• Reference
    X1021
  • Title
    Robert Hibbert Almshouse Trust, Luton
  • Date free text
    1819 onwards
  • Production date
    From: 1819 To: 2005
  • Creator
  • Admin/biog history
    Robert Hibbert was born in 1770 in Jamaica. After schooling in Nottingham and graduating from Cambridge he returned to Jamaica as a partner in a mercantile house founded by his uncle. Having returned to England in about 1803 in 1806 he bought the estate of East Hyde from Dr John Bettisworth and held this estate until he sold it in 1833. Robert moved to London, where he died in 1849. He is buried in Kensal Green cemetery. Robert received a large income from his property in the West Indies. In 1819 he gave a row of 12 cottages that he had built on the left hand side of Castle Street to trustees for the accommodation of 24 poor widows or other persons belonging to the parish of Luton. The cottages were endowed and after maintenance, repair and expenses any residue of income was to be divided in shares and paid to the occupiers as the trustees saw fit. In 1883 the trustees exchanged the original site with the Ashton Charity (see Z1362) and built new almshouses on Hibbert Street, Luton. The charitable objects of the Trust are: THE MAINTENANCE OF ALMSHOUSES FOR POOR PERSONS OF GOOD CHARACTER WITH A PREFERENCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE WIDOWS RESIDENT IN THE ANCIENT PARISH OF LUTON THE BENEFIT OF THE ALMSPEOPLE.
  • Scope and Content
    Minutes, lists of applicants, financial records, correspondence.
  • Archival history
    Kept by clerks of the trust until deposit with the record office.
  • Loan status
    TOCATawaiting cataloguing
  • Reference
  • Level of description
    fonds