S. KATHARINE'S HOSPITAL; ITS HISTORY AND REVENUES, AND THEIE APPLICATION TO MISSIONARY PURPOSES IN THE EAST OP LONDON: CONSIDEHED IK A LETTER TO THE EIGHT HON. AND EIGHT EEV. THE LORD BISHOP OF LONDON. REY. C. F. LOWDER, M.A. PERPETUAL CUEATE OF S. PETEE's, LONDON DOCKS. EIVINGTONS, WATEELOO PLACE; HIGH STREET, ©xfoilr. TRIKITY STREET, 1867. LETTER, My deae Loed Bishop, The interest which your Lordship has dis- played in Missionary works in your Diocese, and specially in the East of London, your acquaintance also with the discussions which have already taken place as to the better employment of the large funds now enjoyed by the corporation called S. Katharine's Hospital, embolden me to address your Lordship on this important subject. Having lived and laboured for ten years in the immediate neighbourhood of S. Katharine's Docks, the now desecrated site of this religious foundation, I may be permitted to speak with special interest on a subject which so nearly concerns the spiritual welfare of thousands of souls among whom I am daily moving. I hope I shall not be thought desirous of in- truding into the province of one who has made this subject so peculiarly his own, by the careful study he has devoted to its history, and the warm interest with which he has endeavoured to turn that study to some practical benefit. I mean of course the A 2 4 s. Katharine's hospital ; Rev. F. S, Lea. It is rather, because I believe that I am seconding his most valuable exertions, in my humble effort to recall the attention of many who have already devoted some thought to the subject, and to arrest that of many more who are yet unac- quainted with it, that I venture thus publicly to address your Lordship. Neither would I presume to claim your Lordship's sanction for any statements or opinions which I may venture to draw out in this letter, but simply to adopt this form of publication, which, submitted most respectfully to your Lordship, may be best calculated to call public attention to a very important ecclesiastical question. I may at once state that the authorities on which I rest for the following facts concerning the his- tory and revenues of S. Katharine's Hospital are, Dr. Ducarel's History of the Royal Hospital of S. Katharine, written in 1763, and dedicated to Queen Charlotte; a report made to your Lordship by the Committee of Clergy of the Stepney Deanery last year ; the Report of the Assistant Charity Com- missioner, dated December 22, 1865, made after care- ful examination of the authorities of the Hospital as well as of their statutes and records, and ordered to be printed by the House of Lords, on the motion of the Bishop of Peterborough on June 12 of last year; and lastly a very interesting article in '' Eraser's Magazine " for January of this year. Resting on these authorities I may take it for proved — I. That S. Katharine's Hospital was a distinctly religious foundation, first by Queen Matilda in 1148, and then by the charter of Queen Eleanor in 1273, ITS HISTORY AND EEVENUES. O for tlie maintenance of a master, brethren, wlio were to be priests, sisters, twenty-four poor men, of wbom some were to be poor scholars or choristers, to assist the clergy in divine service, and of ten poor women, in addition to which, one thousand poor men were to receive a half-penny annually on S. Edmund's day, the anniversary of King Henry III.'s death. The chief object of both Matilda's and Eleanor's founda- tion, was the maintenance of perpetual masses for the souls of the royal family, but there were other charitable purposes subjoined to this, and Queen Eleanor adds the important provision, that " when in future times the possessions of the Hospital should be increased, the number of chaplains, poor men, clerks, laymen, and women should be augmented in form aforesaid, according to the means of aug- mentation of the goods of the Hospital." This pro- vision, mentioned by Ducarel in his original MS., is omitted in his printed history, for obvious reasons, since in a.11 ages it had been shamefully disregarded. In 1351 the Hospital having relapsed into evil ways, Queen Philippa granted a new ordinance, in which the clerical duties of the master are more strictly defined, the brothers and sisters are ordered " to visit the sick and infirm, as well in reading to them as in asking them questions in any matters of divinity as other works of charity," and their cloth- ing, food, and religious conduct in and out of the precincts were regulated. 'Henry VI. confirmed and extended the privileges and immunities of the Hos- pital, which Avas evidently intended to do a good and charitable work amongst the seafaring popula- tion, which had grown up around the Tower, the usual residence of the Queen. In the reign of 6 s. Katharine's hospital; Henry VIII., Queen Katharine of Arragon naturally took an interest in tlie Hospital. Slie appointed lier own confessor Master, and in 1518, she and lier royal husband founded within it the Guild of S. Bar- bara, of which the royal founders and many of the nobility became members, II. At the dissolution of monasteries by the adul- terous and sacrilegious monarch, the royal com- missioners made their fell swoop upon things sacred as well as common. Their report discloses that the revenues of the House amounted to 364/. 126'. 6d., of which 210/. 6s. hd, was paid to the brethren j sisters, and bedes women. The church plate, vest- ments, &c., were rich and costly, and of course became a prey to the spoilers. The mastership would doubtless have incurred the same fate as that of the brethren, had not the death of Henry oppor- tunely happened, and Queen Katharine Parr desired the appointment for her husband. Sir Thomas Sey- mour. After other lay appointments, made by spe- cial licence, because evidently against the intention of the original foundation, and various malpractices by spiritual as well as secular authority, in which the Hospital suffered grievous wrong, we find that, in 1698, Lord Somers, the then lord chancellor, made a visitation of the Hospital, and established rules which provided for the more regular celebra- tion of divine service, as- well as the better ordering of the community and its revenues. Some new members were added to the foundation, and a school established. The sisters and bedeswomen seem never to have ceased, and the brothers reappear in the time of Queen Elizabeth, and in that of Charles ITS HISTORY AND REVENUES. 7 II. regain their former position. In their abeyance, and indeed afterwards, the church assumed more and more of a parochial character ; parochial chari- ties were attached to it as to so many other churches in the metropolis ; and the parishioners, who, in 1824, numbered about 2500, at various eras proved their interest in the maintenance of the church and its services. That the influence of the Hospital and its benefit to the neighbourhood were appreciated, may be shown by the general rejoicing and illumina- tion of the neighbourhood at the time of the rejection of the first Bill for the formation of S. Katharine's Docks, involving as it did the removal of the Hos- pital. III. It is well known that the Bill passed in 1825 provided for the removal of the Hospital to the Regent's Park, but it is not so generally known that the cost of the removal, as paid by the Dock Com- pany, was 125,000L for the fee simple of the precinct, 2000Z. for the site in the Regent's Park, 36,600Z. for the buildings to be erected on it, and 6536Z. 6s, 8d. tQi be paid to the brethren, sisters, chapter- clerk, &c., for loss of fees, making a total of 170,136Z. 6s. 8d. The money actually spent on the establishment was enormous — 44,7091. instead of 36,600/.. on the new buildings, and 32,088L on their repairs between 1826 and 1857. Notwithstanding, however, all this waste, the property of the Hospital at the present time consists of 7287 acres of land in various coun- ties, 62,9471. in consols, with the property in the Regent's Park, including the master's house and gardens, a very eligible domain in one of the best situations in town, let by him for 550/., the houses of 8 s. Katharine's hospital; the brethren and sisters, when let by them bringing in a rent of from 90/. to 100/. per annum, the chapel, and adjacent grounds. The property in the city, now let on lease at 100/. per annum, will, at the expiration of the lease, bring in about 4000/. per annum. The present gross income of the Charity, exclusive of any derived separately by members of the chapter from their houses in the Kegent's Park, is 7097/. per annum, which, under a better system of management, and with the extinction of leases, will eventually produce 14,800/. The master, the Hon. W. Ashley, formerly vice- chamberlain and treasurer to Queen Adelaide, and who resides in apartments of S. James's Palace, attending chapters, which are very rarely held, sel- dom the services of the chapel, and leaving the superintendence of the schools to the brethren, re- ceives for his onerous duties in all about 2000/. per annum. Each brother, who is expected to preach in the chapel during his term of residence (reading the prayers twice on Sundays being too laborious work for him, is undertaken by a reader, paid 100/. per annum), receives 367/. per annum, besides*- a house valued at 100/. per annum. Each sister, who does nothing at all for it, receives about 240/. per annum, with her house, valued at 90/. per annum. Twenty bedes women receive 10/. per annum, and as many bedesmen the same sum. The schools educate about thirty-three boys and eighteen girls. There are two services weekly in the chapel, for the privi- lege of attending which about ninety-four persons have considered it worth while to pay at the rate of a guinea per annum for sittings, or 95/. 11^. It thus appears that the whole income of this rich ITS HISTORY AND REVENUES. V Hospital is entirely diverted from the poor and desti- tute district in wliicli it was originally founded, being enjoyed by those who do absolutely nothing for the benefit of its poor. The school in Regent's Park is of course utterly useless to the children around the Docks, while none of the bedesmen or bedes- women (with one exception, lately made in conse- quence of the Commissioners' inquiry) have been taken from the east of London. The inhabitants of Regent's Park can well afford to build a church and provide religious services for themselves, and to educate the children of their own poor. It is evident then that a gross injustice was done to the poor of the district round the London Docks, when the Act of 1825 was passed, in not securing for them the religious privileges which the vast revenues of the Hospital might have so abundantly provided. If at that time, instead of transferring the Hospital to the Regent's Park, provision had been made for the religious wants of the neighbour- hood, a sum of 170,000Z. would have been available for the erection of a Missionary Collegiate Church, the building of parochial churches, the endowment of clergy, schools, and other works of charity, withal compensating the members of the foundation for the loss of their residences, without touching their annual revenue from estates. This opportunity is of course lost, and a great portion of the money spent on re-establishing the Hospital in the Regent's Park irretrievably wasted, while new vested interests have arisen in the course of forty years which must be compensated under any new arrangement ; whereas nearly all the old vested interests would otherwise by this time have died out. It however appears that 10 s. Katharine's hospital; there is a present capital of 63,000/. in stock, an income of 5,000Z. from estates, and tlie property in Regent's Park. Now supposing it to be determined to make the Hospital at once available for religions objects in the east of London, it would be necessary in the first place to compensate all existing interests. This would require in the first instance about 3900/. per annum gradually reduced as present holders died out. The present rents, 4400/. would more than provide the necessary compensation, leaving 500/. per annum, in addition to 63,000/. in consols, pro- ducing dividends of 1888/. per annum, or a total available income of nearly 2400/. per annum. If the property in Regent's Park, exclusive of the church, were immediately to be sold, then the produce, say 30,000/., or 1500/. per annum, would compensate the community for the loss of their residences. And now, my Lord, with this capital and income immediately available, and with the prospect of a future income of 10,000/., and in about forty years of 14,000/. per annum, the question naturally arises how may this best be devoted to the spiritual wants of those who have the strongest claim to it. With all due respect to the report of the Com- mittee of the Stepney Deanery, which advocates parochial claims, I would submit to your Lordship that the revival of S. Katharine's Hospital most suitable to the wants of the present day, would be in the shape of a Missionary Collegiate Church, a great centre of missionary work for the east of London, with a large body of clergy to maintain frequent services at various hours to suit all classes, constant sermons, instructions, classes, model schools, refuges, reformatories, industrial, religious, charitable, and ITS HISTORY AND REVENUES. 11 social institutions for young and old, conducted by clergy, laymen, and women, whether brethren and sisters or paid masters and mistresses. It would be a great point to attach to such a college a body of missionary preachers, who might be available both for preaching in the Collegiate Church as well as in parish churches or missionary stations at the invita- tion of the clergy. But it should be a centre of missionary life, combining all such missionary works as have been found most useful in winning back the wanderers from the fold of Christ's Church. I cannot understand that the parochial system has any claim upon the funds of the Hospital. It is the duty of the Ecclesiastical Commission to supply endowments for parishes when there is a deficiency. This is a religious society, by its original foundation and its present constitution extra-parochial, and con- taining the very elements of missionary life, which require only to be resuscitated to be made extensively useful. The application of such funds to parochial purposes would not call into existence one new element of spiritual life, would not help to save one soul. A Rector of a parish converted into a Dean would be rather less likely than more so to care for the souls of his people ; stalls in a cathedral have never yet been found to infuse new vigour into their occupants. The revenue thus spent in enriching the parochial clergy would be simply thrown away, while the plan of raising up a missionary college would call into existence a new body analogous to the old foundation, with vast powers of efficiency. I conceive that though sufficient provision should be made for the support of the clergy and other labourers, yet that the funds should rather be applied in .the 12 s. kathaeine's hospital; first instance to the necessary buildings and endow- ment of the works themselves, such as schools, &c., for it does not appear that a large income would be so likely to secure active clergy or workers as a moderate one, and certainly in the case of women the idea of a large income would be entirely at variance with the idea of self-devotion, which would be the very life of their work. I would therefore submit that, while sufficient maintenance was provided for all, the income should be applied to sustain the works themselves, so as to be able to welcome the help of persons of all conditions of life, whether having any means of their own or not, and remove ail temporal anxiety about providing funds from the minds of those who were actually engaged in the work. Your Lordship is well aware how much the east of London needs the combined efforts both of men and women. Most of the missions which of late have arisen, have been more or less centres round which such help has gathered, but the cry is every- where for increased help. What a blessing then might accrue from such a great and powerful centre as a Missionary College ; a real working Eastminster Abbey, placed in the heart of its work, giving a pattern, encouragement, help, and advice to the parochial and missionary clergy in the whole district ! By such a combination, men who have special gifts would be enabled to exercise them for the good of the Church, some trained and practised as preachers, some to organize missions, schools, clubs, institutes; some as chaplains of industrial schools, penitentiaries, or ready to give spiritual helj) and counsel to those who sought it. Laymen as brothers would be trained for their work in schools, visiting, &c. The sisters ITS HISTORY AND REVENUES. 13 would have their hospital and workhouse, with the training of mission- women, nurses, teachers, servants, and the care of the reformatory and penitentiary. The last ten years have wonderfully prepared the way for such institutions ; we cannot doubt that they would be wonderfully blessed if started on a sound and sure basis. It would probably be desirable that some district, not a large one, should be definitely attached to the Missionary Church, as the precincts of an Abbey or Cathedral, so that all the buildings should be un- fettered by parochial claims. With this present capital of 63,000L stock, producing 1880Z. per annum, and 500Z. per annum out of rents, a portion of the church, say parts of the nave or an aisle, might be commenced at once, at an expenditure of about 10,000L, which with the site, say 10,000^. more, would be 20,000?., leaving IbOOl. per annum as an endowment; of this let half be assigned to the clergy, and half for the work of the sisters, schools, &c. Or if it were desirable to extend the foundation, would not the Ecclesiastical Commissioners advance 400?. or 500/. per annum, to be paid out of the im- provement of the property, or when existing interests die off. As time goes on and increased funds are available, the church may be enlarged, new buildings for schools, houses for the sisters and their works of charity would arise, until the revived S. Katharine's became worthy of its object, as the centre of mis- sionary life and work in the eastern portion of this great metropolis. I am not of course ignorant or forgetful of the charge commonly brought against such a scheme, that however earnest the first members of such a 14 s. Katharine's hospital; missionary body might be, the course of time would diminish their zeal, but I believe that one great cause of this has been the increase of wealth. Let the income of the members be kept within moderate bounds, and all increase of funds be, according to the original foundation, devoted to the enlargement of their members and their works of charity, and a great danger will be avoided. The dignities of cathedrals are considered as prizes for meritorious clergy, but not as involving any important duty; let the only honour in S. Katharine's be the honour of hard and successful work, and it will not be sought after by the idle or covetous. The right of patronage and the corporate privileges of such a community as I have indicated are no doubt difficult questions, and will require more delicate adjustment than in this stage of the pro- posal can fairly be expected. I cannot doubt that were Her Majesty made acquainted with the vast blessing which S. Katharine's Hospital, revived in its ancient neighbourhood, might confer on her sub- jects in this destitute part of the metropolis, she would be graciously pleased to consider with favour any scheme, which, with due regard to the rights of the Crown, would be best calculated to effect such an important object ; nor can I doubt that your Lord- ship would willingly devote some time and attention to the maturing of a plan, which would best meet the difficulties of the case. The Act under which the Ecclesiastical Commis- sion was originally constituted seems to have a special view to an inquiry into such religious founda- tions as S. Katharine's, so that we may surely hope your Lordship would find no difficulty in moving the ITS HISTOEY AND REVENUES. 15 members of the Commission to follow up the inquiry which has been already commenced by the Charity Commissioners, in order that some practical benefit to the Church may result from it. Trusting that some, at least, of these suggestions may be deemed worthy of your Lordship's serious consideration, I have the honour to remain. My dear Lord Bishop, Your Lordship's faithfiil Servant, C. F. LOWDER. S. Peter's, London Docks, Whitsuntide, 1867. OUTLINE OF SCHEME. Funds immediatehj available. 63,000/. Stock, or £1,880 per animni. Surplus of Rents 500 „ Say Capital 48,000/. or . . £2,380 Possible in 1870. A portion of Collegiate Church Buildings : — Site £10,000 Buildings 10,000 20,000 Endowments for Clergy at 800/. per annum . , . 16,000 Buildings for Sisters, Schools, Almshouses, &c. . . 12,000 £48,000 16 s. Katharine's hospital. Additional Funds in 1880. Another 1000/. per annum, or . . . . . £20,000 Available for Building .... £8,000 For Clergy, &c., 600/. per annum, or . 12,000 £20,000 Additional Funds in 1890. Another 2000/. per annum, or £40,000 Available for Building .... £20,000 Endowments for Clergy, &c., 1000/. per annum, or . . . ' . 20,000 £40,000 Additional Funds in 1900. Another 3000/. per annum, or £60,000 Available for Building .... £20,000 Clergy, &c., 2000/. per annum, or . . 40,000 £60,000 Complete Scheme in a.d. 1910. College and Church, Site and Building . . . .£55,000 Houses for Sisters, Bedeswomen, and Lay-helpers . . 18,000 Schools, Teachers' houses. Reformatories, Almshouses, Industrial Buildings, &c 40,000 Total expended in Sites and Buildings . £113,000 Annual Income 14,000/., or . £280,000 Deduct . . . 113,000 £167,000, or £8,350 per annum. Fifteen Clergy £3,000 Sisters, Teachers, Lay-helpers 2,000 Maintenance of Schools, Industrial Institutions, Reforma- tories, Orphanages, Repairs, &c 3,350 £8,350 GILBEET AND BIVINGTON, PEINTEES, ST. JOHN'S SQIJAEE, LONDON.