Brady Club Short Documentaries: We Are The Brady Girls

Описание: “It is the purpose of Brady to create a feeling of friendship between all peoples – regardless of creed or colour” Miriam Moses OBE JP - Chairman of Brady Girls Club

For over eighty years, the Brady Clubs in Whitechapel played a fundamental role in the lives of thousands of young people in the East End of London. During a period of local, national and international upheaval, the Clubs provided care, shelter and space to grow for both Jewish and non-Jewish children and teenagers.

The first Brady Club for Working Lads was founded in 1896 in the East End of London by Lady Rothschild who wanted to improve the social quality of life for those living in the area, many of whom were young Jewish refugees fleeing the violent pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe. By virtue of the East End population at the time, the Brady Club became the first Jewish youth club in the country, although its attendance was not exclusive.

In 1925 Brady Girls’ Club was established by a team of volunteers, and by 1935 the girls had a purpose-built home in Whitechapel. Led by the indomitable Miriam Moses OBE JP, the Brady Girls’ Club provided support for the underprivileged local community. During the war years the club building in Hanbury Street served as the local Air Raid Protection headquarters and its facilities were repurposed as a settlement for young women and others who had lost their homes through the Blitz, while the club continued to offer youth activities and community support for local residents.

A vital aspect of our research into the histories of the Brady Girls’ Club has been to interview former Club members about their memories and experiences of living in the East End and going to the Brady Club.

The women interviewed for this film reveal the very special story of the Brady Girls’ Club, a bright light during the difficult war years; a story of hope and happiness in the East End, that remind us of the importance of youth work for young people to flourish and grow.

This film forms part of a larger project to examine the legacy of the Brady Boys and Girls Club in the East End of London. Visit https://www.bradyarchive.co.uk for more information. Explore more Brady stories at https://www.bradymemorymap.co.uk.