Whitehaven's most generous Miser!

Matthew Piper was one of a family that in the 18th century were involved in the merchant trade with the Virginia colonies. But despite being miserly in his lifetime he was generous to a fault with his legacy, creating a soup kitchen charity that lived on.

Matthew Piper of Whitehaven led a frugal existence and died in 1820 at the age of 90. He set up a soup kitchen for the poor, a marine school and an educational charity.
Matthew Piper was born about 1730 and went to sea as a young man. According to a newspaper account published at the time of his death in 1821 aged 91 "when on aboard he descended to the most servile offices for the meanest sailor for the sake of a penny". In short, Matthew Piper was the very model of a miser. In later life he was even reluctant to pay his board and lodgings of eight shillings (40 pence) a week.
"If he happened to dine or drink tea abroad (i.e. not at his lodgings) he carefully calculated the proportionate expense and deducted it from his board!" The article goes on to give details of his one long lasting suit and ragged shirts which the washerwoman was obliged to mend for which she was rewarded with a grudging halfpenny. "Being
faint a few days before his dissolution (death) it was proposed to administer a little brandy, at which he faltered out: "What will it cost?" When a relative called, he saluted him with: "Have you brought the interest?" "It's not due yet." "No," added the sick man,
"and I'm not dead yet." The Marine School in High Street ( now Piper's Court) and Rose Cottage nearby, purchased in 1864 to house the headmaster, flourished for the remainder of the 19th century until overtaken by free primary education in 1891. Before being admitted boys had to be able to read the New Testament and be no more than
eight years old. The maximum stay was five years. The complement of 60 poor boys were taught the three Rs as well as navigation - though there was no obligation to go to sea. On the school's closure in 1900 the proceeds were transferred to a fund which still
survives in a modified form to provide educational scholarships to university for those in need who have attended one of the town centre primary schools.As well as endowing the Marine School and the soup kitchen which operated latterly from number 1 Mill Street, he also paid for National elementary schools at Kendal and Lancaster. Piper requested that his remains be buried under the floor of the National School in Kendal.
When the hearse arrived there the 150 pupils processed down the main street (Stricklandgate) followed by the vicar, the Aldermen and other dignitaries and six post-chaises full of relatives. At the school there was no ceremony whatsoever and once the coffin had been laid in the stone-lined receptacle, the floor was simply reflagged. Each of the scholars was rewarded with a large biscuit! His obituary in the Cumberland Pacquet of October 29 sums him up as follows. "Though he denied to himself the pleasure of being an eyewitness of the benefits he thus conferred on society, it would be injustice to his memory to say he disposed of a part of his wealth for posthumous praise, as he disregarded popularity." Nevertheless countless poor Whitehaven citizens have reason to thank him.