Timeline | Treasure House London

1890

Camberwell Public Library No. 1 Opens

The building opens at 682 Old Kent Road as Camberwell Public Library, No. 1 — one of the first free public libraries in South London. Designed by RP Whellock and funded entirely by gas industry philanthropist George Livesey (born 1834, Company Secretary of the South Metropolitan Gas Company), it is a gift to the working people of Camberwell. The red-brick Edwardian facade, decorative terracotta, and stained-glass reading room are completed to Whellock's original design.

1892

Pomeroy Statue Unveiled

A bronze statue of George Livesey, sculpted by Frederick William Pomeroy RA, is unveiled in the forecourt of the building. Pomeroy — later celebrated for his figures on the Old Bailey — captures Livesey in a pose of civic confidence. The statue remains in situ to this day, one of the few Victorian donor statues still standing outside the building it commemorates.

c. 1900

A Thriving Lending Library

By the turn of the century the library is a cornerstone of civic life in the Old Kent Road neighbourhood. The lending collection grows substantially, the reading room attracts daily visitors, and the building's original decorative interior — plasterwork ceilings, iron gallery rails, and Whellock's signature stained glass — remains fully intact.

1966

Library Closes

The building closes as a public lending library after 76 years of continuous operation. Rationalisation of Southwark's library network sees the collection transferred elsewhere, leaving the Old Kent Road building vacant. Its architectural integrity remains largely undisturbed.

1974

Reopened as the Livesey Museum for Children

After eight years vacant, the building is reopened as the Livesey Museum for Children — an innovative, hands-on interactive museum aimed at primary-age children. The reopening is performed by Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman, reflecting the cultural significance attached to the building's revival. The museum becomes one of very few free children's museums in London and draws visitors from across Southwark and beyond.

1990

Centenary Celebrations

The building marks its centenary with a programme of special events celebrating 100 years on Old Kent Road. The Pomeroy statue and original Edwardian features are highlighted as part of the centenary, drawing attention to the building's remarkable survival and the continuity of its community purpose across a century.

2008

Museum Closes — Future Uncertain

Southwark Council closes the Livesey Museum for Children following cuts to its cultural services budget. The closure ends 34 years of operation as a free children's museum and leaves the building vacant once more. A Southwark Council options appraisal begins to assess possible futures for the building, including disposal, letting, and community transfer. Crucially, a restrictive covenant in the original Livesey bequest prevents the freehold from being sold — protecting the building from outright disposal.

2010

Treasure House (London) CIC Incorporated

Treasure House (London) CIC is formally incorporated as a Community Interest Company. The organisation begins developing its vision for a therapeutic community — a structured, supportive environment built on mutual aid, shared responsibility, and inclusive practice.

2012

Community Transfer Identified as Preferred Option

Following a formal options appraisal, Southwark Council identifies community transfer as the preferred route for the Livesey Building. The restrictive covenant preventing sale, combined with the building's listed status and community heritage, makes a long-term lease to a community organisation the most appropriate solution. Negotiations with Treasure House (London) CIC advance.

2013

25-Year Lease Agreed

Southwark Cabinet formally approves the transfer of the Livesey Building to Treasure House (London) CIC on a 25-year community lease. The terms reflect the building's heritage status and its history of public benefit: the lease requires the CIC to maintain the building and operate it for community purposes. The decision is a significant moment — formally returning a Victorian philanthropic gift to community stewardship after five years of closure.

2014

Restoration Work Begins

With the lease in place, Treasure House (London) CIC begins the first phase of conservation and repair works. Structural surveys reveal the extent of deterioration following years of closure, and priority is given to making the building weathertight — addressing the roof, rainwater goods, and external masonry — while developing the longer-term conservation management plan.

2019

Neil Baxter Report & Heritage Recognition

Architect and heritage advocate Neil Baxter produces a report recognising the Livesey Building's architectural and civic significance. The report reinforces the case for full conservation-led restoration and supports the CIC's applications for heritage funding. The building's Pomeroy statue and original Edwardian interior features are highlighted as exceptional survivals.

2024

Ongoing Restoration & Community Programmes

Restoration works continue, with conservation of original features — plasterwork, joinery, ironwork, and stained glass — underway alongside the development of the building's therapeutic community programmes. Treasure House (London) CIC continues to pursue heritage and community funding to complete the full restoration of one of Southwark's most distinctive listed buildings.

A Building's Story