TB or not TB

Our admission books are at the very heart of our archive collection. We have many records relating to the administration of the charity: how it was managed; who was in control; what needed doing on a day-to day business; how money was collected and spent. These are hugely important records to show who we were. However, it is the individuals who tell the real story, not only about the charity itself but also about the evolution of childcare and the social conditions that were experienced in each decade of the Together Trust’s history.

Orphan Home Admission Book

The admission books for our early days give a particular insight into social conditions in Victorian Manchester in the late 19th century. One trend we can look at is health and how children were effected during this period. Our orphan home books for example, often record what happened to the children once they had left our care. This included those who passed away.

Let’s for example take a period of 10 years between 1891 and 1901. Within this period, 18 children died who were in, or had been in, the charity’s care. Out of those 18, 8 of them had died of consumption or tuberculous. At the beginning of the 20th century, tuberculosis was one of the UK's most urgent health problems. TB often affected those who had been poorly fed and were under nourished. It also affected those who lived in dirty and damp homes. In the overcrowded tenements of the industrial cities, one infected person could spread the disease very easily.

Passing the Doctor

The admission books confirm the effects of tuberculous which was known as a lingering disease. They referred in the records to deaths after:

‘several months illness’

‘a long illness’

‘suffering for the last seven months’.

Before entering the orphan homes, children were medically examined by one of the charity’s voluntary doctors. There was a section on medical forms around ‘any tendency to consumption’. It was known this disease could spread if brought into the homes. There was a cottage purchased on George Street near the orphan homes for any ‘weak or ailing’ children. Partly to give them better care but also to minimise the spread of disease.

Consumption was a killer, however by the 1950s, mortality in Europe had decreased by about 90% due to better sanitation, housing and vaccination. 

As well as providing individual stories the admission books also give an insight into social conditions in 19th century Manchester, making them an important resource.

Don't forget to check out our new search engine if you think any of your relatives might have been in one of our homes.