THE PEABODY TRUST AND RELATED ORGANISATIONS

PEABODY TRUST

CORPORATE RECORDS ACC/3445/PT/01

ACCOUNTING RECORDS (FIRST TRUST) ACC/3445/PT/02

ACCOUNTING RECORDS (SECOND TRUST) ACC/3445/PT/03

PERSONNEL RECORDS ACC/3445/PT/04

PROPERTY RECORDS ACC/3445/PT/05

ESTATE MANAGEMENT ACC/3445/PT/06

ESTATE: TENANTS REGISTERS ACC/3445/PT/07

PLANS ACC/3445/PT/08

PHOTOGRAPHS ACC/3445/PT/09

PUBLICATIONS: GEORGE PEABODY ACC/3445/PT/10/01

PUBLICATIONS: PEABODY DONATION FUND/TRUST PUBLICATIONS ACC/3445/PT/10/02

PUBLICATIONS: PEABODY STUDIES ACC/3445/PT/10/03

PUBLICATIONS: ARTICLES ACC/3445/PT/10/04

PUBLICATIONS: RELATED HOUSING PUBLICATIONS ACC/3445/PT/10/05

PUBLICATIONS: AMERICAN PEABODY LITERATURE ACC/3445/PT/10/06

PUBLICATIONS: RELATED HOUSING ACC/3445/PT/10/07

MANAGEMENT STUDIES

ARTEFACTS ACC/3445/PT/11

AUDIO-CASSETTE TAPE RECORDINGS ACC/3445/PT/12

SEAL BOOKS ACC/3445/PT/13

CLASP BOOKS ACC/3445/PT/14

LEGAL PAPERS ACC/3445/PT/15

MISCELLANEA ACC/3445/PT/16

SOCIETY FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF THE LABOURING CLASSES

CORPORATE RECORDS ACC/3445/SIC/01

FINANCE ACC/3445/SIC/02

CORRESPONDENCE ACC/3445/SIC/03

PROPERTY ACC/3445/SIC/05

TENANTS RECORDS ACC/3445/SIC/07

PLANS ACC/3445/SIC/08

PHOTOGRAPHS ACC/3445/SIC/09

PUBLICATIONS ACC/3445/SIC/10

ARTEFACTS ACC/3445/SIC/11

ASSOCIATED PAPERS ACC/3445/SIC/12

WESTMINSTER HOUSING TRUST LIMITED

CORPORATE RECORDS ACC/3445/WHT/01

ACCOUNTING RECORDS ACC/3445/WHT/02

ADMINISTRATIVE FILES ACC/3445/WHT/03

LEGAL PAPERS ACC/3445/WHT/04

PERSONNEL RECORDS ACC/3445/WHT/05

ESTATE MANAGEMENT ACC/3445/WHT/06

TENANTS RECORDS ACC/3445/WHT/07

PLANS ACC/3445/WHT/08

PHOTOGRAPHS ACC/3445/WHT/09

PUBLICATIONS ACC/3445/WHT/10

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The Peabody Trust

The Peabody Trust has its origins in gifts totalling £500,000 made by an American Citizen, George Peabody, for the benefit of the people of London, the city where he spent much of his adult life. The gift, -which became known as the Peabody Donation Fund - was put into the hands of selected trustees who were to ensure that it should be used to 'ameliorate the condition of the poor' of London. No other stipulations were made, but it was agreed that the provision of cheap, clean housing would best fulfil the intention of the gift.

The significance of this gift may be seen in the fact that many claim for Peabody the honour of 'founder of modern philanthropy'.

The first housing estate was opened at Spitalfields in 1864 and consisted of 57 dwellings and 9 shops, and today, Peabody estates are an established feature of London Life.

The 1830 Housing Society

In 1830 Benjamin Wills founded the Labourer's Friend Society.

The aim of this society was to promote the granting of small allotments of land to labourers for cultivation in their spare time. Eventually the Society's scope embraced loan funds, clothing clubs etc. Lord Ashley encouraged the enlargement of the Society into a more powerful body and at a public meeting on 11th May 1844 The Society for the Improvement of the Labouring Classes was formed. Queen Victoria transferred her patronage to this new society which had the Prince Consort as its President and Lord Ashley as a Chairman.

The Society declined after 1862 following the completion of the last 'model' as work had been taken over by other organisations in the field.

In October 1959, with the grant of a new charter the Society became the 1830 Housing Society, and in 1965 was taken over by the Peabody Trust.

The Westminster Housing Trust Limited

WHT Ltd was registered as a Public Utility Society for the purpose of erecting 180 working class flats in Pulford Street, Westminster. The greater part of the site was saved from use for commercial purposes as a result of the activities of the Pulford Street Site Committee. The £32,000 needed for the purchase was almost entirely subscribed by Westminster residents, while grants were made by the Ministry of Health and Westminster City Council. The LCC sold the land below the market price in view of the proposed use of the site.

The resulting estate was called the Tachbrook Estate. The WHT was taken over by the Peabody Trust in 1972.