Looking back over the years

Residents and Peabody staff celebrated the 75th anniversary of Clapham Estate in Wandsworth by holding a community event. The event took place on Saturday 17 September and many people turned out to join in the celebrations.

The day was dedicated to commemorating Clapham’s history while  looking at the present and future. The younger residents enjoyed a  variety of activities such as bouncy castles, face painting, plant potting and large outdoor board games like Snakes and Ladders. 
 

They even had the chance of getting their bike fixed for free from the Bike Doctor. Other residents took advantage of the free massages, reflexology and food and drink on offer while a few danced to music from different eras.

Local police joined the Chair of the Tenant's Association Pat Champion during the cake cutting ceremony and speech.

Peabody’s Neighbourhood and Older Persons Services put together a display of archive material, photographs showing the estate when it was first built through to the present day and recounted residents’ anecdotes of the estate. Residents were also given an opportunity to record their individual stories and memories of life on the estate.

Our Development team also showcased plans, photographs and models of how the estate will look when it is redeveloped, giving residents the opportunity to comment (pictured below).

During the course of the afternoon, residents were asked to complete a survey to find out what they thought of the services they receive locally and what their local priorities are. All those who completed a survey were entered into a free prize draw.

The winner of the first prize, Pat Champion said: "Marianne and her team did a very good job planning the party and I can imagine it involved a lot of work. The food was lovely and the children enjoyed the bouncy castle and having their faces painted. Everyone enjoyed the history display and thoroughly enjoyed the day. It was great meeting all the Peabody staff and finally being able to put a face to the names."

Background
Peabody was founded in 1862 as the Peabody Donation Fund by the remarkable American banker, diplomat and philanthropist, George Peabody. His aim was to tackle the poverty he saw around him in his adopted home of London.

The first Peabody estate, in Spitalfields, was opened in 1864. The St John’s Hill estate (Clapham) was constructed in 1936 and modernised in the 1970s by changing the configuration within the properties to create separate bathrooms. Clapham now provides a home to over 600 people in approximately 350 properties.

Gallery of images from the day below

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