but afterwards removed into better premises in
Queen Street. While living in Stonewell Row he purchased some furniture
cheap, at an auction, and in a drawer of one of the articles purchased he
found a recipe, said to have been written by a Boston doctor, for the
medicine eventually to become known universally as "Whelpton's Pills" (a
powerful stomachic, for kidney diseases, &c.), and from the sale of which
he and other members of his family realised large fortunes. {142b} His
wife had been for some time in a bad state of health, and after she had
consulted various doctors without deriving any benefit from their
treatment, he decided to try for her the prescription which had thus
accidentally come into his possession. The result was so satisfactory
that other sufferers applied to him for the pills, which for a time he
freely gave to his neighbours; ultimately, however, these applications
became so numerous that he was obliged to make a charge.

As he began to realise a considerable income from this source, he gave up
the shoemaking business, and left Horncastle; his first move being to
Derby, {142c} where he occupied a residence known as "St. Anne's House,"
afterwards moving to London, where he, at first, lived in Crane Court,
Fleet Street, which still continues to be the depot of the pill business.
He subsequently moved to a better part of the metropolis, taking up his
residence at 1, Albert Road, Regent's Park, where he remained for several
years, until he finally settled in Warrior Square, Hastings.

While residing in London his wife {143a} had another illness, from which
she eventually died, in 1859; and feeling her loss very acutely he
decided, after a time, to erect the almshouses to her memory. {143b}

[Picture: West Street during the Flood, Dec. 31, 1900]

Among the documents preserved in connection with this charity, is the
original letter of George Whelpton, dated March 18, 1861, giving
instructions that the building of the almshouses should be immediately
taken in hand. The Indenture itself is dated March 21st, 1861, and among
its terms are the following: "This agreement is between Richard
Clitherow, of Horncastle, Gentleman, surviving trustee and executor of
the will of Samuel Curtis Lomas, late of Blencogo, Co. Cumberland,
Surgeon, of the first part; George Whelpton, of No. 1, Albert Road,
Regent's Park, Middlesex, of the second part; and William Thompson
Whelpton, of No. 69, Gloucester Cres