Edward Rudolf founds the Church of England homes for waifs and strays (1881–1882)

Edward Rudolf, a Sunday School teacher and civil servant in South London, founded the Church of England Central Society for Providing Homes for Waifs and Strays in 1881. He sought to establish children's homes as alternatives to workhouses and orphanages, leading to the registration of the society that became The Children's Society.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Church of England is the established Christian church in England. In the late nineteenth century, Edward Rudolf, a Sunday School teacher and civil servant in South London, founded a charity allied to this church. His goal was to improve the lives of children and young people by providing homes for waifs and strays, distinct from the large workhouses and orphanages common at that time.

Founding. Rudolf led a deputation to Archibald Tait, Archbishop of Canterbury, to establish Church of England children's homes. In 1881, the Church of England Central Home for Waifs and Strays was registered. The first home was opened in Dulwich in 1882. The society's development was driven by the success of this home and a growing awareness of child poverty in England and Wales.

People involved

Sources

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