Metadata: Nightingale (Formerly the Home for Aged Jews)
Collection
- Country:
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Holding institution:
- London Metropolitan Archives, City of London
- Holding institution (official language):
- London Metropolitan Archives, City of London
- Postal address:
- 40 Northampton Road, London EC1R 0HB, United Kingdom
- Phone number:
- (+44) 20 7332 3820
- Email:
- ask.lma@cityoflondon.gov.uk
- Reference number:
- LMA/4456
- Title:
- Nightingale (Formerly the Home for Aged Jews)
- Title (official language):
- Nightingale (Formerly the Home for Aged Jews)
- Creator/accumulator:
- Nightingale
- Date(s):
- 1804/2007
- Language:
- English
- Extent:
- 5.59 linear metres
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Photographic images
- Audio
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
- Records of The Home for Aged Jews (later called Nightingale House and latterly Nightingale). This collection contains a wide range of records of the Home including minutes, a good set of annual reports, accounts, property and building records, printed material, photographs, film and videos. The archive gives detailed coverage of changes in care work and the life of residents and staff working at Nightingale. Of particular interest are the residents' admission book (1914-1933) and official 'diary' of events (1916) which are a good resource for tracing residents admitted to the Home, and the annual reports (1896-1997) which cover all aspects of the work of the Home including the early introduction of Occupational Therapy and other facilities for residents. The majority of the archive relates to the later half of the 20th century, although there is a small survival of records from the early period of the Home and its former Charities (from 1879) before its move to Wandsworth in 1907. The minutes include a minute book of the Wandsworth Hospital Group's Jewish Home of Rest, Birchlands Avenue, Wandsworth. The property deeds include deeds of the Farmiloe family, lead and glass merchants of Rochester Row, Westminster.
- Archival history:
- Deposited at London Metropolitan Archives in 2003 and 2012.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- Nightingale (formerly known as Nightingale House and The Home for Aged Jews) was the largest Jewish residential and nursing home in Europe by 2001. The Home has been funded by a combination of private and state funding. Nightingale has always been run on Orthodox lines but has been supported by all sections of the Jewish community. Nightingale had its origins in three charities, the Hand in Hand Asylum for Decayed Tradesmen (founded 1840), the Widows' Home Asylum (founded 1843) and the Jewish Workhouse also known as the Jewish Home (founded 1871). All three were established in the old Jewish quarter in London's East End to cater for the needs of the Jewish poor. A major aim of these charities was to save aged Jews from starvation and exposure on the streets and from the Workhouse and to find places for them where their religious needs would be met. In 1894, the three charities amalgamated as The Home for Aged Jews. In 1896 the combined Homes were based at 23 and 25 Well Street, Hackney and 37 and 39 Stepney Green. Two Medical Officers, a Master and two Matrons cared for 105 residents and were managed by a General Committee, House Committee, Finance Committee, Investigating Committee and Ladies' Committee. In 1907 The Home for Aged Jews moved to 'Ferndale', Nightingale Lane, Wandsworth Common. The premises had been gifted by Sydney James Stern, Lord Wandsworth in 1904. The stated aims of the home are 'to relieve persons of the Jewish faith who are not less than 60 years of age and are in need, by providing housing and items, services or facilities calculated to reduce the need of such persons, including special care in cases of infirmity'. In the early 20th century the work of the Home moved away from direct rescue work and the alleviation of poverty carried out by the former charities, to a greater emphasis on care and the improvement of the quality of life for its residents. The Community Care Act of 1993 had major implications for the Home. The Act encouraged potential residents to continue at their own homes for longer. As a result, residents on their admission to the Home were much frailer and dependent, requiring greater levels of nursing and paramedical staff. The average age of residents in 2001 was 88 years.
- Access points: locations:
- London
- United Kingdom
- Subject terms:
- Aid and relief
- Aid and relief--Philanthropy and charity
- Elderly
- Welfare
- System of arrangement:
- Catalogued in ten sections: Committee minutes; Annual reports; Admission, Home and Stock books; Accounts and cash books; Legacy papers; Deeds; Building surveys and plans; Printed material; Photographs; Films and videos
- Access, restrictions:
- These records are open to public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to closure periods.
- Finding aids:
- Please see online catalogues.
- Links to finding aids:
- https://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
- Yerusha Network member:
- London Metropolitan Archives
- Author of the description:
- Nicola Avery, London Metropolitan Archives, 2018
