The Labourer's Friend Society was a society founded by

Lord Shaftesbury Earl of Shaftesbury is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1672 for Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Baron Ashley, a prominent politician in the Cabal then dominating the policies of King Charles II. He had already succeeded his f ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

in 1830 for the improvement of working class conditions. This included the promotion of allotment of land to labourers for "cottage husbandry" that later became the allotment movement, which the Society campaigned for after the Swing riots of 1830 as "the most plausible remedy for the social problems of the countryside". It published the ''Labourer's Friend Magazine'', and in 1844 changed its title to the Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes, becoming the first

Model Dwellings Company Model dwellings companies (MDCs) were a group of private companies in Victorian Britain that sought to improve the housing conditions of the working classes by building new homes for them, at the same time receiving a competitive rate of return ...

in 1844. The Society received support from many influential figures of the time, including

Montagu Burgoyne Montagu Burgoyne (19 July 1750 – 6 March 1836) was a British politician and writer. Life Burgoyne was a younger son of Sir Roger Burgoyne, 6th Baronet (1710–1780) of Burgoyne of Sutton, Bedfordshire. He was a member of Trinity Hall, Camb ...

, Sir William Miles, Mary Ann Gilbert and Lord Ashley, who was the primary influence behind the transition of the Society into a more powerful body. The new Society had the patronage of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

, the Prince Consort as president and Ashley as chairman. The company's architect was Henry Roberts, best known for

Fishmongers' Hall Fishmongers' Hall (sometimes shortened in common parlance to Fish Hall) is a Grade II* listed building adjacent to London Bridge. It is the headquarters of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, one of the 110 livery companies of the City of Lo ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. In 1959, the company became the 1830 Housing Society, which was taken over in 1965 by the

Peabody Trust The Peabody Trust was founded in 1862 as the Peabody Donation Fund and now brands itself simply as Peabody.

Buildings

Roberts's buildings made the SICLC a high-profile company with royal patronage and a display at the Great Exhibition; however, functional, utilitarian design of Roberts's buildings led to criticism that they were grim and unpleasant. Buildings included: *Model Buildings, Bagnigge Wells,

Pentonville Pentonville is an area on the northern fringe of Central London, in the London Borough of Islington. It is located north-northeast of Charing Cross on the Inner Ring Road. Pentonville developed in the northwestern edge of the ancient parish ...

for 23 families, and 30 aged women *George Street, Bloomsbury, for 104 single men *

Streatham Street Streatham Street is a street in the London district of Bloomsbury, running between New Oxford Street and Great Russell Street Great Russell Street is a street in Bloomsbury, London, best known for being the location of the British Museum. It ...

, Bloomsbury, for 48 families *76

Hatton Garden Hatton Garden is a street and commercial zone in the Holborn district of the London Borough of Camden, abutting the narrow precinct of Saffron Hill which then abuts the City of London. It takes its name from Sir Christopher Hatton, a favouri ...

, for 57 single women *2 Charles Street, Drury Lane, for 82 single men *A small lodging-house also for men, in King Street, Drury Lane *Turner Court, Hull Site Labour Supplies
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References

{{Authority control Organisations based in London with royal patronage Housing organisations based in London Philanthropic organisations based in England Model dwellings Organizations established in 1830 1830 establishments in England Poverty in England Working class in the United Kingdom

Buildings

See also

References