The origins of Nugent Care date back to the 1800’s and the pioneering work of James Nugent, (1822-1905), in relation to child welfare, relief from poverty and social reform. Monsignor James Nugent, better known as Father Nugent, was a Roman Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. He was a passionate social reformer, appalled by the state of the homeless living in the squalor of Victorian England, he dedicated his life to the education and rescue of destitute children.
His statue (created in 1906) can be seen today in St John’s Gardens, adjoining St George’s Hall in Liverpool. The plaque on the statue reads “Apostle of Temperance, Protector of the Orphan Child, Consoler of the Prisoner, Reformer of the Criminal, Saviour of Fallen Womanhood, Friend of all in Poverty, a foot to the lame, the Father of the Poor.” The work of Father Nugent had a dramatic impact on the lives of thousands of vulnerable people and his work continues to this day, through the charity organisation Nugent Care.
Monsignor John Bennett, (1891-1965), was the administrator of The Catholic Reformatory Association, The Catholic Children’s Protection Society and Father Berry’s Homes, for over 40 years. He was able to build upon the pioneer work for child welfare, in Liverpool, by previous administrators - Monsignors Nugent and Pinnington. He was an important character in the developing form of social welfare, where his influence and expertise often extended beyond Liverpool. He was involved at national level serving as part of the Central Advisory and Training Council. At international level, he was directly involved in the development of child welfare in Malta, after an appeal by the Governess of Malta, Lady Laycock. Canon Bennett would become the biographer of Monsignor James Nugent in 1949, when he wrote the book, Father Nugent of Liverpool.
From the guide to the Nugent Care Archive, 1864-2006, (Liverpool Hope University Archives and Special Collections)
