Wide-angle view of the grade II listed, Merchant - Tailor's Almshouse, built in 1826, Lewisham.
Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors is one of the 110 Livery Companies of the City of Company, originally known as the Guild and Fraternity of St. John the Baptist in the City of London, was founded prior to 1300, first incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1327, confirmed by later charters in 1408, 1503 and seat is the Merchant Taylors' Hall between Threadneedle Street and Cornhill, a site it has occupied since at least 1347. The Company's motto is Concordia Parvae Res Crescunt, from the Roman historian Sallust meaning In Harmony Small Things Grow. In 1413 the Company built seven almshouses for decayed tailors and their wives, believed to be the earliest such foundation in London. These almshouses stood in Threadneedle Street, on the west side of the church of St Martin Outwich, and were financed by charitable grants from John Churchman and the Bishop of Norwich. They appear to have escaped the Great Fire, but to have been discontinued by the Company soon after. In 1593 the Company also built almshouses for fourteen women on Tower Hill, on the north side of Rosemary Lane (now Royal Mint Street). The number of places was increased in 1637 to 26, and in 1767 the almshouses were rebuilt. In 1825 they moved to Lee in Kent, to a site then immediately north of Christopher Boone's almshouses, where they continue. The number of places was again increased, to 30. These almshouses were always funded from Corporate income, and should not be confused with Christopher Boone's almshouses, founded at Lee in the late 17th century and for which the Company acted as a trustee. In 1876 the Company in its corporate capacity purchased the redundant 17th century buildings of Boone's almshouses, which had recently moved to new buildings on a new site in Lee. The redundant buildings were then demolished, and the site added to the garden of the Company's almshouses, with the exception of the former chapel of Boone's almshouses, which was preserved in the south
Size: 5616px × 3744px
Location: Merchant Taylors Almshouses, Brandram Road, Lewisham, SE13
Photo credit: © John Gaffen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1826, almshouse, angle, architecture, brick, company, grade, high, historic, ii, jupp, lee, lewisham, listed, livery, merchant, open, quadrangle, richard, road, stock, summer, tailors, taylors, wide, worshipful
