Beatrice Webb House, Pasture Wood

Image: © David Dixon Taken: Unknown

This house, at Holmbury St Mary was originally built in 1893. In 1947, it was purchased by the trust which had been set up as a memorial to the socialist pioneer Beatrice Webb. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrice_Webb Wikipedia article). Renamed “Beatrice Webb House”, the house was formally opened on 13 September 1947, by the Prime Minister Clement Attlee, as a conference centre for the ‘advancement of education and learning with respect to the history and problems of government and social policy…’. The house continued to be operated by the trust for 39 years. During the 1950s and 1960s it became an important base for education and discussion for the bodies such as the Fabian Society and many trade unions. The House was designated as a Grade II Listed Building in March 1973 (3 months after this photograph was taken). http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-290024-beatrice-webb-house-abinger - listing details. With the continuing decline in demand for such a facility in the seventies and eighties, changing requirements by users and the deteriorating fabric of the building, the Trust decided in 1986 to sell the house. http://www.webbmemorialtrust.org.uk/default.asp Beatrice Webb Memorial Trust

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