St. Eloyen Gasthuis

Boterstraat 22 - Utrecht - The Netherlands

    
         
         
  Charity    
       
  Inheritance Van Dashorst    
  In 1603 master smith Cornelis van Dashorst died and past all his properties and belongings to the Guild of Smiths (het Utrechts Smedengilde). The inheritance was to be left on acceptance of his will that from that day on 20 poor black smiths or other genuine poor people would get een halve stuiver in bread as well as een halve stuiver in money. These gifts were to be given in the Buurkerk. This happened from the bread table in the Buurkerk until 1907 and in the St. Eloyen Gasthuis (St. Eloy's Hospice) until 1963. For a while a coupon for bread was handed out and subsequently survival packs were delivered.    
     
     
     
     
     
       
 
   
     
     
       
       
     
       
       
     
     
     
       
       
       
         
   
Interior of the Buurkerk
    
   
Pieter Saenredam (1645)
    
         
         
    Van Dashorst’ inheritance was not left on his death. His widow enjoyed the usufruct of her deceased husband inheritance for almost 20 years. Thanks to the inheritance the Guild of Smiths had means for charity purposes and was able to preserve the property nowadays known as the St. Eloy’s Hospice. In 1644 the front and the entrance to the building was embellished. Ever since that day the entrance to the St. Eloyen Gasthuis is still the same.    
       
       
       
       
         
   
   
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
         
   
Five loafs of bread on the
    
   
Bread Table (from 1603) in the Buurkerk
    
   
Picture from 1937
    
         
         
   
   
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
         
   
Back site of the Bread Table
    
   
and the painting of working smiths, two loafs of bread and six five-cent pieces
    
         
         
    Charity    
    Up to now charity is something the brotherhood feels very strong about and is still pursued in a way Van Dashorst would have wanted it. In 1994 the delivery of survival packs didn’t seem appropriate any more and it was decided to support people of the city of Utrecht of impeccable conduct who have become in financial disarray due to a single considerable and at the same time necessary expense. Brothers who know of such people may turn to the Huismeester who decides over a financial relief.    
       
       
       
       
         
   
   
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
         
   
A woman living on charity leaves the St. Eloyen Gasthuis
    
   
(pictures from winter 1962 / 1963)
    
         
         
   
'May all this serve to the Wellfare and Prosperity of the House of Saint Eligius'