Benjamin Waugh 1839-1908

Liz-Christmas & Potter Ancestry family trees

Portrait of Benjamin painted by his daughter Edna: now in the National Portrait Gallery, London

https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/16034655.social-reformer-who-set-up-the-nspcc-and-died-in-southend/ - not a direct link!

 

Benjamin Waugh was born in Settle on February 20 1839 at 10pm- C McG file . His mother, Mary, was known around the town as “the Good Samaritan”.

This selfless woman was committed to giving her children a charitable and Christian upbringing, but she died when Benjamin was only eight years old.

He referred to her teachings throughout his life and recalled, on returning to Settle in 1864: “Her name and memory are as fresh amongst the people here as, when 16 years ago, she fell asleep.”

As a child, Benjamin walked with his father James to the summit of Castleberg Rock “… to a favourite place of the dear life that had gone, and speak of her as ours still.” He must have learned compassion from his mother. One of his first selfless acts happened in Settle when the constable put two boys before the bench for stealing a turnip with which to make a lantern. Benjamin went before the bench to appeal that he had committed the same offence, but had not been found out.

f fragile health, he was sent to Southport at the age of 14 but he was already showing an ability to organise and make speeches. He was elected as honorary secretary to the Southport branch of the United Kingdom Alliance, a temperance movement founded in Manchester in 1852.

His health gave concern that he would not be strong enough for a church career, but in 1862 he managed to study for the ministry and, during his training, he travelled the country and spoke at the Independent Chapel in Settle in April 1864.

His first pastoral role was in 1865 in Newbury, Berkshire, and it was here that he again noted the harsh prosecution of a child for stealing turnips. A speech to the court in the boy’s defence was perhaps the first step in a campaign which culminated in his convincing plea for the abolition of juvenile imprisonment.

He married Sarah Boothroyd in 1865 and later moved to the Independent Chapel at East Greenwich, London.

 

1839 Benjamin Waugh was born to James Waugh & Mary Harrison on 20/2/1839 at 10pm! - C.McG.files. Settle Mar 1839

Later on in life he is said to have used the name 'Mary Harrison' as a nom de plume - I have not been able to verify this

1841C. Benjamin Waugh, 2, was living Settle Giggleswick, Yorkshire . His father a Saddler

James	Waugh	Male	30	1811	Saddler Yorkshire, England
Mary	Waugh	Female	30	1811	Yorkshire, England
Grace	Waugh	Female	3	1838	Yorkshire, England
Benjamin	Waugh	Male	2	1839	Yorkshire, England
Jane	Waugh	Female	13wks	1841	Yorkshire, England
William	Fowler	Male	20	1821	Saddler Yorkshire, England
James	Waugh	Male	14	1827	saddler ap. Yorkshire, England
Fanny	Boyd	Female	15	1826	F.S. Yorkshire, England
George	Hilard	Male	30	1811	Ind.minister Yorkshire, England

1851C.Benjamin Waugh, 12, was living with his uncle, John Harrison,( his mother's brother) at Newbold Hall, Monks Kirkby, Lutterworth, Warwicks

John	Harrison	Head	Married	Male	48	1803	Independent Minister	Skipton, Yorkshire, England
Bessy	Harrison	Wife	Married	Female	52	1799	-	Saddleworth, Yorkshire, England
Ellen	Harrison	Daughter	Unmarried	Female	15	1836	-	Stretton under Fosse, Warwickshire, England
Henry	Harrison	Son	-	Male	11	1840	Pupil	Stretton under Fosse, Warwickshire, England
Benjamin	Waugh	Nephew	-	Male	12	1839	Pupil	Settle, Yorkshire, England
Benjamin	Boothroyd	Pupil	Unmarried	Male	14	1837	Pupil	Southport, Lancashire, England
George G	Boothroyd	Pupil	-	Male	10	1841	Pupil	Southport, Lancashire, England
Charles F	Rayner	Pupil	-	Male	12	1839	Pupil	Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
Thomas B	Illingworth	Pupil	Unmarried	Male	15	1836	Pupil	Bradford, Yorkshire, England
Mary	Thornton	Servant	Unmarried	Female	15	1836	House Servant	Stretton under Fosse,

He left school at 14, and was apprenticed to a linen draper in Southport;

1853. Benjamin Waugh was apprenticed to Samuel Boothroyd, draper, of Southport Lancs - C.McG.files. He had been at school with Samuel's 2 sons

1861C Benjamin Waugh, 22, draper, was living at North Meols, Ormskirk.

John E	Millson	Head	Married	Male	61	1800	Independent Minister Of East Bk St Chapels Port	Thorne, Yorkshire, England
Mary Ann	Millson	Wife	Married	Female	57	1804	...Of East Bk St Chapel S Port Wife	Newbury, Lancashire, England
William H	Millson	Son	Unmarried	Male	22	1839	Student From College	Pontefract, Yorkshire, England
Herbert	Millson	Son	Unmarried	Male	15	1846	Scholar	Pontefract, Yorkshire, England
George G	Boothroyd	Nephew	Unmarried	Male	20	1841	Draper	Southport, Lancashire, England
Benjamin	Waugh	Boarder	Unmarried	Male	22	1839	Draper	Settle, Yorkshire, England
Alice	Greenbank	Servant	Unmarried	Female	35	1826	General Servant	Horton, Yorkshire, England

Mary Millson was the sister of Samuel Boothroyd's wife Sarah: they were both daughters of of the Rev George Greatbatch

At 23- in 1862 - he entered Airedale theological College, Bradford, to train for the Congregational ministry (1862-65). He served at Newbury, Berkshire (1865-66), Greenwich, London (1866-85). While at Greenwich he became interested in the welfare of children, and in 1887 he resigned from the full-time ministry to further this work.

1865. Benjamin Waugh, 27, Congregational minister, of Upland Villa, Newbury, marries Sarah E Boothroyd , 26, in the West End Congregational Chapel , Southport on 26/9/1865. He had been to school with her brothers! and apprenticed to her father . Witnesses John Waugh, M G Boothroyd & 1 other . Ormskirk Sep 1865

1866. He then moved to London, to the Maze Hill Congregational Church, Greenwich . He started the' Society for Temporary Relief in Poverty and in Sickness' and 'The Wastepaper and Blacking Brigade' , a day care institution for young offenders - C.McG.files.

1867. Norman Waugh born. 1868. Bertha Waugh born. 1870 Edith Waugh born. 1870-1871

1870-1876 Benjamin Waugh was elected to represent the Greenwich Division of the first school board for London (predecessor of the London Education Authority ). - C.McG.files.

1871C. Benjamin Waugh, Independent Minister, is living in Woodlands Villas Greenwich Kent

Benjamin	Waugh	Head	-	Male	31	1840	Independent Minister-	Settle Yorkshire, England
Sarah E	Waugh	Wife	-	Female	31	1840	-	Southport Lancashire, England
Norman	Waugh	Son	-	Male	4	1867	-	Blackheath Kent, England
Bertha	Waugh	Daughter	-	Female	2	1869	-	Blackheath Kent, England
Edith	Waugh	Daughter	-	Female	1	1870	-	Blackheath Kent, England
Isabella	Rowe	Servant	-	Female	17	1854	-domestic servant	Cornwall, England
Ruth	Fletcher	Servant	-	Female	19	1852	-nursemaid	Surrey, England

  Norman Waugh.     born 16/02/1867      in Lee
Bertha Waugh.         born 17/11/1868      17 The Avenue Bennett Park Lewisham
Edith Waugh             born 1870 died 1871
Freda Waugh.          born 30/07/ 1872.     3 Woodland Villas  Greenwich
Algernon Waugh      born 25/08/1873.     5 Woodland Villas. Greenwich
Hilda Waugh.           born 1875 She became deaf.
Allan Waugh.           born. 1877.                 ?     ".               ".              "
Edna Waugh.           born 29/06/1879. In Shipbourne, (?Blackheath) Kent
Rosa Waugh.           born  22/06/1882. in Sydney House Southgate

Edna married Sir William Clarke-Hall, a founder of the Probation Service. Lady Edna Clarke-Hall, was the first woman at the Slade School of Art, a significant painter herself, and a close friend of Augustus and especially of Gwen John.

1872. Freda Waugh was born 30/7/1872 to Benjamin & Sarah at 3 Woodlands Villas, Greenwich Sep 1872

Working as a Congregationalist minister in the slums of Greenwich, Waugh became appalled at the deprivations and cruelties suffered by children. Critical of the workhouse system, the Poor Law and aspects of the criminal justice system as it affected children, he wrote a book (The Gaol Cradle, Who Rocks It?, 1873) urging the creation of juvenile courts and children's prisons as a means of diverting children from a life of crime. He was elected to represent Greenwich on the London School Board from 1870 to 1876.

1877. He resigned from the School Board due to ill Health and convalesced in Kent

He was also, from 1874 to 1896, editor of a religious periodical, The Sunday Magazine, in which he published several of his own hymns

1881C. Benjamin Waugh living Oak Cottage Shipborne Malling Kent . Still ,apparently serving as a minister.

Norman Waugh, 10,was at Mill Hill Grammar School, Hilda Waugh, 6 was at a training centre in Ealing.

1882. Rosa Waugh was born Edmonton Sep 1882

1884. He was living at 33 the Green, Southgate

In 1884, he was a co-founderof the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, launched at London's Mansion House on 8 July. The London body's first chairman was veteran social reformer, Earl Shaftesbury. It evolved to become the NSPCC some five years later (14 May 1889), with Waugh as its first director and Queen Victoria as its first patron. (Michael was invited to the centenary Celebration of this at the Mansion Hoise in 1984, event presided over by the Dike of Westminster)

He was a minister in New Southgate, Middlesex (1885-87)

Benjamin & Sarah Waugh with 6 of their 12 children ~1889

 

1885. He resigned his ministry of the Congregational Church to concentrate on the work for the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

1889. Rev. Benjamin Waugh referred to as the Director of the NSPCC in an inquest of a malnourished child in Eastbourne

1891C. His family are living Hatfield Road, St Albans . He away from home- have not found him

Sarah E	Waugh	Wife	Married	Female	52	1839	-	Lancashire, England
Beatten	Waugh	Daughter	Single	Female	22	1869	-	Kent, England
Hesler	Waugh	Daughter	Single	Female	18	1873	-	Kent, England
Algernon	Waugh	Son	Single	Male	17	1874	Clerk In Patent Office	Kent, England
Allan	Waugh	Son	-	Male	13	1878	-	Kent, England
Eleanor	Waugh	Daughter	-	Female	11	1880	-	Kent, England
Rosa	Waugh	Daughter	-	Female	8	1883	-	Middlesex, England
Florence	Rogers	Servant	Single	Female	17	1874	Domestic Servant	Hertfordshire, England

1895. Benjamin Waugh received his first salary from the NSPCC

1897. Lord Herschells Inquiry vindicated Benjamin's running of the NSPCC

1901C. Benjamin Waugh Scarsdale Villas South Side, 39, Kensington

Benjamin	Waugh	Head	Married	Male	62	1839	Director Of A Society	Settle, Yorkshire, England
Sarah E	Waugh	Wife	Married	Female	62	1839	-	Southport, Lancashire, England
Bertha	Waugh	Daughter	Single	Female	32	1869	-	-Blackheath
Freda	Waugh	Daughter	Single	Female	28	1873	-	-Blackheath
Algernon	Waugh	Son	Single	Male	27	1874	Solicitor	-Blackheath
Hilda	Waugh	Daughter	Single	Female	25	1876	-	-Greenwich - DEAF
Mary	Austin	-	Single	Female	22	1879	Domestic	Hertfordshire, England

How much of his time did he give to his children?. At least two of them, Norman & Freda became fervent R Cs

In 1901C, Norman Waugh was a catholic Priest living near the Cathedral, Leeds

1905. He resigned as Director of the NSPCC and retired to 4 Runwell Terrace, Westcliff on Sea

Tray presented to him on hs retirement

He was a key party to the introduction of the first Children’s Act (1908).

1908 . Benjamin Waugh, 69, died 11/3/1908 at 4 Runwell Terrace, Southend Rochford mar Essex. Probate £ 1870

"Benjamin Waugh died shortly after having a cruise for his health in 1908. I have been to his grave in Southend"-Michael . Not on Ancestry/FMP shipping records

..

Michael beside the grave . . . . . . . . and outside where he died , 4 Runwell Terrace

 

Waugh lived at a number of addresses including Oak Cottage,Shipbourne in Kent, Croom's Hill in Greenwich, and at 53 Woodlands Villas (today Vanbrugh Park) in neighbouring Blackheath. In 1884 he was living at 33 The Green,Southgate. He later retired, in 1905, to live at 4 Runwell Terrace in Westcliff, a suburb of Southend, Essex , where he died three years later, and was buried in the Southend borough cemetery.

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Sander Index

These are extracts from his book, Some Conditions of Child Life in England, published in 1889, the year the NSPCC was founded.

“It will be impossible to even mention the hosts of those special defilements and injuries done to girl children. They are vast in number and incredible in kind, and include large numbers of own fathers as the fearful criminals…

“There was the poor little boy of seven, the hated encumbrance of a father and stepmother, bound and sometimes gagged and thrust in an orange box … unfed all day long in a locked-up room….sending two starved, almost naked, little girls for half a hundredweight of coals in rain and sleet twice; immersing of a dying boy in a cold tub for an hour ‘to get his dying done’...

“Strapping a deaf and dumb boy because it was so extremely difficult to make him understand…”