Hickey's Almshouses

Hickey's Almshouses are almshouses between Sheen Road and St Mary's Grove in Richmond, London.

1834 inscription at Hickey's Almshouses
William Hickey memorial in Chapel of St Francis

Hickey's Almshouses
General information
Architectural styleNeo-Tudor
LocationRichmond, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England, UK
Coordinates51.4624°N 0.2904°W / 51.4624; -0.2904
Completed1834
Governing bodyThe Richmond Charities
Design and construction
Architect(s)
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameHickey's Almshouses, including chapel and lodges
Designated10 January 1950
Reference no.1262108

A plaque over the entrance records that the almshouses were built "for Ten poor Men and Ten poor Women by the bounty of William Hickey Esq. Who by his Will bequeathed certain Lands and houses in Richmond in Trust for Charitable purposes".[1] William Hickey,[note 1] who died in 1727 and is buried in an altar tomb in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene, Richmond, left the income of several properties on Richmond Hill, including The Wick, in trust to provide pensions for six men and ten women.[2][3] In 1822 the charity's funds were boosted by a major donation by Elizabeth Doughty.[4]

Twenty almshouses, designed by Lewis Vulliamy,[5] in Neo-Tudor style with high chimneys,[1] were built in 1834 from the trust's income. These are Grade II* listed and Historic England's listing also extends to the site's chapel (which is dedicated to St Francis), also built in 1834[5] and its two gate lodges.[6][7] A later block of almshouses, built in 1851 in the same style as the main quadrangle, is listed at Grade II.[8]

The property, which includes another 29 buildings behind the almshouses,[2] now consists of 49 flats and cottages,[9] a laundry and a workshop.[10]

The almshouses are managed by The Richmond Charities.[10] New residents are accepted from 65 years of age.[9]

Chapel of St Francis

The chapel, which was enlarged in 1863 by Arthur Blomfield,[5] is dedicated to St Francis of Assisi. It includes a memorial tablet, dated 1874, that commemorates William Hickey.

See also

Note
  1. The renowned Richmond historian John Cloake says that very little is known about Hickey other than his generosity to the poor and the fact that he named trustees in his will to manage his bequests. According to Cloake, Hickey was a Roman Catholic (although he was buried at Richmond's Church of England parish church) and "the only one in Richmond to figure in a list of non-juror landowners in 1715". John Cloake (2011). "The Houses on the Terrace, Richmond Hill". Richmond History: Journal of the Richmond Local History Society. 32: 33–34. ISSN 0263-0958.

References
  1. "Hickey's Almshouses". London Gardens Online. London Parks & Gardens Trust. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  2. "The Almshouses of Richmond" (PDF). Local History Notes. London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 2 August 2016.
  3. Daniel Lysons (1792). "Richmond: Various benefactions". The Environs of London: volume 1: County of Surrey. Centre for Metropolitan History/ British History Online. pp. 436–469. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  4. Reports of the Commissioners Appointed in Pursuance of Acts of Parliament to Inquire Concerning Charities and Education of the Poor in England and Wales, vol. 33. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. 1839. p. 637.
  5. Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner (1983). The Buildings of England – London 2: South. London: Penguin Books. p. 529. ISBN 0-14-0710-47-7.
  6. Historic England (10 January 1950). "Hickey's Almshouses, including chapel and lodges (1262108)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  7. "Chapel of St Francis, Hickey's Almshouses, Richmond". Discovery. The National Archives (UK). Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  8. Historic England (25 May 1983). "Hickey's Almshouses (1252832)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  9. "William Hickey's Almshouses". Elderly Accommodation Counsel. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  10. "Hickey's Almshouses". The Richmond Charities. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

Further reading
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