Heathfield Home for Girls & the story of three sisters

In April 1878, eight years into the Charity's existence their first service for girls was established. Named 'Heathfield', this 'home for destitute girls' was located in Broughton Lane. The service only lasted 14 years, closing in 1892, by which time the Charity had already established Rosen Hallas, another home specifically for girls. Heathfield was however an important milestone in the Charity's history, widening the care provided and prompting an addition to the Charity's name in becoming, 'The Manchester and Salford Boys' and Girls' Refuges and Homes.'

M189/9/1/1 Heathfield Home for Girls

The Charity's magazine in November 1880 states the girls varied in age at Heathfield from 'seven to seventeen' although when more established Heathfield generally accommodated girls aged over 10. The article notes Mr Richard Bramwell Taylor, one of the Charity's original founders had charge of the home.

As with the Charity's other homes, the circumstances of the girls who were admitted were invariably tragic often with parents having died or been imprisoned. The younger girls at Heathfield undertook schoolwork while the older girls would have been taught domestic chores such as laundry and housework and the Charity's magazine in 1883 advertised how Heathfield took in washing from families in the locality for a moderate charge. While domestic service was the predominant form of employment for the girls, the January 1888 Charity magazine recounts the Matron of Heathfield running into an 'old girl' of Heathfield now working as a teacher. 

Some of the girls admitted to Heathfield were later sent to work in Canada. There were 10 children emigrated to Canada in July 1886 largely from the Heathfield home. The charity's magazine notes they were seen off at Liverpool by the Matron of Heathfield along with Richard Bramwell Taylor and they travelled under the direction of Dr Banarndo and Ms Rye. 

The need for a home for girls was evident from a series of letters published in the Guardian newspaper in June 1881, also referred to in the Charity's own magazine. The articles recounted an incredible story of three sisters from Manchester. The sisters were described as having been deserted by a drunken mother. Having no place to stay the girls started a journey in search of their father who was believed to be in Glasgow. They carried their youngest sister who was too small to walk. Travelling on foot they made applications to the police in various towns for accommodation, managing to reach Annan in Scotland where the police ordered their detention in a workhouse while efforts were made to locate their father.

 In response to these newspaper accounts, Leonard K. Shaw one of the Charity's founders wrote to the Guardian newspaper offering Heathfield as a home if the father could not be found. The children were admitted into the Charity's care on 30 June 1881, their ages recorded as 12, 8 and 2. Their mother is noted to be imprisoned and their father's whereabouts is listed as unknown. In June 1886 all three sisters sailed for Canada with the records showing that the older sister wished to emigrate to stay out of the reach of her mother. The girl's names appear in the admission book as Margaret, Alice and the youngest as Ellen also referred to as Nellie. A photo in the archive from the early 1880s of a 'Nellie' around the correct age and holding her doll, leads me to believe this to be the youngest sister involved in the epic journey to Scotland.

M189/9/1/1 'Nellie' c. 1882 or 1883

The Charity's June 1892 magazine notes how Mrs Opie, the Matron of Heathfield since it's inception was due to retire. By this time Rosen Hallas, a training home and laundry established to prepare girls for emigration was well established having opened in May 1886 and located in a more convenient location close to the Charity's Orphan Homes in Cheetham Hill. With the Heathfield property being rented it was more economical for the girls from Heathfield to be moved to Rosen Hallas which occurred at the end of June 1892 and Heathfield was then closed. The August 1892 edition of the Charity magazine acknowledged however that, 'Heathfield was where our girl's work first began.'

To read more about the Together Trust's history, Andrew Simpson's book 'The Ever Open Door' can be purchased through our enquiry page.