History of Madeley: including Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale, and CoalportRandall, John
History
History of Madeley: including Ironbridge, Coalbrookdale, and Coalport
Randall, John
Madeley (Shropshire, England) -- History
If some poor tradesman in London or elsewhere was tottering on the verge
of bankruptcy, and a friend was found to write to Richard Reynolds, he
was put upon his legs again. Poor debtors found themselves relieved from
the King’s Bench by an unknown hand. Unwilling to be known as the giver
of large sums, he would sometimes forward his subscriptions with his
name, and send a larger contribution anonymously afterwards. In this way
he gave a sum in his own name on behalf of the distress in Germany, and
then forwarded a further sum of £500 privately. For years he had
almoners in London and elsewhere, dispensing sums to meet distress, and
on behalf of public and private charities, scrupulously enacting that his
name should not appear in the transactions. To one party he sent £20,000
during the distress of 1795. He had four distributors of his bounty
constantly employed in Bristol alone. They brought in their accounts
weekly, giving the names of persons or families, the sums given, and the
circumstances under which they were relieved. Not the least to be
appreciated was the consideration and delicacy with which he assisted
persons not ostensibly objects of charity (to use the word in its common
sense) and many who, through relationship, personal interest, or
estimable conduct were felt to have claims on his kindness and
generosity.
He solicited in Bristol subscriptions on a large scale for augmenting the
fund for the payment of a weekly sum to the inhabitants of the
almshouses, going from house to house,—his own zeal kindling that of
others. One gentleman to whom he applied, of acknowledged wealth and
importance in the city, having given him a cheque for £500, he said he
would give him back the cheque, as such a sum from _him_ would do more
harm than good. The gentleman immediately wrote another for £1000. He
himself gave £2000 (one of his friends says £4000), and £4000 to the
Trinity almshouses. In 1808 he placed in the hands of the trustees the
sum of £10,500 to be invested in land, the rent of which was to be
devoted to seven charitable institutions in Bristol, named in the deed
and trust, in such manner and proportion, either to one alone, or between
any, as should at the time appear expedient to the trustees. An addition
to the infirmary being needed, he devoted much of his time to that
object, subscribing £2,600. The committee also received an anonymous
donation of £1000, entertaining no doubt who was the giver; and on the
following day one of their number happening to meet Richard Reynolds,
thanked him in the name of the committee for his acceptable donation. He
said—“Thou hast no authority for saying I sent the money,” and the
gentleman repeating the acknowledgment of the committee, Mr. Reynolds
quietly said—“Well, I see thou art determined that I should give thee a
thousand pounds,” and the next day they received a donation of that sum
with his name attached, thus doubling his first contribution. To these
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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