St Leonards and Porters and Walters Almshouses, Nightingale Road, Wood Green

NEW ALMSHOUSES, WOOD GREEN - The new alms-houses, which have been erected in Nightingale Road, Wood Green, were opened recently. The buildings have been erected by Mr. C. Gray Hill, from plans prepared by Mr. A. W. S. Cross, architect [Builder 24 September 1904 page 322]

ALMSHOUSES AT WOOD GREEN - These buildings were erected for the Charity Trustees of S. Leonards, Shoreditch at a cost of between six and seven thousand pounds. The materials employed were Lawrence’s red bricks for the general facings, and Eureka green slates for the roofs. The iron railings and gates and the sundial were supplied by Messrs. T. Elsley & Sons. The cartouche in the pediment of the front building containing married couples’ quarters was carved by Mr. W. Hearn. The general contractor was Mr. C. Gray Hill, of Coventry, and the architect Mr. Alfred W. S. Cross. We give a block plan showing the general  disposition of the buildings on the site, and  the detailed plan of block B, which is the subject of the lithograph illustrations [The Builder 9th December 1905 page 620]

The inscription on St Leonard's House (the St Leonard's almshouses) reads as follows:

These houses were erected upon land purchased by the Charity Trustees for the use of four married couples who formerly occupied a building in the Old Burial Ground, Hackney Road, Shoreditch and known as the Hackney Road Almshouses.

Adjoining are houses for the accommodation of sixteen Almswomen who were removed from a building which formerly stood upon a site in Old Street, Shoreditch (opposite the Town Hall) which site was sold to the Metropolitan Police Authorities in 1902 and known as Porters and Walters Almshouses.

The above mentioned with adjacent buildings occupied by twelve women and known as Judge Fullers Almshouses now constitute the whole of the Almshouse Charities in the possession of the Shoreditch Charity Trustees."

Alfred W.S. Cross FRIBA        C. Gray Hill, Builder

Reference        Builder 24 September 1904 page 322
Reference        Builder 9th December 1905 page 620 with block plan; plan of St Leonards, elevation, detail elevation perspective.