An almshouse is a historic form of social housing, typically a charitable residence for the poor, elderly, or disabled, providing accommodation at a low cost. The Thrale Almshouse were originally built and run at the charitable expense of by the four adult daughters of Henry and Hester Thrale:

Hester Maria Thrale;
Susannah Arabella Thrale;
Cecilia Margaretta Thrale; and
Henry Merrick Hoare, widower of Sophia Thrale.

1930

At 27 Polworth Road, Streatham SW16 2HA, eight Thrale Almshouses, designed by Cecil M Quilter, were built to replace the original four Thrale Almshouses at 103-105 Streatham High Road.

1939

In 1939, following the death of Lady Edith Robinson, the wife of the Streatham Conservative Association, it was decided to erect additional accommodation in her memory and £1,000 was raised which covered the cost of building two new almshouses on the Polworth Road site.

2015

The original 10 homes built in the 1930s were becoming outdated and unsuited to modern comfortable living. So in 2015, the Thrale Almshouse & Relief in Need charity embarked on a £3m redevelopment creating a mix of 17 updated and new homes, around an enclosed garden fit for the 21st century and women of 60 and over, with strong connections to the ancient parish of Streatham.
The side wings - containing eight of the original ten almshouses - were retained, upgraded and extended. The original central block was demolished and replaced with a new building containing three almshouses. An additional block - containing six almshouses - was added to the previously empty fourth side of the quadrangle, thus securing the courtyard.

Thrale/Thrall history

Place List | Heat Map | 27 Polworth Road, Streatham, Surrey, England