Hanbey, Thomas, 1782, provided for the education of two children in Christ’s Hospital, and Mary, his wife, 1796, left the interest of 300l. to provide for the repairs of the tomb of her husband in St. Luke’s Churchyard, Old Street, and residue of the interest among the poor.
Handson, Ralph, clerk to the Company, was a good benefactor and kindly disposed, leaving in 1653 to the poor members, to hospitals, and to the yeomanry for their half-yearly repast, as already mentioned. His portrait hangs in the Hall. He was cousin to Nicholas Leat.
Heylin, Rowland, Sheriff 1624, Master 1614 and 1625, died 1629. He gave 300l., out of which a dinner and a sermon were to be annually provided to commemorate the Powder Plot deliverance, and loans made to poor young freemen. His portrait is in the Hall.
Harvey, Sir James, Alderman; Lord Mayor 1582; four times Master. His son, Sir Sebastian, was Lord Mayor 1618, Master 1600; wrote his name “Harvye.” Lady Harvey, 1620, gave 21l. for a dinner at the funeral of Sir Sebastian.
Hood, Samuel, first Viscount, was presented with the freedom 1783 in honour of his great victory. He died 1816. His portrait by Gainsborough (presented by Lord Hood) hangs in the Hall. We possess a characteristic letter written by Lord Hood in 1811 with his left hand.
Humfreys, Sir William, Bart., Lord Mayor 1714, Master 1705, and gave a silver cup and cover. He acted as chief butler at the coronation of George I. Died 1735, buried at St. Mildred’s, Poultry, and when that church was pulled down (1875) the Company desired to give him a “proper” reinterment at Ilford, but, although the character of the coffin showed that the body inside was possibly his, all the silver plates and handles and ornaments had been stolen long before, and so Sir William could not be identified, and the remains were taken with the others.
Lane, Ralph, Turkey merchant, gave to the Company, in 1712, a silver-gilt cup, upon which is engraved a coat of arms, with thirty-two quarterings. It is interesting to note that John Lane, the elder, in 1457, was one of the Company who advanced 10l. towards purchasing the Hall property. His son John gave 40s.
Lawrence.—A well-known and respected name in the City. Several have been members of the Company. John Lawrans, about 1500, gave “a grete maser which hath sent Lawrans in the bottom.” It weighed over 60 oz. Another John Lawrence, in 1731, gave a tankard. We may here mention that
St. Lawrence is the patron saint of the company. The old barge “head” represented the saint with the gridiron in his hand. In the early churchwarden’s accounts of the parish of St. Lawrence, Reading, are numerous curious entries between 1520 and 1530, such as:—“For gildyng of Seynt Lawrence gredyron, viijd.”; “to the peynters Wyff, dew for gilding of Seynt Lawren, vjs. viijd.,” &c.
Leat, Nicholas, Alderman, three times Master, died 1631, captain of the trained bands. He was an authority in agriculture (see Gerard’s “Herbal,” 1597, p. 246). The sons presented his portrait now in the court-room.