In the year 1845, a young man called Thomas Barnardo was born in the capital city of Ireland, Dublin, and when he was sixteen years old, he decided to work in the Chinese medical profession, as a doctor

He moved to London, to take a course to train as a doctor, but he never completed his course, however, during this time, he became interested in the lives of poor Victorian children.

In 1867, he decided against moving to China. Instead, he opened his first school to educate poor and homeless children. Soon afterwards, one of his pupils, Jim Jarvis, took him on a walk around the East End of London, showing him HUGE numbers of children sleeping rough on the street, suffering from illnesses.

Thomas Barnardo was moved by the sight. In 1870 he opened his first care home for boys, giving them shelter, food, education and a bed.

One day, a poor boy was turned away from one of Dr. Barnardo's homes, and two days later, he died on the streets.

From then on, no child was ever refused entry to any of his care homes, and a sign on the wall said "No homeless child ever refused admission."

Thomas Barnardo died aged sixty in 1805, and in the present day, his work is continued by the charity 'Barnardo's'.

I belive that Thomas Barnardo is one of the true Victorian greats.

Dr. Barnardo

by Matthew Parsons