This fund, in the distribution of which Walter Grossett was concerned,
and of which his brother’s widow and children were the largest
beneficiaries, was probably the earliest example of systematic
organisation for the supply of comforts to soldiers in the field, to
the sick and wounded, and for provision for widows and orphans.
The fund was instituted at the Guildhall, London, on November 27th,
1745, by Sir Richard Hoare, then Lord Mayor. The minute of the first
meeting aptly declares the intention of the founders:--
‘We whose names are underwritten, in Consideration of the
particular Hardships and Inconveniencies which may be suffer’d
by such Soldiers as now are, or shall hereafter be employ’d
in his Majesty’s Service during the Winter Season, towards
the Suppression of the present unnatural Rebellion, do hereby
voluntarily Subscribe and pay the several Sums set by us against
our respective Names to be applied towards their Relief, Support,
and Encouragement, in such manner, and in such Proportion, as
shall be deem’d to be most necessary and expedient by a Committee
which shall hereafter be appointed for that Purpose by Us, or the
Major Part who shall be present at any General Meeting, pursuant
to an Advertisement in the _London Gazette_.’
The result of the efforts of the Lord Mayor and his associates is
recorded in an admirable report printed in 1747.
The report gives a subscription list. There were exactly five hundred
subscriptions, and the total amount subscribed was £18,910, 0s. 9d. The
largest subscription was that of ‘the Rt. Hon. Lord Chief Justice,
Master of the Rolls, Lord Chief Justice Willes, Lord Chief Baron
Parker, and the Honourable Judges, whose gift was £1200; the smallest
that of the parish of St. Thomas, Southwark, which gave 10s. 9d. In
the List are found subscriptions from the Prince of Wales, £500; the
Mayor, Commonalty, and Citizens of the City of London, £1000; Governor
and Company of the Bank of England, £1000; John Rich from the Theatre
Royal in Covent Garden, £602, 7s.; the Gentlemen Volunteers of the City
of London, £523, 19s. The City Companies subscribe sums varying from
£100 to £300, and it is interesting to find in the list the name of
Isaac Watts, D.D., for a subscription of £5, 5s. The Report, which is
an excellent business document, finishes with the following paragraph:--
‘In this Manner your Committee propose that the Conclusion of
this Subscription should be agreeable to the Design of its
original Institution; since every Calamity you can remove, or
every Comfort you can bestow on Behalf of the private Soldier,
will be giving them so much new Strength and Vigour to act in
Defence of our Liberties, and Support of our Constitution;
wherein both Interest and Duty, both publick Safety and publick
Charity, may be jointly urged as Motives to your Benevolence. And
as to what has already been expended, if Relief under Sickness,
if Support under Fatigue, if Encouragement under Dangers, are to
be esteemed Acts of Humanity or Beneficence, by how much stronger
Ties were we called upon to return such Assistance to those who
under the greatest Hazards and Difficulties were protecting us
in the Enjoyment of every Thing that was dear and valuable: And
your Committee flatter themselves that the Zeal which was exerted
on this Occasion, by the Magistrates, Merchants, and other
Inhabitants of this Metropolis, contributed no less to dispirit
the Enemy, than it did to animate our own Forces, until they
obtained that compleat Victory over the Rebels, which so happily
preserved the Religion, Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom, the
inseparable Blessings of his Majesty’s Government.’
Details of the disbursements of the Fund are given in appendices which
are printed below, and are interesting in the present time of war for
the sake of comparison with similar modern activities. They are printed
from an original copy of the Report in the editor’s possession.
[Appendix No. I. is the List of Subscriptions.]