House of Mercy, Belfast, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
The House of Mercy Magdalen Home was established in 1889 and occupied part of the Convent of Our Lady of Mercy site at Mount View, 37 Crumlin Road, Belfast, where the St Patrick's Orphanage and Industrial School were also located. The official opening was performed by the Most Rev. Dr McAlister on 25 April 1889.
The object of the institution was to protect girls of good character. The prerequisites for those admitted were: an unblemished character, distress, and the capability of being trained to servitude. References were also required in the form of a recommendation from the priest of the parish to which the applicant belonged, and the testimony of a trustworthy woman. Girls were obliged to contribute towards their support during their residence in the establishment.
Records
Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.
- None identfied at present — any information welcome.
Bibliography
- Bartley, Paula Prostitution: Prevention and Reform in England, 1860-1914 (2000, Routledge)
- Finnegan, Frances Poverty and Prostitution: A Study of Victorian Prostitutes in York (1979, CUP)
- Hopkins, Jane Ellice, Work Among the Lost (1870, William Macintosh) Nokes, Harriet Twenty-Three Years in a House of Mercy (1886, Rivingtons)
- Taylor, William J The Story of the Homes (1907, London Female Preventive and Reformatory Institution)
- Thomas, E W Twenty-Five Years' Labour Among the Friendless and Fallen (1897, Shaw)
Links
- None identified at present.
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
