The Alders, Davenport accounts book 1899-1917

'The Alders' Davenport - Account Book - Page 6

The Alders Account book information | Davenport Station Homepage

Sept - Nov 1900

Charity work also occupied the sisters: four shillings is spent organising (or funding) an 'Auxiliary Tea.' We believe this refers to the Ladies Auxiliary of the 'Lifeboat Saturday' charity, whose treasurer was a neighbour, Mrs Lees of 'Fairfield', Davenport, wife of hat manufacturer William Lees. Lifeboat Saturday was an annual event in many towns: a procession, including an actual lifeboat, would take to the streets to raise money for what is now the Royal National Lifeboat Insitution. This link has a picture of such an event in Derby.

'Blind Institute brushes' is a regular entry. The 'Institute for the Blind and Deaf' which from the 1870s occupied a purpose-built building on St Petersgate, Stockport, was a workshop which employed blind and deaf people to make items such as brushes, which were then sold round the town. The foundation stone of this building was laid in 1872 by Miss Louisa Walthew, the blind daughter of the Mayor of Stockport; the name is perpetuated by the present-day Walthew House on Shaw Heath.