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Local Legends

The stories behind some of the East End's famous people and events

 


William Booth

Founder of the Salvation Army
1829 - 1912

Click on a link below to read about a legend

William Booth promised “Heaven in East London for everyone.” He set up the Salvation Army. He was an Evangelist.

On Sunday 2 July 1865, Booth set up a platform in a large tent erected on a Quaker burial ground at the Mile End Waste. Thus was launched what was to become the Salvation Army. It was set up to help the poor and needy. It never accepted the Victorian idea of the “deserving poor”, [i.e. they deserve what they get] but rather; if a man was poor, he was deserving.

The Salvation Army set up Soup Kitchens, where large bowls of soup and bread were supplied for one penny to the very poor, and for nothing to those who were penniless. It also set up lodging houses for poor people to sleep off the streets.

It was in 1878 that the work William Booth was doing was titled the Salvation Army, and all the militarism was introduced; uniforms, banners, bands drilling and marching.


Assembly and classroom exhibitions available for use by Tower Hamlets Schools from Schools Library Service:

Maria Dickin and the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals of the Poor.
Clara Grant, the Bundle Women of Bow, and the story of the Fern St. Settlement.
Pheobe Hessel, the Amazon of Stepney.
Levina Teerlinc, Gentlewoman of the Queen.
Sylvia Pankhurst, the Suffragettes, and Votes for Women.
Hannah Billig, the Angel of Stepney.

These exhibitions were developed by young people in Tower Hamlets with Rosemary Taylor and Doreen Kendall of East London History Society and Maggie Hewitt of Oxford House for Women’s History Week.

Contact the SLS on 020 7364 6428

 

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Have your say about this page.
 
These are some of the comments so far:

Your Comments:

Am trying to find out information re: my maternal Uncle, John *Jack* McLoughlin, born in 1909 in Liverpool. Would like to know when & how he ended up in Dr. Bernardo's school for boys.

Maureen Boychuk     on 15/07/2008

EET says: Maureen, you would need to contact: http://www.barnardos.org.uk

I think Dr Barnardo did a brilliant thing and so did Lord ShAFTESBURY.

charlie     on 15/07/2008

In this article it says that Dr Barnardo bought Elizabeth Strides house in flower and dean street is this correct?

Mrs D Atherton     on 15/07/2008

EET says: Our source was "Streets of East London" by William J. Fishman 2006 ISBN: 0907123562

My dad was in Barnardos from 4 years of age till he was a teenager. I am trying to find where he was. I think it was Leeds or Harrogate. He would not talk about it and sadly he has now passed away but I want to know more about his early life.

christine turton     on 15/07/2008

EET says: Christine, you need to contact Dr Barnardos direct. Here is a link for Harrogate. http://www.barnardos.org.uk/drbsharrogate

I just read your artical on Dr. Hannah Billig. In july of 1955 she came to my house, I was very sick, I was 9 years old. She told my parents I had peritonitis & drove me herself to the London Hospital. She saved my life. I was operated very soon after. She was my Angel. I now live in the USA.

merle platman     on 02/07/2008

My grandfather, George Henry Hodges, was given shelter in Barnardo's home in or about 1900. Later he was shipped to the United States to be sold as an indentured servant on the Boston Docks. He was taken to the west in Canada and when released from servitude in 1914 he went to Ontario where he lived out a life of service to man and God. I thank God that in troubled times there are men and women like Dr. Barnardo that stoop to help children.

William N Hodges     on 15/04/2008

What is the history of homlessness?

hollie johns     on 25/04/2007

EET says: Holly. You can find out how there was reform of the East End to address homelessness on the following page. http://www.eastendtalking.org.uk/ourhistory/thehistory/victorians.asp Or find out about the local charity for homeless people and other issues around homelessness on our other site Global Footprints, click on "Primary Footprints Webquests" http//www.globalfootprints.org

My father's great Aunt Alice Darby (Webb) worked in Stepney for DR. Bernardo and later left her inheritance as a donation.

Kim Darby     on 14/09/2006

I was born in Swanton Road in June 1948, lived in a "pre-fab" attended Devons Road school and went to saturday farthing bundles. We may have been poor but I did not know that and have many happy memories of that free and easy time when we had nothing and didnt mind at all. We all have much to thank the likes of Clara Grant for and all these years after the memory lives on.

Roger Mason     on 14/09/2006

I must say you have gathered quite a bit of information, but if you would like some more on Dr Barnardo and the homes have a look at www.goldonian.org it has a history and time line of Dr Barnardo's and a sub web site on Barkingside The Girls Village Home. The web site also has some questions. If you ask you may get a DVD on Goldings an old Dr Barnardo home called The William Baker Technical school.

Peter Smith     on 02/05/2006

EET says: Click on the image of Doctor Barnardo, in the bottom of the left hand bar, to find out more about him.

Clara Grant was my Mothers 2nd Cousin.My Granmother was born in Chatmanslade Wiltshire. My mother told me about Clara.I have been re-searching our Ancestery. I have traced her from when she was 3 years old in 1871.This sight has brought her to life. Thank you so much this has been very interesting. Very Best Wishes to you All, Susan Flight.

Susan Flight.     on 19/04/2006

EET says: Thank you, susan, if you have found out any more info on Clara, we would love to have it here.

I THINK THIS IS QUITE GOOD. IT'S HELPING ME WITH MY PROJECT, IT COULD HAVE A BIT MORE THOUGH. OVER ALL, IT'S BRILLANT.

Becky      on 21/03/2006

Your article about Clara Grant was very enlightning as I attended the Devons Rd school before the war. I have still got the evacuation label I had attached to my coat when I was evacuated.Could send a photo of it if you are interested. JimDowsett

Your name here     on 21/03/2006

EET says: Thank you Jim. If anyone else has photos or artifacts that we could use here, please let us know.

I was one of those children before the war that regularly attended the Fern St Settlement for my farthing bundle.I lived in Blackthorn St, the street next to Fern St until war broke out and i was then evacuated to Oxford.Thank you for reviving my memories of happy times.

JimDowsett     on 08/03/2006

EET says: Dear Jim, We would love to add your account here, please send us your email, via here.

I would just like to say that my late Grandfather was a "Bernardo's Child" He is mentioned in the book. Herbert Sullivan Cobb. He retired an Anglican Minister

David A. Cobb     on 24/01/2006

EET says: Thank you Mr Cobb. Do you have any stories that your grandfather told you about his days then?

My children used to go to Clara's "penny bundles" as it was known when mine went. They had many happy hours with their bundles.We lived in Fairfoot road, just round the corner from Fern St. My children went to Devons Road School, Knapp Road.

maureen bickerstaff     on 08/12/2005

EET says: Thank you for sharing your memories, Maureen. We would love to find out more, do you know if anyone has any photos?

Clara Grant page very interesting as my grandmother lived next door to the settlement and helped out there. I have seen the arch in the Copperfields Museum

David Emmerson     on 09/08/2005

EET says: That is a very interesting connection. Thank you David.

I relly like this page because it was the only site I found about Dr. Bernardo's. Thank you!

Claire   St. Edwards  on 07/03/2005

EET says: Hi Claire, you can also try http://www.barnardos.org.uk/

This page has helped me a lot with my homework for my Victorian project. I will recommend this page to my friends. Thank You to the writer of this page.

Chloe Ingersent   Garden International School, Malaysia  on 11/01/2005

EET says: Thank you Chloe. We are glad to see our resources being used so far afield.

i love this page

Amilee r   wvcc  on 07/12/2004

EET says: We are glad you love it!

I think that this page is exellent it helped me lots with my half-term holiday homework and I would just like to say thank you to whoever spent all this time writing it.

Dylan Holkar    Somerhill Junior School, England Great Britain  on 08/11/2004

EET says: Thank You Dylan. Your comments are appreciated. We hope that the site is useful to people in the East End, around Britain and elsewhere. Is there anyone who you think should be added here? Let us know and we may come in and work with your school to research them.

Copyright © Humanities Education Centre, Tower Hamlets, London