The Beaufoy Institute

Hidden in plain sight on Black Prince Road sits The Beaufoy Institute. A testament to a family’s legacy, it whispers tales of vinegar, virtue, and vision. The Beaufoy Institute wasn’t always a place of Buddhist serenity. Its story begins with a family who traded gin for vinegar, horrified by the spirit’s damaging effects. In 1741, the Beaufoys established a vinegar business in Vauxhall. Their vinegar, a “fumigator, antiseptic, and preservative,” earned them a lucrative Navy contract. By 1872, they expanded into cordials, non-alcoholic drinks, and even mineral water. The Beaufoys were more than just entrepreneurs. They were philanthropists. Henry Benjamin Beaufoy, driven by compassion, established the Ragged School for underprivileged children. This school, sadly demolished in 1904 to make way for the railway, found a successor in The Beaufoy Institute. Mark Hanbury Beaufoy, carrying the family’s philanthropic torch, built the Institute in 1907. His wife, Mildred Scott Beaufoy, laid the foundation stone. A poignant relief from the Ragged School is incorporated into the new building, a tangible link to the past. The red brick building, with its granite plinth, terracotta pediments, and wrought iron gates, stands as a testament to the Beaufoys’ commitment to education and community. Inside, the hall boasts exquisite plasterwork, a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. The Beaufoy Institute’s story took an unexpected turn during World War II. The vinegar works were bombed in 1941. The Institute was requisitioned, becoming a hub for women manufacturing munitions. After the war, it returned to its educational roots, later becoming property of Lambeth Council. In 2012, The Beaufoy Institute embarked on a new chapter, becoming the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre. This transition breathed new life into the historic building, preserving its legacy while embracing its future. Even the gates and railings, once corroded and seized, have been meticulously restored. They stand as a symbol of the ongoing care and dedication that keeps the spirit of The Beaufoy Institute alive.