This is one of the twelve principal companies, and is governed by a Prime and five other Wardens, twenty-eight Assistants, and 140 Liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 13_l._ 6_s._ 8_d_. This corporation pays to charitable uses about 800_l._ _per annum_.
FISHMONGERS HALL, situated in Thames street, a little above the Bridge, and has a view of the river. The entrance from Thames street is by a handsome passage which leads into a large square court, paved with flat stones, and encompassed by the great hall, the court room for the Assistants, and other grand apartments, with galleries; these are of an handsome construction, and are supported by Ionic columns, with an arcade. The front next the Thames has been lately repaired and ornamented at a very great expence. The ascent to the first apartments is by a double flight of steps from the wharf; the door is adorned with Ionic columns, and these support an open pediment, in which is a shield with the arms of the company; the windows are ornamented with stone cases, and the quoins of the building are wrought with a handsome rustic, and in the whole of this front there is a great deal of solid beauty.
FISHMONGERS _alley_, 1. St. Margaret’s hill. 2. Fenchurch street.
FISHMONGERS _Almshouses_, handsome buildings at Newington Butts, founded and erected at different times. The most ancient is St. Peter’s hospital, a Gothic structure, built with brick and stone, with a brick wall before it, within which are two rows of tall trees, and behind the buildings a garden.
The entrance is by a pair of iron gates opening to the center of the building, which is lofty but very irregular. On the inside are two courts behind each other, in which is a hall with painted windows and a chapel. Inscriptions on the sides of these courts shew that they were built at different times.
To the south of this hospital is another founded by Mr. James Hulbert, a liveryman of the Fishmonger’s company, in the year 1719, whose statue is erected upon a pedestal; and in the wall which extends before both, are iron rails, to afford a view of this statue, the more modern hospital, erected by that gentleman, and the pleasant walks before it.
The Fishmongers company erected St. Peter’s hospital by virtue of letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1618, for the reception of several of their poor members who had pensions bequeathed them by the wills of several members of the company: thirteen of whom were beadsmen and women of the company’s great benefactor Sir Thomas Knesworth, who in 1513 left them 8_d_. _per_ week each. Sir Thomas Hunt also in 1615 left 20_l._ 10_s._ _per annum_ towards the support of six ancient poor men and women. Richard Edmunds in 1620 bequeathed an annual sum of 6_l._ towards the maintenance of two poor persons; which number of twenty-one pensioners, with one added by the company, were put into this hospital; and soon after Sir John Leman, Sir John Gayer, Mr. Harper, Arthur Mouse and Mrs. Anne Bromsgrove, by their respective wills demised several sums to the amount of 28_l._ _per annum_.
