Our History
In 1850 the Hierarchy was restored in England and Dr. Wiseman was appointed Archbishop of Westminster. He was concerned about the needs of the utterly poor in London, especially the aged, the orphans and the abandoned children. He appealed to a Religious Order in France which had been recently founded to care for the elderly poor in France. The responded by sending five members – two professed Sisters and three young novices to be the nucleus of a foundation in England, this was in 1851.

One of these novices, who had only been with the Congregation for seven weeks, was Victoire Larmenier, the future Mother St. Basil, who became the first Mother General of the new foundation. She was born in Brittany on 21st July 1827 and came from a comfortable background. She had a pleasing personality and a deep piety.

When they arrived in England they were provided with a cottage in Brook Green, Hammersmith, London, by the members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Their lives were lived in absolute poverty. They went out each day to collect waste food from anyone who would give it to them. They met with a great deal of hostility and were regarded with great suspicion. They were among the first to wear a religious habit on the streets of London for over 300 years – since the reformation – none of them could speak English. Cardinal Wiseman had asked any influential people he knew to give what they could to the Sisters as they had no income whatsoever.

The first old lady was received on 14th April 1851. By the end of the year the house was filled to overflowing, so they moved first to Great Windmill Street, which was unsatisfactory and then to Elm Tree House on Hammersmith Road. This house also became too small and it was decided to purchase a piece land and build. A market garden was bought in 1856, still in Hammersmith, but on the opposite side of the road. The new home was opened in 1857, 30 infirm children and a group of elderly were moved into the new building. Most of the debt was cleared by Cardinal Wiseman, the Duke of Norfolk, Lady Howard and the people of Ireland from whom the Sisters had been collecting. A new wing for children was built and opened in 1868.

October 9th 2007 recognises the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the opening of the house in Hammersmith.

The congregation in France did not approve of the work for children. They had been founded solely to care for the elderly; consequently the Sisters in England severed their connection with France and formed the new congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth. Every house was to be called Nazareth House, in honour of the Holy Family, the Mother House was to be in Hammersmith and there would be one Superior General, a tradition carried on to this day.

Before her death on June 16th 1878, Victoire saw seven more houses established.

Due to changing needs over the years, only two houses in the British Isles now have children; Cardiff and Lancaster both provide Day Nursery care. Some houses have retained schools and most of our houses throughout the world still provide nursing and residential care for the elderly. The Sisters respond to other needs in the local areas in which they live.

Some houses have had to be closed or handed over to different organisations due to the lack of personnel. At present, we have 40 houses throughout the world.

Further words concerning Victoire Larmeniers, Nazareth House and the Religious Congregation of the Sisters of Nazareth can be found in the PDF document here (Sisters) and a graphic illustration of the branches of the order can be found here (Branches of the Order).