Archive Record

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THE ROYAL PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETY, REDHILL: RECORDS, 1788-1976

Reference Number: 2271

Descriptive Information about the Record (click to expand)
Provenance
Deposited on 20 May 1963, 29 January 1964, 20 June 1978, 16 August 1978 and 6 September 1978 by the officers of the Royal Philanthropic Society.
Introduction
History of the Society The Philanthropic Society was founded in London in 1788 by a group of gentlemen, worried by the large number of homeless children in the city who could earn their living only through begging or crime. The Society began its work in October 1788, placing one child out to nurse, and by 1792 were maintaining several 'families' of children, cared for and trained by craftsmen and their wives, in rented houses. In that year the first central institution of the Society was opened at St George's Fields in Southwark. It was intended for the sons and daughters of convicts, and boys and girls who had themselves been convicted of crime. In 1802 a separate 'Reform' was opened for the criminal boys and the main institution was afterwards known as the 'Manufactory', since the boys were principally engaged in the manufacture of clothes, shoes, rope and other items. The Female Reform, although on the same site, was completely segregated. The Society was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1806 (Geo.III 46 c.144). A combination of financial problems and new approaches to the treatment of delinquents brought about important changes in the 1840s. The Female Reform was closed in 1845, convicts' children were no longer accepted, and in 1848 the decision was taken to move the institution to the country. This was as a consequence of visits paid to M.De Metz's Colonie Agricole at Mettray, France; firstly by William Gladstone (a cousin of the statesman; later Treasurer of the Society), then by the Revd Sydney Turner (Resident Chaplain; later Home Office Inspector of Reformatories). An estate at Redhill was purchased, buildings were erected (designed by William Moffat, the partner of Sir George Gilbert Scott) and occupied in 1849, the London property being sold. The Philanthropic Society's Farm School, as it was now known, was organised on the house system, the sixty or so boys in each house being taught and supervised by a master and his wife. The original houses were Queen's, Prince's and Duke's, but it was later considered better to separate the boys to a greater extent and new houses were built in different parts of the estate: Garston's (1854), Waterlands (1855), Gladstone's (1857) and Gurney's (1861). Prince's and Duke's Houses were then closed. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the school was classed as a reformatory, under the Reformatory Schools Act 1854, most of its pupils being committed by the magistrates and paid for by the local authorities. Farm work was the principal occupation, although carpentry, tailoring and other trades were also taught. The aim of the Committee was declared to be 'to assimilate, so far as the diverse conditions permit, the life and administration of the school to that of the great public schools of England', (Brief History . . . . 1899). Under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 the school became an Approved School, under the supervision of the Children's Department of the Home Office. Around this period there was a relative shift in emphasis from manual labour to education in the classroom. The buildings were severely damaged by a flying bomb in 1944, but after the war the school extended its activities, and replaced many of the old buildings. In 1954 a Classifying School was opened, which assessed boys for all approved schools in South-East England; and in 1967 a Secure Unit for difficult boys. The Society had been granted the title 'Royal' in 1953 and the Training Unit, Classifying School and Secure Unit were known jointly as the Royal Philanthropic Society's Schools. Each unit had its own head, under the supervision of the Principal. Principal Officers at Redhill (Resident Chaplain, 1841-1887; Warden, 1887-1964, Principal (1964 - ): Revd S Turner (1841) - 1857; Revd C Walters, 1858 - 1882; Revd A G Jackson, 1882 - 1887; Revd Canon M G Vine, 1887 - 1918; Revd R P McAuliffe, 1918 - 1945; L Weldon, 1946 - 1963; R Percival, 1963 - 1970; L H Crew, 1970 - 1978. Secretary of the School and the Society: J Trevarthen, 1862 - 1918; W H Trevarthen, 1918 - 1928. Secretary of the Society: Revd R P McAuliffe, 1930 - 1966; H A McCalman, from 1967. Management of the Society and School Under the Act of Incorporation of 1806 control of the Society was vested ultimately in its members, meeting in the Quarterly or Annual Courts. In practice the controlling body was the General Committee, also known (in the twentieth century) as the Committee of Management. While the institution was in London this Committee, and the Committee of Trade and Finance, exercised a close supervision, but at Redhill rather more responsibility was accorded to the Warden and the Secretary; although the managers always took a close interest in the running of the school. (See also the introductions to -/2/- and -/7/-). Implementation of the Children and Young Persons Act 1969 This Act substituted community homes for approved schools, transferred supervision of the service from the Home Office to the Department of Health and Social Security, and made all individual homes a responsibility of the local authorities. Consequently, in 1973 control of the Schools passed from the Society to the London Borough of Wandsworth, although the Society still has the right to appoint four of the twelve managers and retains the freehold of the site. At this time the Training Unit, Classifying School and Secure Unit were renamed the Community Home, Regional Assessment Centre and Intensive Care Unit.
Access Conditions
Records under one hundred years old are not open to public inspection, and it is necessary to obtain written permission from the Royal Philanthropic Society in order to consult them. This restriction does not apply to Annual Reports (-/1/-), Publicity and Publications (-/40/-), Printed Books (-/42/-) or Newspaper Cuttings (-/43/-). No material from any of the records may be included in a published work without the consent of the Society.

Series information for this collection[total matches: ]
- series: 2271/1/ - ANNUAL REPORTS [ matches]
  Date: 1848-1976
- series: 2271/2/ - GENERAL COURT AND GENERAL COMMITTEE [ matches]
  Date: 1793-1937
- series: 2271/3/ - SPECIAL COMMITTEE [ matches]
  Date: 1827
- series: 2271/4/ - SPECIAL FINANCE COMMITTEE [ matches]
  Date: 1856-1914
- series: 2271/5/ - COMMITTEE REPORT BOOKS [ matches]
  Date: 1904-1963
- series: 2271/6/ - BUILDING COMMITTEE [ matches]
  Date: 1791-1795
- series: 2271/7/ - TRADE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE [ matches]
  Date: 1794-1850
- series: 2271/8/ - CHAPEL COMMITTEE [ matches]
  Date: 1803-1813
- series: 2271/9/ - REGISTER OF APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION [ matches]
  Date: 1810-1833
- series: 2271/10/ - REGISTERS OF ADMISSIONS [ matches]
  Date: 1788-1967
- series: 2271/11/ - REGISTERS OF DISCHARGES [ matches]
  Date: 1845-1962
- series: 2271/12/ - WEEKLY REGISTERS [ matches]
  Date: 1858-1966
- series: 2271/13/ - DESCRIPTION BOOKS [ matches]
  Date: 1788-1849
- series: 2271/14/ - ROYAL PARDONS [ matches]
  Date: 1847-1854
- series: 2271/15/ - PRISON HEALTH CERTIFICATE [ matches]
  Date: 1849
- series: 2271/16/ - DISCHARGE AND COMMITTAL WARRANTS [ matches]
  Date: 1874-1875
- series: 2271/17/ - ADMISSIONS FROM COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS [ matches]
  Date: 1938-1954
- series: 2271/18/ - GIRLS' ADMISSION REGISTERS [ matches]
  Date: 1789-1844
- series: 2271/19/ - GIRLS' CONDUCT REGISTER [ matches]
  Date: 1812-1815
- series: 2271/20/ - CLASSIFYING SCHOOL: REGISTERS OF ADMISSIONS AND DISCHARGES [ matches]
  Date: 1954-1961
- series: 2271/21/ - CLASSIFYING SCHOOL: ADMISSIONS FILE [ matches]
  Date: 1962-1963
- series: 2271/22/ - CLASSIFYING SCHOOL: WEEKLY REGISTERS [ matches]
  Date: 1955-1972
- series: 2271/23/ - VISITORS' BOOKS [ matches]
  Date: 1853-1966
- series: 2271/24/ - JOURNAL [ matches]
  Date: 1793-1963
- series: 2271/25/ - WARDEN'S PRIVATE JOURNAL [ matches]
  Date: 1918-1923
- series: 2271/26/ - WARDEN'S ORDER BOOK [ matches]
  Date: 1949-1952
- series: 2271/27/ - MATRON'S JOURNAL [ matches]
  Date: 1812-1836
- series: 2271/28/ - REFORM AND MANUFACTORY JOURNALS [ matches]
  Date: 1816-1849
- series: 2271/29/ - HOUSE JOURNALS [ matches]
  Date: 1850-1963
- series: 2271/30/ - REWARDS, FINES, PUNISHMENTS [ matches]
  Date: 1872-1963
- series: 2271/31/ - LICENSING REGISTERS [ matches]
  Date: 1957-1970
- series: 2271/32/ - DAY BOOK [ matches]
  Date: 1858-1962
- series: 2271/33/ - EMIGRATION [ matches]
  Date: 1843-1874
- series: 2271/34/ - PREACHER'S BOOK [ matches]
  Date: 1895-1909
- series: 2271/35/ - INCOME [ matches]
  Date: 1794-1974
- series: 2271/36/ - EXPENDITURE [ matches]
  Date: 1849-1942
- series: 2271/37/ - OTHER FINANCIAL RECORDS [ matches]
  Date: 1922-1967
- series: 2271/38/ - DEEDS [ matches]
  Date: 1793-1805
- series: 2271/39/ - OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PAPERS [ matches]
  Date: 1884-1960
- series: 2271/40/ - PUBLICITY AND PUBLICATIONS [ matches]
  Date: 1788-1979
- series: 2271/41/ - PHOTOGRAPHS [ matches]
  Date: c.1891-1970s
- series: 96 - Photograph of new east window of chapel (2) [ matches]
  Date:
- series: 2271/42/ - PRINTED BOOKS [ matches]
  Date: 1846-1881
- series: 2271/43/ - NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS [ matches]
  Date: 1848-1974
- series: 2271/44/ - MISCELLANEOUS [ matches]
  Date: c.1910-1920
- series: 2271/45/ - ADMINISTRATION: ADDITIONAL [ matches]
  Date: 1850

series: 2271/1/ - ANNUAL REPORTS [ matches]
Date:	1848-1976

series: 2271/2/ - GENERAL COURT AND GENERAL COMMITTEE [ matches]
Date:	1793-1937

series: 2271/3/ - SPECIAL COMMITTEE [ matches]
Date:	1827

series: 2271/4/ - SPECIAL FINANCE COMMITTEE [ matches]
Date:	1856-1914

series: 2271/5/ - COMMITTEE REPORT BOOKS [ matches]
Date:	1904-1963

series: 2271/6/ - BUILDING COMMITTEE [ matches]
Date:	1791-1795

series: 2271/7/ - TRADE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE [ matches]
Date:	1794-1850

series: 2271/8/ - CHAPEL COMMITTEE [ matches]
Date:	1803-1813

series: 2271/9/ - REGISTER OF APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION [ matches]
Date:	1810-1833

series: 2271/10/ - REGISTERS OF ADMISSIONS [ matches]
Date:	1788-1967

series: 2271/11/ - REGISTERS OF DISCHARGES [ matches]
Date:	1845-1962

series: 2271/12/ - WEEKLY REGISTERS [ matches]
Date:	1858-1966

series: 2271/13/ - DESCRIPTION BOOKS [ matches]
Date:	1788-1849

series: 2271/14/ - ROYAL PARDONS [ matches]
Date:	1847-1854

series: 2271/15/ - PRISON HEALTH CERTIFICATE [ matches]
Date:	1849

series: 2271/16/ - DISCHARGE AND COMMITTAL WARRANTS [ matches]
Date:	1874-1875

series: 2271/17/ - ADMISSIONS FROM COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS [ matches]
Date:	1938-1954

series: 2271/18/ - GIRLS' ADMISSION REGISTERS [ matches]
Date:	1789-1844

series: 2271/19/ - GIRLS' CONDUCT REGISTER [ matches]
Date:	1812-1815

series: 2271/20/ - CLASSIFYING SCHOOL: REGISTERS OF ADMISSIONS AND DISCHARGES [ matches]
Date:	1954-1961

series: 2271/21/ - CLASSIFYING SCHOOL: ADMISSIONS FILE [ matches]
Date:	1962-1963

series: 2271/22/ - CLASSIFYING SCHOOL: WEEKLY REGISTERS [ matches]
Date:	1955-1972

series: 2271/23/ - VISITORS' BOOKS [ matches]
Date:	1853-1966

series: 2271/24/ - JOURNAL [ matches]
Date:	1793-1963

series: 2271/25/ - WARDEN'S PRIVATE JOURNAL [ matches]
Date:	1918-1923

series: 2271/26/ - WARDEN'S ORDER BOOK [ matches]
Date:	1949-1952

series: 2271/27/ - MATRON'S JOURNAL [ matches]
Date:	1812-1836

series: 2271/28/ - REFORM AND MANUFACTORY JOURNALS [ matches]
Date:	1816-1849

series: 2271/29/ - HOUSE JOURNALS [ matches]
Date:	1850-1963

series: 2271/30/ - REWARDS, FINES, PUNISHMENTS [ matches]
Date:	1872-1963

series: 2271/31/ - LICENSING REGISTERS [ matches]
Date:	1957-1970

series: 2271/32/ - DAY BOOK [ matches]
Date:	1858-1962

series: 2271/33/ - EMIGRATION [ matches]
Date:	1843-1874

series: 2271/34/ - PREACHER'S BOOK [ matches]
Date:	1895-1909

series: 2271/35/ - INCOME [ matches]
Date:	1794-1974

series: 2271/36/ - EXPENDITURE [ matches]
Date:	1849-1942

series: 2271/37/ - OTHER FINANCIAL RECORDS [ matches]
Date:	1922-1967

series: 2271/38/ - DEEDS [ matches]
Date:	1793-1805

series: 2271/39/ - OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE PAPERS [ matches]
Date:	1884-1960

series: 2271/40/ - PUBLICITY AND PUBLICATIONS [ matches]
Date:	1788-1979

series: 2271/41/ - PHOTOGRAPHS [ matches]
Date:	c.1891-1970s

series: 96 - Photograph of new east window of chapel (2) [ matches]
Date:

series: 2271/42/ - PRINTED BOOKS [ matches]
Date:	1846-1881

series: 2271/43/ - NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS [ matches]
Date:	1848-1974

series: 2271/44/ - MISCELLANEOUS [ matches]
Date:	c.1910-1920

series: 2271/45/ - ADMINISTRATION: ADDITIONAL [ matches]
Date:	1850

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