Poor relief and charity, 1869-1945 : the London Charity Organization Society

The research and presentation of this work would not have been possible without the supportive friendliness of my colleagues in the Department of Economic History at the LSE. The mental stimulation and spirit of good-will gained during my many enjoyable and ever helpful discussions within the Department have been essential. At a time when so many establishments are staffed by people wracked with acute emotional stress I recognize my good fortune in being surrounded by hard-working colleagues who so willingly find the time to help others. I am also indebted to the invariably helpful members of the various libraries and other custodians of source material; especially to those in the British Library of Political and Economic Science and to those in Goldsmith's Library, Senate House. I am also most appreciative of the wonderfully loyal support of my friends and family. To Paul and Adrienne, my thanks for time in their busy lives in commenting so constructively on various draft chapters. In particular, I thank Trish for her invaluable comments, corrections and organization of the script. Also for always being there with her calm dependability whenever my spirits seemed to be flagging. I am entirely responsible for any remaining errors. This volume challenges many widely held beliefs about the efficacy of the London Charity Organization Society. Politicians, social administrators, sociologists, economists, biographers and historians have been swayed by the strength of their propaganda. The Charity Organization Society continues to be used as an institutional model to illustrate the alleged advantages of voluntarism over state benefits. Poor Relief and Charity 1869-1945 exposes the misleading nature of many of its claims. It explains why they were shunned by other charities, treated with suspicion by parish clergy, disregarded by poor law guardians and seen as little different from the stigmatized poor law by those in need. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Beginnings of the London Charity Organization Society....Pages 1-22 The First Five Years....Pages 23-59 Developments by the Turn of the Century....Pages 60-95 1900 Onwards — a Half-Century of Change and General COS Decline....Pages 96-132 Charity Organization outside London....Pages 133-160 Reasons for COS Decline....Pages 161-189 Back Matter....Pages 190-228 This volume challenges many widely held beliefs about the efficacy of the London Charity Organisation Society. Politicians, social administrators, sociologists, economists, biographers and historians have been swayed by the strength of their propaganda