Our History

The British Home has been caring for people for 149 years. When it was founded in 1861 there was no health service and no help available at all for many disabled people. The rich could afford to provide their own care; the very poor were eligible for help from the parish, but those in between suffered alone.

Their plight was first highlighted by Charles Dickens and his words inspired a group of philanthropists to take up the cause and establish the Royal Hospital for Incurables in south London, the forerunner to the present home.

Originally sited in Clapham it soon outgrew its premises and moved to the fresh air and higher ground at Crown Lane in Streatham, then a semi-rural area. A grand new purpose-built home was designed and it was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1899 giving it a special status.

Our imposing building remains virtually unchanged from the outside, but inside it is very different. When it first opened it had 50 residents living in wards with men and women strictly segregated.

The British Home has been enlarged and developed over the years. In 1912 another wing was added, the building was refurbished in 1990 and six years later a new wing of 48 single rooms was built. Now almost every resident has the privacy of their own room and many have en- suite facilities.

Professor Gordon Cook's book "The Incurables Movement - an illustrated history of The British Home" charts the history of The British Home and examines the social, political and medical climate through the years. Further details can be found on www.radcliffe-oxford.com. 

If you have a query regarding a relative or friend who may have lived or worked at the British Home more than 10 years ago please note that all our past records are now held in Lambeth Archives. This can be found in the Minet Library, 52 Knatchbull Road, London, SE5 9QY, telephone number 020 7962 6073.

The British Home is an independent charity and not part of the NHS. We depend on public donations to meet the costs of the care we provide.