A Brief History of Abbeyfield on Salt Spring Island |
The Abbeyfield movement has just observed its 50th anniversary. It began as the modest vision of Major Richard Carr-Gomm. After resigning his Royal Army commission he turned his efforts to establishing a charity that would provide shelter for lonely elderly people in London’s East End. The first House – established in 1956 – was located on Abbeyfield Road an area of London commemorating a large, medieval charitable Abbey. Richard Carr-Gomm died on Monday, October 27, 2008. Thanks to his efforts there are now several hundred Abbeyfields around the world.
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By 1959, Richard Carr-Gomm’s concept was endorsed by a group of philanthropic London businessmen which led to the formation of a national network of Abbeyfield Houses. The Abbeyfield movement went international in 1987 as societies were established in Australia, Canada, South Africa, the Netherlands and Italy. |
In 1987 a group in Sidney , British Columbia built Canada ’s first Abbeyfield House. Today there are forty Abbeyfield Societies in Canada and twenty-five established Houses. |
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| The Salt Spring Island Abbeyfield Housing Society was incorporated in 1990. Early visionaries such as Nell Bushby, Sue Mouat, and the late Ruby Alton saw how an Abbeyfield House would address the needs of many independent Seniors living on Salt Spring. Their leadership and vision galvanized community interest in Abbeyfield on Salt Spring and fundraising commenced. Early efforts assumed that the village of Ganges would be a perfect location and the planning was focused accordingly. |
Original home of Ruby Alton
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When Ruby Alton passed away in the mid 90’s she left a large bequest to the Society with the stipulation that the funds be used to build an Abbeyfield on the south end of the Island . This created a shift in focus for the Society resulting in a period of time devoted to rethinking the location, vision, potential resident population and membership. During much of this period, Barb Aust served as the Society’s president, providing dynamic leadership to the board of directors and serving as the driving force behind a comprehensive feasibility study. |
The Salt Spring Island Abbeyfield Housing Society, and its current board of directors, is now firmly committed to acquiring the necessary land and other resources for building a unique and comfortable Abbeyfield House, on the south end of Salt Spring Island which will also be a focal point of goodwill and friendly contact within the community. |
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