emphasis on the d i s t r i b u t i o n of aid in the homes of
those who n e eded it was a theme rec u r r i n g in the thinking of the more adva n c e d workers in the field of charitable relief in these years. The main point was:
There was always something d e g r a d i n g when people were brought together in crowds to get their dole of charity at the workhouse; and all those who
1
At the first annual meeting, S , M .H . 15 July 1862. 2
A nnual meeting, 17 June 1863» A.R. 1862-3.
3
In its first y e a r the society aided 55 people in this way; income was £399» in 1864-5 £99 of this was repaid, and £425 donated, while £59 was giv e n to 2 3 people and £439 lent to 67 people. In each y e a r the A.R.s speak w i t h pride of these repayments.
desire to reform the n ational feeling had said that the public charity should be adminis t e r e d at the homes of those who required it, and not before all the w o r l d . ... 1
Perhaps we can find here the first faint outlines of a n e w approach to the methods of aiding the poor, w i t h an
emphasis on ’c a s e - w o r k ’, self-help and specially
designed aid. Yet its w o r k was n e ver widespread. Its appeal was limited, for the n u m b e r of the 'Educated Classes' who had come on hard times was n e v e r v ery g r e a t .
P o v e r t y and evangelism
In 1862 S u nday m o r n i n g breakfasts for the destitute were begun by a vigorous group of Christians whose aim was to reform as well as feed. The s e breakfasts were d istributed at the Tempe r a n c e Hall. The meals were followed by addresses on Chr i s t i a n topics, and were
2 draw i n g 120-30 each week.
The poor people were urg e d to abandon the use of intoxic a t i n g drink, and all other vice, to clean themselves, seek employment, and work instead of beg, look up to God for his blessing, and try to gain a respectable posi t i o n in s o c i e t y . 3
A m o n g the supporters of this venture were such
protestants as the R everend M r Nolan, the R e v e r e n d Mr
1
Reverend Dr Steel, annual m e e t i n g 22 July 1864, S .M .H . 23rd. Cf. frontispiece.
2
S . M . H . 25 June 1862.
A .R . 1862, S . M . H . 4 A p r i l I 8 6 3 .
3
88
Hartley, Mr Caldwell M.L.A., Mr Lucas and Mr Robinson. It was a less socially prestigious group than the supporters of the Home V i s i t i n g Re l i e f Society. Its concern for evangelism as well as p oor relief ensured t h a t . But it was a w o r k w h ich continued over the next 20 y e a r s .
A more comprehensive effort at reformation was also inaug u r a t e d in June 1862. This was the [Sydney] City Mission, whose aim was to be an u n s e c t a r i a n evangelistic a g e n c y among the poor of Sydney. B e n j a m i n Short had brought from L ondon a v ision of what might be attempted in this line. He was supported by such clergymen as Thos Smith, J. Eggleston, Dr J.D. Lang, S.C. Kent, W. Allworth, and Dr J. Fullerton. A m o n g the other members
of the first committee were A. M c A r t h u r M.L.C., Thos Holt M.L.A., Justice Wise, John Fairfax, Edward Joy, J. Richardson, R.J. Horneman, and J.B. G o o d l e t . It is
clear that these me n were concerned for the social welfare of the community and were d e t e r m i n e d to support efforts to reform i t .^
1
Ibid., and A.R. 1863, 28 M a r c h 1864. Cf. also an account of its w o r k i n g in one of a series of articles on S y d n e y ’s charitable institutions, S .M .H . 25 June 1866. 2
Sydney C i t y Mission: T e n Decades. The H i s t o r y of the S ydney C i t y M i s s i o n , Sydney, 1962. T h o u g h of the glossy commemorative genre, this w o r k has plai n l y b e e n written w i t h access to the M i s s i o n ’s minute books.
Sydney vagrants
This same reformism was apparent in the support given to yet another effort by Dr Douglass to provide for the poor. He wrote to the Herald d r a wing attention to the tale of 'homeless v a g r a n t s ' :
There is not a more lamentable sight in the city of Sydney than to witness the n u m b e r of squalid,
miserable creatures that are m a r c h e d daily...[to] the police courts. A p o r tion of them are liable to punishment under the Vagrant Act, as houseless and homeless poor, who are sentenced for no crime but their p o v e r t y . ...1
The appeal received the H e r a l d 's support, the editorial bei n g timed to publicise a public m e e t i n g to discuss
2
'relief of the Houseless P o o r ' . A m o n g those at the m e e t i n g were Dr Douglass (in the chair), J.H. Plunkett, George Allen, the Mayor, J. Caldwell, ¥. Love M.L.A., S. Emmanuel M.L.A., Dr Lang, Henry Parkes, M. Metcalfe, Edward Joy, J. Richardson, and J.H. G o o d l e t . In
discussion on the m o t i o n that a night refuge for the
houseless be established, Love and Caldwell w a nted to know if scriptures would be read and w h e t h e r temperance would be preached. Despite the d e p r e c a t o r y remarks of
Plunkett, Douglass and Allen, who all hoped for a general, non-religious institution, Love pressed his point, ensuring that a n u m b e r of protestants and
temperance m e n were added to the committee. N o t h i n g more
1
H.G.D. to S . M . H . 8 M a r c h 1864.
Editorial, 11 April 1864; report of m e e t i n g 12 April. 2
90
came of the effort, poss i b l y because of this division of o p i n i o n .
Twelve months later the H erald described the work of the Sydney Night Refuge, where me n were bei n g given
n i g h t l y accommodation. It was in premises rented from