White Cross League

Papers of the White Cross League, and, post 1939, of the White Cross Committee of the Church of England Moral Welfare Council. The records mostly date from 1891 onwards, when the League was formed, although the publications within WCL/LIB include those of the League's fore-runner, the White Cross Society. The papers comprise minutes, reports, financial records and publications.

The White Cross League started life as the White Cross Society in 1883, under the auspices of Ellice Hopkins and Dr Lightfoot, Bishop of Durham. The organisation was formed to undertake rescue and preventive work to combat what it saw as threats to the 'purity' of society. Unlike many of the organisations tackling prostitution at the time, the White Cross Society concentrated its efforts on men, encouraging them to take responsibility for reducing the phenomenon.

Following its amalgamation with the Church of England Purity Society in 1891, the White Cross Society became the White Cross League. Rather than create its own branches, the League sought to use existing structures such as the Young Men's Friendly Society to promote its ideals; a good example of the day-to-day work undertaken by a League rescue worker is given in the diary WCL/DIA.

The League was brought under the supervision of the Church of England Moral Welfare Council in 1939, but continued within this body as the White Cross Committee of the Board for Moral Welfare for the furtherance of work among men and boys. The last General Meeting of this body was in September 1953.

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Little is known about the acquisition of the records, but it is assumed that they were transferred to the Record Centre with the archive of the Board for Social Responsibility.

Little appraisal was undertaken on migration of the records from Calm RM to Calm Archives, although some may have been at an earlier date.

For records of the Church of England Purity Society, with which the WCL merged in 1891, see CEPS; for records of the Moral Welfare Council, see MWC.