British Relief Association facts for kids

The British Relief Association (BRA) was a special charity from the mid-1800s. It was created in 1847 by important people like nobles, bankers, and generous helpers in London, England. This group became the biggest private helper during the terrible Great Irish Famine and the Highland Potato Famine in Scotland. Even Queen Victoria and many famous politicians gave money to help. The BRA worked for a short time, from 1847 to 1848, but it made a big difference.

How the British Relief Association Started

Lionel de Rothschild helped start the British Relief Association.

A plant disease called potato blight first hit Ireland in 1845. People started raising money to help, but it was not enough. When the blight returned much worse in 1846, it caused a huge crisis.

A man named Nicholas Cummins wrote a public letter in The Times newspaper on December 24, 1846. His letter asked for help, and soon, British business people and bankers started sending lots of money. In just a few days, over £10,000 was raised! Because so much money came in, a rich banker named Baron Lionel de Rothschild suggested forming the British Relief Association. This group would manage all the donations for famine relief.

The first meeting of the BRA was on January 1, 1847, at Baron de Rothschild's home in London. He invited some of the wealthiest and most important men in Britain. These men included Mayer Amschel de Rothschild, Samuel Gurney, and Hon. Stephen Spring Rice. Future meetings were held at South Sea House in London. Other important people like Thomas Baring and David Salomons also joined the committee.

Stephen Spring Rice, who was from Ireland, became the BRA's secretary. He knew firsthand how bad the potato blight was because it affected his family's lands in Ireland. Each committee member gave at least £1,000 to start. They met every day to decide how to use the money.

The British Relief Association had strong connections with important political groups, especially the Whig Party. This helped the charity become well-known very quickly. A kind helper named William Edward Forster praised the committee. He said they wanted to do more than just give money.

The potato blight also affected Scotland in 1845 and 1846. So, the Association set aside one-sixth of its money to help people in the Scottish Highlands.

What the Association Did

Soon after the Association started, requests for help poured in from all over Ireland. The committee quickly began asking transport companies for help. On January 4, 1847, the Peninsular and Oriental Company offered a steamship to carry food to Ireland for free. Also, major railway companies offered to carry all relief supplies for free.

Much of the help went through existing relief groups already working in Ireland. The BRA's members used their connections to encourage fundraising across the entire British Empire. The BRA worked closely with the British Government to make sure their efforts were organized. They wanted to help people the government could not reach.

A key person in Ireland for the BRA was Paweł Strzelecki. He sent regular reports about the suffering to the Association. These reports were printed in British newspapers, showing the public how bad the famine was.

By March 1, 1847, Strzelecki had given aid in 65 places across Ireland. This included clothes, over a thousand bags of rice, and nearly two thousand barrels of meal. For example, in Westport, County Mayo, the Association helped feed about 8,000 people every week in 1847.

As more help was needed, Strzelecki became the Executive Director in May 1847. More volunteers joined to help. By summer 1847, a temporary plan was put in place: a network of soup kitchens across Ireland. These kitchens fed 3 million people every day! At this point, the BRA decided to reduce its own operations. By the end of June, only Strzelecki remained in Ireland for the Association.

In autumn 1847, the British government said they believed the famine was over. They announced that no more government money would be spent on relief. However, people still needed help. The Association used its remaining money to help 22 Poor law unions in Ireland. For over eight months, about 200,000 children in Ireland received free food every day. They were also given clothes. By July 1848, the British Relief Association had used all its money, and the charity closed down.

In Scotland, the Association's help was organized by the Earl of Dalhousie and Lord Kinnaird.

Donations Received

Queen Victoria gave £2,000 to the British Relief Association. This was the largest single donation.

In total, the British Relief Association raised about £500,000. This amount would be worth around £52 million today! Over 15,000 individual donations were sent to the BRA. Each one was carefully recorded.

The very first donation from outside the Association came from Queen Victoria. She had been criticized for not doing enough to help with the famine. Three days after the charity started, she donated £2,000. She first sent £1,000, but the Association's secretary, Stephen Spring Rice, said it was "not enough." He told this to Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey, who then told the Queen. She then increased her donation by £1,000. The next day, Prince Albert gave £500. Other royal family members also donated.

Other important donations came from Abdülmecid I, who sent £1,000. Several British politicians also gave money, including Lord John Russell and Sir Robert Peel. Groups like the East India Company and Magdalen College, Oxford also contributed. Even the journalists from Punch magazine, which often made fun of Ireland, sent £50.

The Association's committee included people from different religions, like Anglicans, Jews, and Roman Catholics. Donations came from many religious groups too. Queen Victoria wrote special letters in March and October 1847, asking Church of England members to donate. These appeals raised about £170,000 and £30,000. Other donations came from Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Baptist groups.

Many donations were sent from other countries. Over £20,000 came from British North America. Even Abraham Lincoln, who was a young lawyer at the time, gave £5. The largest single donation came from the Bombay Relief Committee, which raised £10,177.

Images for kids

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  Lionel de Rothschild, who helped start the Association

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  Queen Victoria donated £2,000 to the British Relief Association and was the largest individual donor.