An almshouse is defined as “a unit of residential accommodation (usually a house or flat) which belongs to a charity, is provided exclusively to meet the charity’s purposes (for example, the relief of financial need or infirmity) and is occupied or is available for occupation under a licence by a qualified beneficiary”1.
The Henry Williams Almshouses in Pydar Street, Truro, now long gone, certainly met this description having been provided by Henry Williams, a 17th century Truro woolen draper with a strong social conscience.
He had already given land to the borough so that it would have a better income and a few years later he was proposing to provide for the construction of a group of almshouses.
For these very generous actions, two men who described themselves as “his very good friends,” petitioned the Privy Council for the custody of Henry Williams who they considered not to be of sound mind. They alleged that their motive was “to reduce him to his former temperature.” It seems that they attempted to force the elderly Henry to take a new wife and to make a new will so that they could benefit from his property. Not only that, but it was suggested that they incarcerated him declaring him to be a lunatic. We may well ask that with friends such as these… It was a sad reward for this kindly and generous man but attempts were quickly underway to discover the truth and to remove him to safety.2
Despite the action of the two ‘friends,’ the foundation deed of the Almshouses was drawn up in 1631. It declared …
“it hath pleased God to putt the saide Henry Williams in mynde to edifye and make an almeshouse or hospitall for habitation, sustenance and releife of ten poor people.”3
Henry’s endowment was considerable and included various properties in Truro and the surrounding countryside. These are mentioned in H L Douch’s The Book of Truro wherein he states that the inmates had the meadow behind their almshouses in which to keep a cow, two shillings a week and the rindings4 of “My Lady’s or Bishop’s Wood in St Allen.”
Henry Williams was not alone in wishing to provide for the aged poor as just a little further up the hill, where the railway bridge now stands, was another such facility built by Jerman Griest (spelling varies including Jermaine Greer and German Greece), Truro draper. In 1622 he left …
“to the use of the poore of Trewrowe the new house lately built by me (on Mr Prad’s land) during the whole time and terme I have yet to come of the three hundred yeares granted me thereof. And towards the releife of poore people hereafter within the said towne of Trewrow I give and bequeath the summe of forty pounds to be paid within three yeares of my death, besides fyve pounds to be bestowed among the poore there at my buriall.”5
Mr Douch states that these almshouses had no specific endowment and had to be supported by the churchwardens or the borough. Situated at the top of Pydar Street, the almshouses stood on the route of the proposed Cornwall Railway line and the site was sold to the railway company in 1857 to enable the main line to be brought to Truro.6
However, it is the almshouses a little further down the hill which is the subject of this article. Buildings which fulfilled a social need and one of which, had a strong personal connection to me as you will later see.
I had long considered writing about them but it was a telephone call from Barry West, a Cornish historian, which launched me into action.
Barry had heard that Dairyland Farm Park near Newquay was to close and was concerned that one of their exhibits, an obelisk which once stood in the courtyard of the Henry Williams Almshouses, may be lost. As he said, “Its rightful place is in Truro” and in his usual pragmatic and tenacious way, he set about attempting to make it happen. At this time we do not know the outcome of the project.
This granite obelisk at Dairyland Farm Park was rescued from a refuse tip at St Mawgan some time after the almshouses closed. The base was discovered in 1993 after the refuse tip was cleared by John Rawlings who undertook the demolition of the Almshouses. (Barry West)
The origial almshouses were built in 1631, almost opposite the entrance to Union Street. It was long before the invention of photography but this late 19th century image shows the buildings almost certainly unchanged from when they were occupied by the first residents.
“Legacy of a draper, a corner of old Truro which disappeared with the re-development of the site on which Carrick Council’s headquarters sat until the early 2020s. The women in the photograph were residents of the original Williams’ almshouses. This rare view of the inner court was taken by the Truro photographer Frederick Argall about the end of the 19th century.”7
Many reports state that the almshouses were built “for ten aged poor women” but that may not have been the case as the foundation deed stated that it was for ten poor people and until 1696, both men and women were admitted to there whenever death created vacancies. From then onwards, widows were made the exclusive objects of the charity.
The Truro Buildings Research Group refer to the Alms Houses in its publication Pydar Street and the High Cross Area. It quotes a Dr Taunton who recalled “that the old women in Henry Williams’ almshouses had the meadow on which the workhouse was later built, to keep a cow, the cloth in their clothes was to be a noble a yard (6s. 8d.), they had the rindings of My Lady’s Wood or Bishop’s Wood and 2s. a week.”
Many reports refer to the fact that “there was grazing land at the rear for a cow.” This provided them with a source of milk but the shared benefit was lost during the late 18th century when, despite the terms of the deed, corporate need (or greed) took over and the meadow was used for the erection of a Workhouse and later, the Town Prison (the old prison in what later became Boscawen Street was lost when Middle Row8 was demolished in the early 1770s).
The layout in 1892 showing the Almshouses and the Truro Isolation Hospital to its rear.
(The Isolation Hospital was originally a Poor House (1779-1851) but in 1891 it was acquired by Truro Council for use as an infectious diseases’ hospital. It was an open ‘U’ shape building with loggias around the central courtyard and it served patients with diphtheria, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, erysipelas, tuberculosis and measles, until its closure in 1925. The building was demolished in May 1966.)
There follows a number of newspaper reports and readers’ letters which relate to the almshouses and their inhabitants.
A matter of concern by ‘A Citizen’:
“I should like to draw the public attention to the state of the Almshouses in Pydar Street. Cannot something be done towards increasing the comfort of the old people? Owing to the present condition of the houses (which were never properly finished) the inmates suffer greatly from the cold and damp. Any money that is in hand should surely be used (as the charitable funder would doubtless have wished) towards rendering ‘old age’ as comfortable as may be.”9
Two letters relating to the erection of the obelisk:
“Sir, I hasten to suggest, if it is intended to enclose the Alms houses on the top of Pydar Street that an iron barred gate be placed at the entrance instead of the old doors, so that the passers-by could see the obelisk that was erected yesterday in memory of its benefactor. Yours truly, Passer-by.”10
“The Williams’ Alms-houses. An obelisk has just been erected in the yard of the alms-houses, Pydar-street, Truro, in memory of the late Mr Williams. It stands about 12 ft in height, is 16 ft in circumference at the base, and comprises three pieces of unpolished Cornish granite. The inscription is as follows: ‘In memory and honour of the late Mr Henry Williams, draper, of this city, the founder and benefactor of this charity, A.D. 1631. Erected by his brother tradesman, Henry Andrews, 1885’. The obelisk was built by Mr Juleff, of Grampound-road. These alms-houses were built for the accommodation of 10 widows, each being allowed, in addition to house-room, a small sum weekly.”11
A letter from ‘An Old Inhabitant’:
“I hear that the trustees of this charity are considering the advisability of pulling down and rebuilding the Alms Houses in Pydar-street, and I would suggest to the corporation, as the ground is no longer wanted for the prison, that it be returned to the Alms Houses from which it was taken about 55 years ago, to enlarge the prison to accommodate the prisoners brought from Bodmin to be tried at our Easter Quarter Sessions. The inmates of that side received every quarter compensation for the loss of room, but as they died out, it was not continued to the incoming ones. If the revenue will not admit of increasing the number of inmates, the rooms could be made larger to give the inmates more space in which to do their household work. An Old Inhabitant – Truro January 12th 1887.”12
Truro Town Council meeting in 1887:
“… The Public Works Committee reported having received a proposal from the rector and churchwarden of the parish of St Mary’s, Truro, for the sale to them of a piece of ground on which stands the old prison extending from Pydar-street to the old St Mary’s Workhouse; and also a proposal from the trustees of the Truro Charities to acquire the freehold of a portion of the same ground at the north-east corner, for the purpose of building thereon two additional almshouses. The committee recommended that the whole of the property be submitted to auction, and that the Town Clerk instructed to obtain the consent of the Lords of the Treasury to such sale. The report was adopted.”13
Plans to remedy the situation were in hand:
“At a meeting of the trustees on Thursday, which was numerously attended, Mr Robert Tweedy in the chair, Mr F Hearle Cock, the Clerk, reported that sanction had been given by the authorities in London to the purchase of the old town prison from the Truro Corporation, for the sum of £200. Some remodelling or rebuilding of Williams’ Alms Houses will no doubt now take place.”14
The green light was on show and in 1888 tenders were being sought to rebuild the houses with all ‘mod cons’. The Mayor, Theophilus Dorrington, a jeweller, was given credit for the project and may have donated financially towards it.
Truro Charity to Builders:
“Tenders are required for the taking down and rebuilding the almshouses … according to the plans and specifications thereof, as prepared and which may be inspected on application to Mr A H Clemens MSI, Architect, Truro. Such tenders must be sent, addressed to the undersigned and marked tenders for Almshouses, on or before the 29th day of August instant. The trustees do not bind themselves to accept the lowest or any tender. F Hearle Cock, Solicitor, Truro. Clerk of the said Trustee. Dated 16th August 1888”15
The 1890 Almshouses which were demolished in 1980 to make way for Carrick District Council offices. (My great grandmother, Mary Paddy, lived in number 3, from 1942 to 1955)
A vacancy:
“At Williams’ Almshouses the inmates have free residence with 5s a week in cash and an occasional present. There are 13 applications for a vacancy which has occurred through the death of Miss Benney, nine of whom are widows.”16
Almshouse Fatality At Truro:
“A shocking burning fatality, which apparently occurred during the night, was discovered at the Almshouses, Truro, on Thursday, the victim being Adelaide aged 80, widow of Samuel Brokenshire, coachbuilder. At the inquest later that day, the Coroner (Mr E L Carlyon J P), said he had been informed that the old lady had been dead several hours before she was found, and the only point saw the matter was how nobody had discovered her before. There ought be some inspection of these poor old women. There was also a suggestion by the Police, which seemed a good one, that the door leading into the yard should be unlocked at night. Sergeant Jewells said there was a clause in the trust which provided that the door should be locked at night. The Coroner said a duplicate key could be obtained and kept the police. William Brokenshire, son of deceased, said he saw his mother on Monday evening, when she seemed all right. Dr Maloney stated that deceased was badly burned and partly charred. Deceased probably died between 10.30 pm and two am. The foreman of jury (Mr J Cook) said the locked door made it death trap. It was stated that deceased was wearing a flannelette nightdress. A verdict was returned that deceased died from suffocation owing her bedding catching fire.”17
Moving on to 1944 and the Isolation Hospital is now a Youth Hostel
The entrance door to the almshouses – a Facebook comment by Patricia Walters: “I remember old people living in them, behind a wall with a green gate, opposite St Mary’s school.”
My cousin, Neville Paddy, paints a very vivid picture of Mary Paddy (his grand-mother and my great grandmother) and of her one-room bungalow in Williams’ Alms Houses.
“I first visited my Gran there, in the 1940s, and I also went into some of the other houses. They were by far more modern than those depicted in the Williams Memorial photo. The yard area was immaculate with a large water hand pump, coal bunkers and there were no apparent signs of age to the buildings – the doors, windows, and decorations were all of good quality. Mary Paddy was my grandmother and was known for being a bit feisty – you wouldn’t have wanted to cross her! She moved to there in 1942 when her husband died. Previously they had lived next door to the complex – top side. Each house had a Cornish Range which provided heat and cooking facilities and a sink with running water. The toilets were outside and the washing and bathing facilities were shared with the other residents. Wood kindling was provided but I think she had to buy coal. In her room was a bed, a 6-drawer dressing table and two easy chairs – one each side of the Cornish Range – and on the mantle shelf were a pair of porcelain dogs, one at each end. I recall a large photo of her husband on horseback – from when he was fighting in the Boar War. She had electric lighting but there was also a paraffin lamp which had been used previously. Mary lived there until she died in February 1955.”
(Mary’s husband had been a Truro cordwainer and a musician with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company, his story can be found here: https://cornishnationalmusicarchive.co.uk/content/edwin-james-paddy/)
From the Cornwall & Scilly HER records:
“The surviving stone inscription from the gateway to Williams almshouses records that this hospital was founded in 1631. It housed ten poor women. The low buildings enclosed a square court. The last remaining structures were demolished in 1980. One of the two foundation stones that were displayed over the entrance can now be found in the garden of the bungalows on Union Street; a memorial to Henry Williams, which originally stood within the courtyard at the almshouse, was recovered from a rubbish tip following demolition and now stands on the roundabout at Dairyland near Newquay.”18
H L Douch, a respected Truro historian and author, reflected on the Charity:
“The main endowment of the Hospital [almshouses] was sadly mismanaged. Considerable sums which should have gone towards the relief of the inmates, or perhaps by agreement to other poor people, were absorbed into the ordinary revenues of the town and applied to non-charitable purposes. Even the immediate property was whittled away, the meadow for a cow providing a site for the borough workhouse and prison, sad company for Henry Williams’ ten aged poor. It was as though the town was saying ‘if we have to have the old, the poor and the unruly let us put them all together, near enough the centre of the town that we can supervise them but far enough away that we can usually ignore them. By unhappy accident, the borough pound for the detention of stray animals was on the opposite side of Pydar Street to the almshouses.”19
Henry Williams made his fortune out of the wool trade but apart from his business acumen, he leaves with us an impression of a well-meaning and caring man who wanted to do good for those less off and for his beloved town.
Endnotes:
- The Almshouse Association (https://www.almshouses.org/).
- The Book of Truro by H L Douch in the paragraph The Deserving Poor.
- Ibid
- Rinding is the practice of stripping tree bark for use in tanning hides.
- The Book of Truro by H L Douch in the paragraph The Deserving Poor.
- ibid
- Courtyard photo – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser of Monday the 6th August 1984.
- Middle Row was a row of buildings which ran through the middle of what is now, Boscawen Street.
- The state of the Almshouses: Royal Cornwall Gazette of the 21st January 1881.
- The Obelisk: Royal Cornwall Gazette of the 25th and 31st July 1885.
- The Obelisk: The Cornishman of Thursday the 6th August 1885.
- Re-building: Royal Cornwall Gazette of the 14th January 1887.
- Re-building: The Cornish Telegraph of Thursday the 27th January 1887.
- The Prison: The Cornish Telegraph of the 1st December 1887.
- Building tenders: Royal Cornwall Gazette of the 16th of August 1888.
- A Vacancy: The Cornishman of Thursday the 5th January 1899.
- A tragedy: West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser of Thursday the 12th December 1912.
- (https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCO26472&resourceID=1020)
- H L Douch reflection: The Book of Truro by H L Douch in the paragraph The Deserving Poor.
Tony Mansell is the author of several books on aspects of Cornish history. In 2011 he was made a Bardh Kernow (Cornish Bard) for his writing and research, taking the name of Skrifer Istori. He has a wide interest in Cornish history, is a researcher with the Cornish National Music Archive and a sub-editor with Cornish Story.
