FRENCH HOSPITAL, contiguous to the Pesthouse on the south side of St. Luke’s parish, was erected in the year 1717, and the Governors by letters patent of the 4th of King George I. in 1718, were constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name of _The Governor and Directors of the hospital for the poor French Protestants, and their defendants, residing in Great Britain_.
This hospital at present contains 220 poor helpless men and women, 146 of whom are upon the foundation, and are plentifully supplied with all the necessaries of life, at the expence of the hospital; but the other seventy-four are paid for by their friends, at the rate of 9_l._ a year each. This charity also extends to lunatics, for whose accommodation a large infirmary is provided.
To this foundation belong a Chaplain, Physician, Surgeon, and other proper officers, who carefully attend the pensioners, and administer to their several necessities. _Stow, last edit._
FRENCH HOUSE OF CHARITY, in Spitalfields, commonly called the _Soup_, was erected about sixty years ago, for the relief of necessitous families, whose number in the year 1733 amounted to two hundred and ninety-six. This house, which is supported by the charitable benefactions and contributions of well-disposed persons, is under the direction of a certain number of Governors and Governesses, who at first supplied the poor under their care with money; but many of them, without the least regard to their distressed families, wickedly disposing of the money in spirituous liquors, tobacco, &c. the managers agreed for the future to allow these poor families provisions instead of money, according to their several necessities; some therefore are allowed two portions a week, others three or four, and the most necessitous, six: each portion consisting of a pan of good soup, mixed with six ounces of bread, half a pound of meat, and the same weight of dry bread. The expence of this charity amounts to 500_l._ _per annum_. _Maitland._
FRENCH EPISCOPAL CHURCH, in Threadneedle street, near the Royal Exchange. In this place was formerly a synagogue built by the Jews about the year 1231, but in the reign of King Henry III. the Christians obtained it of that Prince, who granted it to the brotherhood of St. Anthony of Vienna, and it was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Afterwards an hospital was added, called St. Anthony’s of London, with a large free-school; and this hospital which was allowed by Edward IV. to have priests, clerks, scholars, poor men and brethren, with choristers, proctors, messengers, servitors, &c. like the convent of St. Anthony of Vienna, was about the year 1485, appropriated to the collegiate church of St. George at Windsor. This school in the reign of Henry VI. was one of the most celebrated in England, and the scholars used at a certain time in the year to go in procession; particularly on the 15th of September 1562, there set out from Mile end two hundred children of St. Anthony’s school, who marched through Aldgate down Cornhill, to the Augustine Friars, with flags and streamers flying, and drums beating. But at length Johnson, one of the schoolmasters, becoming a Prebendary of Windsor, ruined the hospital; spoilt the choir of the church; conveyed away the plate and ornaments; then the bells; and lastly turned the almsmen out of their houses, allowing only 12_d_. a week to each. These houses were afterwards let out for the sake of the rent, and the church at length became a place of worship for the use of the French, who hold it of the church of Windsor.