Our History
Interesting History, Facts, Map & Photographs
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Contents:
The Origins of Orme Almshouses (1885)
Earlier History of The Almshouse Site (1620 - 1872)
A Victorian Orme Almshouse Resident (1893)
Orme Almshouse Rules for Residents (June 1886)
Significance of Dolphin emblems on brass buttons & stonework explained
History of events at Orme Almshouses (1885 – 1922)
Images of Orme Almshouses (1887 - 1950)
The Origins of Orme Almshouses (1885)
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The Revd. Frederick Orme who, being 'desirous of erecting Almshouses for aged pensioners and a Lodge-House', established an Almshouse Trust in January 1885.
Each pensioner had to be either a bachelor or a widower, be over 55 years old and a lay member of the Church of England. Candidates could not have an income above £13 per annum, had to be resident in Louth for five years and preferably former scholars of the King Edward VI Grammar School. The 10 almshouses and warden's lodge were designed by the Louth architect James Fowler (1828 -1892) whose drawings for the scheme survive. Each almshouse had a covered porch, living room, bedroom, kitchen and (originally) an outside toilet and coalhouse. A detached Warden's Lodge was constructed and the site enclosed by iron railings on a short wall.
The Revd. Orme endowed £7,200, the interest of which was to be used for maintenance and insurance. Each pensioner was given 5shillings (25 pence) a week and provided with a distinctive uniform comprising a long coat with buttons embellished with the image of a dolphin for weekday use and an additional coat and beaver hat for Sundays (see “A Victorian Resident”).
Reverend Frederick Orme
Earlier History of The Almshouse site (1620 - 1872)
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Louth House of Correction / Louth Prison or Gaol
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The Orme Almshouses and gardens were constructed on part of the site formerly occupied by the House of Correction, built in 1620, extended in 1826 and enclosed by a 23ft high wall. Under the 1865 Prison Act, prisoner facilities were provided elsewhere in Lincolnshire, and in 1872 the site and buildings were sold to John Walmsley, a bone crusher and manure merchant in Queen Street. He demolished the buildings, re-installed the former prison clock on the front of his warehouse (the clock is still on the building in Queen Street today) and sold off parcels of land. The northern part of the site was developed for housing (Alexandra Road today) and a strip on the south side was sold to Louth Corporation to straighten Eastgate (the Prison Walls on Eastgate would have been on the Eastgate public path today, or even on a strip along Eastgate roadway itself).
Please see the map below showing the current Almshouse site with the Prison layout from 1872 overlaid.
"Click" on the image below to magnify. You can also move your cursor to hover over the area you wish to see.
A Victorian Orme Almshouse Resident (1893)
This is a photograph of Mr Thomas Basker taken C1893 (age 66 years) in his uniform of Orme Almshouses. He became an inmate (as they were commonly known at the time) of Almshouse No.1 in November 1893 and was the 3rd ever occupant of that residence. He left in 1911after leaving the residence unoccupied for a whole year with his belongings still inside.
The “dolphin” embossed brass buttons can be seen on his “Pensioner's Coat” in this picture together with his top hat.
This uniform had to be worn “whenever he walks about the Grounds or in the Town, but he shall not wear them when he goes out to work”.
Mr Thomas Basker taken C1893
Orme Almshouse Rules for Residents (June 1886)
Significance of Dolphin emblems on brass buttons & stonework explained
Right : Brass Buttons the same as can be seen on Thomas Basker's "Pensioner's Coat".
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Note the "Dolphin" emblems.
Right : Dolphin emblem in the stonework above the gate in the corner between Almshouse 4 & 5,
Right : Brass Button Dolphin emblem extracted from the button.
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Right : Orme Family Crest for England.
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A silver dolphin with gold fins and tail. Motto - Fortis et Fidelis - meaning "Strength and Loyalty"
Reprint Dated1887
C1900
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C1900
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C1950
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C1905
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C1915
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C1940
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C1922
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History of events at Orme Almshouses (1885 – 1922)
Chronological Events 1885 – 1922
24th August 1885 - First meeting of Orme Almshouses Trustees – by the request of the Revd. Frederick Orme.
April 1886 - Rules & Regulations of Orme Almshouses were printed and circulated to the “Pensioners” (see “Orme Almshouses Rules from 1886”).
June 1886 – Trustees decided “that the kitchen garden be made the management of the Lodge-keeper and produce be divided between himself & the pensioners”.
27th January 1887 – No Trustees turned up!
6th June 1889 – Clerk ordered pensioner Howell (No.8) to remove pictures which “almost covered the whole of the walls of his room, nailed with tin tacks”.
11th June 1891 – Trustees decided “that the pensioners be provided out of the balance in hand of the Treasurer with a coat for weekday use.
6th June 1895 – The “cesspool in the Lodge yard be abolished”.
5th June 1905 - “That the weekly pensions as from next Saturday be reduced to 3/6 week (17½p) & the Lodgekeeper to 12shillings (60p) per week.
25th July 1905 - “The Clerk reported that the Lodgekeeper, last week, informed him that he claimed, as his own, property the greater part of the fruit trees in the garden on the grounds that he had reared them. Also that his wife had been in the habit of selling a quantity of the fruit & keeping the money. The Clerk had received complaints of the Pensioners that they did not get much fruit”. The Trustees responded “that unless written 3 days from this date the Lodgekeeper, in writing to the Clerk, withdraw all claim to the fruit trees or anything else in the garden, a special meeting be held on 22nd August 1905 at 10am to further consider the matter. That the produce in the garden be divided into 11 equal parts & one part given by the Lodgekeeper to each Pensioner & the Lodgekeeper retain 1 part himself. That under no circumstances is any produce to be sold by the Lodgekeeper. That the Lodgekeeper be required to agree to abide by the above resolution in writing”.
June 1906 – The Lodgekeeper left his position due to not adhereing to the sharing out the garden produce equally.
10th July 1906 - “Duties of Lodgekeeper” were written out in fine detail.
6th June 1907 - “That the Pensioners spoke very highly of the (new) kind, thoughtful attention they receive at the hands of the Lodgekeeper & Mrs Hay.
3rd March 1908 - “The Clerk reported the death of Lodgekeeper Hay”.
2nd June 1910 - “That a bonus of £1 in consequence of the King's Accession to be paid to each Pensioner & the Lodgekeeper tomorrow”.
12th September 1916 - “The Trustees considered a specimen of a cap for the Pensioners, price 6/6 (32½p). “That the Clerk order one for each Pensioner from Messrs. Eve & Randshaw with a small badge of the Orme Arms on the front of the cap”.
7th June 1917 - “That the weekly pensions be increased by 1/6 (7½p) per week to 5shillings (25p) & the Lodgekeeper salary be increased to 16/6 (82½p) per week.
1919 – A letter received from the Secretary to the Public War Memorial asking for a piece land from the Trust. The Trustees donate to the Memorial Committee a piece of land to the corner of Eastgate – Ramsgate & allow the wall & railings to be set back.
20th April 1922 - “That a new sample of cap for the Pensioners be adopted & that black blouse buttons with a dolphin be substituted for the present brass buttons” (see “Original Brass Buttons 1885”).