The Stockwell Orphanage for boys was founded by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle (Elephant and Castle). His church had already supported a number of alms houses and following a prayer meeting at which Spurgeon had stressed the need for an orphanage and an article in The Sword and Trowel in 1866, […]
Liza of Lambeth by W. Somerset Maugham
Liza of Lambeth was the first novel by W(illiam) Somerset Maugham (1874-1965), the English author and novelist. Maugham was born in Paris, orphaned when he was only 10 and then brought up by an uncle. He was educated at King’s School, Canterbury and after a year at Heidelberg University, he studied medicine at St. Thomas’ […]
‘A Night in a London Workhouse’ (song)
A Night in a London Workhouse (song) All you that dwell in Lambeth, listen for awhile, To a song to enlighten and amuse you, In the workhouse only mark, there’s queer doings after dark. And believe me it is true I now tell you; It’s of the ups and downs, of a pauper’s life, Which […]
Inquest on boy flogged at Lambeth Workhouse
Extract from The London Medical Gazette 1837-8 Editorial – Inquest on boy flogged at Lambeth Workhouse The gist of the case may be comprised in a small compass. The boy, whose age is not stated, had been in Lambeth Workhouse, where he was flogged by a Mr Rowe, with such severity, that the body, when […]
Lambeth Workhouse
The text below has been compiled from various websites, particularly Peter Higginbotham’s Workhouse site and England’s Poor Law Commissioners and the Trade in Pauper Lunacy website. Related links Inquest on boy flogged at Lambeth Workhouse ‘A Night in a London Workhouse’ (song) The workhouse system provided basic sustenance for the very poor, infirm and aged, […]
Industries in Lambeth Walk
The following is based on an articles by Peggy Sheath published in The Vauxhall Society’s Newsletter during 1980. The opening of Westminster Bridge in 1750, had led to considerable expansion and development in Lambeth, and a new road was laid down from the bridge, which eventually linked with Brighton. Some fine houses were built in […]
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin and South London Kennington Cross is the focus of several sites associated with Lambeth’s most famous son, Charlie Chaplin. The Tommyfields bar was formerly the White Hart pub where, sitting on the pavement, Charlie first discovered the joy of music. One of his schools was in Sancroft Street and one of his (many) […]
Caroun House, Vauxhall
A view of Carroun House in 1887, which shortly afterwards made way for Vauxhall Park.
Caron Almshouses
Sir Philip Noel Caron was the Dutch Ambassador to the court from 1609 to 1624. He was a close friend of King James 1. In 1618 he founded an almshouse, in what is now Wandsworth Road. It was a long, two-storied building containing seven apartments built specifically for seven “poor but honest women”. Caron died […]
Lambeth Ragged School
Ragged schools were free school for poor vagrant children, where they were taught and usually given food. The name comes from the pupils’ ragged appearance. The schools gave children some basic instruction, in often makeshift accommodation, and helped them find work, or even to emigrate. In 1818 John Pounds, a Portsmouth shoemaker, started teaching poor […]
Society for Waifs and Strays
In the middle and late 1800s there were large numbers of poor and no social security system as we know it today. The only official system of support was the workhouse. These harsh, overcrowded and badly run institutions were really hated by the poor, many of whom would rather die than enter one. Charity […]
