Archive
First days as a social worker in London
The first morning after my arrival I was given a book and told to go to a street off Poland Street, visit every house and every room, for there was a family in almost every room of houses that were large and which had once been inhabited by well-to-do families. I was told to make friends, to find out their conditions, see what could be done for them/
51
and invite them to the services at the Mission Hall in Wardour Street. I was absolutely ignorant and had not the remotest idea what could be done in the way of alleviation for the conditions into which I was plunged.
Dire poverty, filth, unspeakably insanitary conditions, immorality brazen and subtle, met me at every turn. Not a glimmer of light, not a ray of hope. I have often come out of a room into the street holding my throat tight to prevent myself from being sick with the stench and horror of the condition of those I had seen in the room.
We began by giving quite indiscriminate charity as there was no trained worker to instruct us and no precedent as a guide. If the Mission Hall was full in the evening that was all that our efforts aimed at.
Comments
The archive is still being added to. Please feel free to comment if there's something you'd like to observe or add.