The industrialisation of the cities at the turn of the last century prompted families to abandon the countryside to seek work in the new factories being built in the towns. The lack of proper housing created the awful slums and Chelsea did not escape that. With the absence of any local or national government intervention at that time, it was initially up to the concerned Victorian philanthropists of the day to provide housing for the poor.
Peabody, Guinness, Sutton and Lewis all chose Chelsea as one of their initial locations and between 1870 and1915, they each built a major estate in the Borough. These survive to this day and remain a crucial part not only of the affordable housing stock but also of the heritage of Chelsea. The provision of social/affordable housing remains as important today as it has ever been. In order to plan for the future, we need to understand the past. Having recently completed a Report for the Society on the “History of Social Housing in Chelsea”, Gillian Best will guide us through that proud history covering the period from the 1830s to today.
The cost of this lecture is £7.50. Members can apply by using the postal form sent out in the recent mailing. Non-members can buy tickets on the door on the night.
Location: Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, London SW3 5EE
Time: 6.30pm
