HOWELL, THOMAS (died 1540?), philanthropist

a Monmouthshire Welshman who made provision in his will (written in 1540 at Seville, Spain) for the benefit of spinsters of his kith and kin in Wales on their marriage. Howell left 12,000 ducats to be handed over to the wardens of Drapers Hall, London, to be by them invested (in the purchase of land in the City of London) - ' … the said Wardeynes … to buy therewith 400 duckats of rent yearly for everyone … the said duckats [to] be disposed unto four maydens, being orphans - next of my Kynne and of bludde - to their marriage … ' For the subsequent history of this ' Thomas Howell Charity,' including an account of what happened to the accrued moneys up to the middle of the 19th century, see Thomas Falconer, The Charity of Thomas Howell A.D. 1540 (London, 1860); it is sufficient to add that Howell's School, Denbigh, and Howell's School, Llandaff, were established by the Drapers Company c. 1859 - i.e. a little over 300 years after Thomas Howell made his will.

Author

• Sir William Llewelyn Davies, (1887 - 1952)

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/