On Thursday the Wardens carried out their annual visit to Walter's Close, Southwark in the morning and Edmanson's Close, Tottenham in the afternoon. The other almshouse visitation to Queen Elizabeth College had take place a week earlier (See post of 9 April).
Traditionally the visitations were the formal inspection of the almshouses but these days the Wardens receive quarterly reports as to what is going on and there is also a regular communication between the current almshouse managers. Hanover Housing, and the Company. As a consequence the visitations are now essentially social and ceremonial events.
The visit to Walter's Close is always the least informal of the three and takes the form of a a discussion with residents over coffee, tea and cakes around eleven o'clock. We were accompanied by Herry Lawford, who actually leads the FODAH team at Edmanson's Close - and came along on the afternoon visit as well - and Liveryman Rupert Phelps who is one of the FODAH visitors at Walter's Close.
Fola Adedosu, who runs Walter's, made us welcome and it was good to meet up with a good cross section of residents, both of long standing and new arrivals. Inevitably much of the conversation was about the Royal Wedding next day.
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| Just before the service at Edmanson's Close. Left to right: John Freestone, Beadle, William Charnley, Junior Warden, Anthony Walker, Master Warden, self, Christian Williams, Renter Warden and Alastair Ross, Clerk. Photograph with acknowledgements to Herry Lawford. |
In the afternoon we went from the Hall to Bruce Grove. Changing in to our robes we attended a service conducted by the newly arrived Father Tony Haynes. I gave a short address describing how the three almshouse charities created by Edmanson, Pemel and Jolles had been united nearly 150 years ago and with a further endowment had moved on to the Bruce Grove site, largely because the expansion of the railway network in London led to a lot of compulsory purchasing of land in the inner city and a better site had become available in an area which at that time was right on the fringe of London. The success of the Edmanson's Close had been the collective work of many but a most important part had been the contribution of residents past and present to create a unique and thriving community.
Afterwards Lesley Flynn who runs Edmanson's Close and her helpers, including Mvia Wedderburn, had laid on a delicious tea. Again discussion turned to the Royal Wedding
Throughout the sun shone brightly and Lynda Lampshire at the Hall, who acts as the secretary to FODAH, organised the day very well.
