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Our history

In 1887, the West End was rife with poverty, alongside great wealth and riches.  

Katherine and Hugh Price Hughes, our founders, decided to take action.  

As part of the mission movement, a new radical initiative within Methodism, they formed the West London Mission (WLM). Combining evangelism with social action, they started pioneering projects ahead of any public provision, to live out their values as Methodists, to love, care and serve others.  

From creches for working mothers to hostels for ex-offenders and homes for recovering alcoholics, they worked tirelessly with thousands of people affected by poverty and inequality in London.

Explore some of their early services below.

Timeline

  • Health Visiting Service; Starvation, smallpox, and cholera were rife amongst the poor. Offering free consultations, a doctor’s surgery was opened at St James Hall, as well as two dispensaries and a visiting service which went door-to-door to assess people’s needs. From 1887, this meant 650 people a year on average were able to access health care at a time of huge inequity.
  • Poor Man’s Lawyer; In the tradition of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, it was felt that lawyers, as well as doctors, should give free advice to the poor. From 1892 to 1909, a Poor Man’s Lawyer service was started with weekly advice on compensation for injury, domestic disputes, and the unfair eviction of tenants to people who otherwise were unable to pay solicitors’ fees.
  • Home of Peace for the Dying; People at the end of life were often sent to ‘death houses’, put to bed, and kept there. In 1893, the Home of Peace for the Dying created something different. Open to all, with no charge for patients, it was an attractive home for people to spend their last days in a happy, peaceful atmosphere, and die with both decency and comfort.
  • Job Registries for Men and Women; Unemployment was a serious problem in London, with thousands depending on emergency relief to keep them from starvation. In 1894, a Labour Yard was set up to provide men with work at trade union rates, as well as a men’s labour exchange and servants’ registry to help people find good and permanent employment.  
  • Crèche for Working Women; The first crèche in London was established in 1895, at a time when mothers were seen to be neglecting their responsibilities if they left their children with others. This largely supported working-class women who had to work to be able to afford food for their families, with an average of 40 to 50 children attending every day.    
  • School for Mothers; Infant mortality in the slum area of Somers Town was 232 per 1,000 compared with a city average of 130. In 1907, a basement was transformed into a school, offering a weighing machine, lectures on baby care, and information about food, cooking, and health. In the first ten months alone, 218 babies were brought in by their mothers. 

Our work today

Our founders were moved to act on the key issues of the day and live out their values to love, care, and serve others.  

Donald Soper continued to build on this inspiring legacy, leading the WLM as Superintendent from 1936 to 1978 with services including a young person’s hostel, maternity hospital, second hand goods depot, young ex-offenders’ hostel, alcoholics recovery services, homes for unmarried mothers and their babies, and a nurse’s hostel.   

Following the amalgamation of Kingsway and Hinde Street Circuits, as well as Donald Soper’s retirement from post, in 1982 the mission moved its base from Kingsway Hall and returned to Hinde Street Methodist Church, once more determined to continue its mission. 

Now, as Strides, a provider of social housing and services for the community, we continue this work and are committed to bridging the most urgent support gaps in London today, where we continue to see huge inequalities across the city preventing individuals and communities from making the strides forward that are clearly possible.

Our Approved Premises, which provides a stepping stone for men leaving prison, continues to be known as Katherine Price Hughes House in our founder’s memory. They showed us how, together, we can transform the communities we are part of so that each and every one of us can access the support we need.  

With you, we can continue this work to help people and communities find their way in life. Find out how you can support us by signing up to our newsletter below.