Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
Halifax Poor Man's Friend Society
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1820-1827
History
The Halifax Poor Man's Friend Society was founded 17 February 1820 by a group of local business and professional men who aimed to "...relieve the wants of the numerous poor, and destroy the system of public begging". Society members regularly visited the poor to examine their state of need and offer assistance in the form of money, food, supplies, or employment. By 1822, money was discontinued as a standard form of relief. In 1823, the society opened a soup kitchen to meet the increased demand for relief. Faced with public criticism and declining funds, the society disbanded on 16 February 1827.