THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 137
The party then retraced its way across West Ham Park to its next
objective, the Almshouses in Church Passage, whose history may be
summarised thus:—
On April 30th, 1636, one John Newman surrendered two copyhold
messuages and gardens to trustees for the use of the poor. On this site
the existing almshouses facing the churchyard were built in 1745.
A principal benefactrice to this charity was Mrs. Thomazin Gouge,
of West Ham, who, dying in 1755, bequeathed the residue of her personal
estate in trust for the maintenance of the almshouses, a gift worth about
£1,300 (nominal). Later benefactions were:—
1743. James Cooper's bequest, £600 (nominal)
1807. John Snellgrove's bequest, £700
1830. Isabella Wilson's bequest, £1,000 ,,
1836-7. Joseph Watts' bequest, £500
1844. Elizabeth Hoyte and Mary Goldthorpe's gift, £2,300
(nominal).
1877. Emily Cleypole's bequest, £100.
These benefactions proved to be inadequate for the maintenance of
the almshouses and almswomen, and have been supplemented from other
sources.
The existing almshouses consist of 20 separate rooms, one for each of
20 almswomen over Oo years of age, but now only 19 almswomen are
provided for, the remaining room being occupied by a nurse-attendant
who also has charge of the six inmates of another Almshouse for women,
in Gift Lane, which has only last year been amalgamated with the Church
Passage almshouses. This Gift Lane almshouse originated under the
Will of Roger Harris, 1633, the existing building having been built in
1853.
A parcel of land in Church Street and Gift Lane has been purchased
in recent years, on which it is intended to erect new Almshouses.
The parish church of All Saints was next visited, the visitors being
here joined (in the unavoidable absence of the Vicar, the Rev. A. W. W.
Wallace) by his churchwarden, Mr. D. Fassam, who kindly exhibited the
registers and some of the church plate.
The Hon. Secretary read the following account of the church to the
party seated in the nave:—
WEST HAM CHURCH.
The parish church of West Ham was given by Gilbert, son of William
Montfitchet, to the Abbot and Convent of Stratford Langthorne, a gift
confirmed in 1182 by Charter from Henry II. Dedicated to All Saints,
the building still retains traces of its Norman origin in the remains of
the round-headed clearstory windows of the nave, of late 12th century
date, which were blocked when the nave-arcades were rebuilt, circa 1240;
at which date the church was of cruciform plan and continued so to be
until about the year 1400.
At this latter date various changes took place; the nave arcades
were lengthened by two additional bays continued over the site of the
former crossing, the existing West Tower was built, the chancel arch
formed and other alterations made. The South Chapel was built in the
late 15th century, and the North Chapel, with its pleasing red-brick