Case 262

The child N. is the youngest of six children. The father & mother, J. & E. (a widow) were not married, & the husband deserted the mother & children more than once, so that being almost entirely dependent on her son J.M., they fell into great wretchedness. Now the son is in such bad health that he has hardly earned a week's wages for many months, & has been several times on the Infirmary.

Cross St. in one of the very worst localities in Southampton, so that the children grew up among the very lowest & vilest characters. When the mother had to go first to the Infirmary about 15 or 16 months ago, some ladies rescued the two eldest girls, & the one who was sent here is still with us & doing well. The second, (A.) was sent to Stone Penitentiary, but had to be expelled, & has not since been heard of. The third girl is in one of the Fareham Homes, & now we are most anxious to save the little one from her the fate of two older sisters. It seems, humanly speaking, impossible that she can grow up anything but vicious is such surroundings.

The father drinks & is very bad. He turns up from time to time, but never works steadily. He & the brother are quite willing that the child should be sent to a Home. The two Aunts have had no intercourse with their sister or her family since she lived with Woodford & I fear would do nothing towards paying for the child.

Sister L.
Deaconess.