Together Trust Archive

In recognition of black history month the story of Arthur, a young resident of the Charity admitted in April 1892 is well worth re-exploring. Part of Arthur’s story has been recorded previously in this blog but didn’t include this wonderful photograph: M189/9/2/1 emigration book Arthur’s entry in the 1892 admission book originally drew attention with an interesting reference to his father as: ‘ coming over from Africa with “General Tom Thumb” and having settled in Manchr ’ [Manchester]. Charles Sherwood Stratton, more widely known as General Tom Thumb  was a popular performer under the management of P.T Barnum  in the mid nineteenth century and travelled widely around the world. M189/5/1/1/2 from admission book entry 23 April 1892 As shown in the admission book above, Arthur was aged 11 when he came into the Charity’s care. His mother had died and it seems his father was no longer working in entertainment, according to the admission book he was, ‘ selling papers and porterin...

As regular readers to this blog will know we have thousands of entries in our admission books for children who came under our care. Many have similar sad upbringings; death of parents or belonging to families which could not afford to bring them up, at a time before any social welfare was introduced. The charity however, took in any child in need of aid and some had unusual backgrounds. Admission Book 1892

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 . 

Between the years 2003 – 2010 the Together Trust ran a successful adoption service alongside its fostering work.  Together Trust Adoption Leaflet