Place    From 13/7/1966 

Pepys Estate

Categories: Social Welfare

Built by the GLC, the Pepys Estate was opened by Earl Mountbatten. The section to the east of Grove Street stands on the site of the Royal Victoria Victualling Yard.

The excellent Municipal Dreams says " ... in 1958 ... the Admiralty agreed to sell the 11 acre site to the then London County Council for housing, principally for local people being displaced by the demolition of the run-down Victorian terraces which dominated the area. Clearance of the adjoining Grove Street and Windmill Lane areas created a 45 acre site on which eventually would be built around 1500 homes for a population of around 5000."

An information board reads "... The estate originally comprised of around 1,200 homes for local workers. The development was seen as a prestigious move forward in social housing, and a strong community spirit soon emerged. Even Queen Elizabeth II visited the estate. During her Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977, Her Majesty arrived by river and climbed ‘Drake’s Step’s before meeting the cheering crowd of hundreds.”

The 26-floor Aragon Tower underwent a major renovation and in 2006 the accommodation, with another 3 floors, was sold off as luxury flats. It was claimed that this was necessary in order to regenerate the whole area but the locals were not convinced.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Pepys Estate

Commemorated ati

David O'Hara

{Below a crown:} This plaque has been dedicated by the Pepys community in mem...

Read More

Pepys Estate

The Pepys Estate was opened on 13th July 1966 by Admiral of the Fleet, The Ea...

Read More

Other Subjects

Abolition of slavery

Abolition of slavery

The British abolition of slavery came in two parts: first the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act became law on 25 March 1807, which left slavery itself still permitted until the Slavery Abolition Act...

Event, Race Issues, Social Welfare, Africa, Australia, Bermuda, Caribbean Islands, Indian Sub-continent, Jamaica, Sri Lanka

11 memorials
Jewish Board of Guardians

Jewish Board of Guardians

The Board of Guardians and Trustees for the Relief of the Jewish Poor Registered (known as the Jewish Board of Guardians) provided help for those who had been in the country for over six months.  F...

Group, Religion, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Eleanor Rathbone

Eleanor Rathbone

Politician and social reformer. Born Eleanor Florence Rathbone at 14 Prince's Gardens, according to the ODNB, our trusted source; others say Liverpool. She made an extensive study of the position o...

Person, Politics & Administration, Social Welfare

2 memorials
W. Drummond

W. Drummond

Administrator of the Putney Pest House Charity, 1862. Drummond is the only name on the Putney Pest House plaque given 'Esqr.' rather than 'Mr' or 'Dr'. It clearly is meant to indicate something b...

Person, Politics & Administration, Social Welfare

1 memorial
Irish immigrants

Irish immigrants

From the Irish Times: "In the grim 1950s, 40,000 people left Ireland every year to emigrate to Britain. They built the roads and repaired the bombed out buildings of post-war Britain. They staffed ...

Group, Social Welfare, Ireland

1 memorial