The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-28 00:00:00

PRICE 4d.,
STAMPED scl.

Meeting of Ladies at London House.

esterday afternoon a meeting of ladies was held
in the drawing-room of the Bishop of London's town
residence in St. James's-square, in connection with
the " Ladies' Diocesan Association," which has been
established for the metropolitan see. There were
present, amongst many others, the Countess of
Rothes, Lady Mary Wood, Lady Camilla Fortescue,
Lady Colebrooke, Lady Georgiana Russell, Lady
Mary Farquhar, the Hon. Miss Campbell, the Hon.
Miss Spring Rice, the lion. Emma Talbot, the Hon.
Mrs. Way, Mrs. W. E. Gladstone, Miss Burdett
Coutts, Mrs. Goschen, Mrs. Humphrey, Mrs. Kempe,
Miss Oldfield, Mrs. W. H. Fremantle, Miss Eardley,
Miss Twining, Mrs. Tait, Mrs. Charles Buxton, and
Mrs. M‘Garell.
Prayers were said in the chapel, after which the
ladies assembled in the drawing-room.
The Bishop of LONDON addressed them at some
length on the objects he desired to be carried out
by their association. He recapitulated what had
taken place in connection with such works in past
years, dwelling upon the benefits which had arisen
from the connection of past work with their present
effort, and the influence which had been brought to
bear upon those who had hitherto done a little
in a desultory sort of way, but who had by co-
operation been able to join in the furtherance of
greater ends. Proceeding to notice various insti-
tutions which were worthy of suivort, he spoke
particularly of one which was prominently re-
commended in the annual report of the com-
mittee of the Bishop of London's Fund—that of
parochial mission women. Ladies had made great
efforts in that direction before, but their work was
now prospering far more than it had hitherto done,
in consequence of co-operation, the work being now
carried on by means of a regular organisation.
Hitherto a great many small institutions have been
established for affording assistance to the sick and
destitute, and, though they had done a great work,
what they accomplished amidst the wretchedness
and misery which exisited was like a drop in the
ocean. Now, means had been taken to enlarge these
institutions, and a much more important character
had been imparted to them. He would next advert
to the Hospital for Incurables, and the Home in
Ormond-street, the objects of which he explained.
In the next place he referred to the Refuge which
had been establishtd in Newport-market, the prin-
ciple of which he announced to be not only to afford
temporary relief to the destitute, but, by its connec-
tion with the House of Charity in Soho-square, to
endeavour to provide the poor with occupation and
employment which probably they could not other-
wise obtain ; for such persons had, as it were, fallen
out of the chances of employment. He attached
very great importance to the connection between
these two very useful institutions, for they
seemed to point out the model on which all
houses of charity and homes ought to be con-
ducted. One great result of the exertions of ladies
in this direction was that a considerable number of
young Women had been able to emigrate, and thus
permanently to establish themselves in a respectable
position in life ; while the carrying out of their
principles seemed to him to be a safeguard against
unpractical efforts, for, by combining the exertions
of those who could give time, they effectually pro-
tected themselves against desultory and ineffectual
schemes. There was also in what had been done for
needlewomen much cause for congratulation. So
much had been said on the subject that it seemed to
be wholly exhausted, but a crisis had now arrived.
There was less.demand than formerly for the ser-
vices of needlewomen, owing to the introduction of
machinery. By the use of the sewing machine, young
women could now earn from 12s. to 20s. a week.
This was a healthy state of things for those who
*ere allictuktain. employment; but then it was..
clear that a much less amount of employment would
be left for those who were not so active, or so intel-
ligent, and it would be one part of their duty to en-
deavour to prevent such persons from sinking into
a hopeless state of poverty. Such changes oc-
curred in other branches of industry—amongst
the weavers, for example, when machinery was in-
troduced, and that class seemed to have a strong
claim to a helping hand. A society for the employ-
ment of needlewomen had been established, and
many hopeful signs in connection with it had been
brought out lately at a meeting of the City
clergy. One object was to procure sewing machines
for young women ; and another was to assist those
who were too old to learn, by finding out some other
work for them during their period of transition.
(The bishop explained that the object of the society
—of which the Hon. Mrs. Way and the Hon. Miss
Percy are secretaries, and which is situate at 22,
Bunhill-row, Finsbury-square--is to obtain orders
from ladies for ready made clothing, to procure
work from shops, or to get employment for such
women as are capable of other work in any way
which may present itself through the exertions and
recommendations of friends.) From what had been
done, and from what was now going on, it was
satisfactory to them to know that new and larger
efforts had been produced, and that fresh exertions
had been made in consequence of the excellent
examples which had been set in every direction. An-
other institution he wished to commend to attention
was a working man's institution at Knightsbridge.
It might appear that men were more fitted than
ladies to give support to such societies ; but ladies
had more tact and influence in dealing with men,
and their aid, therefore, in this case would be most
valuable. Other institutions he might mention were
orphan houses and Queen Charlotte's Hospital, and
with regard to the latter he thought it was most ad-
visable to provide some security for those who came
out of it against relapsing into the habit of sin which
had taken them there. Another instance pre-
sented itself in the case of a lady who had offered
£5O a year towards the maintenance of a clergy-
man in an East-end parish, and who had mani-
fested her interest in the locality by visiting,
and by general personal co-operation with
the clergyman in his work. Another lady, who
was unable to leave a sick bed, had nevertheless
been of great use in promoting a society for the
education of orphans. With regard to the coming
year, he would especially mention the visitation of
hospitals and workhouses. In speaking of hospitals,
there were many reasons for thankfulness in the re-
forms which had been effected in them—amongst
others, by Miss Nightingale, who, although now on
a sick-bed, was as active as when in health to im-
prove their condition. One of the most melancholy,
features in connection with both hospitals and work-
houses had been the character of many of those
persons who had been employed to nurse the sick
and the dying. A careless person by a sick-bed was
a sad sight. A selfish person in such a position
was a sad sight, but how much worse was it when
Persons of an infamous character were found
actually by the death-bed ? It was owing very
much to Miss Nightingale's labours that such great
improvements had been secured in this respect.ben
e
Opportunities for the visit of lady nurses had
ity
presented in King's College Hospital, in University
College Hospital, and others ;
forb but the sphere of
action was presented not onlyvisiting the sick,
but also for taking care of those
patients who were
leaving the hospital. This was
in the case of consumptive persons. h
per-
sons especially
was the
ordinary state of things with valuable
What
probably the patient was
ato m last told
p regard to suc
sons ? After several visits
was
hopeless, and from the
rt
hospital she had to move to
comforts
and that
carea t her
of case a
ahome, wretched frequently for the poverty and
carelessness with there. Here it was
which was met
that the kind visitors to hospitals might be of the
greatest use in taking such cases in hand—visiting
and assisting the sick in their own houses after
leaving the hospital. They might also do much by
showing kindness to the families of the patients'
children who were deprived of the care and watch-
fulness of their mothers. In consequence of a visit
of a lady not long since, a poor German woman,