About the Batshaw History Conservation Project

This website came out of the concern and efforts of the Batshaw History Conservation Project to preserve the history of Batshaw Youth and Family Centres and other establishments serving the English-speaking population of Montreal.

Batshaw Youth and Family Centres is a non-profit organization, founded in 1992, that was part of the Quebec Health and Social Service network. The founding establishments - Ville-Marie Social Service Centre, Shawbridge Youth Centres, Youth Horizons and Mount St-Patrick Youth Centre, as well as services offered by the Department of Youth Protection of Jewish Family Services - follow a rich tradition of almost 200 years of service devoted to the welfare of children and their families.

Over the years, material has been collected from these different founding institutions that depict the evolution of social services within the English-speaking community. This includes documents and photographs, as well as, miscellaneous items depicting the provision of social services to families and children etc. It is our goal to make this rich history available to those who share an interest in the development of youth protection and social services in Montreal and surrounding areas.

This website is a work in progress and we welcome your input, feedback and any material that you can contribute that will add to the richness of its content.

Material from any organizations, such as Catholic Family and Community Services, Jewish Family Services, Red Feather, Family Service Association, The John Howard Society and the establishments previously mentioned, is welcome. We would invite you to contact the webmaster with any offerings.