In 1845 Thomas John Barnardo was born.

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He was born in Ireland.

He was born in Dublin.

Dublin is a big city.

• He grew up and played with friends in Dublin.

When Thomas lived there there were a lot of poor people. Children had to work. Thomas did not think of them.

He was lucky he did not have to work, his father paid for him to go to school.

He was quite a naughty boy. He often made people cross.

He was lazy and did not work hard and failed his exams and had to leave school at 16.

He went to work in a wine merchants.

When he was 17 he learned about Jesus and became a Christian.

Jesus asked us to help our neighbours.

Thomas decided he would go to China and teach the people there about Jesus and Christianity.

He thought he could help the people of China by learning about medicine. He went to London in England to become a Doctor.

In London he started to really notice all the poor people.

Most poor people had children whom they loved.

Their children did not go to school.

Dr Barnardo became a teacher at the ‘Ragged school’ a school for children who’s parents did

not have enough money to pay for them.

One night a boy called Jim Jarvis showed Dr Barnardo some children who did not have anywhere to sleep.

They were sleeping on roofs and in gutters.

They were orphans- children who didn’t have any parents.

Dr Barnardo was horrified.

He decided as a Christian to spend his life helping children.

Dr Barnardo realised that his neighbours were not only those in China but children around him. He decided to stay in London and help poor orphans.

He knew that children need someone to love them and give them a happy home, and an education so they can get a job when they grew up.

He opened a ‘Home’ for orphan boys and girls. He went out each night to find children who were sleeping outside in the cold.

One night a 11 year old boy called John Somers (nicknamed Carrots) knocked on the door and asked if he could come in.

There was no room so he was turned away.

Carrots died from the cold.Everyone was very sad.

After that Dr Barnardo put up a sign saying,

“No child ever turned away”.

Before he died in 1905 Dr Barnardo opened 96 homes

and cared for over 8,500 children.

After he died friends carried on looking after children.

They still do, children now do not live in ‘homes’ but are looked after in families with new Mams and Dads.

Lots of children have grown up warm and loved because Dr Thomas Barnardo became a Christian.

He decided to follow the Commandment “Love your neighbour”.

Dr Barnardo a great man.

A great Christian.

Janeald 2007