Hidden Lives Revealed. A virtual archive - children in care 1881-1981 * Image of handwritten text

The First Forty Years

Edward Rudolf was incredibly proud of the good work done by the Waifs and Strays' Society. As the Society approached its 40th anniversary he decided to chart its history and growth in the book The First Forty Years. Rudolf realised that by celebrating the historical work of the Society he would draw people's attention to how they could help with the organisation's current work.

The First Forty Years offers a yearly breakdown of the Society's growth in detail. It includes a number of interesting facts such as important events of the year, the many notable supporters (including Sir Ernest Shackleton and Sir Henry Irving) and details of the Society's financial health. Of course, central to this were the children.

You can browse through the publications below :-

N.B. These publications are of a high resolution, with average file sizes of 200K.

The First Forty Years


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