with the facts with which they are primarily concerned, useful for consultation. The selection of subjects in this book is based on the needs of every-day practical charitable work. A case of distress might be cited as a reason for almost every paragraph. Readers desirous of further information are urged to refer to the books mentioned in the list on page clxxxii. These, with other publications on charitable questions, can be seen at the offices of the Council of the Society. January 1890. C. S. L. IX. The Municipal Administration of the Metropolis XIII. The Election of Board of Guardians: its importance XIV. The Duties of Guardians in regard to In and Out-door Relief XV. Poor Law Relief by way of Loan; and Recovery of Relief... XXVI. Soldiers and Seamen: Provision for their Families, &c. XXX. Married Women: Legal Remedies against Ill-treatment, &c. XXXI. Non-provision for Widows and Children XXXII. Poor Law Provision for Children: Schools XXXIII. Poor Law Provision for Children: Training Ships XXXIV. Poor Law Provision for Children: Boarding-Out XXXV. Poor Law Provision for Children: Apprenticeship... XXXVI. Poor Law Provision for Children: Payment of School Fees Liabilities of Masters and Infant Life Protection Assistance of Widows and Children... XXXIX. Subscriptions to Institutions by Guardians XLVI. The Blind, Deaf and Dumb: The Powers of the Guardians LVI. The Vestries and District Boards LVII. The London County Council ... LVIII. The London County Council and the Vestries and District INTRODUCTION. I. THE SCOPE OF THE INTRODUCTION. Necessity of of charitable work and of legal pro visions. THIS 'introduction' is rather a reference book than an introductory a knowledg preface. A list of charities, without some knowledge of the modes in which their benefits ought to be turned to account, is like a pharmacopoeia without a knowledge of the elements of medicine. An outline of the principles of charitable work has therefore been given. Legislation also has created public bodies with definite responsibilities, which, if properly fulfilled, narrow the field of charity. At present there is a mingling of obligations and an overlapping of responsibility. A division of labour would add to the efficacy of charity; but before this becomes possible, those who take an interest in these questions (and in some way or other most people are dealing with them) must learn what public authorities have to do, and how their resources can be made use of with the greatest advantage to the poorer classes. For this reason particulars have been inserted in the Introduction in regard to the Poor Law, Reformatory and Industrial Schools, the vestries and their sanitary duties, &c. &c.* As the object of charity is to benefit the individual and his family, and the attainment of this object depends on the discrimination of circumstances and the application of remedies, typical instances of various classes of cases have been given; e.g. widows with families, the unemployed, * With regard to the necessary limits under which this information is given, see note p. xxxii. A list of books for reference and reading, and a list of some of the publications of the Charity Organisation Society, will be found on p. clxxix. N.B.-It is particularly requested that any corrections, information regarding new or omitted charities, and suggestions with regard to the improvement of the Charities Register and Digest, and of this Introduction in future editions, be sent to the Secretary, Charity Organisation Society, 15 Buckingham Street, London, W.C. Persons desirous of assisting cases of distress of a difficult nature are invited to refer to the same address, should they be unable to find for them a suitable mode of help in the Register, or if they cannot ascertain from the Introduction the information they require. a chronic cases, inebriates. These are, generally speaking, intended as illustrations of what cases may rightly be left to public bodies and what should be undertaken by charity. The 'Introduction' does not deal with those social and economic questions, which lie partly within and partly without the province of charity—in what ways the conditions which tend to the degradation of life in large sections of the people may be removed. Such questions must repeatedly occur to every one who has any experience in, or has given any thought to, the relief of individuals. But though they be most important, and though the study of them in connection with a knowledge of the daily life of the people be a chief duty of our time, yet, except incidentally, they lie beyond the scope of this work. II.-EXPLANATORY OF THE REGISTER. The scope of the Register is larger than that usually aimed at in such works. This is mainly due to the introduction of information in regard to the various provident agencies, a knowledge of which is of the first importance to the almoner. And also the attempt has been made to give prominence to those large charities of the working classes which are habitually overlooked, but which are administered with a familiar acquaintance with the general circumstances of the recipients, and have a potency for good which may greatly exceed the more distant though equally genuine charities of other classes. Charity is of no class and of no sect; it has to prevent, to remedy, and not merely to alleviate distress; every spiritual and material agency that has this purpose or can be so utilised is its minister : for those who are in distress it has to open the way to sober living, health, and self-support, and, so far as it is both wise and strong, for their children's children. It is with this idea that the Register has been compiled. To refer to the Register it will be well in every case to consult the index first. The entries in the index refer to classes of charities, to individual charities, to the places at which institutions are, and to those names which are commonly used as short titles of well-known institutions, e.g. the Bexhill Convalescent Home, the Strangers' Friend Society (otherwise called the Benevolent Society), &c. Of the religious charities only an alphabetical list has been given. Those which do a combined religious and material work are entered twice, and full particulars are given in regard to the latter. Those that do not, with some very important exceptions, such as the city missionaries, the parochial Mission-women, and others (of which more lengthy entries have been inserted), are concerned with evangelisation abroad, or undertake work which does not come within the ordinary cognizance of the |