'Female rescue Homes' were heavily influenced by British models, particularly the Magdalen Asylum in London, established in 1758. The female rescue movement was based on Evangelical Christian principles, and its aim was to reform 'fallen women' (women engaged in prostitution) through a combination of prayer and hard work.
The operations of the female rescue Homes in New South Wales were not limited to the rescue of fallen women. In Sydney, some were refuges for women who had found themselves homeless in the city. Increasingly, these Homes catered to single mothers and their babies, while others specialised in women with particular needs, such as alcohol and drugs, or women released from prison.
The Sydney Rescue Work Society's Home of Hope for Friendless and Fallen Women evolved into the South Sydney Maternity Hospital.
Prepared by: Naomi Parry
Created: 27 October 2011, Last modified: 26 February 2015