NSPCC history tree

The NSPCC has helped more than 10 million children since it was set up over 100 years ago. Here's a closer look at the main events that have affected the NSPCC since 1884.

1884 - The NSPCC is founded by Benjamin Waugh

In 1866 the Reverend Benjamin Waugh moved from Yorkshire to east London to work with the poor. Life was very hard in the east end at the time, particularly for children. They often had to work long hours or beg in the street to get money for their families. Many of them were starving and suffering from all sorts of illnesses, but they were too poor to see a doctor.

Benjamin Waugh decided he had to do something about it. He made up his mind that he would speak up for children and make the government and the public do something to improve their lives. So he founded the London Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1884.

Five years later the society changed its name to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. This is still our name more than a century later.

1889 - Children's Charter is passed by Parliament

Five years after the NSPCC was set up, the government passed the first Act of Parliament making it illegal to treat a child badly. This was called the Children’s Charter. This allowed police to arrest anyone hurting a child and allowed them to enter a house where a child was in danger of being hurt.

Benjamin Waugh was delighted when he heard the news. He sent a telegram to his daughter that read, “Bill at last, law of land”. It had taken Benjamin Waugh and the NSPCC five years to persuade the government to pass the Bill.

Also in 1889...

Queen Victoria became the NSPCC's first Royal Patron. Today Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is patron of the NSPCC and His Royal Highness Prince Andrew is the Patron of the FULL STOP campaign.

By 1889, the NSPCC had 30 inspectors looking for children suffering neglect and abuse. In the Society's first five years it helped nearly 4,000 children.

1891 - NSPCC's League of Pity is formed

Queen Mary was still in her teens when she heard Benjamin Waugh speaking about cruelty. She was so moved that she sent a donation and so did her brothers. This gave the NSPCC the idea to start up a children's branch called the League of Pity, to encourage other children to help raise money for the Society.

The League of Pity still exists now, but it has a different name - NSPCC School's fundraising. Have a look at our school's section to find out more.

1894 - Children can now give evidence in court against abusers

With the help of the NSPCC, the Prevention of Cruelty Act was changed to allow children to give evidence in court. If an adult denied medical help to a sick child, they could face prosecution.

1900 - NSPCC has 163 inspectors

By the turn of the century the NSPCC employed 163 inspectors who patrol London on foot or by public transport. In 1904 a law was passed which let inspectors remove children from parents if they were being treated cruelly or neglected. Before 1904, only the police could do this.

1905 - The NSPCC's 21st birthday

By the time the NSPCC was 21 years old, it had helped to protect more than a million children.

1909 - The first Children's Day

The NSPCC held its first Children's Sunday in Preston, Lancashire. This annual event gave local people the chance to learn about the NSPCC's work and the problem of cruelty to children. These days we hold a national Children's Day to remind everyone of the abuse that still exists.

1914 - Female Inspectors begin working for the NSPCC

When the First World War broke out, many of the NSPCC's inspector's were called up to fight.

However, the work they were doing protecting children could not wait till they got back, so many of their wives stepped in to help.

Four of these female inspectors ran a new ambulance service for children who needed to go to hospital.

1926 - The Prince of Wales speaks on radio in support of the NSPCC

The Prince of Wales broadcast an appeal on the radio in support of the NSPCC. A few years later the NSPCC is one of the first charities to screen films in the cinema telling the public about its work for children.

1939 - The NSPCC helps 5 million children

By 1939, 55 years after we first started, the NSPCC has helped 5 million children.

1944 - Princess Elizabeth becomes President of the NSPCC

Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth became president of the NSPCC in 1944. At the NSPCC's Diamond Jubilee meeting in 1944 she said, "I do not think there is any organisation which performs a more vital service to our country's welfare."

After Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen in 1952, Princess Margaret became our president.

1948 - Local Authorities begin child protection work

Soon after the end of the Second World War the Labour government introduced children's officers for all the local authorities in the UK. Until then the NSPCC was the only organisation that worked to protect children from cruelty.

1969 - Equality for female child protection officers

For the first time, female child protection officers were called inspectors. It took till 1969 to give them the same authority as male inspectors. Also in 1969, NSPCC officers stop wearing uniforms

1970 - The government introduces Child Protection Registers

To help protect children better, in 1970 the government introduced Child Protection Registers. These were registers that contained the names of children who were in danger of abuse or neglect. They helped child protection workers keep an eye on the welfare of children in the Registers.

1972 - Top celebrities lead our Support the Stars Appeal

In 1972 pop singer Lulu and champion boxer Henry Cooper went on a march and encouraged people to support the NSPCC with them. There are still plenty of celebrities from the world of music, film, TV and sport who are helping us fight cruelty to children. Check out our celebrities section to find out who's doing what for the NSPCC.

1977 - NSPCC fights to keep secret the names of people who report abuse

Today, if someone phones our helpline, they don't have to tell us anything about themselves unless they want to. We think this is important so people aren't afraid to come forward.

In 1977, things were very different and the NSPCC had to fight a long legal battle to be able to keep our callers' identities secret. The case went to the House of Lords - the highest court in the land - and they agreed with the NSPCC.

1984 - We celebrate our 100th birthday and launch Centenary appeal

In 1984 the NSPCC celebrated its 100th birthday through the Centenary Appeal. A team of 30,000 volunteers worked hard to raise an amazing 14million. This was spent on child protection teams throughout the country.

1986 - NSPCC's first multimedia public information campaign

It was 1986 when the NSPCC first used TV, cinema, radio and poster advertising together to highlight child abuse. The campaign was called The Forgotten Children, and the response from the public was fantastic. That year the Queen made children the subject of her Christmas message.

1988 - The Criminal Justice Act is passed

This Act allowed children to give evidence against their abusers by video recording. This was an important change in the law because before that, children would have to stand up in court to give evidence against their abusers. Many were so scared they refused to give evidence when the time came.

1991 - NSPCC launches child protection helpline

The NSPCC Child Protection Helpline took its first call in 1991. This free 24 hour a day service was the first child protection helpline in Europe.

Our telephone counsellors now answer more than 90,000 calls a year from adults and children. Have a look at our helpline pages for more information.

1999 - The FULL STOP Campaign

We reckon 1999 was a really important year for kids! In March of that year we launched the FULL STOP Campaign to end cruelty to children.

We ran a national television advertising campaign asking everyone to sign our pledge and get involved. We came up with a whole load of services that help protect children and worked out they would cost an extra 250 million.

2000 - The NSPCC has now helped more than 10 million children

It's the start of a new century! By 2000 the NSPCC had helped more than 10 million children since Benjamin Waugh founded it in 1884. Also in 2000, the NSPCC published a report called Child Maltreatment in the UK.

It was the first big piece of research in the UK that looked at all the different types of abuse. The NSPCC asked 2,869 people aged 18-24 to tell us what life was like for them when they were children.

2002 - Cartoon Boy advert scoops awards

An NSPCC TV advert wins loads of advertising awards.

The advert shows a cartoon kid being physically abused but surviving until he turns into a real child at the end of the advert, after he has been thrown down the stairs.

The advert says 'Real children don't bounce back.'

2003 - Kylie Minogue becomes first NSPCC Ambassador

In her role as Ambassador, Kylie supports our work for young people.

Kylie said: "Cruelty to children must be stopped.The levels of abuse in this country are shocking. Without charities like the NSPCC, they would be worse. Together, we may be able to improve the lives of children within the UK."

And she knows what she's talking about...

2004 - Children's Commissioner for England

The government announced this year, as part of the Children Bill, that England would finally get a children's commissioner (an important official whose job it is to look after children's rights).

The NSPCC had been campaigning for a Children's Commissioner for a long time, and finally the government agreed. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already have Children's Commissioners.

Also in 2004, Jonnie Wilkinson joins as our second Ambassador.