The Welfare State We're In

St Mary Abbots Hospital is one of four hospitals closed down or demolished in the course of creating the modern Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. Continue reading →

The Blewcoat School, in Westminster, was founded in 1688 for the education of poor children. The present building – comprising one large room – was erected in 1709. The great boom in education took place in the 19th century when, by mid-century, over 95 per cent of children were educated for between five and seven years. Private education was continuing to develop fast. This was before state education began. State education took over or destroyed the private schools. This one is now a National Trust gift shop and information centre.
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St George’s Hospital at Hyde Park Corner was a major hospital in London created by charity. It was closed and sold off for profit by the NHS. It is now a luxury hotel, The Lanesborough, instead. There is still a St George’s Hospital in South London, several miles away. But it is not really the same hospital. It is an amalgamation of over 10 hospitals. The NHS has closed hundreds of hospitals all over Britain and sold off the land. Continue reading →

The Peabody Estate was created by a rich American in the 19th century. He created low-cost housing for working people. This was done on a major scale. A walk between the Houses of Parliament and Victoria Station reveals an extraordinary amount of Peabody housing in this area alone. This building fronts onto the Vauxhall Bridge Road. Continue reading →

The Salvation Army was founded in the 19th century. This building in Westminster is still in use by the charity. Continue reading →

The United Westminster Almshouses, Rochester Row, London.

“Mr Emery Hill late of the Parish of St Margaret Westminster Founded these Almshouses Anno Domini 1708 Christian Reader in hope of Thy Assistance” (inscription on outside wall of 38 Rochester Row). These almshouses survive to this day and still offer homes to elderly people. Unfortunately many other such houses have had to close since the creation of the welfare state.
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The Greycoat Hospital was once a workhouse. It has since been a hospital and a school. It has a very long welfare history. It has now been taken over by the state.