| THE HENRY SMITH CHARITY
Registered Charity in England
and Wales number: 230102 |
|
The history of The Henry Smith Charity
Henry Smith was born in Wandsworth, South London, in May 1548. He was a successful salter by trade and purchased estates in various parts of England. During his life he created a number of charitable trusts for the relief of the poor and he died in 1628 leaving his Trustees the sum of £2000.
This sum formed the basic endowment of the Henry Smith (Kensington Estate) Charity, so called because the Trustees purchased a small farm in the parishes of Kensington, Chelsea and St Margaret's Westminster. The estate was developed over the years and in 1995 was sold to the Wellcome Trust. The Charity's capital endowment now consists of a substantial portfolio of stock market investments, commercial property and agricultural property.
A wall monument to Henry Smith is located in Wandsworth Parish Church.