Sir, Richard Morrison (T2, June 14) makes some interesting points about philanthropy in the 18th century and the need to make it fashionable again.
My six-times great-grandfather, George Peters, a London merchant and director and governor of the Bank of England, was a financial supporter of many worthy 18th-century causes, as was his friend, the noted philanthropist and traveller, Jonas Hanway (1712-86). Hanway appears to be almost forgotten today, though his bust remains in Westminster Abbey, and the Marine Society, which he founded in 1756 to encourage poor men and boys of good character to join the Royal Navy, survives.
Morrison suggests that philanthropy would be encouraged by the award of honours. I don’t think that the likes of Thomas Coram, Robert Dingley or Jonas Hanway would have wished to accept any honour for their endeavours. They saw a need and strove altruistically to do something about it.
The people who generously supported their endeavours, like my ancestor, could read the notices printed on the front page of newspapers, which listed every subscriber to a cause. If some way could be found to replicate such notices, where they could be widely and easily read by everybody, I think philanthropy would once again become fashionable.
Yours faithfully,
ALISTAIR GORDON,
5n Peabody Buildings,
Duchy Street, SE1 8DS.
alistair73@hotmail.com
June 15.