I can never resist an unusual name and this interesting
character, still has a commemoration service held every year, over 400 years
since he was born. Caleb Lovejoy was
baptised at St Nicholas’ Church in Guildford on May 8th 1603, the
son of Phillip Lovejoy. He was an
intelligent boy who was given a free education at the Royal Grammar School
before being moved to Southwark by his parents at the age of 14.
In London, Caleb was very successful. He was a member of the Merchant Taylors’
Company, one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies, which gave him the freedom of
the City of London. He owned the Walnut
Tree Inn and other property in Southwark and became a wealthy merchant who
supplied wagons to Oliver Cromwell’s army, during the Civil War His support for the Parliamentary cause was
further demonstrated when he ejected the King’s tenants in Walnut Tree Alley.
But Caleb Lovejoy is primarily remembered in Guildford, as a
benefactor. In his will of 1676 he
bequeathed property under lease in Southwark to form a charity for the benefit
of the poor in Guildford. He appointed
three Guardians as Trustees. Six pounds
per annum was to be provided for, “teaching of poor people’s children their
letters until they could read their Testament.”
The teaching to be undertaken, “by some honest poor woman.” After 45 years four almshouses should be
built in the parish of St Nicholas as accommodation for four poor persons of
good character.
However it was not until 1839, after the sale of Caleb’s
estate, that land was purchased in Bury Street Guildford to build the four
almshouses. The eligible old people were
required either to have been born in the parish or have lived there for 50
years. They were given an allowance and
must wear the uniform of a blue home-made gown with a badge of red cloth
bearing the letters CL. The houses were
built as a low terrace of sandstone blocks with grey/brown brick dressing. Attractive wavy-edged bargeboards were put
along the bottom of the roof.
Also in his last will and testament, Caleb directed that he
should be buried in St Nicholas’ churchyard and that the priest should be paid
for a yearly sermon in commemoration of Mr Lovejoy. There are two brass plates in the church; one
giving details of Caleb Lovejoy’s legacy and his death and burial in February
1676 at the age of 74; the other bears the following verse which is said to have been composed
by Caleb:
Caleb Lovejoy, here I lye, yet not
I,
My body being dead
My soul is fled unto Eternitye
There to injoye that everlasting
Bliss
Which Jesus Christ, my Lord
Who’s gon before, prepared hath for
his;-
Wherefore my Body rest in hope till
then
When he shall joyne thee to thy
soul agen
And bring thee unto that most
glorious vision
There to enjoye thy God in full
Fruition.
Good to know that he is still being remembered after all this time. These almshouses must have been a godsend to the elderly poor that they housed. Lovely blog, thank you, Linda (MissHistorygal)
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