Mary Layton Almshouses

The Mary Layton Almshouses are a group of 3 single-bedroom bungalows set at the western end of Little Wilbraham’s High Street as it divides into Fen Road and Mill Road. The founder of the almshouses was one Frederick Layton who was born on 18 May 1827 in a house that previously stood on the site, the only son of John & Mary. In 1836 the Laytons moved to Great Wilbraham where John Layton established a small butcher’s shop and taught Frederick his trade. In 1842 John & Frederick emigrated to the United States eventually arriving in Milwaukee, Wisconsin the following year. For whatever reason Mary Layton remained in Great Wilbraham before joining them in 1847.

After a couple of years as farmers, father and son returned to the butchery trade and here they prospered. The business grew quickly and was helped by their supplying meat to the Union Army during the civil war. Following the cessation of the war, along with a partner they absorbed a couple of railway companies so as to further improve the distribution oft heir meat products. As  his fortune grew Frederick was more able to further his interest in art to the point that he was wealthy enough in 1888 to donate to Milwaukee the Layton Art Gallery whose facade bears a striking resemblance to the Fitzwilliam Museum: the foundation remains to this day although the original building was demolished in 1957.

Following his retirement from business in 1900, Frederick revisited his birthplace the following year and bought the house and land where he was born. The previous dwelling was demolished and the 3 almshouses on the site today were erected in 1901 and named in memory of his mother. The Charity’s Deed specifies that the occupants should be:-Such persons being agricultural labourers and inhabitants at the time of election of the said parish of Little Wilbraham or being and having up to the time of election remained the widows of agricultural labourers who were at the time of their death inhabitants of the parish. As well as donating the land and buildings to the first Trustees – the rector of the church was the first chairman – a sum of £1,500 was also invested to pay the administration costs of the  charity in addition to the care and maintenance costs of the properties. Should there be anything left over then the tenants were to be paid a sum not exceeding 6-shillings (30p)every Saturday – and they lived rent free as well!

The cottages were improved and extended around 1974 creating an internal toilet/bathroom and installing central heating; there has been a steady and gradual program of renewal and updating ever since. Times have changed somewhat since 1901. Agriculture was the very basis of Little Wilbraham at the time and probably had been since the village came into existence. Although obviously blessed with foresight there is no way Frederick Layton could have envisaged the farm machinery available today and that thousands of acres could be managed by one man in a tractor. The Trustees would be unable to appoint any tenants to the cottages were they to stick absolutely to the Deed so a fairly liberal interpretation is employed whenever a tenancy now becomes available although preference is still given tot hose applicants who have lived within the parish or have a close association with it. Moreover, whereas the original occupants of the cottages lived rent-free there is now a monthly maintenance charge to be paid and the gift of 30p per week to be paid on a Saturday is definitely a thing of the past.

It is obvious that Frederick Layton was a very successful businessman and this allowed him to indulge his twin passions of art and philanthropy. As well as establishing the art gallery to which he donated over 200 exhibits he also had built the Layton Home for Incurables in the grounds of the Milwaukee hospital as well as donating to significant numbers of smaller  charities. Frederick and his wife Elizabeth, for all their wealth, were very private people and lived very modestly in the same house for 54 years. They had no children. Elizabeth died in 1910 with Frederick passing away on 16 August 1919.