Our History

The work of The Richmond Charities, housing and supporting elderly people in housing need in our borough, goes back over 400 years. The first of Richmond's almshouses were Queen Elizabeth's Almshouses, founded in 1600. From then on, over the centuries, wealthy benefactors continued to endow land and property for the building of almshouses and The Richmond Charities now owns and runs 140 almshouses spread over 10 estates in Richmond and Twickenham.

icon

Queen Elizabeth's Almshouses

Queen Elizabeth's Almshouses

Founded by Sir George Wright in 1600 on Gerry Hill, Petersham Road.

  • Year: 1600, History: Almshouses founded
  • Year: 1767, History: Rebuilt by William Turner and relocated in The Vineyard
  • Year: 1857, History: Rebuilt again
  • Year: 1955, History: Rebuilt again as 4 houses due to damage in World War II

1600

icon

Juxon's Almshouses

Juxon's Almshouses

Founded by John Juxon, a relative of William Juxon, Archbishop of Canterbury. Later benefactors added further endowments, including John Juxon, grandson of Archbishop Juxon in 1769. The original almshouse buildings have been relocated on several occasions.

  • Year: 1626, History: Almshouses founded
  • Year: 1769, 1775, History: Further endowments from John Juxon and Elizabeth Heneage
  • Year: 1893, History: Juxon’s Almshouses merged into the Mortlake Parochial Charities, subsequently the Mortlake Almshouse and Relief Charities
  • Year: 1911, History: Present almshouses built in Milton Road
  • Year: 2021, History: Mortlake Almshouse and Relief Charities merged with The Richmond Charities

1626

icon

Bishop Duppa's Almshouses

Bishop Duppa's Almshouses

Founded by Brian Duppa, Bishop of Chichester, in 1660 and endowed by the gift of a farm at Shepperton. The almshouses were originally built at Friars Stile Lane. After the Restoration, Brian Duppa became the Bishop of Winchester.

  • Year: 1660, History: Almshouses founded
  • Year: 1851, History: Rebuilt to a design by Thomas Little and relocated in The Vineyard. The front arch and gateway were transferred from the original almshouse estate and survive to this day

1660

icon

Michel's Almshouses

Michel's Almshouses

10 almshouses were founded by Humphrey Michel in 1695. In 1727 William Smithet endowed the charity with property in Kew Foot Road and land now including Michel's Row and Rosedale Road.

  • Year: 1695, History: Almshouses founded
  • Year: 1811, History: Rebuilt
  • Year: 1858, History: 6 new houses added
  • Year: 1990, History: 1 new bungalow added
  • Year: 2005, History: No.10 converted into guest accommodation and an office

1695

icon

Christchurch Road Almshouses

Christchurch Road Almshouses

In 1707 the Parish of Mortlake purchased 2 cottages from the Duke of Leeds which were rebuilt by Edward Colston, a Mortlake resident. By 1916, the site of Christchurch Road Almshouses at the corner of Sheen Lane and the Upper Richmond Road, was required for road improvements. The original almshouse buildings have been relocated on several occasions. The Almshouses used to be called Colston’s Almshouses. In 2020 Edward Colston’s statue was toppled in Bristol. As well as being a local philanthropist, Edward Colston was a slave trader. The then Trustees of the Mortlake & Almshouse Relief Charities removed the plaque from the wall of the almshouses which commemorated Colston. The Almshouses are now called Christchurch Road Almshouses as the Trustees of both the previous Mortlake & Almshouse Relief Charities and now of The Richmond Charities do not feel it is appropriate to honour a slave trader in this way.

  • Year: 1707, History: Almshouses founded
  • Year: 1849, History: Further endowment from Joshua Bates
  • Year: 1893, History: Christchurch Road Almshouses merged into the Mortlake Parochial Charities, subsequently the Mortlake Almshouse and Relief Charities
  • Year: 1927, History: Present almshouses built in Christchurch Road
  • Year: 2021, History: Mortlake Almshouse and Relief Charities merged with The Richmond Charities

1707

icon

Hickey's Almshouses

Hickey’s Almshouses

William Hickey died in 1728 and left property which increased so much in value that the Trustees used funds in 1834 to build 20 almshouses, Porter's & Nurse's Lodges and a Chapel on a site in Marshgate Lane, now Sheen Road.

  • Year: 1728, History: William Hickey died
  • Year: 1834, History: 20 almshouses built
  • Year: 1851, History: 8 more almshouses added
  • Year: 1860, History: Chaplain’s House built
  • Year: 1934, History: 4 houses were built on some vacant land in Adelaide Road
  • Year: 1972, History: 12 bungalows built
  • Year: 1985, History: 3c Adelaide Road built -originally as warden accommodation
  • Year: 1991, History: 5 flats were built, plus laundry and workshop
  • Year: 2003, History: One of which is now used as the estate office

1728

icon

Houblon's Almshouses

Houblon's Almshouses

Houblon's Almshouses were founded in 1758 by Rebecca Houblon and further endowed by her sister Susannah Houblon. These are the charity's oldest almshouses still standing.

  • Year: 1758, History: Almshouses founded
  • Year: 1857 , History: 2 additional almshouses built
  • Year: 1960s, History: Internal restructuring to accommodate bathrooms reduced the number of almshouses to 9

1758

icon

Church Estate Almshouses

Church Estate Almshouses

The Church Estate is the oldest charity in Richmond and research indicates that the charity may date back to 1375. 10 almshouses were built in Sheen Road in 1843. Church Estate also houses the charity’s Garden Room, a communal space for residents’ activities and events.

  • Year: 1843, History: Almshouses built
  • Year: 1967, History: 2 blocks comprising 8 studio apartments were added
  • Year: 2004, History: Church Estate and Richmond Charities' Almshouses merged
  • Year: 2005, History: 1 block was extended to create 4 one-bedroom almshouses

1843

icon

Candler Almshouses

Candler Almshouses

Candler Almshouses were built in 1936 to fulfil the bequest of William Candler who had died in 1907. They were originally owned and managed by Twickenham United Charities.

  • Year: 1936, History: 10 almshouses built
  • Year: 2008, History: Twickenham United Charities and Richmond Charities' Almshouses merged
  • Year: 2010-2017, History: Refurbishment work carried out to provide each almshouse with its own bathroom

1936

icon

Benn's Walk Almshouses

Benn's Walk Almshouses

6 single storey almshouses were built with surplus money from Michel's Almshouse Charity in 1983.

  • Year: 1983, History: Almshouses built on part of the land bounded by Michel's Row and Rosedale Road
  • Year: 2002, History: Nos. 1&2 (studios) were converted into a one-bedroom almshouse

1983

icon

Manning Place Almshouses

Manning Place

10-18 Manning Place was built in 1993 and was bought by The Richmond Charities in 2017.

  • Year: 2017, History: Purchased by the Richmond Charities
  • Year: 2017-18, History: The 9 almshouses were fully refurbished

2017

icon

Wright's Almshouses

Wright's Almshouses

Wright’s Almshouses was built in 2019-2020 and was bought by The Richmond Charities in 2020.

  • Year: 2020, History: Purchased by The Richmond Charities
  • Year: 2020, History: The first new residents moved in

2020