The House of St Barnabas, previously the House of Charity, is a Grade I listed Georgian building off of Soho Square in London. It was built around 1744; it was a residential house until 1811 and was used by the Metropolitan Board of Works and then the office of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, famous for creating London’s sewer system.
The House of Charity, which was founded in 1846, moved there in 1861. They were an organisation designed to help keep families together when the husband was sent to the workhouse and providing aid to men, women and children.
From 1862 it helped London’s homeless until the Second World War when it was requisitioned for war duty and in 1940 was damaged by a bomb, though no fatalities occurred. After the war it opened as a women’s hostel which closed in 2006. Now the House of Barnabas is a members club though it’s aim is still to help the homeless in obtaining employment.
Louise Jayne's Blog 