James Smith (1587–1667)

James Smith (1587–1667, alias James Smyth) of Hammersmith, Middlesex, was an Alderman of the City of London a member of the Worshipful Company of Salters and a Governor of Christ's Hospital in London.

In the town of Maidenhead in the parish of Cookham he erected almshouses for the poor.

[3] He married twice:[3] In the town of Maidenhead, then in the parish of Cookham, Berkshire, in which parish he was born, in 1659 he built eight almshouses of two rooms each for eight poor men, aged over 50 and parishioners of Cookham, and their wives.

He endowed it with Norden's Farm, a 116-acre estate in the parish of Bray, the rental receipts from which were to be paid to the Worshipful Company of Salters which then distributed sums to the residents in amounts and at times as set down in the foundation deed.

It was demolished and rebuilt in 1882 as St Paul's Church, Hammersmith,[7] in which his monument was re-erected.

Monument to James Smith (1587–1667), St Paul's Church, Hammersmith. Drawn in 1839 [ 1 ]
Arms of Smith of Isleworth, Middlesex ( Smith Baronets ): Azure, a lion rampant or on a chief argent a mullet gules between two torteaux [ 2 ]
James Smith's Almshouses, Bridge Street, Maidenhead, founded in 1659, today known as Smyth's Almshouses
Inscription with arms of Smith on front of James Smith's Almshouses, Maidenhead