For centuries, growing old without family support could be almost as worrying as losing the ability to work. Earlier articles in this series have shown how the parish supported those in need through poor relief, parish charities and, after 1836, the workhouse. Yet there was another form of assistance. Rather than providing money or food, almshouses offered something equally valuable – a secure home where elderly people could live independently within their own community.
Armitage’s almshouses were the gift of the Rev. Edward Samson. More than a century after they were built, they continue to fulfil the purpose for which they were intended.
A Victorian rector with practical ideals
Edward Samson became Rector of Armitage in 1903. Like many clergymen of the period, he believed that the Church should provide practical help as well as spiritual guidance. His concern for the welfare of ordinary parishioners was expressed not simply through preaching but through lasting improvements to village life.
Before coming to Armitage he had already financed almshouses at Brereton. Soon after his arrival he decided to provide similar accommodation for elderly people in Armitage.
Building the almshouses
The Armitage almshouses were completed in 1906.
They consisted of four modest cottages, designed to provide comfortable accommodation for elderly people of limited means who wished to remain in familiar surroundings rather than face the prospect of entering the workhouse. Built of red brick and carrying Samson’s initials and the date of construction, they became a distinctive feature of the village.
Unlike parish relief, which often fluctuated according to circumstances, the almshouses provided permanent security. Residents retained their own front door, their own home and their place within village life. For many elderly people this represented a far more dignified alternative than institutional care.
In 1908 Samson transferred the almshouses into trust, ensuring that they would continue to benefit future generations after his death.
Life in the almshouses
Although the almshouses were charitable homes, they were not simply free accommodation available to anyone. Like most almshouse foundations of the period, they were intended for respectable local people who had fallen on hard times through age or limited means rather than through misconduct.
Residents remained part of the community, attending church, meeting neighbours and continuing the routines of everyday village life. Their circumstances were very different from those experienced by inmates of the workhouse, where families were separated, uniforms were worn and daily life was strictly regulated.
The almshouses therefore occupied an important place between private independence and public welfare. They reflected the belief that old age should be met with compassion while allowing people to preserve their dignity.
Changing with the times
As living standards improved during the twentieth century, expectations also changed. The cottages were modernised with indoor bathrooms, improved kitchens and central heating, but eventually it became clear that they no longer provided accommodation suited to modern needs.
A major programme of redevelopment in the early twenty-first century transformed the original four Samson almshouses at Armitage into two larger, modern homes. Although fewer in number, they provided significantly better accommodation while remaining true to Samson’s original intention of offering secure housing for older local people.
The refurbished homes were officially reopened in 2012 and continue to serve the community today.
A lasting legacy
The parish poor relief system disappeared during the nineteenth century, and the workhouse itself eventually passed into history. The almshouses, however, have survived.
That survival is perhaps the greatest tribute to Edward Samson’s vision. More than a hundred years after he built them, they continue to provide exactly what he intended: not simply shelter, but independence, security and dignity for older members of the local community.