Together Trust Archive

January 4th saw the Together Trust turn another year older. It has now been 148 years since the charity began on a wintery morning of 1870. The charity has grown exponentially since the small terrace house was opened as a ' Night Refuge for Homeless Boys' . However, the charity’s ethos remains to provide a service to children and families in the local area.  As we are aware the small home was a great success and resulted in the expansion to a large Refuge on Francis Street and the opening of many different services throughout Manchester, Salford and beyond. Of course it was not plain sailing and the early committee members worked hard to make the venture a success. A report in the Manchester Evening News on the 18th April 1870 however, showed how it was difficult to ensure the good behaviour of the boys once they had been found work in the city.  First Home, Quay Street

It’s been a while since we thought back to our Refuge boys on the Western Front. In September 1916 the Battle of the Somme was still raging and the Manchester population read the newspapers everyday, to try and gain some understanding into what was happening 400 miles away.  Refuge soldiers

“The first fruit of our mission from the Charter Street Roughs” Robert was admitted to the Central Refuge on Francis Street on the 1 November 1875. The first admission book, where his entry is recorded, is scant in detail, as was typical for the first few years of the charity. We do know however that he was admitted at the age of 17, both parents having passed away and that he was ‘rescued’ by the charity from the notorious district of Angel Meadow.  Admission Entry for Robert, November 1875

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'