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Victorian London - Publications - Social Investigation/Journalism - Ragged London in 1861, by John Hollingshead, 1861

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 [-257-]

A CHARITABLE ACCOUNT

Fifteenth Report of the Association for Promoting the Relief of Destitution in the Metropolis, and for Improving the Condition of the Poor, by means of Parochial and District Visiting, under the superintendence and direction of the Bishop and Clergy, through the agency of Unpaid Visitors, and without reference to religious persuasion. (4, St. Martin's-place, Charing Cross.)-For 1859, and to July 1,1860. 

Extract from a letter of the Rev. Cornelius Hart, late of Old St. Pancras Church, Camden Town.

    Our population has increased to nearly 10,000, and I regret to say that some of my private friends, who were accustomed to give their half-crowns at our annual collections at the church, have been removed from us by death; and now we have no one residing in the district but those who, out of their deep poverty, cast in their mites into the treasury. Our houses are, for the most part, let out in lodgings, and several families reside in one house. 
    Our visitors have sought out and found many a deserving family reduced to the lowest extremity of want, and yet, with the good old English feeling--ashamed to beg, and considering it degrading to ask parochial relief.

From the Rev. Theophilus Saulez, of All Saints, Islington.

    I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, enclosing a cheque for 50l., for which I am exceedingly obliged, as the poverty of my district at this moment is most deplorable. The [-258-] terrible distress occasioned by want of work, and the refusal of the parish authorities to give any out-door relief, is great; indeed, beyond the conception of English hearts. There are instances, in my district, of families having parted with every piece of furniture, and almost every rag of clothes, to enable them to pay their rent, and thus not break up the family circle by going into the workhouse. It is quite impossible for us to maintain these families, and the parish will not relieve them, and therefore their sufferings from hunger and cold are most distressing. 
    All those with whom we are acquainted, whether Roman Catholics, Dissenters, or Churchmen, if in distress, we assist so far as our means will allow.

From the Rev. W. R. Wroth, of St. Philip, Clerkenwell.

    The population of the parish is 9,000, and of this number at least 5,000 are poor; the rest are far from wealthy-the greater number being clerks in offices, &c. with very limited incomes. There is no endowment for any purpose whatever; and when I mention that we have to raise in the parish (to say nothing of the support of the incumbent) the annual expenses of public worship, support of schools (a heavy rent having to be paid for school-buildings), Mother and Infant Society, Provident Fund, Clothing Club, and other charitable purposes, the Committee will readily understand how valuable is their grant, and how much our means of usefulness would be diminished by its withdrawal.

From the Rev. W. Hinson, of St. Mark, Old-street.

    I sincerely thank you for the cheque for 50l. which your Committee was good enough to vote towards the funds of the District Visiting Society of my parish. It has come in most opportunely, for I grieve to say that I hear of fresh cases of great poverty daily. This wretched strike among the builders and carpenters has brought much distress into many families. I find its influence everywhere. And what should I do without such assistance as that so cheerfully afforded by your excellent society? In fact, had I not bread to give, I might remain at home; for it would, indeed, be a mockery to speak of spiritual things, unless the hand were first of all stretched out to relieve the fainting body.

From the Rev. C. M. Christie, of St. Simon, Bethnal-green.

    I am much obliged to the Metropolitan Society for the help afforded me, and have now to ask the favour of a special grant for the [-259-] two under-mentioned purposes (for the relief of lying-in women, and to supply needlework to poor women attending a Mothers' Meeting, held weekly in the district). I have no means of procuring money on the spot--a sermon only produces about twenty-five shillings, and my congregation cannot even pay the current expenses of the church. All the ordinary grants allowed me are required almost to save life. One death is reported from starvation, and of one who would not complain; and there are now several women, known to me, recently confined, and without the necessary food.

From the Rev. T. J. Rowsell, of St. Peter, Stepney.

    This season has been a trying one to our poor. We have been much called upon, and obliged to work very hard. In the first place, the results of the strike were felt; for as soon as the cold weather came, we found that the women and children were thinly and poorly clad, and they had saved nothing. Also we have had a large amount of sickness, and more deaths than I have witnessed for many years. But amidst all this distress and woe, our visitors have done good and Christian work; and I may say, that the troubles of our poor have been cheered and hallowed to them, and to ourselves, by the mercy and help conveyed, and the happiness derived, from the sacred interchange of kindness and gratitude. If these poor districts were left unassisted, there would be a frightful amount of suffering.

    The above letters are corroborated by many others of similar import received from the parochial clergy during the past year (1859); and they help to show that the metropolitan distress of 1860-61 was not so very "exceptional." 
    I give the schedule of grants of this association, not because the amount it distributes is very large, compared with the whole charities of London, but because the details of distribution show the wide extent of ragged London. 

[-260-]

A. NO. 2.-Schedule of Grants to Visiting Societies, from the 31st December, 1859, to 30th June, 1860.