History
Find out about the Society’s long history, first
as the Crusade of Rescue and, since the 1980’s as the
Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster) by reading the
timeline below.
You can also launch our photo archive here.
Historical timeline
1764
A Society was formed in London by Bishop Challoner to help and support destitute
Catholic orphans and to provide them with an education and trade apprenticeships.
1784 and 1786
Two more Societies were formed.
1811
All three Societies came together as the Associated Catholic Charities
1848
Catholic Emancipation Act (enabling the Catholic church to restore its Bishops
and Dioceses and to formalise works of charity.
1859
In December the first Home for destitute orphan boys was opened at 41 Brook
Green Lane, Hammersmith. Administered for 16 years by the Brothers of the St Vincent
de Paul Society.
1876
Fr. Douglas moved the Home to the Harrow Road. At its peak it housed some
1,000 boys.
1876 – 1886
Fr Douglas introduced a scheme of child emigration to Canada.
1887
Fr. Barry opened St Joseph’s Home in Rose Lane, Stepney following instructions
from Cardinal Manning to open a new Home in the East End of London.
1888
Due to demand, Fr. Barry opened two homes in Commercial Road – No.715
for boys and No. 713 for girls.
1889
Fr. Barry was placed in charge of St Vincent’s Home in Brook Green
in addition to the Homes in the East End and became Administrator of the Homes
for Destitute Catholic Children.
1893
The Rose Lane Home was closed and children transferred to a new Home –
St Joseph’s in Enfield, Middlesex, purchased for £400.
1894 – 1920
Fr. Banns replaced Fr. Barry.
1896
Herbert Vaughn, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster called a religious census
and discovered that 1,720 Catholic children were being brought up in Protestant
institutions and had adopted this faith.
He negotiated an agreement with Dr. Barnardo whereby all Catholic children received
at this Homes were referred to the Archbishop of Westminster.
(In his previous role as Bishop of Salford his work to address the loss of faith
sustained by those neglected and destitute children who were being taken into
Protestant Homes and adopting the faith of this organisation led to the founding
of the Salford Catholic Protection and Rescue Society).
1898
Cardinal Vaughan founded the Crusade of Rescue using Religious Orders to
run Homes for children from infancy to young adulthood. Administration for this
was passed to Fr. Bans, creating the Crusade of Rescue and Homes for Destitute
Catholic Children. This now widened the scope to include boys, girls and infants.
Closing years of 19th Century
Establishment of St Anthony’s Home
for Girls. Feltham, Middlesex.
1903
Publication of ‘Child Emigration to Canada’ by Fr. Banns
and Mr Chilton Thomas from the Liverpool Homes of Rescue, following a trip to
Canada and their conclusion that Canada was the most inviting field of emigration
in the world for Catholic children.
1912
The Headquarters of the ‘Crusade’ moved from the Harrow Road
to Tavistock Place. Children living at the Home were relocated to Enfield and
Feltham.
1918 onwards
Development of the Catholic Emigration Society.
1920 – 1948
Fr. Craven (later Canon and Bishop Craven) replaced Fr. Banns.
1933
End of emigration scheme to Canada due to the Great Depression.
1938
Establishment of St Vincent’s Home for Boys, Feltham.
1948 – 1953
Fr. Bernard George (later Canon George) replaced Fr. Craven.
1949 onwards
Revival of the child emigration scheme with children being
sent to Australia to complete their education and training.
1950’s – 1960’s
Transfer of administration from Tavistock
Place to St Charles Square, London W10
Residential establishments at Feltham moved to new ‘Group Homes’ at
Bishop Craven’s Close, Enfield. These were smaller homes attempting to recreate
a family environment.
Ongoing use of Mother and Baby Homes run by Religious Orders including St Pelagia’s,
Highgate; Loreto, Theydon Bois; St Nicholas, Highgate.
1953 – 1963
Canon Charles Flood (later Monsignor Flood) replaced Canon George.
1954
Development of the ‘Cork Scheme’ enabling Irish birth
mothers to be referred from the Crusade of Rescue to St Anne’s Adoption
Society in Cork.
1960’s – 1970’s
Large number of babies being placed
for adoption through the Crusade of Rescue – up to 400 a year at its peak.
St William’s Nursery at St Charles Square was kept very busy.
1964 – 1977
Fr. Philip Harvey (later Canon and Bishop) took over
from Canon Flood.
1967
Abortion Act of 1967 led to a widespread use of contraception and
change of attitude to one parent families. Subsequent decline in the number of
babies available for adoption and trend towards supporting children in their own
homes and work with families within the community.
Closure of the Crusade’s residential homes in line with the widely accepted
view that children were best cared for in a family and not in institutions.
1973
Bishop Harvey awarded an OBE for services to childcare following
his work with the Houghton Committee leading to radical updating of Adoption Law
formalised in the1976 Adoption Act.
1976
Development of Post Adoption Counselling following the Adoption Act Section 51 entitling adopted persons over the age of 18 to search
for information about birth parents.
1980’s
Development of Community Services to undertake preventative work
to support children and families in their homes and community and to prevent family
breakdown and the need for children to be taken ‘into care’.
Change of name from ‘Crusade of Rescue’ to Catholic Children’s
Society (Westminster)
1977 – 1983
Fr. John McDonald (later Canon McDonald) took over from
Bishop Harvey.
1984 – 1989
Anthony Meredith became the Society’s first lay
Director
1986
Development of a Schools Counselling Programme
1987
Development of the Central London Homelessness Team working with families who have no permanent abode.
1989 – 1990
Rosemary Keenan appointed as Acting Chief Executive
1990 – present
Jim Richards appointed as Chief Executive
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