‘For old servants or decayed tradeswomen’: Mary Tate’s Almhouses in Mitcham will reach their 200th anniversary in 2029
Under new management: Mitcham Garden Village has taken on Mary Tate’s Almhouses
Croydon Almshouses, a charity which traces its history to 1447, has announced that it has transferred some of the almshouses in its care to Mitcham Garden Village, another housing charity.
Mary Tate’s Almshouses in Mitcham have provided homes since the early 19th Century, but the buildings and their seven residents have been managed and supported by Croydon Almshouses since 2013.
“Almshouses are about community, and the transfer to Mitcham Garden Village will embed Mary Tate’s Almshouses further as part of the local community and ensure it a stronger voice in the future development of the area,” said Hayley James, the CEO of Croydon Almshouses.
Mary Tate was born around 1776 into a wealthy family. The Tates were members of the landed gentry, owning estates and properties at Burleigh Hall in Leicestershire; Langdown near Dibden in Hampshire; Grosvenor Place, London; and a large house on Mitcham Cricket Green.
The almshouses, on Cricket Green, opened to residents in 1829. They were built in the Tudor Gothic style by John Buckler. Consisting of a single storey, they had seven doors arranged around a communal front garden; some of the doors were shared by the residents.
The middle gable of the building includes the Tate coat of arms, which is associated with the family motto “Thincke and Thancke”.
The almshouses were originally administered by Mary Tate and a group of trustees, including the Vicar of Mitcham. During her lifetime, Tate selected the almswomen.
According to the original deed, the almshouses were to: “provide a residence and weekly allowance for 12 poor widows or unmarried women of the Church of England… of the age of 50 years or upwards”.
Tate specified a preference for “old servants or decayed tradeswomen”.
According to Croydon Almshouses, it was becoming difficult to provide the highest standard of care at Mitcham, because the limited facilities at Mary Tate’s Almshouses meant that they have been unable to adequately accommodate staff there.
“The transfer allows the residents to become fully embedded in their local community in Mitcham, with the support of a well-known and well-respected housing charity local to the area,” they say.
“Lots of consideration was given to find the appropriate charity.”
Communal gardens: the charities are hopeful that the transfer will put the residents at the heart of the Mitcham community
Paul Flowers, the chair of Mitcham Garden Village, said: “Mitcham Garden Village is delighted to welcome Mary Tate’s residents into our community.
“In 2029 both charities will be celebrating a major birthday: Mary Tate’s 200th and Mitcham Garden Village’s 100th.
“Through careful stewardship we look forward to the next two hundred years of providing decent homes.”
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Interesting that Croydon Almshouses had control of these. Always assumed it was a Whitgift Foundation organisation, but appears to have no formal association with them. This does mean then that anyone whose connection is with Croydon will no longer be eligible to rent these properties that are outside of the borough. If this was ever practiced in reality?
Is/was Mary Tate (old money?) related to Henry Tate (newer money?) of Tate & Lyle (sugar refiners and funders of the art galleries, Tate Britain, Tate Modern and regional galleries in Liverpool and St. Ives, Cornwall)?