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William Coward (philanthropist)
William Coward (1648–1738) was a London merchant in the Jamaica trade, remembered for his support of Dissenters, particularly his educational philanthropy. Life After a period in Jamaica, where he built up an estate (see Sugar plantations in the Caribbean), he retired to Walthamstow in 1685, and built an Independent (religion), Independent meeting house there, with Hugh Farmer as the first minister. He became known for strict household arrangements, his doors being closed against visitors at 8 pm. He was spoken of as eccentric in his old age and he had a very public quarrel with Thomas Bradbury (minister), Thomas Bradbury. Coward instituted a course of 26 lectures ''On the most important Doctrines of the Gospel'', in the church of Paved Alley, Lime Street; they were published in two volumes in 1730-1 and became known as the "Lime Street Lectures". A total of nine preachers took part, among them Abraham Taylor and John Gill (theologian), John Gill. (This was not the first lect ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola (the island containing the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic); the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands lies some to the north-west. Originally inhabited by the indigenous Taíno peoples, the island came under Spanish rule following the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1494. Many of the indigenous people either were killed or died of diseases, after which the Spanish brought large numbers of African slaves to Jamaica as labourers. The island remained a possession of Spain until 1655, when England (later Great Britain) conquered it, renaming it ''Jamaica''. Under British colonial rule Jamaica became a leading sugar exporter, with a plantation economy dependent on the African slaves and later their des ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |