Together Trust Archive

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 h...

In two of our previous blog posts we discussed the role the Crossley family played in the Charity’s history, chiefly the involvement of Sir William John Crossley 1st Bt. and his son, Brian Crossley . The motor engineering entrepreneur Sir William Crossley held the position of Trustee and later Chairman of the Manchester Refuges Committee. Brian, alongside a number of other philanthropic Crossley relatives, including his brother Eric, was also one of the Refuge’s Committee members. Sadly, Brian’s years were cut short in the Second Battle of Artois in 1915. Upon Sir William’s death in 1911, another of his sons, Kenneth (1877-1957), assumed his Baronetcy and hereditary knighthood. Sir Kenneth Irwin Crossley 2nd Bt. was the Chairman of Crossley Brothers and Crossley Motors Ltd; with his inheritance he took on his father’s role as Property Trustee of the Manchester Refuges as Sir William had previously assisted in the purchase of the Rosen Hallas ‘Training Home for Girls’ on Bury Old Roa...

On 2nd April 1896 a group of 173 boys, under the care of the Reverend Robert Wallace and his wife, journeyed aboard the Scotsman from Liverpool to the Marchmont Receiving Home in Belleville, Canada. Of the 173, approximately 70 boys were from the Manchester and Salford Refuges and Homes. It took eight days for the ship to arrive at the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia. On 14th April, Revd. Wallace reported the following: From The Children's Haven ( CH ), May 1896

 As I was searching the 1925 edition of the Charity's magazine, the Children's Haven, for something completely unrelated I came across an article about a staff reunion held at Bethesda to celebrate the golden wedding of an employee, a Mr Crick. As well as detailing the gifts received by Mr and Mrs Crick on their anniversary (two Chesterfield chairs), the article provides a list of past and present staff members in attendance. Many of these staff  had worked for the Charity for decades which led me to see if I could find out anymore about some of those individuals named. The reason for the staff reunion of December 1925 was the occasion of Mr and Mrs Crick's golden wedding anniversary where Mr Crick declared if he had his time again he would choose, ' the same girl for a wife '. The image below from The Children's Haven edition of 1927 allows us to put a face to the names. Having been in charge of the boot making and boot repair departments since around 1901 wher...

As today is International’s Women’s Day it seems only fitting to dedicate this week’s blog to all of the women who have worked for and cared for the children in our charity over the years. Some we have talked about before;  Annie Shaw  for example dedicated over 50 years of her life to the Manchester Refuges, being an active member of the committee and taking a particular interest in the Cheetham Hill Homes, which included the 6 Orphan Homes , Bethesda , Tetlow Grove  and Rosen Hallas; Harriet Smethurst worked for the charity for 37 years as Matron of Rosen Hallas, travelling across to Canada every year with her party of girls and Miss Pickford ran Bethesda, caring for all the ‘delicate children’ that entered through its doors.  Annie Shaw (left)

Looking back at our long history it seems strange to think of a time when the charity would only provide for boys. However for the first eight years of its existence, the Refuge did not take in girls. It wasn’t until 1878, with the opening of a detached house on Broughton Lane, that girls were provided for, for the first time. As more and more boys applied to the Refuge, those that investigated their circumstances were frequently coming across girls that needed aid. Rosen Hallas, George Street

Last week we looked at the different types of boys that were admitted to the Strangeway Homes at the turn of the century. This week we turn to the set of homes at Cheetham Hill to give a breakdown of the type of girls that found their way into the charity’s care. Elder girls in the laundry at Rosen Hallas

We had a fantastic time last week as our Deep Pockets and Dirty Faces project showcased all the work completed so far in two interactive performances. Audiences made up of Together Trust staff, service users and the local community gathered together on the 24th and 25th November to be taken back in time to the nineteenth century. The show included a radio piece, detailing the story of one orphan’s journey from Manchester to Canada and our heritage documentary film, ‘A Journey to Canada’, alongside a live performance. Boat scene looking towards Canada

April 2021 will see the world’s first ‘Care Experienced History Month’ aimed at recognising, celebrating and commemorating the lives of care-experienced people. It will also highlight the issues faced by those currently in and leaving the care system. The initiative is a partnership between organisations and individuals around the world and will seek to build communities and increase knowledge of the history of care. –  Care Experienced History Month - Coram Story  

Today is the 100th Anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme . Lasting over four months and claiming thousands of lives, it was the largest conflict on the Western Front during World War One. Like many other organisations the bloody battle affected the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes. There were a reported 19,240 British men killed on the first day alone. Albert was one of those men. In memory of all those who died during the battle, we tell his story. 

When the Manchester Refuges began in 1870 it catered for children in some of the most dire straits. The slum areas of Angel Meadow, Ancoats and Blackfriars spewed out dirty, ragged and half starved children that were often in need of assistance from the church or charities to avoid the dreaded shadow of the Workhouse .  In the Manchester Slums

After the news at the weekend of the fate of a cruise ship off the coast of Italy, ironically on the eve of the Titanic anniversary, my thoughts turned to the thousands of our children who used this form of transport to cross the seas. The events of Friday are perhaps surprising in this modern age of computerized navigation systems, but travelling by ship has always had the possibility of a rough crossing or worse! Marchmont receiving home, 193 Moria Street, Yeoman Hill, Canada

“She hath done what she could.” So reads the gravestone for Mrs Leonard Shaw who served the Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes for 53 years of her life. Looking back at the blogs of late, it is noticeable the influences male individuals had on the charity. The early committee was made up entirely of men who ran the services and made visits to the slum area’s offering shelter to those living on the streets. 

We’ve spoken before on this blog about the Remand Home that was set up in 1910 as part of the Children’s Shelter on Chatham Street. The archives reveal separate admission books for the Remand Home from this date, although magistrates were using other homes belonging to the charity from 1896 to house boys who had been convicted of a crime. Ra ilings on the roof top of the Remand Home

It is quiet around here. The passages in the Together Trust schools are now empty as its inhabitants enjoy a summer break. When the buildings are vacant their long history seems all the more present to the onlooker. Many children have passed through these doors, receiving care, education and support. Crossley Gaddum, which now houses part of our Inscape House service, was the first purpose built Home on the site. Like the other buildings it was named after prominent charity workers. Today we are going to focus on one of these individual’s – William John Crossley . William John Crossley

Harriet Smethurst was Matron of the orphan homes at Cheetham Hill from 1886 until 1923. Within this time she made 20 round trips across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada, in charge of the various emigration parties of girls from Manchester. In the 1896 July edition of the Children’s Haven , Harriet gives a detailed description of one of these trips.  Girls’ Emigration Party 1898