Keith Cranwell

A History of Nineteenth Century Organised Childrens Play: Play Organisation and the Out-of-school Child in London (1860-1914) Keith Cranwell

A History of Nineteenth Century children's play considers the work of Victorian social reformers in London to address problems of the moral dangers to children of unsupervised street play. This is the first book to examine Victorian play organsations that addressed the problem of the lack of open space for children's play and recreational out-of-school clubs. The gathers together this little known aspect the work of such philanthropists as Samuel Barnett, Grace Kimmins, Mary Ward, Octavia Hill and the Earl of Meath. The work also highlights the grassroots work of church missions, who organised neighbourhood "playrooms" and the society charity that ran the Children's Happy Evenings Association from 1888-1916 in London schools. The book discusses the issues regarding the educational v social welfare aims of these voluntary bodies. There is also an examination of the campaigning undertaken by Mary Ward, Samuel Barnett and the Earl of Meath to influence government to legislate for statutory provision for open space in London for organised children's play and the provision open access, of all year round play centres for London's children.