Yahoo News Benevolent fund set up by Hull philanthropist Joseph Rank marks its 90th birthday
A milestone birthday for a charity set up to help the poor of Hull has been marked with a civic celebration.
The Joseph Rank Benevolent Fund is 90 years old and marked the occasion with an afternoon tea party at the Guildhall. The event was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Hull Cllr Mark Collinson and Lady Mayoress Cllr Christine Randall, and over 90 beneficiaries of the fund attended.
Founder of the fund Joseph Rank, who was born into a prominent family of millers, directed that as well as supporting local charities, its monies were to be “devoted to the payment of pensions to poor persons, who, from age, ill health, accident or infirmity, are unable to earn their living by their own exertions”, at the first meeting of its board of trustees on November 30, 1934. A deed of trust was signed at The Royal Station Hotel, marking the beginning of the fund, when Joseph explained the objectives and how the money was to be distributed.
READ MORE: Expert warns pensioners 'giving away cash to avoid tax could cost you far more'
READ MORE: Nurse who was born 24 days after the NHS began retires after 58 years
Joseph said: “I am making this Foundation in the hope that it will be of great comfort to a number of people during a very long future.” The trust deed stated that beneficiaries should have resided in Hull for a total of ten years out of the preceding 15 and that the boundary of the then city of Hull, plus two miles, was to be the cut-off point geographically.
Joseph Rank was born in a cottage next to the Mill on Holderness Road in 1854. His mother sadly died while delivering her fourth son in 1858 and Joseph’s father remarried, his new stepmother being more inclined towards her own sons.
Joseph had a good education and started an apprenticeship with his father, but things did not go well and he was sent away to learn his trade with a fellow miller in Scotland. After Joseph’s father died, he was recalled to Holderness Road, having been left £500 but not the mill; undeterred he set up in business running his own establishment.
Life was hard as he had all the work to do, including collection of grain, milling and delivery of the flour, and he struggled for years to turn a profit, investing in an engine to drive the sails when the wind was not blowing, and a new rolling process.
Joseph experimented with blending wheat and used the Port of Hull to import wheat from all over the world to combine with British wheat, providing a good quality product for Britain’s growing population. Within 20 years he had mills in port cities across the UK, including Newcastle, Lincolnshire and later London, Cardiff and Birkenhead.
The Clarence Mill, opened in 1885 next to the River Hull, had replaced his first mill, Alexandra Mill. Sadly, Clarence Mill was bombed in 1942, but was rebuilt and continued to be used until the 1990s.
During the First World War, Joseph Rank joined the national Wheat Control Board to advise the government on keeping “bread on the table” of the families in the UK. He was again called to help during the Second World War, as prudently he had built up large stores of grain ahead of 1939, which kept Britain fed as supplies from America were sunk by the U-boats.
A family man and a passionate Methodist, Joseph’s sons were introduced to the business and were encouraged to start new enterprises. His second son, Joseph Arthur Rank (J. Arthur), born in 1888 at 371 Holderness Road, Hull, went on to found the Rank Organisation, which owned over 600 cinemas and film studios.
It was in 1934 that Joseph set aside £300k to establish the Joseph Rank Benevolent Fund. He was always a big contributor towards many causes in his native city, often anonymously, but he wanted to ensure that his support would continue long after his death.
When the gift was announced, Hull City Council passed a special resolution recording Joseph Rank’s splendid generosity in all matters for the public good … for many years. It also recorded the annual contribution of up to £7,000 to the Lord Mayor’s Hospital Sunday Fund.
Commenting on the news, Sir Alfred Gelder said how typical it was for Joseph Rank to make such a gesture with one key feature being its freedom from all political and sectarian bias. “We have scarcely realised the significance of the gift – it almost takes your breath away.” Joseph invited family, colleagues and friends from Hull’s leading business to become trustees. Well-known names were Mr Walter Fred Harris (Hodgson Harris Accountants), Mr Arthur Shepherd (A. Shepherd & Sons Funeral Directors) and Mr Thomas Jackson (Andrew Jackson Solicitors).
Trustees often served for a very long time and their position was handed down to family or colleagues. The current board of trustees comprises June Clunie, chairman, Joey Newton, Malcolm Lucas, Jane Waite, Diana North, Paul Matson and Geraldine Martin.
In 1935 Joseph Rank was awarded the Freedom of the City of Hull – the only honour he ever accepted. This was conferred in the Guildhall by the Lord Mayor of Hull and was followed by a small dinner party. Joseph died in 1943.
*Historical information courtesy of the Trustees - The Joseph Rank Benevolent Fund.
