THE COMMUNITY OF ST. PETER.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOlt."] SIR,—For sixty years the Anglican Sisterhood known as the Community of St. Peter has cared for the sick and poor without making any public appeal for support. For a quarter of a century it has kept up a home for aged and infirm women who, while dreading the Poor Law Infirmary, have no relations to care for them and cannot afford to pay for skilled nursing. The Home called St. Peter's Harbour is always full as the residents may remain till they die, and applications for admission have to be refused daily. The patients pay 35s. a week, and for this modest sum enjoy the comfort and peace of a well-ordered hospital, thanks to the devoted women who give their services freely in this cause. The Community does not restrict its benefits to any one class. Among the many recent applicants for admission who must wait until there is room for them there are, for instance, a barrister's widow, aged seventy-seven, who is in feeble health; a parlourmaid, aged sixty, whose relations are unable to nurse her and who is very unhappy in the Poor Law Infirmary; a governess, aged eighty, who is too infirm to live alone in her humble bed-sitting room; and two aged sisters who, having worked together all their lives, cannot bear to be parted, and yet are too frail to live in lodgings without attendance. For pathetic cases such as these with which the rate-aided institutions cannot deal the Community provides just what is needed in the personal
Service of fts kindly Sisters. The Home is self-supporting, but it is far too small. A suitable house has been found and could be purchased and fitted tip at a cost not exceeding £10,000.
If this sum were raised by public subscription within the next few weeks the Community could give notice to leave its old house and move during the winter. The proposed new Home would accommodate more than twice as many eases as can now be taken, while it would continue to be self-supporting. In these exceptional circumstances we venture to appeal to you for your assistance. The Community of St. Peter is doing noble work for a class of women whose forlorn and helpless state must excite profound sympathy. It will be able to do twice as much for them if the new Home is provided. We aro well aware of the multiplicity of appeals for good causes, but this at least is unusual, in that it is made once for all.
Contributions should be sent to the Sister in Charge, St. Peter's Harbour, 10 Greville Place, N.W. 6; or to the Harbour Extension Fund, London County Westminster and Parr's Bank, Connaught Street, Edgware Road, W.—We are, Sir, &c., A. F. LONDON.
W. W. WrussnE,.
DARWELL STOWS
(Warden of the Community of St. Peter).
ALDENHABI.
WOLNER.
EDITH M. DAVIDSON. VICTORIA T. Fiseza-Rowe. ANTHONY A. BOWLBY. N. MARTIN Ether EDWARD G. RAWER.
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