Charles Dickens was among a number of philanthropic figures of the mid-nineteenth century who were concerned with achieving better living conditions for the poor. Others included Henry Roberts, a founding member and the honorary architect of the Society for Improving the Condition of the Labouring Classes, of which Prince Albert was the first President. The Society built a variety of model homes to Roberts’ designs, including four flats financed by Prince Albert for the Great Exhibition of 1851; the houses were reconstructed in Kennington Park after the closure of the Great Exhibition. The published designs for these dwellings, shown here, were influential and widely copied: the Society was instrumental in transforming attitudes to housing the poor. This object was displayed at the Charles Dickens Reception at Buckingham Palace, 2012. Prince Albert throughout his life had an active role in many philanthropic societies, such as the Society for Improving the Condition of the Working Classes. Through Prince Albert’s interest and patronage, the Society was able to show model housing for the working classes at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Two model houses, each for four families, were designed by the Society’s architect Henry Roberts, and erected in Cavalry Barrack Yard, opposite Hyde Park, where they attracted up to 250,000 visitors. Their construction from hollow bricks, tied together with wrought-iron rods, and without any timber used, rendered the houses not only economical to build, but dry, warm, reasonably sound proof, well ventilated, hard wearing and fire proof. Water and internal sanitation were provided, and separate rooms for children of different sexes.