John Morden
Encyclopedia
Sir John Morden, 1st Baronet (13 August 1623 – 6 September 1708) was a successful English
merchant and philanthropist
who also served briefly as an MP
. He established Morden College
in Blackheath
, south-east London as a home for retired merchants; as a charity
, it continues to provide residential care over 300 years later.
, the son of a goldsmith (George Morden), Morden was apprenticed to Sir William Soame
, a wealthy London merchant and member of the British East India Company
, in 1643. After a posting in Aleppo
in Turkey
, Morden returned to London in 1660 having amassed a substantial fortune and become a member of the East India company himself. It is said that, having decided to return to England, Morden loaded his complete fortune into three ships, none of which arrived at the expected time, prompting his deep despair. However, their eventual arrival after difficult voyages led him to rejoice and made him determined to help merchants who had fallen on hard times.
In 1669, he purchased (for £4,200) Wricklemarsh Manor (now part of Lee
) in south-east London, an estate of over 250 acres (1 km²) with a mansion house. Created a baronet
in 1688 by King James II
, in 1691 he became Commissioner of Excise under King William III
, and was Member of Parliament for Colchester
from 1695 until 1698.
College, a home for clergy widows, he resigned to establish - at a cost of £10,000 - his own hospice
or almshouse
for 'poor Merchants...and such as have lost their Estates by accidents, dangers and perils of the seas or by any other accidents ways or means in their honest endeavours to get their living by means of Merchandizing'. Morden College was built (to a design sometimes attributed to Sir Christopher Wren
, but largely carried out by Edward Strong, his master mason) on the north-east corner of the Wricklemarsh estate and was intended to house 40 single or widowed men. College trustees were drawn from the East India Company and Turkey Company. The building was visited and written about by John Evelyn
and Daniel Defoe
. Evelyn's Diary for 9 June 1695 records:
Defoe wrote about the college in his Tour Through Great Britain, published in 1724:
Sir John Morden died in 1708, aged 86, and was buried in Morden College chapel crypt. Created c. 1717-1725, statues of Sir John and his wife, Lady Susan Morden, adorn the western front of the college. The college has since expanded several times and continues its charitable work. Apart from the college, Sir John's name lives on in the name of a public house
in Campshill Road in nearby Lewisham
and local street names in the London Borough of Greenwich
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
merchant and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who also served briefly as an MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. He established Morden College
Morden College
Morden College is a long-standing charity which has been providing residential care in Blackheath, south-east London, England for over 300 years.It was founded by philanthropist Sir John Morden in 1695 as a home for 'poor Merchants.....
in Blackheath
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
, south-east London as a home for retired merchants; as a charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, it continues to provide residential care over 300 years later.
Early life
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of a goldsmith (George Morden), Morden was apprenticed to Sir William Soame
Soame Baronets
The Soame Baronetcy, of Thurlow in the County of Suffolk, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 5 February 1685 for William Soame. The title became extinct on the death of the fourth Baronet in 1798...
, a wealthy London merchant and member of the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, in 1643. After a posting in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Morden returned to London in 1660 having amassed a substantial fortune and become a member of the East India company himself. It is said that, having decided to return to England, Morden loaded his complete fortune into three ships, none of which arrived at the expected time, prompting his deep despair. However, their eventual arrival after difficult voyages led him to rejoice and made him determined to help merchants who had fallen on hard times.
In 1669, he purchased (for £4,200) Wricklemarsh Manor (now part of Lee
Lee, London
Lee is a district of south London, England, located mostly in the London Borough of Lewisham and partly in the London Borough of Greenwich. The district lies to the east of Lewisham, one mile west of Eltham, and one mile south of Blackheath village...
) in south-east London, an estate of over 250 acres (1 km²) with a mansion house. Created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1688 by King James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, in 1691 he became Commissioner of Excise under King William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, and was Member of Parliament for Colchester
Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Colchester is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-History:...
from 1695 until 1698.
Foundation of Morden College
In 1695, after serving two years as Treasurer of BromleyBromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
College, a home for clergy widows, he resigned to establish - at a cost of £10,000 - his own hospice
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
or almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
for 'poor Merchants...and such as have lost their Estates by accidents, dangers and perils of the seas or by any other accidents ways or means in their honest endeavours to get their living by means of Merchandizing'. Morden College was built (to a design sometimes attributed to Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
, but largely carried out by Edward Strong, his master mason) on the north-east corner of the Wricklemarsh estate and was intended to house 40 single or widowed men. College trustees were drawn from the East India Company and Turkey Company. The building was visited and written about by John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
and Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English trader, writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain and along with others such as Richardson,...
. Evelyn's Diary for 9 June 1695 records:
- "Went afterwords to see Sir Jo: Mordens Charity or Hospital on Black-heath now building for the Reliefe of Merchands that have failed, a very worthy Charitye, nobel building."
Defoe wrote about the college in his Tour Through Great Britain, published in 1724:
- "It was built by Sir John Morden, a Turkey merchant of London, but who liv'd in a great house at the going off from the heath, a little south of the Hospital, on the road to Eltham. His first design, as I had it from his own mouth the year before he began to build, was to make apartments for forty decay'd merchants, to whom he resolved to allow £40 per annum each, with coals, a gown (and servants to look after their apartments) and many other conveniences so as to make their lives as comfortable as possible, and that, as they had liv'd like Gentlemen, they might dye so."
Sir John Morden died in 1708, aged 86, and was buried in Morden College chapel crypt. Created c. 1717-1725, statues of Sir John and his wife, Lady Susan Morden, adorn the western front of the college. The college has since expanded several times and continues its charitable work. Apart from the college, Sir John's name lives on in the name of a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in Campshill Road in nearby Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and local street names in the London Borough of Greenwich
London Borough of Greenwich
The London Borough of Greenwich is an Inner London borough in south-east London, England. Taking its name from the historic town of Greenwich, the present borough was formed in 1965 by the amalgamation of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich with part of the Metropolitan...
.