RICHARD WATTS'S CHARITY, ROCHESTER.
"Strictly speaking, there were only _six_ Poor
Travellers; but being a Traveller myself, though
an idle one, and being withal as poor as I hope to
be, I brought the number up to seven. . . . I, for
one, am so divided this night between fact and
fiction, that I scarce know which is which."--_The
Seven Poor Travellers._
THE most unique Charity ever described in fiction, or founded on fact,
well deserves a few pages to be devoted to a record of its interesting
history and present position. We therefore occupy a short time in
examining it on Thursday morning, before our visit to the Marshes.
[Illustration: The "Six Poor Travellers"]
Except for _The Seven Poor Travellers_, which was the title of the
Christmas Number of _Household Words_ issued in 1854, it is possible
that few beyond "the ancient city" would ever have heard, or indeed have
cared to hear, anything about the Worshipful Master Richard Watts or his
famous Charity; now, as all the world knows, it is a veritable
"household word" to readers and admirers of Dickens. In the narrative,
he, as the first Traveller, is supposed to have visited Rochester, and
passed the evening with the six Poor Travellers, and thus to have made
the seventh. After hearing the story of the Charity "from the decent
body of a wholesome matronly presence" (this was Mrs. Cackett, a former
matron, who is said to have been very much astonished at her appearance
in the drama of _The Seven Poor Travellers_, which she subsequently
witnessed at the Rochester Theatre), he obtains permission to treat the
Travellers to a hot supper. The inn at which the first Traveller stayed
was doubtless our old acquaintance, the Bull, "where the window of his
adjoining bedroom looked down into the Inn yard, just where the lights
of the kitchen redden a massive fragment of the Castle wall." Here was
brewed the "wassail" contained in the "brown beauty," the "turkey" and
"beef" roasted, and the "plum-pudding" boiled. As Mr. Robert Langton
says, "the account of the treat to the poor Travellers is of course
wholly fictitious, although it is accepted as sober truth by many
people, both in Rochester and elsewhere."
It is not our purpose to criticize the seven pretty stories which make
up this Christmas Number, part of the first of which only relates to
Watts's Charity; but we will venture to affirm that the concluding
portion of that story, referring to "Richard Doubledick," "who was a
Poor Traveller with not a farthing in his pocket, and who came limping
down on foot to this town of Chatham," is one of the most touching
instances of Christian forgiveness ever recorded, and hardened indeed
must he be who reads it with dry eyes.
To what extent Dickens himself was affected by this beautiful tale, is
shown by the following extract from a letter addressed by him, on 22nd
December, 1854, to the late Mr. Arthur Ryland, formerly Mayor of
Birmingham, now treasured by his widow, Mrs. Arthur Ryland, who kindly
allowed a copy to be taken:--
"What you write with so much heartiness of my first Poor Traveller is
quite delightful to me. The idea of that little story obtained such
strong possession of me when it came into my head, that it cost me more
time and tears than most people would consider likely. The response it
meets with is payment for anything."
It is also interesting to record that many years afterwards Mr. Ryland
read this story at one of the Christmas gatherings of the Birmingham and
Midland Institute, and subsequently received from an unknown
correspondent--Sergeant A----, of the 106th Light Infantry, then
stationed at Umballa, East Indies, who had noticed an account of the
reading in a newspaper--a letter under date of 15th July, 1870, asking
to be favoured with a copy of the story; "for," said the writer, "we
have just started a Penny Reading Society (if I may call it so), and I'm
sure that story would be the means of reclaiming many men from their
vices--I mean drinking and low company." The story was of course sent,
and Mr. Ryland subsequently communicated the circumstances to the
present Mr. Charles Dickens, who replied--"I wish my dear father could
have seen the sergeant's letter; it would have pleased him, I am sure."
As we proceed along the High Street, on the north side towards Chatham,
a walk of only a few yards from the Bull brings us to a curious Tudor
stone-built house of two stories, with latticed windows and
three-pointed gables. Under a lamp in the centre, which is over the
"quaint old door"--the door-sill itself being (as is usual with some old
houses) a little below the street, so that we drop by a step or two into
the entrance-hall--is a tablet containing the following inscription:--
(CENTRE.)
RICHARD WATTS, ESQUIRE,
by his Will dated 22nd August, 1579,
founded this Charity
for Six Poor Travellers,
who, not being Rogues or Proctors,
May receive gratis for one Night
Lodging, Entertainment,
and Fourpence each.
"In testimony of his munificence, in honour of his memory, and
inducement to his example, the Charitable Trustees of this City and
Borough have caused this stone to be renewed and inscribed, A.D. 1865."
And on the left and right-hand sides respectively of the preceding
appear smaller tablets, with the following inscriptions:--
(LEFT.)
The Charitable Trustees
of this City and
Borough appointed
by the Lord High
Chancellor,
16 December, 1836,
are to see
this Charity
executed.
(RIGHT.)
Pagitt _Arms._[Illustration] Somers
Thomas Pagitt,
second husband of
Mary, Daughter of
Thomas Somers
of Halstow,
Widow of Richard Watts,
Deceased A.D. 1599.
We enter the old-fashioned little parlour, or office, on the left-hand
side, "warm in winter and cool in summer. It has a look of homely
welcome and soothing rest. It has a remarkably cosy fireside, the very
blink of which, gleaming out into the street upon a winter's night, is
enough to warm all Rochester's heart." The matron receives us politely,
and shows us two large books of foolscap size with ruled columns, one of
these containing a record of the visitors to the Charity, and the other
a list of the recipients thereof. A little pleasantry is caused by one
of us entering his name in the wrong book, but this mistake is promptly
rectified by the matron, who informs us that we are scarcely objects for
relief as "Poor Travellers." She then kindly repeats to us the two
legends respecting the origin of the Charity, the first of which is
tolerably well known, but the other is less familiar. Before recording
these, it may be well to give an extract from the will of Master Richard
Watts (a very curious and lengthy document), which was industriously
hunted up by the late Mr. Charles Bullard, author of the _Romance of
Rochester_, and by him contributed to the _Rochester and Chatham
Journal_, of which it fills a whole column.
The will (dated, as previously stated, August 22nd, 1579) directs,
_inter alia_, that "First the Alms-house already erected and standing
beside the Markett Crosse, within the Citty of Rochester aforesaid,
which Almshouses my Will Purpose and Desire is that there be reedified
added and provided with such Roomes as be there already provided Six
Severall Roomes with Chimneys for the Comfort placeing and abideing of
the Poore within the said Citty, and alsoe to be made apt and convenient
places therein for Six good Matrices or Flock Bedds and other good and
sufficient Furniture to harbour or lodge in poore Travellers or
Wayfareing Men being noe Common Rogues nor Proctors, and they the said
Wayfareing Men to harbour and lodge therein noe longer than one Night
unlesse Sickness be the farther Cause thereof and those poore Folkes
there dwelling shall keepe the House sweete make the Bedds see to the
Furniture keepe the same sweete and courteously intreate the said poore
Travellers and to every of the said poore Travellers att their first
comeing in to have fourpence and they shall warme them at the Fire of
the Residents within the said House if Need be."
The reason for the exception in the testator's will as regards rogues is
sufficiently obvious, and therefore all the point of this singular
bequest lies in the word "Proctors." Who were they? One of the legends
has it that the obsolete word "Proctors" referred to certain sturdy
mendicants who swarmed in the south of England, and went about
extracting money from the charitable public under the pretence of
collecting "Peter's Pence" for the Pope; or, as the compiler of Murray's
_Handbook to the County of Kent_ suggests, "were probably the bearers of
licences to collect alms for hospitals," etc. Possibly the worthy Master
Richard Watts objected to the levying of this blackmail; or he may in
his walks have been subjected to the proctors' importunities, and
consequently in his will rigorously debarred them in all futurity from
any share in his Charity.
The other legend is that Master Watts, being grievously sick and sore to
die, sent for his lawyer, who in those days acted as proctor as
well,--Steerforth in _David Copperfield_ calls the proctor "a monkish
kind of attorney,"--and bade him prepare his will according to certain
instructions. The will was made, but not in the manner directed, and
subsequently, on the testator regaining his health, he discovered the
fraud which the crafty lawyer or proctor had tried to perpetrate--which
was, in fact, to make himself the sole legatee. In his just indignation
he made another will, and in it for ever excluded the fraternity of
proctors from benefiting thereby. The reader is at liberty to accept
whichever of the two legends he chooses. It is right to say that Mr.
Roach Smith utterly rejects the second story. He says proctors were
simply rogues, although some of them may have been licensed.
The following is a foot-note to Fisher's _History and Antiquities of
Rochester and its Environs_, MDCCLXXII.
[Illustration: Watts' Almshouses: Rochester]
"It is generally thought that the reason of Mr. Watts's excluding
proctors from the benefit of the Charity, was that a proctor had been
employed to make his will, whereby he had given all the estates to
himself; but I am inclined to believe that the word proctor is derived
from procurator, who was an itinerant priest, and had dispensations from
the Pope to absolve the subjects of this realm from the oath of
allegiance to Queen Elizabeth, in whose reign there were many such
priests."
When the identity of Miss Adelaide Anne Procter, the gifted author of
the pure and pathetic _Legends and Lyrics_ (who had been an anonymous
contributor to _Household Words_ for some time under the _nom de plume_
of "Mary Berwick"), became known to Charles Dickens, he sent her a
charming and kindly letter of congratulation and appreciation, dated
17th December, 1854 (just at the time that the Christmas stories of the
_Seven Poor Travellers_ were published), which thus concludes:--
"You have given me so much pleasure, and have made me shed so many
tears, that I can only think of you now in association with the
sentiment and grace of your verses. Pray accept the blessing and
forgiveness of Richard Watts, _though I am afraid you come under both
his conditions of exclusion_."
[Illustration: Signatures: Charles Dickens
Mark Lemon]
We are informed that the original bequest of the testator was only L36
16_s._ 8_d._ per annum, being the rent of land; but now, owing to the
improved letting of the land, for building and other purposes, the
Revenues of the Charity are upwards of L4,000 per annum. The "fourpence"
of the foundation would be equal to some three shillings and fourpence
of our money. The trustees, about sixteen in number,--one of whom has
filled the office for fifty years--have very wisely and prudently
obtained an extension of their powers; and the Court of Chancery have
twice (in 1855 and 1886) sanctioned schemes for the administration of
the funds, which have largely benefited Rochester in many ways. As
witness of this, there are a series of excellent almshouses on the
Maidstone Road (which cost about L6,000), with appropriate
entrance-gates and gardens, endowed for the support and maintenance of
townsmen and townswomen. We subsequently go into several of the rooms,
all beautifully clean, and in most cases tastefully decorated by the
inmates with a few pictures, prints, and flowers, and find that the
present occupants are ten almsmen and six women. We have a chat with one
of the almsmen,--a hearty old man, once the beadle of St. Margaret's
Church,--who rejoices in the name of Peter Weller, and whom we find to
be well up in his _Pickwick_. There are a resident head-nurse and three
other resident nurses in the establishment, who occasionally go out to
nurse the sick in the city. In addition to these almshouses, a handsome
new hospital has been erected in the New Road, and partly endowed
(L1,000 a year) out of the funds. Contributions are also made annually
from the same source towards the support of the Public Baths, and for
apprenticing deserving lads. Such is the development of this remarkable
Charity.
The matron calls our attention to many interesting names in the
Visitors' book. Under date of the 11th May, 1854, are the signatures, in
good bold writing, of Charles Dickens and Mark Lemon; and in subsequent
entries, extending over many years, appear the names of Wilkie Collins,
W. H. Wills, W. G. Wills, Walter Besant, Thomas Adolphus Trollope, J.
Henry Shorthouse, Augustus J. C. Hare, and other well-known
_litterateurs_. As usual, there are also numerous names of Americans,
including those of Miss Mary Anderson and party.
There are many curious remarks recorded in this book, such as an entry
dated 26th June, 1857, which says:--"Tossed by, and out of the Bull with
a crumpled horn, as no one would lend me five shillings, therefore
obliged to solicit the benefit of this excellent charity." There is an
admirable testimony in Latin, by the late Bishop of Lincoln, Dr.
Wordsworth, to the usefulness of the institution, which, dated 23rd
August, 1883, is as follows:--"_Esto perpetua obstantibus Caritatis
Commissionariis._" His Lordship's remark was probably in allusion to the
fact that the Charity Commissioners were (as we were afterwards
informed) inclined, some time ago, to abolish the Charity, but this
proceeding was stoutly and successfully resisted by the trustees. But
the most gratifying records which we see in the book consist of several
entries by recipients of the Charity themselves, who have subsequently
come again after prosperous times in the capacity of visitors, and thus
testified to the benefits received. Here is one:--"Having once enjoyed
the Charity, I wish it a long life."
[Illustration: The "Six Poor Travellers" from the Rear]
[Illustration: A DORMITORY in the "Six Poor Travellers"]
[Illustration: Gallery Leading to the Dormitories]
A clerk has the responsibility of making a careful selection of six from
the number of applicants, and this appears to be no light task, inasmuch
as the "prescribed number of Poor Travellers are forthcoming every
night from year's end to year's end," and sometimes amount to fifty in a
day. In selecting the persons to be admitted, care is taken that, unless
under special circumstances, the same person be not admitted for more
than one night, and in no case for more than two consecutive nights. A
glance over the register shows that the names include almost all trades
and occupations; and, as regards the fact of a great many coming from
Kentish towns, Dartford, Greenwich, Canterbury, Maidstone, etc., we are
informed, in reply to our enquiry, that this is no criterion of the real
residence, because the place where the traveller last lodged is always
entered. The matron told us a story of a clever attempt to obtain
admission by a Poor Traveller "with a tin whistle and very gentlemanly
hands," who subsequently turned out to be a reporter from the _Echo_, in
which paper there afterwards appeared an account of the Charity, called
_On Tramp by an Amateur_.
We are shown over the premises--scrupulously neat and clean--and observe
that there are excellent lavatories with foot-pans, and a pair of
slippers provided for each recipient. We afterwards see the six Poor
Travellers who have had their supper, and are comfortably smoking their
pipes in a snug room, and we have a pleasant and interesting chat with
them. They are much above the condition of ordinary tramps, and are
lodged in six separate bedrooms, or "dormitories" which open out of a
gallery at the back part of the building, a very curious structure,
remaining just as it was in the days of Queen Elizabeth. For supper,
each man is allowed half a pound of cooked meat, a pound of bread, and
half-a-pint of porter, and receives fourpence in money on leaving. It is
right to state that we heard complaints in the city relating to the evil
effects of a number of poor travellers being attracted to the Charity
daily, when but a few can obtain relief.
[Illustration: Satis House.]
Respecting the Worshipful Master Richard Watts himself very little is
known, except that he was appointed by Queen Elizabeth in 1560 to be the
surveyor and clerk of the works for the building of Upnor Castle; that
he was paymaster to the Wardens of Rochester Bridge for some years
previously; that he was recorder of Rochester, and represented the city
in Parliament from 1563 to 1571, and that he resided at "Satis House,"
which stood on the site of the modern residence bearing the same name,
now occupied by Mrs. Booth, a little to the south of the Cathedral, but
which must not, however, be confounded with the Satis House of _Great
Expectations_, this latter, as has been previously explained, being
identical with Restoration House, in Crow Lane. When Queen Elizabeth
visited Rochester in 1573, Watts had the honour of entertaining Her
Majesty there, on the last day of her residence in "the ancient city";
and to his expressions of regret at having no better accommodation to
offer, the Queen was pleased generously to reply, "Satis," by which name
the house has ever since been known. Estella, in _Great Expectations_,
gives another view of the origin of the name. She says:--"Its other
name was Satis; which is Greek, or Latin, or Hebrew, or all three--or
all one to me--for enough: but it meant more than it said. It meant,
when it was given, that whoever had this house, could want nothing else.
They must have been easily satisfied in those days, I should think."
Archbishop Longley was born there in 1794.
[Illustration: Watts's Monument in Rochester Cathedral.
_Over the Memorial Brass of Charles Dickens._]
There is a monument to the proctor-hating philanthropist on the wall of
the south transept of the Cathedral over the brass to Charles Dickens,
surmounted by a very curious painted marble half-figure effigy with
flowing beard, of "worthy Master Richard starting out of it, like a
ship's figurehead." Underneath is the following epitaph:--
Sacred to the Memory of
=Richard Watts, Esq.=,
a principal Benefactor to this City,
who departed this life Sept. 10, 1579, at
his Mansion house on Bully Hill, called SATIS
(so named by Q. ELIZABETH of glorious memory),
and lies interr'd near this place, as by his Will doth
plainly appear. By which Will, dated Aug. 22, and
proved Sep. 25, 1579, he founded an Almshouse
for the relief of poor people and for the reception
of six poor Travelers every night, and for
imploying the poor of this City.
* * * * *
The Mayor and Citizens of this City,
in testimony of their Gratitude and his Merit,
have erected this Monument, A.D. 1736.
RICHARD WATTS, ESQ.,
then Mayor.
Over and over again, in the various roads and lanes which we traverse,
in the county famous for "apples, cherries, hops, and women," we have
ample opportunities of verifying the experience of Dickens, and indeed
of many other observers (including David Copperfield, who met numbers of
"ferocious-looking ruffians"), as to the prevalence of tramps, not all
of whom appear eligible as recipients of Watts's Charity! Our fraternity
seems to be ubiquitous, and had we the purse of Fortunatus, it would
hardly suffice to satisfy their requirements. What a wonderfully
thoughtful, descriptive, and exhaustive chapter is that on "Tramps" in
_The Uncommercial Traveller!_ We believe Rochester and Strood Hill must
have been in Dickens's mind when he penned it. Every species and every
variety of tramp is herein described,--The surly Tramp, The slinking
Tramp, The well-spoken young-man Tramp, The John Anderson Tramp, Squire
Pouncerby's Tramp, The show Tramp, The educated Tramp, The tramping
Soldier, The tramping Sailor, The Tramp handicraft man, Clock-mending
Tramps, Harvest Tramps, Hopping Tramps and Spectator Tramps--but perhaps
the most amusing of all is the following:--
"The young fellows who trudge along barefoot, five
or six together, their boots slung over their
shoulders, their shabby bundles under their arms,
their sticks newly cut from some roadside wood,
are not eminently prepossessing, but are much less
objectionable. There is a tramp-fellowship among
them. They pick one another up at resting
stations, and go on in companies. They always go
at a fast swing--though they generally limp
too--and there is invariably one of the company
who has much ado to keep up with the rest. They
generally talk about horses, and any other means
of locomotion than walking: or, one of the company
relates some recent experiences of the road--which
are always disputes and difficulties. As for
example. So as I'm a standing at the pump in the
market, blest if there don't come up a Beadle, and
he ses, 'Mustn't stand here,' he ses. 'Why not?' I
ses. 'No beggars allowed in this town,' he ses.
'Who's a beggar?' I ses. 'You are,' he ses. 'Who
ever see _me_ beg? Did _you_?' I ses. 'Then you're
a tramp,' he ses. 'I'd rather be that than a
Beadle,' I ses. (The company express great
approval.) 'Would you?' he ses to me. 'Yes, I
would,' I ses to him. 'Well,' he ses, 'anyhow, get
out of this town.' 'Why, blow your little town!' I
ses, 'who wants to be in it? Wot does your dirty
little town mean by comin' and stickin' itself in
the road to anywhere? Why don't you get a shovel
and a barrer, and clear your town out o' people's
way?' (The company expressing the highest approval
and laughing aloud, they all go down the hill.)"
It is worthy of consideration, and it is probably more than a mere
coincidence, to observe that some of the reforms which have been
effected in the management of the now munificent revenues of Richard
Watts's Charity were instigated as a sequence to the appearance of
Dickens's imperishable stories, published under the title of _The Seven
Poor Travellers_. The Rev. Robert Whiston, with whom we chatted on the
subject, is of opinion that the late Lord Brougham is entitled to the
credit for reforms in this and other charities.