Brooklyn charitable organizations for working women collection
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Abstract
The Brooklyn charitable organizations for working women collection consists of publications documenting women's organizations established in the mid-to-late 19th century, organized and headed by women to aid single working women, working widows and their children, and destitute and disabled women. The collection is mainly comprised of annual reports issued by the organizations. The annual reports are of particular interest as they can include financial information; officer, board, and committee lists; membership lists; year-end reports; and club histories.
Historical note
The Women's Work Exchange and Employment Society of Brooklyn was originally organized in 1872 under the name "South Brooklyn Employment Society." In 1884, it changed its name to The Women's Work Exchange and Decorative Arts Society of Brooklyn. The Exchange was first located at 122 Atlantic Street in Brooklyn and then moved to 130 Montague Street in the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights where it remained for most of its history. The mission of the Exchange was to provide a depository for the reception, exhibition, and sale of items made by women attempting to support themselves and to supply work ("needlework") to competent seamstresses. There was no entrance fee to join the Exchange, though 15% of each sale was deducted to support the Exchange.
The Brooklyn Female Employment Society was established in 1854. The Society's mission was to procure employment for destitute women. Originally located at 65 Court Street in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood, it later relocated to 93 Court Street. In 1924, the Brooklyn Female Employment Society joined with the Woman's Work Exchange (organized in 1886) and changed their name to the Needlework Society and Exchange in order to better reflect the combined focus of the organizations.
The Business Women's Union of the City of Brooklyn was located at 80 Willoughby Street at Bridge Street in the neighborhood of Downtown Brooklyn and was incorporated in 1871.
Scope and Contents
The Brooklyn charitable organizations for working women collection consists of publications documenting women's organizations established during the mid-to-late 19th century, organized and headed by women to aid single working women, working widows and their children, and destitute and disabled women. The collection is mainly comprised of annual reports issued by the organizations. The annual reports are of particular interest as they can include financial information; officer, board, and committee lists; membership lists; year-end reports; and club histories.
Organizations represented in the collection include: the Brooklyn Female Employment Society, the Business Women's Union of the City of Brooklyn, The Women's Work Exchange and Decorative Art Society (originally organized as the South Brooklyn Employment Society and then as the Women's Work Exchange and Employment Society of Brooklyn), and the Working Women's Vacation Society.
Materials pertaining to The Women's Work Exchange and Decorative Arts Society of Brooklyn consist of annual reports. The following years are represented: 1880 to 1901, and 1905 to 1916, and 1920. Many of the annual reports include extensive lists of items sold, sometimes with accompanying prices. Also included is a history of the Exchange. Because the document is fragile, a photocopy has been provided for the researcher.
There are two bound volumes of annual reports for The Brooklyn Female Employment Society, dating 1855 to 1887 and 1888 to 1914. The unbound annual reports issued by the Society span the years 1915 to 1923 and then picks up again for the years 1925 to 1933. The 1924 report was never printed.
Finally, the collection includes two annual reports issued by the Working Women's Vacation Society for the years 1889 and 1890, and one annual report from the Business Women's Union of the City of Brooklyn, dated 1895.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
Topics
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Brooklyn charitable organizations for working women collection, 1985.109, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was formally accessioned in 1985, donor unknown.
About this Guide
Processing Information note
Minimally processed to the collection level.
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This finding aid does not include an online listing of contents.
To learn about viewing this collection in person, please contact cbhreference@bklynlibrary.org.
