The original church penitentiary for the reclamation of fallen women was founded in 1806 in London. There most well known centre was set up by former British

prime minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British politican, starting as Conservative MP for Newark and later becoming the leader of the Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Party. In a career lasting over 60 years, he ...

in 1848. Its aim was the

convent A convent is an enclosed community of monks, nuns, friars or religious sisters. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The term is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...

-based rehabilitation of women, including

prostitute Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...

s, thieves, the

homeless Homelessness, also known as houselessness or being unhoused or unsheltered, is the condition of lacking stable, safe, and functional housing. It includes living on the streets, moving between temporary accommodation with family or friends, liv ...

alcoholic Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...

s etc. They were

charitable organisation A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

s and not in place for the punishment of crimes. The Church Penitentiary Association existed from 1852 until 1951. There are records on the association in the Library at

Lambeth Palace Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is situated in north Lambeth, London, on the south bank of the River Thames, south-east of the Palace of Westminster, which houses Parliament of the United King ...

, the seat of the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

in London, and in the

National Archives National archives are the archives of a country. The concept evolved in various nations at the dawn of modernity based on the impact of nationalism upon bureaucratic processes of paperwork retention. Conceptual development From the Middle Ages i ...

. These also have holdings on related societies such as the Navvy Mission Society (now Industrial Christian Fellowship), the Temperance Council of the Christian Churches (now the Churches Council on Alcohol and Drugs) the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

Council for Social Aid, the Band of Hope (1855–1990), and the Church Moral Aid Society (1852–1892). Rescue work for unmarried mothers: An example of a nonconformist institution of this kind is the Manchester and Salford Asylum for female penitents, Embden Place Greenheys.''The sixteenth report of the Manchester and Salford Asylum for female penitents, Embden Place Greenheys: with a list of the subscribers and benefactors for 1839''. Manchester: Printed by William Simpson, 1839

References

* ''Prostitution: Prevention and Reform in England, 1860–1914'' by Paula Bartle; London: Routledge, 1999; pp. i–xi, 1–229 {{DEFAULTSORT:Church Penitentiary Social welfare charities based in the United Kingdom Women's prisons 1806 in England 19th century in England Criminal justice Women in history Patriarchy Prostitution law

See also

References