Together Trust Archive

Back in 2010 the Together Trust was contacted by the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool. Their query was for images and information about the charity and its involvement in child emigration for a new project between the museum and the Australian National Maritime Museum . The result was a website and exhibition, bringing to life the stories of those sent out to Canada and Australia during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. After its recent tour of Australia the exhibition, ‘ On their own: Britain's child migrant s’ is now coming to Liverpool on the 17th October to engage the British public with this poignant part of English history. Emigration party outside Manchester Town Hall, 1897

The First World War ended many established services that had been set up by the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes. Activities such as the five workshops were closed naturally as the apprentices of age went off to war. Other homes were shut down in an attempt to save money. The final closure saw the halt of the emigration service.  Emigration Party outside the Town Hall

Out of all of the individuals associated with the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes there is one name that continues to frustrate me. This gentleman has a continued presence around the illustrious name of the charity and yet we know very little about him. That person is Robert Shaw, only son of our founder Leonard Shaw and his wife Annie . 

In the Refuge Conference Hall ,  Strangeways, on March 7th 1915, 24 youths of the Central Refuge made the Scout three-fold promise:-  To be loyal to God and the King,  To help other people at all times, To obey the Scout Law .  And so formed the 218th Manchester Troup of the Baden Powell Scouts.

The death of Thomas Johnson in 1915 brings us neatly this week to the financial effects of the 'Great War' on the Refuge during this time. As many stories focus on the individual sacrifices made, it is as important to understand the work that continued at home. It was a fine line between success and defeat for the charity as the inevitable effects of the War took hold. Four years of closures, reduced income and increased admissions saw the charity in its worst financial position since its beginnings. 'In the Refuge'