Historic Local Charity Marks 45-Years Of Loyal Service

Published on: 23 Apr, 2016
Updated on: 23 Apr, 2016

Colin Fullager (centre) being given his presentation by the Mayor of Guildford Nikki Nelson-Smith and the Lord Lieutenant Michael More-Molyneux. Click to on image to enlarge.

Tribute was paid this week to a trustee of a local historic charity who has given loyal service for 45 years.

Friends and supporters of the Caleb Lovejoy Almshouse Charity attended a reception held in the St Nicolas’ Parish Community Centre on Wednesday, April 20 in the presence of the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey,  Michael More-Molyneux, and the Mayor of Guildford, Nikki Nelson-Smith.

The reception was held to celebrate the life (1603 – 1676) of the charity’s founder, Caleb Lovejoy, born near St Nicolas’ Church, who was a Royal Grammar School pupil before moving to London, where he was apprenticed to the Merchant Taylors’ Company.

He subsequently became a wealthy merchant, selling wagons to Cromwell’s army, and made provision in his will for four almshouses to be built in the Parish of St Nicolas.  The almshouses are in a listed building in Bury Street, close to St Nicolas’ Church.

Caleb Lovejoy alms cottages in Bury Street near St Nicolas Church. They were built in 1839 on the sale of Caleb Lovejoy’s estate. Copyright N Chadwick.

During the reception, which featured a talk on the important work of The Alzheimer’s Association, the Lord Lieutenant and the Mayor jointly made a presentation which included a garden rose called Happy Retirement, to retiring trustee, Colin Fullagar.

Colin served the charity in various roles as assistant clerk, clerk and trustee over a remarkable 45 years; he has also been involved with a number of other Guildford charities.

Colin, who lives on Southway, said: “The Caleb Lovejoy charity is part Guildford’s history, a history of which so much has disappeared over the years.

“The charity provides a good comfortable home for some older Guildford residents. I thoroughly enjoyed my 45 years working for it.”

In paying tribute to Colin’s outstanding record of service and thanking him for helping to enable Caleb Lovejoy’s Charity to remain in good health, chairman of trustees, Roger Musson, commented: “I hope some of those whose lives have been enriched by Guildford would spare a thought for the charity, following the example of Caleb Lovejoy, Colin and others, in their different ways, to enable it to survive and flourish in the challenging times of the twenty-first century.”

Other former trustees present and well known to Colin included Mrs Zoe Brown, appointed following the retirement at the age of 105 after many years as a trustee of her late mother-in-law, Mrs Mary Brown, who lived until she was 110.

Click here to learn more about Caleb Lovejoy.

Share This Post