The Charity of Henry Smith

History

Henry Smith was born in Wandsworth, just outside of London, in 1549. By the time he died in 1628 he had become rich from his trade and property deals. His world was one of moneylenders, wheeler-dealers and property speculators. His business affairs brought him into contact with some of the famous figures of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. He was very much a man of his time – but also of ours.

In the final years before he died he plotted his remarkable legacy which has lasted through the centuries. His detailed will described exactly how he wanted his legacy to be used. Part of this was a fund to support ‘poor and infirm’ people in the parishes where his early Trustees had connections. The majority of these parishes are in Surrey and Sussex, with others spread from New Radnor in the west to Gateshead in the north. Nearly four hundred years later the Henry Smith Charity is one of the oldest grant schemes in the country, operated in partnership with more than 1,000 local Trustees helping people in over 150 parishes, including Chiddingfold.

Whilst some things have changed, the spirit of the programme remains true to the original scheme. Grant allocations are still broadly based on the initial criteria set out by the charity’s early Trustees. The programme continues to focus on helping individuals facing disadvantage within each parish, through small grants awarded by local Trustees. The beef, lengths of linen cloth and coal that Trustees gave to needy parishioners in the past are echoed in the food vouchers and ad-hoc help with fuel bills and other unforeseen household expenses that are provided today.

The Charity Now

Struggling to manage for any reason>=?  The Henry Smith Charity may be able to offer financial assistance.

In Chiddingfold, local records for the charity go back to 1945 and the local Trustees continue to provide Christmas food vouchers in co-operation with local shopkeepers. In addition, financial donations are given to schools, nurseries and youth organizations to enable them to provide support to parish families. During more recent, difficult times the local charity offered support to anyone within Chiddingfold parish who had been adversely affected as a result of the Corona virus pandemic.

To support this latter endeavour, the charity welcomes grants and donations to augment the regular grant received from the main Henry Smith Trust.

For further information, to apply for support or to make a donation, please don’t hesitate to contact the charity, in confidence, using the details below. 

Suzanne Frossard CiLCA
Administrator
The Charity of Henry Smith
Registered Charity No. 238495
HSChiddingfold138@gmail.com

25 January 2021

*Please note that the Charity is not administered by the Parish Council*

If you are interested in finding out more about Henry Smith and the history of his legacy, you may wish to read about it in Henry Smith – his life and legacy, by Lucy Leftbridge and Tim Wales, available from Church House Booksellers, and can be ordered from book shops and online booksellers (ISBN: 978-0-9930945-0-7)