Thousands of children slept on the streets and many were forced to beg after being injured in factories. In 1867 Barnardo set up a ragged school in the East End, were poor children could get a basic education. One evening a boy at the mission, Jim Jarvis took Barnardo`s around the East End showing him children sleeping on roofs and in gutters, Barnardo was really shocked it affected him that much he decided to devote himself to helping all these destitute children. It was 1870 before Barnardo opened his first home for the boys in Stepney Causeway with 1000 donation from an MP Samuel Smith.
He went out most nights into the slum areas to find homeless boys. One evening al 11 year old boy was turned away from the shelter because it was full. They boy was found dead two days later from malnutrition and hypothermia. From then on no one was turned away. Not long after he opened they boys’ home he opened one for girls it was called the “girls” village home in Barkingside. It was a row of cottages around a green; it had enough room for 1,500 girls.
By the time a child left Barnardo`s they were able to make there own way in the world- the girls were taught domestic skills and the boys had learned a craft or trade. Barnardo believes that families were the best places to bring children up. He started his first fostering scheme when he sent children to live with respectable families out in the country. He also started a scheme to board out babies of unmarried mothers. The mother went into service nearby and could see her baby during her time off.
In 1882 the boarding out scheme was started by Barnardo in Canada. The reason he sent children to Canada was because it was cheaper to send the abroad than to care for them in homes in Britain and he believed it would give the child a better start in life than it would would in the overcrowded slums of Britain. Barnardo`s ran hundreds of children’s homes all over the UK until the 1970s they no longer run homes or orphanages but still worth with children and still carry the Barnardo`s name. They work with 100,000s of children a year, in schools, centres and their own homes.
Queen Invites Barnardo`s children to Party On the 2nd June 03 Queen Elizabeth invited 200 Barnardo`s children to a party in her back garden at Buckingham Palace, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her coronation. The children aged between 6 and 12 years who used Barnardo`s services came from all over the UK and were with other children from other charities. The Queen invited clowns, stilt-walkers and a circus show to entertain the children then they had a picnic tea with ice cream and candy floss. efore they went home all the children were given a “goody bag” to take home with them and help them remember they day for the rest of their lives.
This poem is called three tracts, it was written in 1888 by Dr Barnardo`s about all his children. “In cellar, in garret, in ally and court, They weep and they suffer and pine And the wolves of the city are prowling near Back wolves. For the children are mine.”
Bibliography
Web sites www.barnardos.org.uk