Brit Orphan Asylum Slough
The British Orphan Asylum was founded in 1827 by the Revd Andrew Reed, one of many philanthropic works he engaged in. It was originally based at Kingston Green in London, and in 1834 it moved to Clapham.In 1863, a gift of £14,000 from Major Edward Mackenzie of Fawley Court, Henley (after whom Mackenzie Street is named), allowed the Asylum to buy and convert the old Royal Hotel (which had been closed since 1852) as its' new headquarters. The building could house up to 170 children. The opening ceremony was on 24th June 1863, and was attended by Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra. They each planted a sequoia tree, which had been presented by Charles Turner. In 1920 the Asylum in Slough had to close for financial reasons, and so amalgamated with the London Orphan School in Watford, moving on to Cobham in Surrey in 1946, where it still exists today as Reed's School. Following the departure of the Asylum, the building in Slough was used as the Licensed Victuallers' School until it was demolished in 1938.
In 1859, the British Orphan Asylum was located in Clapham, London, not Slough. It did not move to its purpose-built location in Slough, at the former Royal Hotel, until 1863, following a substantial donation. The asylum was founded in 1827 by the Reverend Andrew Reed in Kingston Green, London. It later moved to Clapham Common in 1834.The move to Slough was made possible by a gift of £14,000 from Major Edward Mackenzie of Fawley Court. This donation was used to purchase and convert the old Royal Hotel in Slough, which had been vacant since 1852. The Slough premises were officially opened on June 24, 1863, by Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra. The building was located on Mackenzie Street (named after the Major) and could house up to 170 children.The asylum remained in Slough until 1920, when it closed for financial reasons and amalgamated with the London Orphan School in Watford. The building in Slough was then used by the Licensed Victuallers' School until its demolition in 1938. The institution continues today as Reed's School in Cobham, Surrey.
Richard Suter was born in Greenwich, Kent on 30th March 1798, to William Suter and his wife Sarah Knights. On 7th January 1825 he married Anne Ruth Burn.
English architect. As Surveyor to The Fishmongers' Company he designed the severe Presbyterian churches for Ballykelly (1825–7) and Banagher (1825) on the Company's Estate in County Londonderry, drawings of which were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1827. He was also responsible for the Model Farm (1823–4), the Lancasterian Schools (1828–30), the Company Agent's House (1830–2—now a hotel, much altered), a range of houses on the south side of the main road (1823–4), the lodge in the Presbyterian churchyard (1828), and the Dispensary (1829), all at Ballykelly, and all Classical. As Surveyor to Trinity House Corporation, he designed houses that were erected by Thomas Cubitt in 1821–3 on a site adjoining Trinity House. For The Fishmongers' Company he designed St Peter's Almshouses, Wandsworth, London (1849–51), and The Old School-House, Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk(1859), in an Elizabethan style.
On the 1841 Census Richard, an architect and lawyer, can be found living in London with his wife Ann (listed as Ruth) and their two children, Richard George and Andrew Burn. Living with them is Edward D Suter. 1851 finds the family living in Tottenham Court in London, by this time Andrew had left the home, but I am unable to trace him on the 1851 Census. In 1860 Andrew marries Amelia Damaris Harrison. Both Richard George and Andrew were to become ordained ministers, with Andrew later becoming a Bishop and emigrating to New Zealand. Sadly in 1854 Anne Ruth was to pass away. In 1861, widowed Richard, Justice of the Peace for Maidenhead, is living at Castle Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire. In 1862 he married Elizabeth Anne Pocock. In 1871 and 1881 Richard and Elizabeth are still living in Castle Hill. Richard was to pass away on 1st March1883.
Richard Suter & Annesley Voysey, architects, had their office at number 35 Fenchurch Street, but they did not have it all to themselves as they shared the premises with W.C. Franks, a tea broker, who will get a separate post some other time. The earliest mention I found of Richard Suter in Fenchurch Street is in 1832 when he is listed at that address in a list of contributing members of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. It says that he had been a member since 1829, but that does not mean he was already at 35 Fenchurch Street in that year.(1) In fact, that seems unlikely as the Sun Fire Office records give Messrs. Short and Co., merchants, as paying the insurance premium on the premises in May 1830. The Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 give the year 1827, but I do not know on what evidence. When Suter and Voysey became partners is also uncertain, but they had known each other since at least 1825 as Suter is named as one of the executors of Voysey’s will which was dated 22 July, 1825. The address given for Suter in the will is Suffolk Street, Southwark. Voysey then lives at Conway Street, Fitzroy Square.