ALMSHOUSES OF LONDON

 

 

Boone's Almshouses

374-376 Lee High Road, SE12 8RS 

 

The new Boone's Almshouses opened in 1874, having been built by the Merchant Taylors Company on behalf of the Christopher Boone's Charity. They replaced the original Boone's Almshouses, located to the west, on the opposite side of Lee High Road.

A detached chapel in the centre was flanked either side by two semi-detached pairs of almshouses, built of red brick and 2-storeys high. These accommodated 12 almspeople. The chapel, consecrated as St John the Baptist, was accessed from Lampmead Road, as its apse faced Lee High Road.

In the census of 1881 only two of the former residents recorded as living in the original almshouses in the previous 1871 census were listed, including one of the 70-year-old servants, who was then aged 80. Five of the houses were occupied by couples.

In 1939 three of the 12 almshouses were empty. Six were occupied by single women and three by single men. The oldest resident was aged 93 and the youngest 60.

Following a reorganisation of the Merchant Taylors charity in the laste 1950s the almshouses and chapel were sold to the Emmanuel Pentecostal church. The proceeds of the sale were used to build 30 new almshouses in Belmont Park.

The almshouses closed in 1963 when the new ones opened.

 

Current status

The almshouses became part of the Emmanuel Pentecostal Church, and were used as a church, administration offices and housing.

Although they were locally listed in 2012, the church demolished the greater part of the buildings in early 2014 without planning permission. Only one almshouse remains.

N.B. Photographs obtained in March 2020

 Boone's Almshouses (new)

Only one of the northern almshouses survives and is now the entrance to the church. Originally of red brick, the almshouses were painted white sometime in the 1950s.

Boone's Almshouses (new)

A church building has replaced the original chapel.

References (Accessed 14th August 2020)

Chandler M 1014 Lee church starts to knock down Victorian almshouses in 'act of vandalism'. News Shopper (24th February).

 

http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk

https://collage.cityoflondon.gov.uk

https://runner500.wordpress.com

www.leemanorsociety.org

www.pensionsarchive.org.uk

Last updated 14th August 2020

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