Squires Almshouses, Walthamstow, Greater London
These almshouses are dated 1795. They are single story, built from brick with some red dressings. An oval panel on the pediment is inscribed; "These houses erected and endowed for ever by Mrs Mary Squires, widow, for the use of six decayed tradesmen's widows of this parish and no other. Anno Dom 1795' The decayed widows would have been quite well off when their husbands were alive but unable to support themselves when they died - sometimes described as the 'deserving' poor. The phrase 'no other' restricts the homes to women from Walthamstow but no other place. The reason was that at that time each parish was responsible for caring for the poor within its borders.
