The Together Trust Archive The Forty-Second Annual Report of the Manchester and Salford Boys' and Girls' Refuges and Homes and Children's Aid Society [1912] Reference number: DA/2020/1/8 (1911) Original copies can be viewed at Manchester Central Library Rare Books Collection: 362.7M1 1910-12 © 2021 The Together Trust FORTY- SECOND 'I Kindly circulate this Report as widely as possible ANNUAL REPORT Extra copies may be obtained at the Central Refuge. OF THE Strangeways. MANCHESTER AND SALFORD THOS. R. ACKROYD, Hon. Sec. Boys' and Girls' Refuges and Homes Strangeways, Manchester, AND April, I9II. CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY. 1911. "$till w!reresoeVer pit}] shareo Its bread vlith sorrow', want arrd sin, Jlnd love the beggar's feast prepares, :the urrinVited Guest comes irr. Vrrheard, because our ears are dull, Vrrseen, because our e}]es are dim, cJfe walko on earth, :the ·WonderfJ.l1, Jlnd all good deeds are dorre to cJfim." "These Homes are based upon Christian principles. they are managed by practical methods, and are doing a great work for all the Churches. They are doing the work of ten Societies, and are in danger of only receiving the support of one."-THE LORD BISHOP OF MANCHESTER (Dr. Moorhouse) a.t the rlnuua.l Meeting, 1892. \ Manchester and .5altord BOYS' AND GIRLS' REFUGES AND HOMES AND CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY, STRANGEWAYS, MANCHESTER. Trl/stees: LORD ROTHERIIAM. - ALDERMAN JAMES FILDRS, J. P. -HENRY CHARLTON, Esq., J.P. HARRY E. GADDUM, Esq., J. P. W. A. ARNOLD, Esq. BRIAN CROSSLEY, ESQ. THEODORE CREWDSON, Esq.,J.P. ROBT. N. BARCLAY, Esq. •Property Tmstees of the Institlltioll. Committee: ALDERMAN J. FILDES, J.P., Chllirl1um. JAMES BOYD. COUNCILLOR ARTHUR TAYLOR. THOMAS R. ACKROYD. WM. C. DUNKERLEY. MRS. LEONARD K. SHAW. GEO. LEADER WILLIAMS. HARRY E. GADDUM, J.P. BRIAN CROSSLEY. Honorary Sec: THOMAS R. ACKROYD, Centl'lll Rejuge. HOIl. Treasurer: HENRY CHARLTON, ESQ., J .P, Honorary Medical Officers: Central Refllg'e \,yorking Youths' Home Street Emigration and \~'orkshops. ANDREW BOUTFLOWER, ESQ., M.R.C.S., Kersal. and Institute. Bo)'~' Home. Training Home. EDWARD J. WALKER, ESQ., M.D., Strangeways. ANDREW B. FULTON, ESQ., M.B., C.M., Cheetham Hill. Gl'OUp of Homes at Strangeways. J. HOWSON RAY, ESQ., M.B., Ch.M., F.R.C.S., Victoria Park. THOMAS YOUNG, ESQ., M.D., C.M., Ardwick. HOllorary Dentists: WILLIAM SIMMS, ESQ., L.D.S. HAROLD SIMMS, ESQ., M.D., L.D.S. A. T. SPAVEN, ESQ., L.D.S. HOl10rary Solicitors: MESSRS. FARRAR & CO., Fountain Street. Honorary COlillsel : A. C. MABERLY, ESQ. EDMUND SUTTON, ESQ. Secretary,' WM. EDMONDSON. Sup6rilitellliellts oj Celltral Rejllge: MR. & MRS. F. A. WOOD. Ba'lkers: The UNION BANK OF MANCHESTER, Limited. Summary of Annual Meeting. Tlte Forty-Seco1ld Ammal Meeting of tlte Mallchester alld Salford Boys' alld Girls' Re/lt~eS alld Homes, (Llld Cltildren's Aid Society, W,tS held ilt the Towit Hall, Manchester, all Thursday, ApYil lIth, 1912, at 3-30 0'clock. The chair was taken by the Lord Mayor, (Coun. S. W. Royse, J.P.), who was supported by Mrs. Archibald Mackirdy, The Rev. Canon Edwards-Rees, M.A., D.D., Rev. Frank Y. Leggatt, Rev. Robl. Wallace, E.R. Li~htwood, Esq., B.A., J.P., E.J. Broadfield, Esq., J.P., Alderman Fildes, J.P., Theodore Crewdson, Esq., J.P., Geo. H. Charlesworth, Esq., W. A. Arnold, Esq" Dr. Boutflower, and others. The Rev. T. Edleston offered prayer. The Annual Report and Balance Sheet were presented. The Han. Sec., Mr. Thos. R. Ackroyd, gave a summary of the Report, which was taken as read, and also an abstract of the Financial Statement in the absence of the Han. Treasurer, Mr. H. Charlton. It was then moved by the Lord Mayor, seconded by Mrs. Archibald Mackirdy, supported by the Rev. Canon Edwards-Rees, M.A., D.D., and resolved ;- " That the Report togetlt,er with the Finallcial Statemeltt be adopted, "rillted and circnlated, ltllder tlte directioll oj the Committef.' , It was also moved by the Rev. Frank Y. Leggatt, M.A., seconded by Rev. Robl. Wallace, supported by E. R. Lightwood, Esq., B.A., J.P., and resolved:- ,­ "TlII/,t tlte Committee tor tlte ensllillg year be M,'. James Boyd, AldermanJallles Fildes, Mrs. L.K. Shaw, COltnC. ArthllY TayloY. Messrs. I Har'YY E. GlIddltllt, W. C. Dlmkel'ley, Geo. Leader Williams, alld Briall Crossley, The Han. Secreta'Yy, Tltos. R. AckYoyd ; The HOlt. TrMsllrer, Mr. HCltry Cltarltoll ; a1ld tlte A u.ditors, Messrs. JOlles, Crewdso1l, alld YOltatt. " A vote of thanks to the Lord Mayor for use of his parlour and to the Lady Mayoress for kindly providing hospitality, proposed by Alderman Fildes, and sllconded by H. E. Gaddum, Esq., closed the proceedings. FORTY-SECO D OF THE MANCHESTER AND SALFORD Boys' and Girls' Refuges and Homes, AND CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY, POR THE YEAR 1911. NDER whatsoever figure we seek to present our work on behalf of poor, neglected, homeless children, it U must have an added significance when it is realised that it has stood as an integral part of the city's agencies for social amelioration for forty-two years. If we think of it as a battle in the interests of these distressed children against conditions of poverty, degradation, cruelty and neglect, it is surely one element of worthiness that it has been no mere skirmish but a steady, organised, persistent campaign, with ever extending operations, for that long period. We may therefore be allowed perhaps to indulge for a moment in the legitimate pride of baving served the highest intere..ts of the community for more than a generation. Beginning of the Work. The work was conceived in a spirit of pure pity for the homeless street lad whose existence in those days was by no Mr. JAMES BOYD, mealls an uncommon fact in the life of the city. Member of ommittee since r886. 6 The founders of the Institution, Mr. Leonard K. Shaw and NIr. Richard B.Taylor, relate the incident which led them to take action. They were both connected with St. Ann's Ragged School, Queen Street, Deansgate. One Sunday night in the winter of 1869 the school had been dismissed, but two boys, ragged, cold, and hungry looking still lingered behind. On being questioned why they did not go home their reply was "V\!e've got nowhere to go." Investigation afterwards proved the truth of their statement, and it was found that one had been sleeping under a railway arch in Salford, and the other up an old staircase in a Deansgate entry. It was proved also that these were by 110 means isolated cases, and it was there and then decided that at least shelter for the night should be provided for these little waifs of society-nobody's children. The work steadily grew from the rented house with a few hammocks for homeless lads to the various branches now sheltering nearly 500 poor children. Value to the Community. An Institution such as ours has now come to be 1 thought of as an es ential part of the social fabric of a modern community, for it is felt that the children who have I lost their natural guardians or who are living under conditions of moral degradation must be cared for if the community, of which they form a part, is to retain a true self-respect and I~.~~ protect itself against the menace of increased pauperism and crime. First Home: And yet it is 111 comparatively recent times that the Opened ill <Juay Street, Deallsgate, for llmll less Lads, 42 years ago. public conscience 111 this matter has been created. A 7 generation ago the homeless child, as we have indicated, was a commonplace of our large cities. During the last forty years much has been done for the amelioration of the condition of poor children generally, both by voluntary and State action. These two forms of activity, however, have not been so much concurrent as equential. Voluntary efforts prompted by humanitarian and religious considerations seem to have been necessary alike to the national realisation of the shameful wrong done to these children and the possible reparation in the interests of the children and the State alike. Example to the State. It is remarkable in the history of legislative enactments on behalf of children how they have followed as a result of public opinion formed by the labours of individual philan­ thropists. This applies of course to other phases of social legislation but has perhaps been more marked in relation to children. It is therefore gratifying to reflect upon the fact that not only has the Institution been active in rendering aid to tens of thousands of children since its establishment in 1870 , but that with many other societies it has been at the same tirme a factor in generating a national concern for poor neglected children which has crystallised into permanent State help in many forms. The Voluntary Agency in dealing with necessitous children has not only educated the State but it has also called into being a new spirit in those who come into direct contact with the children and have the responsibility of their training. Mere officialism is largely becoming lost in a true desire to develop the )'Olmg life on the natural lines of home influence From Elist to West. Jgos-Living in dangerous surroundings. L. lind E. C. 19lI-Five years ill Ci.lllada, doing splendidly 8 as far as possible, and to enable it to take a worthy part in the life of the community. The Cottage Homes of Poor Law Unions in many cases bear eloquent testimony to this fact.