‘My heart’s pounding’: Charterhouse resident wins battle to stay in her home after chapel dispute
‘DELIGHTED’: Sandy Smith
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
An almshouse resident has won her battle to stay in her home after a dispute over not attending its chapel.
As first reported by The Hull Story, atheist Sandy Smith, 69, had been warned she faced eviction after being placed under “investigation” for not attending chapel at The Charterhouse, an almshouse founded in Hull in the 14th century.
But after making her case before a panel appointed by the Charterhouse trustees last month she was informed by email today no further action would be taken.
The email, sent by clerk to the trustees Michael Craughan, said: “Dear Ms Smith, Following a recent Trustee Board Meeting were [sic] the Investigation Panel presented their recommendation to the Board. I can advise you the Board have accepted their recommendation and no further action will currently be taken regarding your license to occupy [flat number].”
Sandy, who has lived at The Charterhouse in Charterhouse Lane for nearly five years, said she was “delighted” at the outcome.
She said: “My heart’s pounding. I’m delighted that they’ve seen sense and hopefully it won’t impact on the rest of my time here.”
INVESTIGATION: The Charterhouse
According to the residents’ handbook, all residents at The Charterhouse are required to attend the on-site chapel on Sundays unless excused by the “Master”.
Its governance document states that any resident who is not a member of the Church of England and who applies to be excused “shall be excused from attendance”.
Sandy has never been a member of the Church of England and has twice applied in writing – to both the current Master, Reverend Gloria Naylor, and former Master, Canon Paul Greenwell – to be excused from attending chapel at the site in Charterhouse Lane, near Wincolmlee.
She received no formal reply from either and was instead informed she being investigated by the trustees.
SUNDAY ATTENDANCE RULE: The Charterhouse Chapel
Sandy was told the trustees would decide one of four outcomes after receiving the panel’s recommondation: take no further action, issue a verbal warning, issue a written warning, or “proceed to set aside the appointment” [as a beneficiary of the charity].
The Charterhouse, a registered charity, can date its history back to the 14th century when Sir William De La Pole, the first Mayor of Kingston upon Hull, announced his intention to build a hospital on the site for the poor of the city, which was to be called Maison Dieu or House of God.
He died in 1366 before his plan could be realised but his son, Sir Michael De La Pole, carried out his father’s wishes, building God’s House Hospital incorporating a chapel on the south side of the street. He installed 13 poor men and 13 poor women in the hospital, the number representing Christ and the 12 Apostles.
A charter was granted by King Richard II on March 1, 1384, and Sir Richard de Killum, a priest, became the first Master and Keeper of the hospital. The Charter ordained “that every Master thereafter have likewise the order of priesthood and be of 30 years of age or more and, that the said poor men and women, brothers and sisters, be under the obedience of the said Master”.