Thomas Barnardo, Friend of Children
(4th July 1845 - 19th September 1905)

Barnardo's early life

Thomas Barnardo was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1845. When he was 17 he became a keen Christian and after hearing a famous missionary called Hudson Taylor speak, he decided God wanted him to become a missionary to China. As a first step he went to London to train as a doctor. In his spare time he taught at the Ragged School and also preached about Jesus in the East End during the evenings.