Guy, Thomas (1644–1724)

English philanthropist. He became MP for Tamworth, Staffordshire (1695). In 1722 he began the building of Guy's Hospital, on which he spent £18,793. On his death he left the hospital £200,000.

He was born at Southwark, London, and educated at Tamworth. He was apprenticed to a bookseller in 1660 and began his own business (chiefly selling Bibles) in 1668. His success led to him amassing a large fortune, which he used to finance a number of charitable projects. He founded an almshouse in Tamworth for six poor women (1678) and paid for the building of the town hall there (1701). He became governor of St Thomas's Hospital, London, (1704), and in 1707 built three new wards at a cost of £1,000. He also contributed yearly towards their support. He made a large donation to assist refugees from the Palatinate (1709), and gave money to assist Bowyer, the printer, after the latter's business was destroyed by fire (1712). On his death he also left Christ's Hospital, West Sussex, £400 a year.