Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1898-1899 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
0.76 linear metres.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Mary Ward: Mary Ward was born Mary Augusta Arnold in June 1851. Her father Thomas Arnold was a school inspector, the son of Dr Thomas Arnold, headmaster of Rugby school, and brother of Matthew Arnold the poet. In July 1871 Mary married journalist Humphry Ward. They had three children: Dorothy (1874-1964), Arnold (1876-1950) and Janet (1879-1956). From the 1880s Mary began to establish herself as a writer and journalist: her novel Robert Elsmere was published in 1888. It was a bestseller and secured Mary's reputation, earning her a £7000 advance on her next book. Mary Ward continued to write throughout her life, producing novels as well as works of a religious nature including biblical criticism. She also went on lecture tours (including in America, where she befriended Theodore Roosevelt) and devoted much time to philanthropic causes. In 1904 her daughter Janet married the historian G.M Trevelyan. From June 1908, and to much opposition from friends and family, Mary agreed to become the head of the Women's Anti-Suffrage Association, who campaigned against the suffragette movement. She began to produce anti-suffrage fiction which was not successful. During the First World War her reputation was improved by her contribution to the war effort. She was asked by Roosevelt to produce propaganda to be sold in America: England's Effort (1916) is credited with helping to involve the United States in the war and was followed by two more books. In 1919 Mary Ward was made a CBE and in 1920 was asked to become one of the country's first woman magistrates. However, over work caused her health to deteriorate, and she died in March 1920.
The Settlement: Mary Ward was encouraged to attempt to found a Settlement along the lines of the Toynbee Hall in East London. Premises in Gordon Square were rented and named the "University Hall Settlement", with the aim of providing "improved popular teaching of the Bible and of the history of religion", and to secure for residents of the Hall "opportunities for religious and social work". There were some religious disagreements among the residents of the Hall and in 1891 a small group secured a separate building east of Tavistock Square, called Marchmont Hall. They ran programmes and clubs for local men and boys, including talks, debates and concerts. Mary Ward decided to launch an appeal to provide a more spacious building which could accommodate the activities of both institutions. In 1894 John Passmore Edwards, a publisher and philanthropist, offered a considerable sum towards the building of a new Settlement on Tavistock Place, which was considered suitable as it was on the edge of an area of great poverty, Saint Pancras. The building was opened in February 1898, named the Passmore Edwards Settlement after its main benefactor.
In 1899 the Settlement expanded to include one of England's first day schools for the physically disabled, the Invalid Children's School. Mary Ward was heavily involved in the movement to provide greater care for the disabled, including the provision of better meals and training for employment.
Mary Ward died in 1920 and in 1921, with the agreement of Passmore Edwards' family, the name of the Settlement was changed to the Mary Ward Settlement (changed to the Mary Ward Centre in around 1970). In 1982 the Centre made a deal with the London County Council to move into nearby 42/43 Queen Square, in the former Stanhope Institute. The Centre runs a wide variety of adult education course and community outreach programmes.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 O/030 1898-1899 Collection 0.76 linear metres. Ward , Mary Augusta , 1851-1920 , nee Arnold , novelist, philanthropist and political lobbyist
Mary Ward: Mary Ward was born Mary Augusta Arnold in June 1851. Her father Thomas Arnold was a school inspector, the son of Dr Thomas Arnold, headmaster of Rugby school, and brother of Matthew Arnold the poet. In July 1871 Mary married journalist Humphry Ward. They had three children: Dorothy (1874-1964), Arnold (1876-1950) and Janet (1879-1956). From the 1880s Mary began to establish herself as a writer and journalist: her novel Robert Elsmere was published in 1888. It was a bestseller and secured Mary's reputation, earning her a £7000 advance on her next book. Mary Ward continued to write throughout her life, producing novels as well as works of a religious nature including biblical criticism. She also went on lecture tours (including in America, where she befriended Theodore Roosevelt) and devoted much time to philanthropic causes. In 1904 her daughter Janet married the historian G.M Trevelyan. From June 1908, and to much opposition from friends and family, Mary agreed to become the head of the Women's Anti-Suffrage Association, who campaigned against the suffragette movement. She began to produce anti-suffrage fiction which was not successful. During the First World War her reputation was improved by her contribution to the war effort. She was asked by Roosevelt to produce propaganda to be sold in America: England's Effort (1916) is credited with helping to involve the United States in the war and was followed by two more books. In 1919 Mary Ward was made a CBE and in 1920 was asked to become one of the country's first woman magistrates. However, over work caused her health to deteriorate, and she died in March 1920.
The Settlement: Mary Ward was encouraged to attempt to found a Settlement along the lines of the Toynbee Hall in East London. Premises in Gordon Square were rented and named the "University Hall Settlement", with the aim of providing "improved popular teaching of the Bible and of the history of religion", and to secure for residents of the Hall "opportunities for religious and social work". There were some religious disagreements among the residents of the Hall and in 1891 a small group secured a separate building east of Tavistock Square, called Marchmont Hall. They ran programmes and clubs for local men and boys, including talks, debates and concerts. Mary Ward decided to launch an appeal to provide a more spacious building which could accommodate the activities of both institutions. In 1894 John Passmore Edwards, a publisher and philanthropist, offered a considerable sum towards the building of a new Settlement on Tavistock Place, which was considered suitable as it was on the edge of an area of great poverty, Saint Pancras. The building was opened in February 1898, named the Passmore Edwards Settlement after its main benefactor.
In 1899 the Settlement expanded to include one of England's first day schools for the physically disabled, the Invalid Children's School. Mary Ward was heavily involved in the movement to provide greater care for the disabled, including the provision of better meals and training for employment.
Mary Ward died in 1920 and in 1921, with the agreement of Passmore Edwards' family, the name of the Settlement was changed to the Mary Ward Settlement (changed to the Mary Ward Centre in around 1970). In 1982 the Centre made a deal with the London County Council to move into nearby 42/43 Queen Square, in the former Stanhope Institute. The Centre runs a wide variety of adult education course and community outreach programmes.
Records gifted in August 1960.
Letters from Mary Ward (also known as Mrs Humphry Ward) relating to the establishment of a school for Invalid Children at the Passmore Edwards Settlement, Tavistock Place (later known as the Mary Ward Settlement).
Letters in chronological order.
Available for general access.
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For the main archive of the Mary Ward Settlement, see LMA/4524.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Records prepared May to September 2011. Ward , Mary Augusta , 1851-1920 , nee Arnold , novelist , philanthropist and political lobbyist Educational institutions Health services Care Community centres Community development Disadvantaged groups Disabled persons Disabled children Organizations Associations Youth organizations Passmore Edwards Settlement x Mary Ward Settlement x Mary Ward Centre Camden London England UK Western Europe Europe Bloomsbury
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Records gifted in August 1960.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Letters from Mary Ward (also known as Mrs Humphry Ward) relating to the establishment of a school for Invalid Children at the Passmore Edwards Settlement, Tavistock Place (later known as the Mary Ward Settlement).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Letters in chronological order.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
For the main archive of the Mary Ward Settlement, see LMA/4524.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Educational institutions
- Health services
- Community development » Community centres
- Community development
- Disadvantaged groups
- Disadvantaged groups » Disabled persons
- Disadvantaged groups » Disabled persons » Disabled children
- Organizations
- Organizations » Associations
- Organizations » Associations » Youth organizations
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English