UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENTS, INSTITUTES, HOSTELS, MISSIONS &  CHARITIES IN NEWHAM - A Brief History.

Background.

Mansfield House, Dockland Settlements and Canning Town Women's Settlement were the largest and best known. Trinity College Oxford Mission and St. Helen's Women's Settlement were in Stratford. They are all part of the Newham Story and each is a story in its own right.

 The Settlement movement began in the East End in 1884 with Toynbee Hall in Whitechapel.  Universities and public schools gave money, personnel and backing to 'settle' students in residential communities and build a range of centres and halls at the heart of urban poverty, unemployment and inequality.

 Locally, they provided a centre for social activities with thousands taking part in the sporting, health, educational and social programmes. Clinics and hospitals, nurseries and sports fields, social clubs and advice centres sprang from them. They spread out to include country and sea-side centres for recreation or convalescence

 Five Settlements were established in the old County Borough of West Ham in Canning Town, Plaistow and Stratford. Three were Anglican foundations and, unusually, two were Free Church (Congregational).

 University Settlements

Here is a summary of the University Settlements. Some records and pictures- particularly of Mansfield House and Canning Town Women's Settlement are in the Newham archives. Mansfield House has fuller notes here to illustrate the scope, development and decline of local Settlements.  Separate notes on the Docklands Settlement are available. 

MANSFIELD HOUSE has been based in Plaistow from 1889 and has provided community activities and social support since that time.