Emanuel Hospital

The Lady Ann Dacres Alms-House, called Emanuel Hospital, 20 in Number, founded by her the 17th Day of December, in the Year 1601, 43 of Elizabeth; they are for 10 poor Men and 10 Women, (each of whom have liberty to bring up one poor Child) viz. according to the Settlement for 17 of St. Margaret's Westminster Parish, one of Hayes, and 2 of Chelsea Parishes; but the Names over the Door are 16 for St. Margaret's, 2 for Hayes Parish, and 2 for Chelsea. She gave 100 l. per Ann. issuing out of the Manor of Bramsburton in the County of York until the Expirationi of a Lease of 199 Years, and afterward the whole Manor (which I am informed is upward of 600 l. per Ann. is to accrue to augment this Foundation. This 100 l. per Ann. is paid out of the Chamber of London, and is under the Care or Inspection of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, according to the Laws and Rules devised and made by Edward Fenner Justice of the Pleas, Sir Drury Drury, and Sir Edward Moor, the Executors of the said Lady Dacres. No Person that is Wicked nor who cannot say the Creed, and 10 Commandments in English, or is under 50 Years of Age, or who have inhabited less than 3 Years in the said respective Parishes to be admitted to this Hospital.

Emanuel Hospital, at Tothill side in Westminster, was founded by the Lady Dacres, in the year 1601, for twenty old bachelors and maids, sixteen of whom to be of St. Margaret’s parish Westminster, two of Hayes, and two of Chelsea parishes; each of whom have an allowance of 10l. per annum, with the liberty of bringing up a poor child. According to certain constitutions formed by the foundress’s executors, no person of ill fame, or that cannot say the creed and ten commandments in English; or are under fifty years of age; or have not lived three years in the said parishes, are to be admitted upon this foundation.

The city of London is intrusted with the management of this charity, and is to receive annually 200l. for its support, out of an estate in Yorkshire, till the expiration of a lease of 199 years, when the produce of the whole manor, which is said to amount to above 600l. per annum, is to be appropriated to the augmentation of this foundation.

Some time ago the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen caused to be erected at the upper end of this hospital, a handsome school house and dormitory, for the reception of twenty poor boys and girls, who were first admitted in the year 1735. They are supplied with the necessaries of life; the boys are taught reading, writing, and accounts; and the girls reading, writing, and plain work.

Emanuel's Hospital, James-Street, Westminster,—is about ¼ of a mile on the R. from Buckingham-gate, also near the W. end of York-st. from Tothill-st. and the Abbey in the op. direction (called also Lady Dacre's Alms-houses).

Emanuel Hospital, James-street, Westminster, is about a quarter of a mile on the right hand from Buckingham-gate. This charitable institution owes its origin to Lord Dacre in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who dying before its completion, it was finished and augmented by his widow Anne, Baroness Dacre. After the death of this lady, her executors completed the charitable intentions of the founders, and a charter of incorporation was granted in the 43d of Elizabeth. After many other benevolent additions to the original intentions, and various amendments in its government, the entire management under certain regulations is now with the Court of Aldermen.

Applications for candidates, and every other information may be obtained from Henry Woodthorpe, Esq., Town Clerk of the City of London, at his office in Guildhall.

Emanuel Hospital or Dacre's Almshouses, James Street, Westminster. Established pursuant to the will (December 20, 1594) of Anne Lady Dacre, widow of Gregory, the last Lord Dacre of the South, and sister of Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst and Earl of Dorset, the poet, "towards the relief of aged people and bringing up of children in virtue and good and laudable acts in the same Hospital." The Charter of Incorporation is dated December 17, 1600. Gregory Lord Dacre died September 25, 1594, and Anne his widow May 14, 1595. They are buried in old Chelsea Church, where there is a stately monument to their memory. On the death in 1623 of the last surviving executor of Lady Dacre, the guardianship of the hospital descended by the Charter of Incorporation to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, under whose superintendence it still remains. The original buildings having become decayed, the present hospital was built in the reign of Queen Anne. The hospital accommodates twenty inmates, and pensions ten men and women belonging to Westminster, Chelsea, or Hayes, Middlesex. The schools formerly connected with the hospital have been disconnected from it, and now form a portion of the Westminster United Schools formed in 1873. The Rev. William Beloe, the bibliographer, was master of the hospital from 1783 to 1808, and the present master is the Rev. J. Maskell.