduftry and regularity, afupply of diligent andfober domejiics is formed for that Public, which, by its contributions* has fo nobly acquired a right to their fervices. The following are fome of the Regulations for the government of this Charity, which have been made by the Guardians at their Meetings from time to time, and now continue in force. QUALIFICATION OF GUARDIANS. The Qualification of an Annual Guardian, is a yearly fubfcription of Three Guineas, or upwards. The Qualification of a Perpetual Guardian, is a fubfcription of Thirty Guineas, or upwards. Legacies bequeathed to the ufe of this Charity, of One Hundred Pounds and upwards, when paid, fhall entitle the firft named Adling Executor to be a Perpetual Guardian. Ladies and Gentlemen who have fubfcribed lefs than Thirty Guineas, by increafing their laft fubfcription to that fum, within the Year, will he admitted as Perpetual Guardians. Ladies, who are Guardians, are entitled to vote at ail elections of Officers of the houfe, by proxy, fuch proxy being a Guardian ; or by letter, figni- fying the perfon whom they approve. The Guardians, conceiving it to be very eflen- tial for promoting one of the chief objects of this to Infiitutlon, beg leave folicit the Ladies, who are peculiarly qualifiedfor that purpofe,frequently to vift the Charity, the infpeci management of the houfe, and particularly the employment of the children j alfa tofee that they are properly infruffed in houfewlfery, fo as to be qualifiedfor ufeful domeficfervants j and, from time to time, communicate to the Commit- tee, by letter, or otherwife, fuch obfervations as they fhall deem proper to make thereon. GENERAL MEETINGS. There are four General Meetings in the year, for the purpofe of auditing the accounts, and de- termining upon all material bufmefs that may come before them, not immediately within the province of a Committee i fuch Meetings to be held on the jfirft Thurfday in January, April, July, and Oc- tober, at twelve o’clock precifely, of which notice is to be given by public advertifement, and to the Committee by letter. COMMITTEES. A Prefident, fix Vice Prefidents, aTreafurer, and twenty of the Guardians, form a Committee ; to meet every Thurfday, at eleven o’clock in the forenoon, to carry into execution fuch rules and orders as fhall be made at the General Quarterly Meetings ; to examine into the circumftances and defcriptions of fuch children as fhall, from time to time, be preferred for admiffion ; and the qualification of fuch as are to be apprenticed ; and ge- nerally to condud all fuch matters as belong more immediately to their province. The Committee and Treafurer are to be ele£ted annually, at the General Court, in April j and, if any difference of opinion fhould arife, the elec- tion is to be determined by ballot. The Prefident, Vice Prefldents, and Treafu- rer, are of every Committee; and notwithstand- ing particular gentlemen are annually named for the immediate conduct of the Charity, yet every Guardian who pleafes, may attend and vote at Committees, except Annual Guardians, who have not been fuch one year, and paid their fecond fubfcription. Two ofthe Guardians are appointed Visitors and Collectors at the Chapel monthly, to infpedt the regulation and general oeconomy of the houfe, and to make fuch reports to the Suc- ceeding Committee as they, or either of them, ihall think neceifary. DECRIPTION OF CHILDREN AND RULES FOR ADMISSION No child can be admitted, who is under the age of nine, or above the age of twelve years. No child can be admitted till approved of by the Committee. No negro ox mulatto girl can be admitted. The death of the parents of the children ap~ plying for admiffion, is neceflary to be proved, either by parifti regifters, or by the oath of fome creditable witnefs, if required. A copy of the regifter of the death of fuch parents, and the baptifm of the children, is to be produced to the Committee, if poffible. As the children are to be conjiantly employed in the feveral offices of good houfewifery, in order to qualify them for domeftic fervants, no difeafed, deformed, or infirm child can be received 3 and every child is to be examined by the phyficians., furgeons, and matron ; and one of the phyficians or furgeons to fign the certificate, that fire is a proper objedt to be admitted. The certificates of Orphans applying for admiffion, when approved of by the Committee, are to be preferved by the Secretary, and the children are to be admitted in rotation as foon as they fnall obtain prefentations, and vacancies arife. The Guardians are to prefent according to the feniority of their fubfcriptions 3 but no Annual Guardian is to have a right to prefent till after the payment of a fecond fublcription of Three Guineas, or upwards 3 and unlefs the fubfcription be regularly kept up, or the arrears paid, the Guardian lofes the right of prefentation. The Guardians in turn to prefent, are to have notice thereof by letter from the Secretary. The children, whofe qualifications have been approved by the Committee, are to have certificates of fuch approbation granted them by the Se- cretary. If any child is deemed unqualified, the Guar- dian who prefented her is immediately to be made acquainted therewith. If it jhall appear, after any child has been received into the Houfe, that either parent Is alive., or that \ herfettlcment is afcertained fuch child, fo fraudu- the lently admitted, Jhall be immediately font to faid parent orfettlcment. EMPLOYMENT OF THE CHILDREN. The children are to make and mend their own linen, make (hurts, drifts, and table linen 3 to do all kinds of plain needle-work 3 and to perform the bufinefs of the houfe and kitchen ; to which latter, eight are appointed weekly, according to their age and abilities, to affift the cook ; to wadi, iron, and get up all the linen. They are like- wife taught to read the Bible, write a legible hand, and cad up a dim in addition. Shirts, drifts, table-linen, and all kinds of plain needle-work are taken in at the Afylum, and per- formed by the children at the following rates ; s. d. s. d. A full trimmedfhirt or fliift, from 2 o to 3 o A plain ditto I 3 2 3 Table cloths 0 4o 9 Fine napkins, per dozen 16 00 Common ditto, ditto 1 o— 0 o Common pocket handkerchiefs dit. 10 20 Cambric ditto, ditto 3 o— o o Sheets, per pair o— 3 o And coarfer work proportionably cheap RULES FOR PLACING OUT THE CHILDREN. The children are to be bound apprentices for feven years, at the age of fifteen, or fooner, as domeftic fervants, in reputable families in Great Britain. No girl {hall be apprenticed until the character of the matter or miftrefs, applying #for the fame, fnall have been enquired into, and approved of by the Committee.* Every perfon applying for an apprentice, muft appear at the Committee, to give the neceffary information refpedling their fituation, unlefs fuch appearance be difpenfed with by the Committee. When any girl {hall become qualified to be an apprentice, the Guardian who prefented her {hall be acquainted therewith, in order to know whe- ther fuch Guardian has any place in view for her.

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