LONDON AGED CHRISTIAN SOCIETY

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 A/LAC
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: LONDON AGED CHRISTIAN SOCIETY
Date(s)	: 1826-1990
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 1.99 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: London Aged Christian Society

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The 'London Aged Christian Society for the permanent relief of the decidedly Christian poor of both sexes, who have attained sixty years and who reside within seven miles of Saint Pauls Cathedral' was founded in 1826 at a provisional meeting held at 32 Sackville Street, at the 'Religious and Charitable Societies House' by a group of men 'in consequence of the great interest that has lately been excited at the Western part of the Metropolis on behalf of the aged Christian poor' (A/LAC/1/1).

The group consisted of William Newman, a grocer and tea-dealer of 21 Cockspur Street; William Adeney, a tailor of 16 Sackville Street (for many years the sub-treasurer); Mr Palmer and Benjamin Palmer upholsterers of 175 Piccadilly; Edward Swaine, a whip maker of 224 Piccadilly and Richard Sawyer, an engraver of 43 Dean Street.

The Earl of Rocksavage (later Marquess of Cholmondeley) was the first president and continued in office until his death in 1870. At the second meeting Henry Drummond was proposed as Treasurer and began a long association with Drummonds Bank.

Two committees were established, the main (gentlemen's) committee and a ladies committee. Members of the former were 'monthly to visit and relive the poor pensioners in their own habitations', such members were known as almoners (A/LAC/1/1), while members of the ladies committee visited and interviewed applicants, who, if approved, went on the gentlemen's rotas. The ladies were known as visitors. Subscribers were entitled to recommend pensioners. In 1892 the two committees were amalgamated.

The principle, which was enunciated at every annual general or anniversary meeting was a 'deep sense of the Scriptual obligation to do good especially to those who are of the household of faith'.

For many years the Society relied on the support of individual contributors but from 1854 to 1888 West Street Episcopal Chapel maintained an association in aid of the Society's funds and in the Society made its first public appeal. The Society welcomed the Old Age Pensions Act in 1909 but maintained its belief that there was still a need for its work. In 1885 the idea of an almshouse was first proposed and the provision and maintenance of almshouses became a large part of the Society's work.

In 1913 the Society left 32 Sackville Street for Denson House in Vauxhall and is now to be found with the Field Lane Foundation at Vine Hill.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the London Aged Christian Society consisting of early minutes of the Gentlemens and Ladies committes and later joint committee minutes; annual reports, financial records and pensioners cases and some historical notes and rules of the Society.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

The records have been arranged as follows:
A/LAC/01 Minutes of Gentlemen's Committee and joint committees, 1826-1966, agenda books to 2000;
A/LAC/02 Minutes of the Ladies Committee 1826-1892;
A/LAC/03 Annual Reports 1827-1957;
A/LAC/04 Cash Books;
A/LAC/05 Bank Books;
A/LAC/06 Accounts;
A/LAC/07 Correspondence;
A/LAC/08 Pension Cases;
A/LAC/09 Printed Material.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Records deposited in 1979 with a further accession in 2001.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
June to August 2010.