Guy
THOMAS, an English philanthropist; founder of Guy's Hospital , Southwark, London; born in London, in 1644. He began business in 1668 as a bookseller, dealing extensively in the importation of English Bibles from Holland, and, on this being stopped, he contracted with the University of Oxford for the privilege of printing Bibles. By this means, and by selling out his original shares in South Sea stock at a great advantage, he amassed a fortune of nearly $500,000. In 1707 he built and furnished three wards of St. Thomas' Hospital. For the building and endowment of the hospital in Southwark which bears his name he set apart over $1,- 000,000. He built and endowed almshouses and a library at Tamworth, for which he became one of the members about 1694. Besides bestowing $2,000 a year on Christ's Hospital, and giving to various other charities, he left $400,000 to be divided among those who could prove any degree of relationship to him.
He died Dec. 27, 1724.