A History of Horncastle, from the earliest period to the present time

by J. Conway Walter

THE WHELPTON ALMSHOUSES.

The Whelpton Almshouses are situated in Queen Street, on its east side, being six small residences, for the reception of deserving poor persons, natives of the town. They were established in the year 1861, under the following circumstances.

The late Mr. Geo. Whelpton was a shoemaker, occupying a small shop, one of several then standing in the Market Place, on or near the site of the present Stanhope Memorial; [142a] the whole of these being cleared away when the late Honble. Edward Stanhope presented that piece of ground to the town, for the enlargement of the Market Place. He resided in a small house in Stonewell Row, but afterwards removed into better premises in Queen Street. While living in Stonewell Row he purchased some furniture cheap, at an auction, and in a drawer of one of the articles purchased he found a recipe, said to have been written by a Boston doctor, for the medicine eventually to become known universally as “Whelpton’s Pills” (a powerful stomachic, for kidney diseases, &c.), and from the sale of which he and other members of his family realised large fortunes. [142b] His wife had been for some time in a bad state of health, and after she had consulted various doctors without deriving any benefit from their treatment, he decided to try for her the prescription which had thus accidentally come into his possession. The result was so satisfactory that other sufferers applied to him for the pills, which for a time he freely gave to his neighbours; ultimately, however, these applications became so numerous that he was obliged to make a charge.

As he began to realise a considerable income from this source, he gave up the shoemaking business, and left Horncastle; his first move being to Derby, [142c] where he occupied a residence known as “St. Anne’s House,” afterwards moving to London, where he, at first, lived in Crane Court, Fleet Street, which still continues to be the depot of the pill business. He subsequently

moved to a better part of the metropolis, taking up his residence at 1, Albert Road, Regent’s Park, where he remained for several years, until he finally settled in Warrior Square, Hastings.

While residing in London his wife [143a] had another illness, from which she eventually died, in 1859; and feeling her loss very acutely he decided, after a time, to erect the almshouses to her memory. [143b]

Among the documents preserved in connection with this charity, is the original letter of George Whelpton, dated March 18, 1861, giving instructions that the building of the almshouses should be immediately taken in hand. The Indenture itself is dated March 21st, 1861, and among its terms are the following: “This agreement is between Richard Clitherow, of Horncastle, Gentleman, surviving trustee and executor of the will of Samuel Curtis Lomas, late of Blencogo, Co. Cumberland, Surgeon, of the first part; George Whelpton, of No. 1, Albert Road, Regent’s Park, Middlesex, of the second part; and William Thompson Whelpton, of No. 69, Gloucester Crescent, Regent’s Park, Middlesex, Gent., and Rev. Henry Robert Whelpton, of Upton Park, Slough,

Bucks., on the third part.” In accordance with this agreement certain lands comprising, with others, the future site of the almshouses, situated on the east side of what was then called Union Street, the property of the said Samuel Curtis Lomas, were acquired through the said Mr. Richard Clitherow, for Mr. G. Whelpton, for the purposes of the charity, with the above relatives as co-trustees. The sum of £1,000 was also conveyed as endowment of the charity, to the trustees.

It was provided by the agreement that the inmates of the houses should be selected from persons who were fit and deserving subjects of the charity, indigent, but of good character, not recipients of parish relief, and not under 45 years of age; and that any, becoming guilty of immorality, should forfeit their privileges. The power of selection of inmates was vested in the trustees, assisted by the vicar and churchwardens of the parish; a clause being added, that, in case of the trustees being incompetent, by reason of infancy or idiocy, the vicar and churchwardens should select. The weekly allowance to the inmates was to be 3s. 6d.