Liverpool House of Help and Hostel for Women and Girls

[poppysmum]

Hello,

I am helping a friend research her adoption.  We know that her birth mother was living at this institution when she was born in 1960.  The address was 162 Grove Street and she was born at the Sefton General hospital.  Her mother as from Scotland, Shotts, and the baby’s was sent to a home in Dundee before being adopted through their he Scottish Episcopal Church.

I was wondering if anyone local and any memories of this place.  I have learned that it was a Magdalen home and that the records are at the archives in London.  However, I can only find one mention of it online and we’d really like to see what it looked like or to hear from from other people who hav stories about it.

Thanks
Caroline

[Gibel]

Found this

Records of the Liverpool House of Help
This record is held by Liverpool Record Office
See contact details
Reference:   362 HOU
Title:   Records of the Liverpool House of Help
Description:   
1. General Committee Minute Books. 3 vols., 1901 - 1957
 
2. Executive Committee Minute Books, 6 vols., 1934 - 1961
 
3. Annual Reports, 76 pamphlets, 1892 - 1957; 1959 - 1967
Date:   1892 - 1967
Held by:   Liverpool Record Office, not available at The National Archives
Language:   English
Creator:   
Liverpool House of Help
Physical description:   9 vols., 76 pamphlets
Immediate source of acquisition:   
The records listed below were donated to this library in November 1970 by I.W. Spiers
Subjects:   
Liverpool
Administrative / biographical background:   
The Liverpool Rescue Society and House of Help was opened in July 1890, at 68 Falkner Street with the aim of providing temporary shelter for women and girls - " ... a Temporary shelter ... to those who have fallen into sin, and to those hovering on the brink of ruin" (see 362 HOU 1/1 below, printed sheet inserted at front of volume). The Society was a voluntary organisation, supported by "... a large number of influential ladies and gentlemen". From 1909 the words "Rescue Society" were omitted and from 1942 the organisation was known as the Liverpool House of Help & Hostel for Women & Girls.
 
In 1895 the Society moved to premises at 162 Grove Street, but in 1963 it returned to Falkner Street, occupying no. 44.
 
The Liverpool House of Help was closed in 1969.
Link to NRA Record:

[poppysmum]

Good morning


Thanks for this, I haven’t seen this before.

That gives us something new to look at.

Caroline

[hanes teulu]

From a short item in The Liverpool Echo, 1 April 1965, about the House of Help's 74th annual report -   

" ... Mr Paxton said there were many organisations which existed to give help but the way they did it made one wish they did not. There was a lack of tact and feeling, and the impression was that they were just dispensing a dole. That didn't happen at the House of Help".

[Gibel]

Incidentally it does not appear to have been affiliated to a particular church and appears to have been a Liverpool organisation, no mention of it being a Magdalen home.

[ShaunJ]

The caption on this photo is "164 Grove Street" https://asenseofplaceblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/65-164-grove-st1.jpg?w=525

https://asenseofplace.com/2013/05/16/lost-and-found/

Circa 1965

[Jebber]

According to childrenhomes.org it was a Magdalen Home which catered for 16 girls and women, there was no age limit.

[ShaunJ]

Just following up on that photo there's an item in the Echo that mentions the demolition of the old House of Help in Grove Street in 1965 (Echo 4/2/1965, page 2 "The Beat City's Burden")

[poppysmum]

Good afternoon,

Thank you to Gibel, Shaun J, Jenner and Hanes teulu for the effort you have gone to.

Does the quote mean that this was a better hostel?  I really hope so.

The photo is brilliant.

Thanks again