Day Nurseries and Créches:

II

RELIEF MOVEMENTS

THE PROTESTANT HOME OF INDUSTRY—ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY—THE OLD BREWERY MISSION—THE SALVATION ARMY SOCIAL WORK—THE CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY—THE MEURLING MUNICIPAL REFUGE—OTHER RELIEF AGENCIES.

THE PROTESTANT HOME OF INDUSTRY

The beginning of the nineteenth century marked a decided growth in the English population and there can now be seen its efforts to organize its relief work. The present chapter will also indicate the progress of the movement towards organized charity.

In 1818, an act was passed forming a corporation of the “Wardens of the House of Industry at Montreal.” This was in order to carry out the wish of a John Conrad Marsteller, who in 1808 had left two stone houses and other buildings on St. Mary Street for the erection of a House of Industry, but the amount not being sufficient, there was delay till the act of 1818 created the “wardens” or overseers and visitors of the poor. No regular steps seem to have been taken for the appointment of these wardens till April 2, 1827, when a commission, signed by the Governor General, Earl Dalhousie, appointed as wardens of the House of Industry, François Desrivières, Saveuse de Beaujeu, Samuel Gerard, Jean Bouthillier, Horatio Gates, Rèné Kimber, Henry McKenzie and James Kimber.

In 1863 an act of incorporation was granted for a “Protestant House of Industry.” A building site was secured at the corner of Dorchester and Bleury streets, for which the proprietor, Mr. John Donegani, was paid £3,750. Upon this property a large brick building was erected, three stories in height with a high basement. It became the center of sociological activity. “During the year 1865,” says Mr. Sandham, the historian, “the missionaries of the different religious societies formed themselves into a City Missionary Relief Society and were liberally aided by the citizens in carrying on their work. The following year it was thought advisable that all assistance should flow out through one channel and accordingly a United Board of Outdoor Relief was formed in connection with the institution.” This institution is still in operation in the city.