Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Reed, Andrew
REED, ANDREW (1787–1862), philanthropist and independent minister, born at Beaumont House, Butcher Row, St. Clement Danes, London, on 27 Nov. 1787, was fourth son of Andrew Reed, watchmaker, and of his wife, Mary Ann Mullen, who before her marriage taught a school in Little Britain. The father came as a young man to London from Maiden Newton in Dorset. He belonged to the independents, and acted as lay evangelist and preacher to the end of his life. Young Andrew was privately educated. At sixteen years of age he joined the congregational church in New Road, St. George's-in-the-East. Brought up to his father's business, he soon found it uncongenial, and by the advice of the Rev. Matthew Wilks of the Tabernacle, Moorfields, entered Hackney College as a theological student under the Rev. George Collison in 1807. He was ordained to the ministry on his twenty-fourth birthday, November 1811, as pastor of the New Road chapel. After seventeen years' labour there he set about building a larger chapel, which was called Wycliffe Chapel, and was opened on 21 June 1831. He held the pastorate of Wycliffe Chapel until November 1861. In 1834 Reed was sent by the Congregational Union of England and Wales as a deputation with the Rev. J. Matheson to the congregational churches of America, in order to promote peace and friendship between the two communities. The Yale University conferred upon him the honorary degree of D.D., and he returned home after an absence of eight months. With his colleague he published ‘a narrative of the visit,’ 2 vols. 1834.
Reed actively engaged in philanthropic work for nearly fifty years. In 1813 he published a first appeal urging the formation of an asylum for orphans. Beginning in a small way, the institution grew in popular favour, and from February 1815 was known by the name of the London Orphan Asylum. Reed prepared plans, collected money, and elicited the sympathy of the public, securing the support of the Duke of Kent and other members of the royal family. A site in Clapton, consisting of a house and eight acres, was bought at a cost of three thousand five hundred guineas. The actual building cost 25,000l., and was opened in 1825 by the Duke of Cambridge. Reed's second great work was the founding, in July 1827, of the Infant Orphan Asylum for fatherless children under seven years of age. Temporary premises were taken in Hackney Road, and Royal patronage was enlisted. A second house, with spacious grounds, was taken at Dalston to meet the increasing demand. When this proved inadequate, ground was secured at Wanstead, where in June 1841 the first stone of the new asylum was laid by the prince consort, who insisted on Reed accepting the mallet which had been presented to him during the ceremony. The governors decided, despite Reed's opposition, that the use of the Church of England catechism should be made compulsory. He therefore resigned his place at the board; but he still supported the charity, and provided for it by a special bequest in his will. In 1844 he set to work to found another infant asylum where no such condition should be required and a scriptural training be given. Twelve hundred pounds was at once raised, a house taken at Richmond, then a larger one in Hackney Road, and afterwards an old mansion on Stamford Hill. Eventually an estate was bought at Coulsdon, near Croydon, on which an orphanage was built, and was named Reedham in Reed's honour. Two other charities owe their origin to Reed. One is the asylum for idiots, which was started in October 1847. It was first housed at Highgate, but was afterwards transferred to Earlswood, Surrey, and a branch for the eastern counties was established at Essex Hall, Colchester. Reed's last great philanthropic effort was made on behalf of incurables, of whom large numbers were discharged from the hospitals. This, begun in July 1855, was named the Royal Hospital for Incurables, and found a permanent home at Putney. The claims of these various institutions, in whose management he played a personal part, made it necessary for Reed to live in town, and he built himself a house at Cambridge Heath, Hackney, where his later life was passed. The cost of the asylums which he founded was 129,320l.
Reed resigned the pastorate of Wycliffe Chapel on the celebration of his jubilee in November 1861, and died at his house, Cambridge Heath, Hackney, on Tuesday, 25 Feb. 1862, aged 74.
In April 1816 Reed married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Jasper Thomas Holmes of Castle Hall, Reading. She bore him four sons—Andrew, Charles [q. v.], Martin, and Howard—and a daughter Elizabeth, who became the wife of Thomas Spalding.
Besides sermons and tracts and the account of the visit to America mentioned, Reed published: 1. ‘No Fiction: a Narrative founded on Facts,’ in 2 vols. 1819; 12th edit. 1 vol. 8vo, with plates. 2. ‘Martha: a Memorial of an only and beloved Sister,’ 1821. 3. ‘Rolls Plumbe: a Narrative for Children,’ 1832. 4. ‘Tracts adapted to the Revival of Religion,’ 1832. 5. ‘The Revival of Religion: a Narrative of the State of Religion at Wycliffe Chapel,’ 1839. 6. ‘Eminent Piety essential to Eminent Usefulness,’ 1842. 7. ‘The Advancement of Religion the Claim of the Times: a Course of Winter Lectures,’ 1843. 8. ‘Personal Effort for the Salvation of Men: a Manual for Christians,’ 1844. 9. ‘Charges and Sermons delivered on Special Occasions,’ 1861. In 1841 he compiled and issued a hymn-book, being a collection of psalms and hymns for public worship, nineteen of which were written by himself. Of these the following have come into common use: ‘Spirit Divine, attend our prayers,’ and ‘There is an hour when I must part.’
A full-length portrait of Reed, painted by George Paten in 1838, hangs in the board-room of the London Orphan Asylum at Clapton.
[Memoirs of the Life and Philanthropic Labours of Andrew Reed, D.D., with Selections from his Journals, edited by his sons, Andrew Reed, B.A., and Charles Reed, F.S.A., 1863, 3rd edit. 1867.]