Group    From 1829 

Metropolitan Benefit Societies Asylum

Categories: Social Welfare

The MBSA was created by John Christopher Bowles to 'afford an asylum for the reception of aged and infirm members of Friendly Societies' who lived in or near London.  Patrons were Queen Victoria and her mother, the Duchess of Kent.  At first this was provided in houses rented for the purpose but once they had the funds they built the almshouses, designed by S. H. Ridley, with the Lord Mayor laying the foundation stone of the north block on 17 August 1836 (the Duchess's birthday) providing accomodation for 28 residents.  In 1865-6 the side wings added homes for 64 couples.  The west wing is named after Mary Ann Mackenzie who helped fund it.  By WW2 the name had changed to Metropolitan Benefit Societies Almshouses.  It is now a registered housing association.

The picture is from c.1863.  All images that we have found show the building complete so we imagine the side wings were only delayed rather than not originally intended.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Metropolitan Benefit Societies Asylum

Commemorated ati

Metropolitan Benefit Societies almshouses

Seems likely the plaques were put up when the side wings were added, in 1865-6.

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Other Subjects

Elisabeth Ann Jowett, SSSTJ

Elisabeth Ann Jowett, SSSTJ

Appointed as Serving Sister in 2011.

Person, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Reverend James Palmer

Reverend James Palmer

In 1656 he founded almshouses in Palmer’s Passage for six poor old men and six poor old women together with a school for the education of twenty boys. Old maps show these almshouses running most of...

Person, Religion, Social Welfare

2 memorials
Mr John Carr

Mr John Carr

Trustee of the Putney Pest House Charity, 1862.

Person, Politics & Administration, Social Welfare

1 memorial
John Howard

John Howard

Prison reformer. Born Hackney. Travelled throughout the UK and then further afield investigating the state of welfare in prisons and doing what he could to improve it. Died in Kherson in the Ukrain...

Person, Social Welfare, Ukraine

2 memorials
Bermondsey Settlement

Bermondsey Settlement

The Settlement Movement began in England and the U.S.A in the 1880s and peaked around the 1920s. Its aim was to get the rich and poor in society to live more closely together in an interdependent c...

Building, Community / Clubs, Social Welfare

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Henry Hugh Armstead

Henry Hugh Armstead

Sculptor and illustrator. Born Bloomsbury. Executed a large number of public statues and funerary works, and worked closely with George Gilbert Scott on the Albert Memorial. Died at home 52 Circus ...

Person, Art

68 memorials
Tothill Fields Prison

Tothill Fields Prison

Also known as Tothill Fields Bridewell, Westminster Bridewell and the Westminster House of Correction. It was one of the less severe places of incarceration, as one of the main punishments was not ...

Place, Law

2 memorials
George Cartwright, VC

George Cartwright, VC

Soldier. Born in South Kensington. He emigrated to Australia in 1912, and in 1915, enlisted in their Imperial Force. He joined the 33rd battalion, and after training in Britain was deployed to the ...

Person, Armed Forces, Australia

War served, WW1
1 memorial