REGENT'S PARK 95 



House for Nurses for the Poor, known as the Jubilee 

 Nurses, as the funds to provide them were raised by the 

 women of England as a Jubilee Gift to Queen Victoria. 



The Hospital of St. Katharine was founded by Queen 

 Matilda, " wife to King Stephen, by licence of the Prior 

 and Convent of the Holy Trinity in London, on whose 

 ground she founded it. Elianor the Queene, wife to 

 King Edward the First, a second Foundresse, appointed 

 to be there, one Master, three Brethren Chaplaines and 

 three Sisters, ten poore women, and six poore clerkes. 

 She gave to them the Manor of Clarton in Wiltshire 

 and Upchurch in Kent, etc. Queene Philip, wife to 

 King Edward the Third, 1351, founded a Chauntry 

 there, and gave to that Hospital tenne pound land by 

 yeere ; it was of late time [1598] called a free Chappell, a 

 Colledge and an Hospital for poore sisters. The Quire 

 which (of late yeares) was not much inferior to that of 

 Pauls, was dissolved by Doctor Wilson, a late Master 

 there." Such is Stowe's account of the foundation. 



Even in those days the district was becoming crowded, 

 " pestered with small Tenements," chiefly owing to the 

 influx from Calais, Hammes, and Guisnes when those 

 places were lost in Mary's reign. Many, "wanting 

 Habitation," were allowed a " Place belonging to St. 

 Katharine's." The curious name, " Hangman's Gains," 

 in that locality was said to be derived from a corruption 

 of two of the places the refugees came from. 



In Henry VIII. 's time a Guild or Fraternity was 

 " founded in the Church of this Hospital of St. Katharine 

 to the Honour of St. Barbara." Katharine of Aragon 

 and Henry VIII. and Cardinal Wolsey belonged to it, 

 and many other " honourable persons." The object was 

 to secure a home for any " Brother or Sister who fell into 



