Living in London

Here is some more background on the Kensington Green development where we may be living soon. I have completed the application and the landlord has tentatively accepted our offer. This beautiful gated community was once the Kensington Workhouse, known as St Mary Abbots:

The workhouses were private or government-funded homes for the unemployed, poor and disabled. If private, the administration was often church-related. Parishes, the governing subdivisions in London, had historically been responsible for law and order and for the care of the aged, sick, disabled, and unemployed. All who wanted aid had to live in a workhouse. Since many paupers were also sick or disabled, infirmaries were added to workhouses, including isolation wards and fever wings.

Here’s a long bit on what life was like in a workhouse in the 19th century. It’s pretty amazing. When you come to visit we can have an authentic workhouse meal if I can find a good recipe for gruel. Otherwise we can go to the Muffin Man bakery or Fait Maison French charcuterie or the number of other incredible little food shops along Stratford Road, right outside our front gate.

-LmG