Liverpool Community and Branch houses, 1840-2018
Scope and Contents
The collection is comprised of records acquired and accumulated by the Sisters of Mercy of the Liverpool Community, in particular the Reverend Mothers. It includes correspondence, financial, administrative and property records with some plans, photographs, and spiritual writings by the Sisters; school and care home registers and photographs; records of church, local and national events affecting the Sisters; and personal papers of Sisters.
Dates
- Creation: 1840-2018
Conditions Governing Access note
As a private archive, access to the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy Archive requires application to the Archivist and approval by the Institute's Leadership Team. Where items are closed for access, this is indicated at the appropriate level.
Biographical / Historical
Catherine McAuley saw the original site where the third Convent of Mercy was to be built at Mount Vernon in Liverpool. Sadly she was not to see its opening on 28th August 1843 but she had already prepared Sister M Liguori Gibson to be amongst its early leaders. It was Doctor Thomas Youens, a friend of the Gibson family who had begged Catherine to send him Sisters. Once in Liverpool the Sisters opened a House of Mercy and the girls were taught the skills of laundry work, needlework and cookery. The Sisters ministered throughout the city of Liverpool, taking charge of St Elizabeth’s Industrial School in 1871 until 1920. They had also built schools in the convent grounds by 1850 and an almonry provided food to the poor. The Sisters ran night classes for both men and women and gave religious instruction to those in the Blind Asylum. Every Christmas a meal was provided for all those in need and this was continued well into the 20th century. Branch houses abounded from Mount Vernon covering areas like Falkner Street (1845), St Oswald’s, Old Swan (1851), St Walburga’s, Lancaster (1853), St Vincent’s, Hardy Street (1859), St Joseph’s, Douglas, Isle of Man (1867), St Anthony’s, Green Lane, Wavertree (1899) and St Mary’s, Blackbrook (1869). Some foundations went a little further afield such as Newcastle upon Tyne in 1855, Skipton (1861) and perhaps the most daring and challenging, Brisbane in Queensland, Australia in 1861 as well as Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in 1865. In 1925 Broughton Hall in the West Derby area of Liverpool was purchased as a Branch House. The plan was to develop a great school here as there was plenty of land and when the sad news came in 1966 that Mount Vernon had been compulsorily purchased and was due to be demolished for road widening, the Sisters decided that a new Mother House would be built in the grounds of Broughton Hall. The Sisters moved into their new convent in 1969. The expansion of the Liverpool community continued with newer foundations to Maghull in 1940 and in April 1969 the Lightbound family bequeathed a house to the community in Birkdale. In the 21st century things have changed a great deal, many of the branch houses have now closed. The Mother House, opened in 1969 now forms part of the 'Life' Hospital for children and the present community live in part of the old Broughton Hall building.
Full Extent
39 box (31.0 boxes of documents and records, 7.0 Boxes Photographs, 1.0 box of Artefacts, 3.0 outsize ledgers)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The sub fonds are divided into sixteen series that reflect the content and context of the collection. The original order has been kept where possible except that all copies of the constitutions are now in one folder.
Other Finding Aids
A Microsoft Access database lists correspondence to item level. Former reference numbers have been recorded within the Location Note at file and/or item level.
Custodial History
The archives of Liverpool community and branch houses have been generated by in some part by the branch houses but in the main part by the Mother House, first by Saint Ethelburga’s, Mount Vernon Street then in 1969 by the Mother House in Broughton because most of the administration of property and finance was controlled from the Mother House. When Liverpool community became part of the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy in 1986 the archives were held eventually by the Institute and each house became responsible for its own annals. Therefore, from 1986 the annals under the heading of 'Liverpool' refer to Broughton Hall until its transfer to the Life Centre and the former branch house's annals will be found under the community's name.
Accruals
Further accruals are possible.
Repository Details
Part of the Bermondsey Convent of Mercy Repository