Salvation Army material researched?

[Kattrup]

Hi

In responding on Casebook I mentioned the archive from the Victoria Home where Hutchinson stayed.

I presumed that someone has gone through it, but I’ve searched here and there and can’t find any references about it.

Does anyone know whether it’s been looked through? It’s at the Salvation Army heritage center https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/int...eritage-centre

The archive is listed as having material from Victoria Home 1860-1919. It might only be administrative letters. But perhaps also ledgers of lodgers? Such ledgers often contain additional names, birthdates, place of origin etc.

Anyway, I assumed it’s been combed through, but does anyone know?

[Gary Barnett]

Hi

In responding on Casebook I mentioned the archive from the Victoria Home where Hutchinson stayed.

I presumed that someone has gone through it, but I’ve searched here and there and can’t find any references about it.

Does anyone know whether it’s been looked through? It’s at the Salvation Army heritage center https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/int...eritage-centre

The archive is listed as having material from Victoria Home 1860-1919. It might only be administrative letters. But perhaps also ledgers of lodgers? Such ledgers often contain additional names, birthdates, place of origin etc.

Anyway, I assumed it’s been combed through, but does anyone know?

I don’t know, Kattrup, but if no-one has, I’ll be glad to go along and have a look.

Thanks for pointing it out!

[Robert Linford]

I've phoned the IHS :


https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/int...eritage-centre


They say that unfortunately they have no ledgers of lodgers. There are some papers relating to policy, minutes of meetings etc, possibly including info on nightly closing times. The archivist recommends emailing them. There's no charge for an initial enquiry.


PLEASE NOTE : jellied eels not to be consumed on the premises.

[Gary Barnett]

I've phoned the IHS :


https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/int...eritage-centre


They say that unfortunately they have no ledgers of lodgers. There are some papers relating to policy, minutes of meetings etc, possibly including info on nightly closing times. The archivist recommends emailing them. There's no charge for an initial enquiry.


PLEASE NOTE : jellied eels not to be consumed on the premises.

Robert,

Were you being deliberately alliterative?

Gary

[Kattrup]

Thank you both, I was hoping some UK-based members might be interested in checking it out, if it has not been done before.

Yes, unfortunately archives don’t always contain what we’d like, but even administrative material could be interesting to us all, I believe.

Correspondence books might shed some light on what group of lodgers were generally there, for instance, or letters from police might show how transients were tracked. Or minutes of meeting might show if the Ripper-scare factored into the institution’s business.

At any rate, great if you could look it up, Gary, if it hasn’t been scoured already I’m sure there’s an article in it

[Robert Linford]

Certainly not! It's just that the lodgers' ledgers are lost.


Good luck if you go along, Gary.

[Kattrup]

Certainly not! It's just that the lodgers' ledgers are lost.

Allegedly!

[Gary Barnett]

Thank you both, I was hoping some UK-based members might be interested in checking it out, if it has not been done before.

Yes, unfortunately archives don’t always contain what we’d like, but even administrative material could be interesting to us all, I believe.

Correspondence books might shed some light on what group of lodgers were generally there, for instance, or letters from police might show how transients were tracked. Or minutes of meeting might show if the Ripper-scare factored into the institution’s business.

At any rate, great if you could look it up, Gary, if it hasn’t been scoured already I’m sure there’s an article in it

If there’s not an avalanche of Ripper old-timers claiming to have already done so, I’ll drop them a line and see how the land lies. It is south of the river, though, so I may have to top up my jabs.

[Robert Linford]

See if you can pop round to Cambridge Circus on the way back. Listen to the recording. Large lumps!


https://www.soundsurvey.org.uk/index...ngs/1950s/2135

[Gary Barnett]

See if you can pop round to Cambridge Circus on the way back. Listen to the recording. Large lumps!


https://www.soundsurvey.org.uk/index...ngs/1950s/2135

That’s a great website, Rob. thanks����

The Millwall kids singing brought a lump to my throat. It was recorded in 1938. Two years later, the area was heavily blitzed.

The Bishopsgate Institute sells a CD of old Eastenders reminiscing. They also have recordings of Arthur Harding being interviewed by Raphael Samuel. You have to take your own CD player to listen to them.

[Gary Barnett]

I've phoned the IHS :


https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/int...eritage-centre


They say that unfortunately they have no ledgers of lodgers. There are some papers relating to policy, minutes of meetings etc, possibly including info on nightly closing times. The archivist recommends emailing them. There's no charge for an initial enquiry.


PLEASE NOTE : jellied eels not to be consumed on the premises.

It seems the Sally Army only took over the VH @ 177, Whitechapel Road. There may be some records, though, that apply to the Commercial Street premises.

These are the records of the Victoria Home, 1860-1984.

Prior to its purchase by The Salvation Army, the site of 177 Whitechapel Road, London formed part of the site of the Whitechapel Workhouse and subsequently one half of the Victoria Homes for Working Men.

In 1919 The Salvation Army bought the site of Victoria Home No. II and took it over as a going concern with 450 lodgers. The Victoria Home (as it was now called) was run as a hostel; it was differentiated from Salvation Army Men's Shelters by its higher prices and quality of 'comfort' available. Men paid five pence per night for a dorm or seven pence for a private cubicle. By 1922 the site had accommodation for 540, including 128 private cubicles.

In 1984 Victoria Home ceased to operate and services were transferred to Booth House, at the adjoining site to Victoria Home. Most residents from Victoria Home moved to Riverside House, London. In 1994 177 Whitechapel Road was destroyed with the plan of building new flats for homeless men on the site.

Victoria Home, along with Booth House hostel and Rawson Home eventide home, were at times collectively known as the Whitechapel complex.

The records cover the years 1860-1919 and 1971-1984.

The records are divided into two series:

VH/1 Victoria Homes (pre-Salvation Army)
VH/2 Victoria Home

Prior to purchase by The Salvation Army the site of 177 Whitechapel Road, London formed part of the site of the Whitechapel Workhouse and subsequently one half of the Victoria Homes for Working Men.

The Victoria Homes were founded by Lord Radstock in approximately 1887. Trustees of the Homes included Mr T A Denny, Mr J F W Deacon and Hon. Granville Waldegrave (3rd Baron Radstock). The Homes constituted two sites; No. I at 39-41 Commercial Street, London and No. II at 177 Whitechapel Road. The Homes styled themselves as an expression of 'practical Christianity'. Together they provided 'a better class of accommodation' than 'common lodging houses' for over 1000 'respectable' men.

During the first world war the Homes faced increasing financial difficulties and the Trustees decided to close Home I. In 1919 The Salvation Army bought the site of Home II and took it over as a going concern with 450 lodgers. The Victoria Home (as it was now called) was run as a hostel; it was differentiated from Salvation Army Men's Shelters by its higher prices and quality of 'comfort' available. Men paid five pence per night for a dorm or seven pence for a private cubicle. By 1922 the site had accommodation for 540, including 128 private cubicles.

By the 1970s accommodation had decreased to 310; by 1983 accommodation was for 200 men. In 1984 Victoria Home ceased to operate and services were transferred to Booth House, at the adjoining site to Victoria Home. Most residents from Victoria Home moved to Riverside House, London. In 1994 177 Whitechapel Road was destroyed with the plan of building new flats for homeless men on the site.

Victoria Home, along with Booth House hostel and Rawson Home eventide home, were at times collectively known as the Whitechapel complex.

[Robert Linford]

Hi Gary


When I phoned I did specify the Commercial St Home (Home 1). I think she said that the ledgers had been lost because they never reached them.

[Gary Barnett]

Hi Gary


When I phoned I did specify the Commercial St Home (Home 1). I think she said that the ledgers had been lost because they never reached them.

Ah, so does that mean the lodgers ledgers for Home 2. may be extant? A lodger might switch between the two if they were similar.

On occasion he might find his ‘usual place’ full up with bloomin’ Danish tourists and have to walk the short distance to the other establishment.

[Robert Linford]

I think she'd probably have said if they had the ledgers for Home 2, but who knows?

[Jerry Dunlop]

The 1891 Census for the Victoria Home is available. That's the one that has James T. Sadler living there. I looked through all the records and could not find Hutch in there, though. I think there are some 400 names recorded. Charles William Mowl was the keeper. Maybe searching him can find some fruit?