The Almshouses
The Girdlers’ almshouses owe their existence to bequests by Past Masters Cuthbert
Beeston (1582) and George Palyn (1610). Beeston’s property was sold in the 1830s
and the money used to build almshouses in Peckham. Palyn’s almshouses were originally
built in Finsbury but replaced by further almshouses in Peckham in 1852. Altogether
these were on separate sites in Consort Road, Montpelier Road and Choumert Grove,
but following a number of amalgamations and rebuildings, the almshouses have been
consolidated on the Consort Road site since 1980, where 18 units provide accommodation for 26 residents.
While vacancies are relatively rare, applications are considered in the following
order of priority, as set down in the Charity Commission Scheme governing the
Charity (named Beeston's Andrewes' and Palyn's Charity):
- Freemen of the City of London.
- Persons who are, or who have been, employed in trades akin to that of a girdler (including workers in metals, leather cloth and fabrics).
- Persons resident in the former administrative county of London as constituted on 31st March 1965.
Almshouse Applications
The Girdlers’ Company
Girdlers’ Hall
Basinghall Avenue
London EC2V 5DD