Church penitentiary

The original church penitentiary for the reclamation of fallen women was founded in 1806 in London.

There most well known centre was set up by former British prime minister William Ewart Gladstone in 1848.

Its aim was the convent-based rehabilitation of women, including prostitutes, thieves, the homeless, alcoholics etc.

There are records on the association in the Library at Lambeth Palace, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury in London,[1] and in the National Archives.

Rescue work for unmarried mothers: [4] An example of a nonconformist institution of this kind is the Manchester and Salford Asylum for female penitents, Embden Place Greenheys.