A photograph of a portrait of Thomas Hutcheson (1590-1641). The painting is thought to have been by Anthony Van Dyck.
Hutcheson was a philanthropic lawyer whose brother George (c 1558-1639) had endowed Hutchesons' Hospital, built in 1641-1660 on Trongate as a hospice for "poore aiget decrippit men". Thomas endowed Hutchesons' Grammar School for orphaned and under-privileged boys, which was housed in the Hospital building.
The Hutchesons' father (also Thomas) had died when Thomas was only five years old, leaving the older George to act as his guardian. Thomas received a good education and is said to have stated that this was one of "the blessings, and the pious and memorable exampell for which, under God, I am indebted to my brother George".
Reference: Mitchell Library GC f941.435 OLD
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
benefactors, homes for the elderly, hospitals, Hutchesons' Grammar School, Hutchesons' Hospital, lawyers, old folks' homes, old people's homes, orphans, philanthopists, portraits, schools, sheltered housing