Person    | Male  Born 18/2/1795  Died 4/11/1869

George Peabody

Categories: Philanthropy, Property, Social Welfare

Countries: USA

Philanthropist. Born Massachusetts, USA, descended from English immigrants to America. A merchant businessman who moved into banking, in partnership with J. S. Morgan and became extremely wealthy. First came to the UK in 1827. He never married but had a mistress and daughter in Brighton to whom he was generous during his lifetime but they did not figure in his will.

His philanthropy in America was focussed on education and in Britain on housing. In 1862 he created The Peabody Donation Fund and the first Peabody model housing block was opened in Spitalfields, followed soon by buildings in Chelsea, Bermondsey, Islington, and Shadwell. The Fund, now 'Peabody', continues to provide housing.

Peabody died at a friend's home at 80 Eaton Square. His will required that he be buried in his home town but first he was given a state funeral in Westminster Abbey and then his body was ceremonially shipped across to America where he was buried in the family tomb that he had himself built, at his home town that had, in 1868, been renamed Peabody.

London Details has a good post on this man and his statue.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
George Peabody

Commemorated ati

Bowler plaque - Keys and Doorbells

This cast-iron roundel, showing keys and doorbells, is one of 22 - see Bowler...

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George Peabody

Greater London Council George Peabody, 1795-1869, philanthropist, died here.

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George Peabody statue

Unveiled by the then Prince of Wales, unusually in the subject's lifetime. To...

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Other Subjects

Sir D. T. Keymer

Sir D. T. Keymer

Hon Treasurer of the Committee to restore Bishop Wood's Almshouses in 1930. Durham University has a 1924 photo of him in a group where he is named as "Sir D. T. Keymer, Messrs. Keymer & Sons a...

Person, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration, New Zealand, Sudan

1 memorial
National Lottery

National Lottery

The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom.  2020: It is operated by Camelot Group.  Some of its funds are distributed by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Group, Commerce, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Guinness Trust / Guinness Partnership

Guinness Trust / Guinness Partnership

From the Picture source: "In 1890 Sir Edward Guinness set up The Guinness Trust, donating £200,000 to the Trust in London, with an additional £50,000 for the Dublin Fund, which later became the Ive...

Group, Philanthropy, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal, Donald Smith

Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal, Donald Smith

Born Scotland.   Emigrated to Canada in 1838 to work with the Hudson's Bay Company.  He worked his way up the company and entered politics, made his fortune and was knighted in 1886.  Died  28 Gros...

Person, Commerce, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration, Canada

1 memorial
Sir Arthur Pearson

Sir Arthur Pearson

Newspaper publisher and philanthropist. Born in Wookey, Somerset. In 1898 he founded the Daily Express, which was innovative in printing news instead of adverts on its front page. When he started t...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Philanthropy

1 memorial