The Almshouses at Bruce Grove, Tottenham were established out of the generosity of three 17th century benefactors, Sir John Jolles, John Pemel and John Edmanson.

Sir John Jolles’ original benefaction in 1617 was for the erection of almshouses for eight inmates at Stratford le Bow. In 1681 John Pemel founded almshouses at Stepney providing accommodation for eight poor widows. John Edmanson’s almshouses were built at Bow after his death in 1695, adjacent to Jolles’ Almshouses. By 1863 the Pemel Almshouses were ageing, and with the concurrence of the Charity Commissioners, the site was sold. A part of the Jolles-Edmanson land at Bow was allocated for this and the new Pemel Almshouses were built on it. For the first time the three institutions were interconnected.

In 1868 the North London Railway compulsorily acquired the Almshouses and the opportunity was seized to combine the three trusts and a site was found for the Drapers’ Almshouses at Bruce Grove, Tottenham. This new group of almshouses was named after Sir John Edmanson because his trust was the most substantial of the three.