Guild of the Brave Poor Things
The Guild of the Brave Poor Things was a British charity for disabled children. It was established in 1894 by Dame Grace Kimmins (1871–1954) et al. to provide resources for disabled boys to enable them to make a productive place for themselves in society.
History
Play was seen as a major positive addition to the more traditional methods of learning by rote and of other much more drilled aspects of the elementary schools of the time, especially when teaching the physically handicapped. This resonates with teaching in mainstream schools today where play is a part of the UK's
The Guild of the Brave Poor Things provided education for physically handicapped children (in those days the term "crippled" was current and not viewed as pejorative).
In 1894, Kimmins organised a meeting which resulted in the foundation of the Guild of the Brave Poor Things. Juliana Horatia Ewing's 1885 novel The Story of a Short Life inspired Kimmins to start the Guild to help children with disabilities. Grace (and later Ada Vachell took their motto ‘Laetus sorte mea’ (‘Happy in my lot’) from Ewing's book.[1]
The Guild of the Brave Poor Things also spawned the
Supporters
- Millicent Fawcett (1847–1929), the leader of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies
- West London Mission, which provided premises for the Guild of the Brave Poor Things prior to its move first to Bermondsey University Settlement and later to the Chapter House of Southwark Cathedral
- Mary Neal (1860–1944), responsible for the direction of play sessions at Marchmont Hall
- West London Mission.
- Mrs Mary Ward (1851-1920), suffragette and novelist
- Lord Llangattock(the 1st Baron Llangattock) (1837–1912), responsible for finance for Boys and Girls Craft Schools.
Archives
Local branches of the Guild hold archives in their corresponding county record office. The National Archives Discovery Catalogue lists the Hull Branch held at
The History of Place project researched archival histories of the Guild[4] which led to an exhibition at M Shed in Bristol during 2018.[5]
Other resources
Part of the Guild of the Brave Poor Things facilities via the
References
- ^ Seth Koven, ‘Kimmins , Dame Grace Thyrza (1870–1954)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006 accessed 8 Oct 2016
- ^ Elizabeth Baigent, ‘Vachell, Ada Marian [Sister Ada] (1866–1923)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 8 Oct 2016
- ^ "National Archives Discovery Catalogue, Guild of Brave Poor Things". Retrieved 26 August 2016.
- ^ History of Place project http://historyof.place/location/guild-of-the-brave-poor-things/
- ^ History of Place - exhibition at MShed http://historyof.place/events/exhibition/
External links
- A Great Army of Sufferings': The Guild of the Brave Poor Things 'A Great Army of Sufferings': The Guild of the Brave Poor Things and Disability in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries - Michael Mantin - University of Bristol - History Department (Best Undergraduate dissertations of 2009)
- Chailey Heritage Hospital, From the archives of Sussex County Council
- Sussex Industrial Archeological Society Visit To Bishopstone Tide Mills
- Information on the Guild Heritage, Bristol Pamphlet on the Guild Heritage, Bristol which was the built by the Guild of the Brave Poor Things in 1913. Commissioned by the owners in 2012.