Together Trust Archive

 I've recently been exploring some of the Trust's records relating to Bethesda, a home for children with disabilities and long-term health conditions which was opened in 1890 and closed in 1999. The Bethesda service demonstrates how the Charity adapted to changing times and the work carried out at Bethesda had a long-term impact, influencing subsequent services provided by the Charity. The Bethesda service existed in a number of different locations throughout its history. Between 1890 and 1958 it was located in George Street, Cheetham Hill providing a home for orphaned children with disabilities or those whose health conditions meant their parents could not care for them. The terminology used to describe the service at this time, 'Bethesda Home for Crippled and Incurable Children' would certainly not be used today but was reflective of attitudes of the time. Emotive language was used to encourage donations as seen in the 1891 Annual Report's description of Bethesda ...

We may be out of lockdown, but I'm sure there are still many who are shielding or keeping indoors (especially when the weather is so miserable). For those who want an art and history fix, or for those in need of mindful relaxation, you can colour our collections by downloading a free colouring pack from the Together Trust website here .

As summer begins and temperatures soar many of us may be looking forward to getting away (though this not an essential nor easy thing to do or consider at this time due to the pandemic). For many young people in our homes during the Victorian period and into the mid twentieth century holidays were a luxury. Our charity went some way, however, to provide a holiday experience for those who may otherwise never journeyed beyond the city limits for some much needed play and relaxation. During Local History Month in May, we focused on funding and donations from local communities; this time we are zoning in one particular area, Prestwich, north of Manchester, to look at some of the many ways in which individuals and families outside of Manchester and Salford supported the charity and helped young people to venture out of the city in summer.

Today we learned the sad news of Dame Vera Lynn 's passing. The voice of a generation, her music provided both cheer and solemn reflection during the Second World War and beyond. Known for her rendition of We'll Meet Again , the song touched a new generation during the recent 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day on the 8th May this year.

As promised we return to share our Explore Your Archive tweets for the year so far , so you can explore our archive.

Like many archives across the UK and Ireland, we have been sharing stories and images from the archive on Twitter for Explore Your Archive 2020.

The benefits of animal therapy are well advocated. Our pets provide us with comfort, happiness, and unconditional love. For some of the Charity's former and current young people however, there are additional benefits to spending time with animals; these include helping to restore a young person’s confidence , improve social interaction, emotional well-being , and expression. The archive offers up snapshots which show some of the animals that were resident on the Belmont estate in the 20th century. Here are just a few that brought happiness and companionship to our residents: Meg was resident at Belmont in the 1930s. Caspar belonged to the Houseparents of the Crossley Home in the late 1940s. A number of photographs of Caspar with the young residents are held in the collection.

In January the British Film Institute brought together a collection celebrating the representation of people with disabilities in film via their video streaming service (BFI Player). Revealing films from 1911 to the present day, the Disabled Britain on Film portal showcases the work of disability-led film makers, and documentaries focusing on those living with disabilities and the charities which provide support to them, to highlight an often overlooked part of the lives of many individuals and families across Britain. Residents of the Bethesda Home c. 1890

The charity is very aware that in 3 years time we will be celebrating our 150th anniversary. It’s a huge milestone in the history of the Together Trust and gives us a chance to reflect back on the many different services and activities we’ve provided over the last century and a half.  Our 150th isn’t the only anniversary we celebrate in 2020 however. It also notes 100 years since the charity moved its offices out of Manchester into the leafy suburbs of Cheadle , where we have remained ever since. It is important for this occasion not to be overshadowed and to recognise the important connection we have with Cheadle and its community. Cheadle Village, c. 1950s

The Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes had a well known motto in its early days:   'We help those who try to help themselves’. It was a principle the charity stood by. It was the Refuge’s work to help those in need but it also expected those who were admitted to its homes to work hard to become useful members of society.  Working hard in the printing department

A casual stroll around Albert Square in Manchester reveals statues of many prominent figures in the history of the city. The large memorial to Prince Albert rests happily alongside a bishop ( James Frasier ) and a politician ( William Gladstone ). Also within this square stands a statue of Oliver Heywood , a prominent banker in Manchester and the city's first Honorary Freeman . Statue of Oliver Heywood, Albert Square

On the 22nd July it will be 113 years since the death of the Manchester Refuge’s founder, Leonard Kilbee Shaw . The vision and work of Shaw set the foundation stones of the charity, which continues to thrive today as the Together Trust .  Recreation Ground, Cheetham, 1906

The delight in family history enquiries, apart from providing researchers with information about their ancestors, is the new wealth of information it can provide us about the charity and social work through the years. This can range from services we provided that were previously unknown, to the various people and companies who we were associated with. An enquiry the other day linked the charity in a roundabout way to the world of aviation .  Bethesda Home, George Street, 1930s

The  Together Trust  has various film reels from its earlier days depicting some of our former services. These have been converted into DVD clips by the  North West Film Archive  to allow the films to still be seen today. It gives a different insight into how the charity advertised itself as well as revealing what the services would have looked like. Title Slide

We are returning to Bethesda on George Street this week to coincide with UK Disability History Month ( UKDHM ) 22 November – 22 December 2013. The aim this year is to explore the history of attitudes and how disabled people's lives have been marked by change. Bethesda, 1900

On Sunday 6th October Inscape House opened its doors to former pupils and staff to celebrate the school’s 20th anniversary. This had been preceded on Friday by the grand opening of its newly built extension. The outcome was a lot of laughter, catching up with old friends and plenty of cake! It seems apt after a weekend of celebration to look a bit more closely at the last 20 years of the school. It has been an interesting one! Inscape Birthday Cake

Most of the material that represents the Together Trust archive has been collected over the years from within the charity’s records. The collecting policy for the Together Trust’s remit is quite small. However there are some items that have been added to the archive over the years from external sources. These have largely been made up of photographs gathered from ex residents and staff. A surprise letter the other week however added another important component to the archive.  2nd Cheadle Guides (Bethesda) Album, 1987

“It caused us a great deal of distress to give up the name by which we had been known for ninety years, but time does bring change and change has had to be gone through.” - Anonymous, A Potted History of the BGWS (c.1977). Since the charity’s beginnings in 1870 it has been known under three different names. All chosen to reflect the work carried out by the organisation, they also reveal how the charity has changed. So what is in a name?   (1870 to 1960) Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes

As we continue to celebrate UK Disability History Month we look back at how our Bethesda Home used to help some of the children who were under its care. Bethesda group, c.1910

The 22nd November – 22 December 2012 is UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) . This is an annual event which strives to ‘raise awareness of the unequal position of disabled people in society and to advocate disability equality’, as well as ‘developing an understanding of the historical roots of this inequality’. The Together Trust has a long history of working with children and adults with disabilities and as we celebrate UKDHM this month we will be looking back over our next few blogs as to how our work in disability began. Bethesda family c.1900