Charity

• Reasons why people gave to Charity 1509-88

  • Religious changes
  • Changes in attitude to 'good works'
  • Dissolution of monasteries
  • Dissolution of chantries
• Before the Reformation and dissolution of the monasteries, the Catholic Church supported the poor through charity
• Monks/nuns would give leftover food to the poor and monasteries provided hospital care
• The wealthy in society would give money to almshouses (cared for the poor)
• Monarchs attempted to set an example of charity
• Monarchs' charitable acts


  • Henry VIII donated Christ's Hospital in 1546
  • Edward VI arranged for Crown properties to be given to London merchants to help the poor
• Charitable institutions established by Edward VI

  • Bridewell Palace (house of corrections for able-bodied poor)
  • Christ's Hospital (for orphans)
  • St Bartholomew's Hospital (for the sick poor)
  • Bethlehem Hospital (for the insane)
• Edward VI encouraged concern for the poor following the Reformation
• There were local initiatives in towns to deal with urban poverty
• Local charitable initiatives


  • Merchant donations
  • Compulsory poor rates implemented in London due to the extreme divide between rich and poor
• Estimated that 60% of poor relief set up in 1549 was through former church foundations
• In York, the town council donated palaces so women could work as water carriers
• Several hospitals were established in 16th century charity
• Charity helped educate poor children