At an age when many would be thinking of retirement, Andrew Reed, minister of Wycliffe Chapel in the East End of London and founder of three orphanages, could not rest while others were suffering acutely.
In the 18th and 19th centuries a number of asylums had been built for those declared insane, but little was done for those with severe learning difficulties. In 1840, Andrew Reed had confided in his Journal the hope that he might one day be able to help those whom society deemed less than human, but of whom he firmly insisted ‘the Divine image is stamped upon all’. This conviction of the fundamental human dignity of those with severe learning difficulties was a crucial motivation.
Before launching a scheme, Reed’s approach was always to undertake thorough research, and planning. He began an extensive correspondence with the leading figures in the treatment of those with learning disabilities. In 1847 he was able to visit some of the leading centres in Europe, and he gathered statistics from England and Wales which suggested there were over 30,000 people suffering from serious mental handicaps. He found that many were consigned to live in workhouses, or were mixed with the mentally ill in asylums. Some were chased from one community to another, hounded by jeering crowds. Others lived in a state of absolute destitution, or were cared for by relatives who had very low incomes. Although it was time consuming, his preparations ensured that he was operating at the cutting edge of research and practice into the care and treatment of those with mental handicaps.
