Immediate admission without distinction of creed
Soon after the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes opened its doors back in the wintry months of 1870 the Committee issued its foundation principles:
Despite this however, one of their foundation principles was quite striking – "to give immediate admission to such without distinction of creed". From the beginning the charity took in boys (and later girls) of any faith as long as they were ‘friendless’, ‘homeless’ and ‘destitute’. This caused various disputes with other charities set up to provide care for destitute children of differing creeds.
The Catholic Protection and Rescue Society, which was founded in 1886 and did similar work to the Refuges, was one such charity to raise concerns about the number of Roman Catholic children being brought up by the Refuge in a Protestant environment. They often tried to remove children admitted by the Refuge to ensure they were brought up under Catholic influences.
It is known that if those that brought children to the Refuge stated that they were not Protestant the Refuge would recommend they apply to Roman Catholic Institutions. If no reference to this was made however the ‘Committee held it no part their duty to catechise poor wandering children as to their church or creed’. Letters that remain within the archive collection sometimes show how Catholic children were sent to Catholic institutions from the Refuge and vice versa. At other times however bitter in-fighting could occur over the rescue of a child.
"A strong feature of our work is to rescue those inmates of refuges and institutions in which the free practice of their faith is denied them." – Austin Oates, Secretary of the Catholic Protection and Rescue Society, March 7th 1887, The Manchester Courier.
- To receive homeless and destitute children found in Manchester and Salford and District
- To give immediate admission to such without distinction of creed
- To provide such with suitable food, clothing and industrial training
- To educate such in Christian principles based on the Bible only.
 |
|
Boys were admitted to the Refuge whatever their creed
|
Despite this however, one of their foundation principles was quite striking – "to give immediate admission to such without distinction of creed". From the beginning the charity took in boys (and later girls) of any faith as long as they were ‘friendless’, ‘homeless’ and ‘destitute’. This caused various disputes with other charities set up to provide care for destitute children of differing creeds.
The Catholic Protection and Rescue Society, which was founded in 1886 and did similar work to the Refuges, was one such charity to raise concerns about the number of Roman Catholic children being brought up by the Refuge in a Protestant environment. They often tried to remove children admitted by the Refuge to ensure they were brought up under Catholic influences.
Letter from the Catholic Protection and Rescue Society asking for Roman Catholic
children to be sent to them.
It is known that if those that brought children to the Refuge stated that they were not Protestant the Refuge would recommend they apply to Roman Catholic Institutions. If no reference to this was made however the ‘Committee held it no part their duty to catechise poor wandering children as to their church or creed’. Letters that remain within the archive collection sometimes show how Catholic children were sent to Catholic institutions from the Refuge and vice versa. At other times however bitter in-fighting could occur over the rescue of a child.
"A strong feature of our work is to rescue those inmates of refuges and institutions in which the free practice of their faith is denied them." – Austin Oates, Secretary of the Catholic Protection and Rescue Society, March 7th 1887, The Manchester Courier.
My great grandfather was in the care of the Strangeways Home for a short 5 weeks but we are so thankful for that care and his opportunity to come to Canada with a group of boys from there. :)
ReplyDeleteTD Munro