Vladimir orphanage in Krasnoyarsk founded

27 July 1848

15 (27) July 1848, Vladimir orphanage opened in Krasnoyarsk.

Before the revolution in Russia, it was local authorities, charitable societies, agencies, which were in charge of charity and public assistance. They chose themselves the form of assistance to the poor, depending on local conditions.

According to the "Regulations on the orphanages" of 1839 the direct management of orphanages in the provinces was entrusted to provincial guardianship. Orphanages were managed by a special guardian or trustee assisted by the appointed director and honorary sergeant.

In 1840, the Yenisei Governor Vasily Kopylov received a proposal from Count Alexander Stroganoff to open an orphanage in Krasnoyarsk. Kopylov announced public subscriptions for opening an orphanage. But the money were coming slowly, and only thanks to the vigor and persistence of the next governor, Vasily Padalka and his wife, donations numbered 12,104 rubles by May 1847. The first most significant contributors were merchants P. I. Kuznetsov, Ya. M. Ryazanov and G. F. Masharov, who donated 3,000 rubles each. The collected amount was recognized as sufficient to open an orphanage.

Yenisei provincial guardianship of orphanages, established April 10 (22), 1847, requested royal permission to name the first orphanage after the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, who was born the same day when the guardianship opened. August 27 (September 8), 1847 the emperor resolved to open the orphanage and name it after Vladimir. July 15 (27), 1848 the orphanage was officially opened. It was supposed to shelter15 boys and 15 girls.

Residents of Krasnoyarsk collected 1,715 rubles 15 kopecks, which formed the capital the interests of which would support two orphans. This scholarship was named after the former governor-general of Eastern Siberia Lieutenant General Wilhelm Ruppert. On the opening day, Krasnoyarsk merchant Vlasievsky donated 1,500 rubles to support two orphans. Thanks to the donations, in 1849 the orphanage housed 10 girls, and in 1887 there were already 40. Among the donors should be noted such hereditary honorary citizens as T. I. Shchegoleva, who bequeathed to the orphanage two 5% banknotes of 1000 rubles and three brothers Shchegolevs, who donated 3,310 rubles in 1881.

Initially, the orphanage was located free of charge in a wing of the house that belonged to the collegiate counselor V. P. Golubkov, who in 1848 donated to the orphanage both the wing and the house itself, assessed at 21,000 rubles. In 1857, another wooden house was acquired for 1,100 rubles.

In 1873, T. I. Shchegoleva donated to the orphanage two-story stone house damaged by fire. The house was renovated by means of Shchegoleva and the orphanage moved to the new premises. Old buildings with the plot were sold for 6,500 rubles.

On the night of 17 to 18 April 1881, a terrible fire occurred in Krasnoyarsk. More than half of the city burned out, including Vladimir orphanage with all the buildings and property. The orphanage was temporarily housed in the building of the national school, then in the poorhouse of Shchegoleva. The orphanage building damaged by fire was repaired, but it was already too small for children. In 1883, the orphanage guardian, hereditary honorary citizen Evdokia Kuznetsova at her own expense built a two-story stone building, which connected the main building of the orphanage with a wing. On the first floor of the new building there was a recreation room, and on the ground floor – a bedroom.

The main purpose of Vladimir orphanage was to give its pupils religious and moral education, to teach them literacy and crafts, accustomed to household chores and prepare for independent living. The orphanage admitted orphan girls aged from 7 to 18. The number of pupils at the orphanage was not limited by the staff but depended on the funds received and the availability of vacant space.

At school, pupils took 4 classes of girls' schools; they were divided into three groups: junior, middle and senior. The main subjects were: the law of God, Russian language, arithmetic, calligraphy, needlework. In their free time pupils were taught cutting, sewing, various needlework (knitting, crocheting, etc.). To train household chores and culinary arts pupils were assigned to be on duty in the laundry room and the kitchen.

For many years, the guardian of the orphanage was a hereditary honorary citizen Evdokia Kuznetsova assisted by Ekaterina Rachkovskaya. In March 1884, Peter Rachkovsky, titular counselor and district doctor, was appointed the director of Vladimir orphanage. In 1913, the orphanage guardian was Vera Gadalova.

Vladimir orphanage was the first charitable institutions of the kind in Krasnoyarsk. It helped many orphaned girls to get education and find their place in life.

In 1920, Vladimir orphanage was closed as a bourgeois manifestation, and the building was municipalized. Later, the former orphanage housed alternately children’s home, militia courses, kindergarten, deaf-mute school, Department of Geology.

Lit.: Мирошникова Т. И. Владимирский детский приют (К 165-летию со дня открытия) [Электронный ресурс] // Архивное агентство Красноярского края. 2015. URL: http://красноярские-архивы.рф/gosudarstvennyi-arkh/users/informatsiya-o-pamyatnykh-sobytiyakh/219;Владимирский детский приют [Электронный ресурс] // Красное место. 2009-2014. URL: http://www.krasplace.ru/vladimirskij-detskij-priyut.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Горбунов П. Е. Положение о детских приютах, состоящих под покровительством их императорских величеств, дополненное последовавшими изменениями и новыми узаконениями; сводом всех вышедших со времени открытия приютов (1840 г.) нигде еще не печатавшихся разъяснений, циркуляров, инструкций попечительницам, их помощницам, сметных расписаний, наградных списков пр. СПб., 1888.

Materials of T. I. Miroshnikova, Chief of the State Archives of the Krasnoyarsk Territory,  have been used.