From Dr James Thomson
Sir, - When guiding at Lambeth Palace, I always pause
in the Guard Room at the portrait of Archbishop William Laud,
painted in 1633 by the studio of Anthony Van Dyck. I have
considerable regard for Laud and what he tried to achieve. It was,
therefore, good that the Church Times carried an article about him
by the Revd Adrian Leak (Faith) the day before the Church
commemorates the anniversary of his violent death on 10 January
1645.
I am ashamed to say that I was unaware that when
Laud was a Governor of Sutton's Hospital in Charterhouse, just to
the north of the City of London, he stood up to the Duke of
Buckingham, who was keen to close the Hospital.
Fr Leak indicates that pupils at Charterhouse School
have reason to be grateful to Laud. When Thomas Sutton founded his
Hospital, it was for 80 elderly men and only 40 poor boys. The
School moved to Godalming in 1872, but the elderly men continued to
be cared for on the original site. They, too, will also be grateful
to the unfortunate Laud.
James P. S. Thomson
31st Master of the Charterhouse,
2001-12
15 Nelson Terrace, London N1 8DG