The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-02-22 00:00:00

Pt►ult IN ST. GI LES'S.

AT a NI EE riNG •if GENTLEMEN. con-
venei for the pornoie of con•idrrinE the prelient
STATE of the POOR of ST. GILES'S, and its Vicinity:

The Rer. DR. COLLINS in the Chair;
It appeared from the most satisfactory documents, laid
before the 51eet
Ist. That though the Children belonging to the School,
called she Irish Free Schools, have been relieved in fowl and
clothing, and some small assistance sent to the parents fruin
the monies lately contributed by a liberal public, as appears
from the advertisetnent in The Times of February 7—yet as
the views of the distributors did out comprelielid the great
mass of the Poor, whose children go to the other Charity
Schools, or those parents who have wily small children, or
the aged and helpless who have no young families, w eery
small port only, probably not one-tenth of the poor papilla-
lien of St.Giles's has participated in that benevolence which
the public probably imagined was extended to all.
2.11 y. Th.it all the reports of the Gentlemen who had en.
gaged to visit the Poor in their habitations concur in prov-
ing that distress and misery, of which nothing short of ocu-
lar inspection can convey any idea, still exist with all their
complication of sufferings iu these abodes of wretchedness;
that want of employment bas cut off the means of procuring
food; that to satisfy, the cravings of hunger, many have
Parini with both bedding and clothing; that cold and want of
nourishment have been frequently followed by di and
instances have occurred of sick persons, and sometimes
whole families, sleeping on the bare boards, or on a few
rags, or a little straw, with tm other covering than a piece
of old sacking. One instance of this kind of a poor woman
lying in a corner eta room, on a few raga, with scarcely any
covering, who was within • ley slays of her confinement;
another of • widow and five young children sleeping on a
little straw, which might be pressed into a hat, with only one
small worn-oat blanket, full of boles, to cover them—one of
her children, • boy of seven, had been compelled to remain
un this miserable bed fur three weeks, being destitute of
clothes, every article of his dress, even his shirt, having been
suld or pawned.
Resolved therefore, That • subscription be entered into
for the pnrpose of distributing at least the necessaries of
life, among the suffering Poor of St. Giles's generally, so
that some who are real objects, shall be precluded from par-
ticipating in the distribution.
Subscript 1111 l s will be received by the Rev. Dr. Collins,
Southall Park, Middlesex; Messrs. Wright and Co. Bankers,
ileurietta-street, Covent-garden; Edward Jerningham,
13, Bolton-row, Rerkeley.siptare ,• Rev. J. Russell, 9, Wind-
mill-street, opposite the Percy Chapel; M. L. Hill, Esq.
33, Muniil.slreet; Rev. Edward Scutt, 22, Gulden-square;
and Rev.). Ware, 53, Frith-street, Soho.
Books for the smallest donations are also opened at Mr.
%relate's, 42, High-street, St. Giles's ,• Mr. Parish's, 16, Car-
lisle-street, Soho; Mr. Closey's, 53, Fritbstreet, Soho; and
Mr. Ihrley's, 191, High Holborn.
Confiding in the assistance of the Public, the Committee
has already commenced distributing bread, oatmeal, her-
rings, and potatoes. The indefatigable seal of the Visitors
had enabled them personally to inspect 1,060 poor families,
tiring in the centre of St. Giles's. From them the most dia.
teemed cases were selected, and on Tnesday, the 15th, and
Friday, the 18th inst. near 7,10 of these article of loud were
distributed. It will, however, be desirable cuusiderahly to
extend the distribution, as numbers were necessarily ex-
cluded, and several districts are yet to be explored.
The cases selected for relief are open to the inspection of
the Public, at the Committee-Roan, No. 13, Camte.alreet,
Bloomsbury, any Moulin between 'twelve and TWO.