1884

Toynbee Hall

The first university settlement house. Founded by Samuel and Henrietta Barnett. It was named for their friend, Arnold Toynbee, the economic historian noted for his social commitment and desire to improve the living conditions of the working classes.

The idea was that the educated rich should live close to the poor and thus change society for the better. The Guild and School of Handicraft started life here in 1888.

Spitalfields Life have a good post about Toynbee Hall with lots of pictures. It's there we learnt that Toynbee Hall opened on Christmas Eve.

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:
Toynbee Hall

Commemorated ati

Dr Jimmy Mallon

Dr Jimmy Mallon, CH, 1874 - 1961, Warden of Toynbee Hall, Champion of social ...

St Mary Matfelon

Our picture comes from Google satellite view and shows, better than can be se...

Toynbee Hall

Toynbee Housing Society Evershed House Community - Opened on September 23rd 1...

Toynbee Hall clock

The top plaque claims the 1965 restoration was in appreciation of "the half c...

Toynbee Hall Gatehouse

Toynbee Hall Gatehouse Inaugurated by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Harold...

See other memorials in this area

Other Subjects

Gatehouse Square, Southwark

Social housing and nearby workshops designed by the Greater London Council for Southwark Council and funded by the Sea Containers Group.

Building, Social Welfare

1 memorial

Canon Samuel Barnett

Social reformer. While curate of St Mary's in Bryanston Square, met Henrietta Barnett and married her in his own church. The site given as the picture source is a forum where the infamous Jack the...

Person, Jack the Ripper suspects, Religion, Social Welfare

2 memorials

Southern Housing Group

Initially the Samuel Lewis Housing Trust, set up after the death of the founder in 1901. Their first housing development was in Liverpool Road, Islington. From their website: "As one of southern E...

Group, Property, Social Welfare

3 memorials

Society for Improving the Conditions of the Labouring Classes

Founded as the Labourer's Friend Society by Lord Shaftesbury intending to improve working class conditions. It was keen on the provision of allotments. 1844 it changed its name to the Society for I...

Group, Social Welfare

1 memorial

Blind Veterans UK

This charity was founded at the start of WW1 by Arthur Pearson, the newspaper magnate who became blind in later life, as The Blinded Soldiers' and Sailors' Care Committee. February 1915 it opened t...

Building, Education, Social Welfare

3 memorials

Previously viewed

Stratford Martyrs

The church website has done a very thorough job on the history not just of the memorial but the church and the area so we quote them here on the background to the martyrs: "In 1553 Queen Mary Tudor...

Group, Execution, Religion

1 memorial

Southgate local government

Originally part of the parish of Edmonton. In 1881 Southgate Local Board was established and became an Urban District in 1894. Became a municipal borough in 1933, and remained so until the London G...

Group, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Order of St John of Jerusalem

Order of St John of Jerusalem The Order of St John of Jerusalem combined religion, crusading military might and the care of the sick. 1309-1522 the primary home of the Order was the island of Rhode...

Group, Armed Forces, Emergency Services, Medicine, Religion

6 memorials

Edmund William Richardson

Company Secretary of the Planet Building Society. c.1871 he demolished the old Friary House and built the present house in which he lived until his death. British History Online details some prop...

Person, Politics & Administration, Property, Religion

1 memorial

International Desalination Association

The International Desalination Association (IDA) is the world’s leading resource for information and professional development for the global desalination industry – and the only global association ...

Group, Community / Clubs, Industry, Science

1 memorial