Person    | Male  Born 4/7/1845  Died 19/9/1905

Dr Barnardo

Missionary and social worker with the British poor, especially children. Born Thomas John Barnardo in Dublin with a Prussian father. "Brought to Christ" in 1862. Arrived at 30 Coburn Street in 1866, on his way to be a missionary in China. Whilst waiting to be accepted he started studying medicine at the London Hospital and began missionary-type work in the East End. He never qualified but used the title 'Doctor' and even forged qualifications. Supported by Lord Shaftesbury he opened the first "Dr Barnardo’s Home" for children in 1870.

The Edinburgh Castle was a pub in Rhodeswell Road, Limehouse which Barnardo took over and re-opened in 1873 as the British Working Men's Coffee Palace. 1876 opened the Girls' Village Home in Barkingside. 1877 set up a school where the Ragged School Museum now is.

When he died the charity he had founded was running 96 children's homes. Died at Leonard's Lodge, his home in Surbiton. One of his daughters, Syrie, married first Henry Wellcome and then Somerset Maugham. She was an interior designer in the 1920s and 30s, credited with creating the first white room - see the Library Time Machine.

Like many working in this field, Barnardo campaigned against prostitution. This brought him into contact with prostitutes and consequently he has been named as a candidate for Jack the Ripper.

At the Dignity Funeral Museum in Rosebery Avenue we read that Barnardo was one of only two people who made the journey to their final resting place courtesy of the tube: Gladstone and Barnardo. So we investigated Barnardo's death. From Surbiton his body was taken to lie in state for 3 days at the Edinburgh Castle and was then processed through the streets to Liverpool Street Station. From here it was taken to Barkingside where he was buried, in what is now Barkingside Park/Recreation Ground. We can't find it specifically stated anywhere but the Central Line provides an excellent connection from Liverpool Street Station to Barkingside, so it seems that was the chosen means of transportation.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Dr Barnardo

Commemorated ati

Dr. Barnado - Coborn Street

30 Coborn Street. Here Doctor Barnardo first lodged on coming to London in 1...

Read More

Dr. Barnardo - Ben Jonson Road

Doctor Barnardo, 1845 - 1905, began his work for children in a building on th...

Read More

Dr Barnardo - Bow Road

This plaque contradicts English Heritage's rules about erecting only one plaq...

Read More

Dr. Barnardo - Cable Street

Barnado Gardens. This block was built by the London County Council in 1957. I...

Read More

The Children's Fold

182 Grove Road. From 1888 to 1911 "The Children's Fold" or "Sheppard House". ...

Read More

Other Subjects

Sir John Kirk

Sir John Kirk

J.P., Christian philanthropist, the children's friend.  Not to be confused with Sir John Kirk (1832-1922), the African explorer.  Sir John's great great grandson, Peter Mitchell, contacted us to sa...

Person, Children, Education, Philanthropy

1 memorial
National Schools / St John's Highbury Vale Primary School

National Schools / St John's Highbury Vale Primary School

We have decoded the following from British History On-line Opened 1836 as Highbury Vale School with 102 middle school pupils. 1864 the site was enlarged and the school rebuilt as Christ Church Nati...

Building, Children, Education

1 memorial
Edward Smith

Edward Smith

Edward Smith is the 3rd on the right of the seven boys sitting in the photograph of the scout troop. His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1901 in the Lambeth registration district. As a...

Person, Children, Community / Clubs, Tragedy

2 memorials
Sir Nicholas Winton

Sir Nicholas Winton

Sir Nicholas George Winton MBE was a British banker and humanitarian who established an organisation to rescue children at risk from Nazi Germany. Born to German-Jewish parents who had emigrated to...

Person, Children, Peace

1 memorial
Evelina Hospital for Sick Children

Evelina Hospital for Sick Children

The Evelina Children's Hospital was founded by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild and named for his wife, who had died aged 27 with her child in labour in 1866. It was planned by Dr Arthur Farre in a pu...

Group, Children, Medicine

2 memorials