Peabody Square,

These buildings were completed last Christmas, and were fully occupied at the beginning of the new year. They are on the north side of Victoria-street, and are surrounded by Little Chapel-street, Brewer's-green, Palmer's-passage, and Brewer's-green-passage. The square is composed, with one open side, of three detached blocks, averaging 100 ft. long, 32 ft. wide, and 46 ft. high from the ground to the eaves of the roof. These blocks altogether contain ninety-three dwellings, or 225 rooms, and a board-room for the meetings of the trustees. There are forty dwellings of three rooms, fifty-two dwellings of two rooms, and one dwelling of a single room. These occupy four stories; the fifth story is appropriated to the laundry, wash-houses, and baths. The general arrangement of the buildings is similar to that which has been hitherto adopted by the trustees of Mr. Peabody's fund; but in some of the details greater convenience has been provided. Some of the bed-rooms have fireplaces, and the space allowed to each washer in the wash-houses is rather larger than in former buildings. The living-rooms are approached from a corridor, lighted at each end, and thoroughly ventilated by a wide staircase in the centre of its length, which staircase is uninclosed on one side. The lavatories, sinks, and other such offices, are placed at each end of the corridor, apart from the main building. A dust shaft, with a hopper, near the staircase, conveys the dust and ashes from each story to a cellar in the basement, which is accessible only from the outside of the building. Great care has been taken to secure freedom of the interior from stagnant or unwholesome air. There is a constant and ample supply of water for each tenant, and gas is provided in the corridors, laundries, and wash-houses. The tenants have access to the buildings at all times of the day and night, and although there is a resident superintendent who collects the rents, they are subject to no unnecessary restraint or supervision. The use of the laundries, wash-houses, and baths, and of the large open playground in the centre of the buildings, is much appreciated, and the number of applications for residence is much greater than the number of dwellings. Only those applicants whose wages average £1 or less per week have been admitted as tenants, and these are strictly prohibited from taking lodgers. It is a mistake to suppose that Mr. Peabody's buildings are occupied by persons of a higher class but all the arrangements have been made with a view to meet the wants of the labouring poor. The buildings were erected by Messrs. W. Cubitt and Co., of Gray's-inn-road, from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr. H.A Darbishire, architect, of Trafalgar-square.

Source: The Illustrated London News, No.1529—Vol. LIV, Saturday, March 13, 1869, p.317

Registered Charity: Peabody Trust