Founder's memorandum

Joseph Rowntree’s 1904 Founder’s Memorandum established the three Rowntree Trusts which continue to operate today. Joseph laid out his philosophy and approach: “I feel that much of the current philanthropic effort is directed to remedying the more superficial manifestations of weakness or evil, while little thought or effort is directed to search out their underlying causes. Obvious distress or evil generally evokes so much feeling that the necessary agencies for alleviating it are pretty adequately supported….The Soup Kitchen in York never has difficulty in obtaining adequate financial aid, but an enquiry into the extent and causes of poverty would enlist little support.” Fundamentally, Joseph wished to address the root causes of poverty and to find solutions.

Image: From originals held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.