“Decay’d Masters and Commanders of Ships” that’s who once called this place home. Welcome to Trinity Hospital, or rather, the Trinity Green Almshouses as they are also known.
Originally built in 1695, Trinity Hospital provided housing for retired sailors. Picture this: 28 men, masters and commanders, or their widows, finding solace here. Captain Henry Mudd of Ratcliffe gifted the land to the Corporation of Trinity House. It’s believed Sir William Ogbourne designed these houses.
The almshouses were arranged in two neat rows. A central green and chapel completed the scene. The chapel fell under the parish of St Dunstan’s, Stepney.
In 1735, each of the 28 residents received 12 shillings per month. Fast forward to 1895. Trinity Green faced a threat of closure. Sir Frederic Leighton proposed its destruction. A public outcry saved it. Charles Robert Ashbee led the charge. He established a Committee for the Survey of the Memorials of Greater London. Trinity Hospital became the first building on their preservation register. This register later evolved into the listed building system we know today.
In 1927, a bronze bust memorial for William Booth was installed. Booth once preached at the Vine Tavern nearby. His sermons led to the founding of The Salvation Army.
The Second World War brought damage. Bombs destroyed the almshouses north of the chapel. In 1950, Trinity Green earned Grade I listed status. This included the almshouses, chapel, gates, railings, and walls.
London County Council stepped in during 1954. They bought and restored the surviving houses. The chapel got a makeover with 18th-century panelling. This panelling came from Bradmore House in Hammersmith. The construction of Mile End Road changed Trinity Green’s setting. It went from rural tranquility to bustling traffic.
A Mile End mural created in 2011 included Trinity Green. In 2016, a proposed 28-story tower block stirred controversy. Locals feared it would cast a shadow over the almshouses.
Trinity Hospital has seen many changes. In 1685, it opened its doors. The Corporation of Trinity House founded it. Their aim was to house “28 decay’d Masters and Commanders of Ships or ye widows of such.” Residents received money, coals, and other comforts. Each cottage had three rooms. They faced each other across a lawn. The chapel stood at the rear.
By 1730, the Corporation housed 93 former mariners. These mariners lived in almshouses in Mile End and Deptford. In 1746, a statue of Captain Robert Sandes was erected. He was a benefactor who died in 1721. During the late 1800s, a tall ship’s mast stood in the green’s center. Forty more almshouses were built behind the chapel. This made the site T-shaped.
In 1870, a statue of Captain Richard Maples moved here. It came from the closed Deptford almshouses. In 1954, the surviving buildings were sold to the LCC. The LCC restored the buildings and gave them to Stepney Borough Council. They renamed it Trinity Green. Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1962 after the renovations. The newer almshouses were later demolished. They became part of a council housing estate.
Painted glass panes from the chapel windows still exist. They are housed in the Trinity House Library. The chapel now serves as a community space. The Corporation opened new almshouses in Walmer, Kent.
The western end-gable features a plaque and model ships. These ships are 1950s fibreglass replicas. The originals are in the Museum of London. The chapel stands opposite the entrance gates. Fourteen almshouses line each side of the green.
Trinity Hospital stands as a testament to London’s maritime history. It reminds us of the sailors and their widows who sought refuge here. A place of rest, a place of community, a place of history.