Hugh Squier


Hugh Squier of Petty France, Westminster, was a wealthy merchant best remembered as a generous benefactor to the town of South Molton in Devon, the place of his birth, where in 1684 he founded a "free school".

Origins

He was the 4th son of William Squier , a yeoman, of Townhouse, South Molton, then what Hoskins calls a "mansion", today a farmhouse situated about 1 3/4 miles west of the centre of the town of South Molton, on the road to Chittlehampton. William Squire was educated at Lyme Regis and at Caius College, Cambridge.
Hugh's mother was Jane Roberts, 3rd daughter and co-heiress of Richard Roberts of Combe Martin, Devon. Richard Roberts, whose mural monument survives in Combe Martin Church, was the owner of the demesne of the manor of Combe Martin and was patron of the churches of nearby Berry Narbor, Devon and of Chew Magna in Somerset. Hugh Squier's uncle-by-marriage was the Devon historian Thomas Westcote, married to Mary Roberts, his mother's elder sister.

Brothers and Sisters

Hugh had four sisters and three elder brothers as follows:
His eldest brother was their father's heir, so Hugh "had the younger son's portion: the privilege of leaving home to make a home for himself". He soon established himself in London as a prosperous merchant, although little if anything is known of his mercantile career. He is known to have had dealings with the East India Company, established in 1600.

Founds South Molton School

His children having all died young and having no heirs he thus decided to devote his wealth to philanthropical causes in his native town. In 1686 he built and endowed a school in East Street, South Molton, known as Hugh Squier's Free School. The original Deed of Endowment and Appointment of Trustees is held at North Devon Record Office in Barnstaple. The school's running expenses were mainly funded by income from Northam estates held on a rolling lease from the Dean and Canons of Windsor. In 1867 the South Molton trustees were notified that the leases would terminate in 1881. The trustees saved £2823 during the period of notice. £2315 was invested in Government stock and £508 was held in the bank. The Charity Commission issued an order dated 12/01/1883 "that the clear amount of the annual income.. after all proper outgoings and expenses shall be expended … on highways maintenance or suitable public works". He also bequeathed income from his estate in the parish of Swimbridge. See also: Copy will of Hugh Squier B366/BOX 1/SECTION 1/A/4 1709
The original "Deed of Endowment and Appointment of Trustees" dated 1686 survives in the archives of the North Devon Record Office in Barnstaple, summarised as follows:
"Parties:
John Cruse (d.1692)
The mural monument of John Cruse, the first Master of the school survives in St Mary Magdalen's Church, South Molton, inscribed as follows:
Rev. John Coleridge (1719-1781)
Rev. John Coleridge was ordained a deacon in 1749 and in 1750 was ordained a priest and was appointed Master of Hugh Squier's School and Lecturer of Molland. In 1760 he moved to Ottery St Mary, where he served as vicar and Master of the King's School. By his wife Anne Bowden , he was the father of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Amalgamation

In 1877 it was amalgamated with the Blue Coat School, founded in 1711, and with the National School, founded in 1833. The combined school was known as South Molton United Schools. A 19th century memorial brass tablet situated above the fireplace in the school-hall of South Molton Primary School, North Street, is inscribed as follows:
The school building survived intact until the 1960s when purchased by George Wallace for use in his Honey Farm, when he demolished one third of the structure to provide an entrance for articulated lorries. In 1978 the Honey Farm was moved to the old Union Workhouse in North Road and the remaining structure of the school was converted into a private dwelling in which form it remains today.

Notable pupils

Other charitable donations made by Hugh Squier, mainly in his will, include:
He was the first President of the Grey Coat School School, in the parish of St Margaret's Church, Westminster, founded in 1698 by 8 local tradesmen and supported by voluntary subscriptions, whose aim was to educate "40 of the Greatest Objects of Charity in the principles of the Christian religion, teaching to read and instructing them in the Church catechism, the discipline of the Church of England as by law established, and for teaching to write and cast accounts" and "binding them apprentices to honest trades and employments". As premises the school was granted rent-free by the Vestry of St Margaret's Church use of the large building of the "Grey Coat Hospital" in Tothill Fields within the parish. the true owner of the freehold of Tothill Fields was disputed between the Vestry of St Margarets, the Vestry of St John's and the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey. In 1696 the
Dean and Chapter asserted their claims to the freehold and
a committee, consisting of Mr. Justice Railton, Mr. Hugh
Squier, Mr. John Parker, Mr. Charles Rampayne, and others
were directed to investigate the claim, and to search the
ancient deeds and records relating to the title. In 1706 the trustees obtained a royal charter from Queen Anne which formed them into a corporation legally capable of holding land and receiving donations, when the name of the school was changed to "Grey Coat Hospital". "Hugh Squier, Esquire" is listed as one of the many subscribers and benefactors, along with Rev. George Smalridge, DD. The aims of the school emphasised training in "casting accounts" and "such of them as are capable are also kept to work at spinning, knitting, sewing and other employments to inure them to honest labour and industry".

Connection to Blue Coat School, Westminster

He was long connected with the Blue Coat School in Westminster, founded in Duck Lane in about 1688 by voluntary subscription as a charity school for the education of poor boys to teach them reading, writing, religion, and trades. In 1709 it moved to a purpose-built premises in Caxton Street, which building survives today. A parchment roll dated about 1700 states:
Then follows a list of thirty-five names.

Intelligence provider

The Calendar of State Papers Colonial, America and West Indies, contains the following entry for June 24, 1662:
The information led to a trial for treason of Maurice Thomson, at which he was proven innocent.

Loan on the Linen Duty Act

Hugh Squier was marked down as recipient of a repayment of £3,000, one of the highest sums, on the "List of orders of repayment for loans on the credit of the Act of 1 James II, c. 5, granting an imposition on French linens, East India linens, several other manufactures of India, French wrought silks and stuffs, all other wrought silks and all brandies imported after 1685, July 1, and before 1690, July 1, said loans being at 7 per cent."

Residence

He resided at Petty France, on the south side of St James's Park, Westminster, where his local church was "Dr Smalridge's New Church" or "The New Chapel", built in 1631-6 as a chapel of ease to St Margaret's, Westminster, later under the care of Rev. George Smalridge, later Bishop of Bristol. It was demolished and rebuilt in 1842 in the fashionable gothic style as "Christ Church, Broadway". but was bombed in 1941 during World War II and later demolished, when the parish was united to St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square. In 1671 his house was described as "near Lord Scudamore's in Petty France"

Landholdings and property

Hugh Squire owned landholdings and property including the following:
In the Four Shillings in the Pound Aid 1693/4 the City of London taxed Hugh Squier at £10 on a rental value of £50 for a property in Parke Street, City of Westminster, let to William Clarke and £12 on another property in St Margaret's, Westminster, of rental value £60 occupied by himself.

Will of Hugh Squier

Hugh Squier made his will on 24 February 1709, of which a part was as follows:
The testator then gave three leasehold houses in St Martin's-le-Grand to the parish of St. Margaret's, Westminster, the rents of which were to be appropriated to various purposes; and then proceeded:

Monuments