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The care of indigent chilkdren was not at first taken on by the British Government. The Poor Laws established work houuses whicgh were funded by local governments, but conditions were often terrible. Charitable groups, notaby churches, stepped in to assist the children. The most important was the Methodist National Children's Homes (NCH). The Reverend Thomas Bowman Stephenson was apauled at the living conditions of homeless children, mostly boys in London. He remembers listening to homeless children living under the arches of Waterloo station (1860s). He writes, "There they were, ragged, shoeless, filthy, their faces pinched with hunger, and premature wretchedness staring out of their too bright eyes, and I began to feel that now my time had come. Here were my poor little brothers and sisters sold to Hunger and the Devil, and I could not be free of their blood if I did not at least try to save some of them." He decided that some action needed to be taken. The young Methodist minister, with the help of two Methodist friends, converted a disused stable block into 'The Children's Home' and took in their first two boys (1869). The first children he took in from the streets were Fred and George. Thery would not have to face the rigors of the workhouse.in 1869. From this small beginning in Waterloo, an important charity was launched -- the National Children's Home (NCH). The home was moved to Bonner Road, Lambeth and girls were admitted (1871). The home was approved by the Wesleyan Methodist Conference in the same year. The NCH began participating in emigration schemes to the Dominions. The first group of children were sent to Canada where a NCH home was opened (1873). At the time the NCH had very few facilities of its own in Britain. There were far nore children in need than could be cared for by the organization in its early phase. The NCH homes were divided into small family units run by a 'house mother' and 'house father'. This was in sharp contrast to the large institutional orphanages and workhouses functioning at the time. Training to prepare the children for jobs was an important part of the NCH approch. A childcare course was established (1878). The gradduates became 'the Sisterhood' or 'the Sisters of the Children'. The NCH took over an Industrial School at Milton, Gravesend (1875). A children's refuge in Ramsey on the Isle of Man was established (1882). With the opening of the Princess Alice Orphanage in Birmingham the Home was renamed to 'Children's Home and Orphanage'.
Some 100 orphanages were eventually founded, mostly in England. The organizatiin got its name (1908). A major problem they faced was the children were in such poor health. And the most serious illness was tuberculosis, at the time commonly called 'comsumption. Children living in poor comditions were particularly vulnerable. Sonething like 30 percent of the children taken in by the NCH had contracted tuberculosis. To deal with this problem, the NCH began opening sanatoria. The NCH is today known as Action for Children. The Methodist Church continues to support Action for Children. Over time, the work has shifted away from orphanage home towards community-based projects such as children's centers and intensive family support services, to support vulnerable families and try to prevent potential problems.
The care of indigent chilkdren was not at first taken on by the British Government. The Poor Laws established work houuses whicgh were funded by local governments, but conditions were often terrible. Commonly children past a certin age preferred to live on the street.
Charitable groups, notaby churches, stepped in to assist the children. The most important was the Methodist National Children's Homes (NCH).
Thomas Bowman Stephenso was born Newcastle-upon-Tyne into a karge relgious family (1939). He was sevnth child of a Wesleyan minister. His mother was not well so as a young boy he was vared for by his aunt. The family moved a great deal as his father bministered to several different churches. The young Stephenso was enbclined toward opursuing a legal csareer. Then by chance he stood in for aeacher and soon decided to become a ministee himself. He studied for 2 years at a Methodust College in Richmond. As he began his clerical career, he was particulsrlybinterested in reaching peiple who wre no church goers, meaning primarily working-class families. He met and married his wife Ellen (1864). He received an assignent fir a church in Lonson --the Warterloo Road Chapel in Lambeth. This was a poor, working-class nighnorhood. He wirked on meeting non-church goers in the neiughbirhood. He even set up a plaform outside the church. Iy=t is at this time, tyhe mny abndoned children cnme to his attention. Rev. Steohenson was apauled at their living conditions, mostly boys in London. He remembers listening to homeless children living under the arches of Waterloo station (1860s). He writes, "There they were, ragged, shoeless, filthy, their faces pinched with hunger, and premature wretchedness staring out of their too bright eyes, and I began to feel that now my time had come. Here were my poor little brothers and sisters sold to Hunger and the Devil, and I could not be free of their blood if I did not at least try to save some of them." He decided that some action needed to be taken.
The young Methodist minister, with the help of two Methodist friends, converted a disused stable block into 'The Children's Home' and took in their first two boys (1869). The first children he took in from the streets were Fred and George. They would not have to face the rigors of the workhouse.in 1869. From this small beginning in Waterloo, an important charity was launched -- the National Children's Home (NCH). The home was moved to Bonner Road, Lambeth and girls were admitted (1871). The home was approved by the Wesleyan Methodist Conference in the same year.
The NCH homes were divided into small family units run by a 'house mother' and 'house father'. This was in sharp contrast to the large institutional orphanages and workhouses functioning at the time.
Training to prepare the children for jobs was an important part of the NCH approch.
A childcare course was established (1878). The gradduates became 'the Sisterhood' or 'the Sisters of the Children'.
The NCH took over an Industrial School at Milton, Gravesend (1875). A children's refuge in Ramsey on the Isle of Man was established (1882). With the opening of the Princess Alice Orphanage in Birmingham the Home was renamed to 'Children's Home and Orphanage'. Some 100 orphanages were eventually founded, mostly in England. The organizatiin got its name (1908).
The NCH began participating in emigration schemes to the Dominions. At the time the NCH had very few facilities of its own in Britain. There were far more children in need than could be cared for by the organization in its early phase. Many of the children were not oeohans, but chilren whose parents or parent could not acre for them. We do mot know to what extent family nmembtrs were consulted. Stephenson went to America and Canada to prepare fora n emigrtion Most of the emigration children were sent to Canada. he first group of children were sent to Canada where a NCH home was opened (1873).The numbers were not large, but over 3,000. Emigration was halted during World War I because of the U-boat danger. After the War, Canada halted the program for children below working age. There were also reports of some of the children being mistreated. The NCH shifteted the effort primarily to Australia. After World War II, Australia ammounced a desire to receive a very large number of European immigrants. The NCH participated in this effort, but not a large number of children. A tragic incident in which a fister familyv strved abd bet boy to death led to a giverbment inquiry. The Curtis Report led to majoe assessment intyo the care of indiugehnt children--the Curtis Report (1q945). After World War II, the Labour Government significntly expnded welfare prograns in England, including care for indigent children and emigrtion ptograms were ended. Even before the War, the NCH hadalready begun to plce a greater emohasis on domestic adoption.
The children taken in by the NCH were often wearing rags, often barefoot. Thus they had to be prpvided clothing. We have very lottle information about what was provided. We do not even know if there was a uniform. The Metofistt Church may have conducted cloithiung drives. And new clothing must have been purchased for the children as well. An English reader has found a jacket on display at the Bolton Museum. It was discovered at an old NCH home -- Edgeworth Home which became Crownthorn School. It is believed to have dated to the late =-19th century. It is believed to have dated to the late-19th century. It is a grey jacket, we think a flannel cut-away jacket.
A major problem they faced was the children were in such poor health. And the most serious illness was tuberculosis, at the time commonly called 'comsumption. Children living in poor comditions were particularly vulnerable. Sonething like 30 percent of the children taken in by the NCH had contracted tuberculosis. To deal with this problem, the NCH began opening sanatoria.
The NCH is today known as Action for Children. The Methodist Church continues to support Action for Children. Over time, the work has shifted away from orphanage home towards community-based projects such as children's centers and intensive family support services, to support vulnerable families and try to prevent potential problems.
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