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. Four hospitals - all created before the NHS - were 'merged' to create one NHS hospital. Land was sold off. In the case of St Mary Abbots, the property is now luxury housing. People in the area now have to travel further to reach a hospital. Beds have been lost. This is typical of what has happened to hospitals since the creation of the NHS. The other hospitals in the 'merger' were Westminster Hospital (founded in 1719), West London Hospital (opened in 1860)and St Stephen's Hospital (whose origin dates back to 1664). For more on St Mary Abbots, click here.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.