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 
