Quarriers

The charity was founded in the late 19th century by the philanthropist William Quarrier, a shoe retailer from Glasgow. Quarrier began looking after homeless children in the 1870s, opening a night refuge for homeless children in Renfrew Street, Glasgow in 1871.[2]

He then expanded his operations, using charitable donations to buy a piece of land near Bridge of Weir, on which the Orphan Homes of Scotland were built. Both the village, originally founded as the Orphan Homes of Scotland in 1876, and the orphanage homes relating to him were part of William Quarrier's Christian vision on helping the less fortunate.[1] The village was built on the former Nittingshill Farm. By the 1890s this included 34 cottages, a school, a church and a fire station – a complete working village that became known, and is still known, as Quarrier's Village.

More than 800 children at a time lived at Quarrier's Village during the 1890s and as the charity expanded, up to 1500 children were accommodated at a time. In total more than 30,000 children have been cared for at Quarrier's Village.[3]

It adapted to changes in British childcare practice and legislation in the 1970s and 80s. It led to a modernisation process, through which the organisation developed the services it now delivers today and became known by the new name of "Quarriers".

In 2004, Quarriers won both 'Fundraiser of the Year' and the Communications Award from the Institute of Fundraising Scotland.[4]

In 2020 the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry issued a report which included Quarriers Homes.[5][6] The report concluded that children in the care of these institutions suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse, "scant regard was paid to their dignity." and that they lived in "harsh, rigid regimes.".[7]

The chief executive of Quarriers, Alice Harper, apologised for their former policy of sending children abroad and said it was both "misguided and wrong." She also said that "Vulnerable children were sent away and we recognise that some also suffered physical and emotional abuse, including sexual abuse."[8]

From 1872 to 1938, the Orphan Homes of Scotland participated in an overseas emigration programme that sent more than 7,000 young people primarily to Canada and some to Australia.

The homes were listed as the Orphan and Destitute Children's Emigration Homes in 1872 and had close connections with their receiving centre, Fairknowe, in Brockville, Ontario. Quarriers apologised for this practice in 2019, acknowledging that while the scheme was seen to have "offered the chance of a better life", "it was misguided and wrong". The charity further acknowledged that a number of children had suffered cruelty and abuse.[9]