Records of Sailors Orphan Society of Scotland, charity, Glasgow, Scotland

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Bookmark:http://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb248-ugd178

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Scope and Content

Case history books, 1889-1919;
Minute books, 1889-1957;
Annual reports, 1900-1962;
Scrapbook, 1900-1938.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Sailors Orphan Society of Scotland was established in 1889 by three of Glasgow's leading shipowners - Richard Hubbard Hunter, Alexander Allan and George Smith. Its aim was "to feed, educate or otherwise provide for the orphans or fatherless children of sea-faring men throughout Scotland, who have been left in destitute circumstances". It was funded by voluntary subscription and gave some outdoor relief to widows, thereby allowing children to stay with their mothers. It also housed orphans and, in 1896 , a campaign was launched to raise the money for permanent premises. These were eventually built on land at Balrossie, in Kilmacolm (also known as Kilmalcolm), Renfrewshire, Scotland, but were closed in 1934. After this it is thought that Balrossie was bought by the Boys Brigade and used as their outdoor training centre. It then became the headquarters for Light Anti Aircraft during World War II and in the 1960s it was turned into a residential school. It was closed in the 1990s and the building remains derelict.