*Historical* You may have assumed these buildings by the Pay and Display car park in Carshalton High Street were built by the council. However it turns out they were most likely commissioned by Sir Samuel Barrow, the landowner living next door at The Grove mansion.
The plaque on the front suggests that Palliser Homes were in memory of his eldest son Samuel Palliser – who has a wooden gravestone in All Saints church yard. The fading plaque on the front of the almshouses reads ‘The Palliser Homes 1912 in memory October 26 1910’.
The gravestone reads ‘Palliser. Eldest son of Samuel and Florence Barrow of The Grove Carshalton. Born 15 September 1887. Died 26 October 1910’.
Sir Samuel Barrow was credited with clearing away ‘slum’ housing that stood where the car park now is (see The Old Wooden Buildings of Carshalton), and he presumably built these almshouses to replace them.
Almshouses are charitable buildings created to help the local poor and needy, though perhaps they were originally used to house staff. On the right of the building is the original laundry room.
Sir Samuel Barrow was community-minded and also gave over some of his land to increase the size of All Saints churchyard.
Sir Samuel Barrow along with his wife Lady Florence Mary Palliser were the last private residents (1888-1920) of The Grove. You can read more about the marriage of their daughter, and also more about the leather company Sir Samuel Barrow owned.
The plaque is slowly fading, and it’s not clear if the wooden grave is still intact.
🗝 Disclaimer: this information is provided with the best knowledge available at the time of writing. Research and current pictures: Secret Carshalton. With thanks to Sutton Heritage. Some image sources unknown. First published on Facebook in September 2021.
Peace perfect peace – intricate memorial dedicated to the man who loved Carshalton
Intresting information always wondered about the history of those houses.
Are the Palliser Houses actually lived in at the moment. it looks as though work has been done recently?