Sir John Morden, 1st Baronet (
13 August 1623 –
6 September 1708) was a successful
English merchant and
philanthropist who also served briefly as an
MP. He established
Morden College in
Blackheath, south-east London as a home for retired merchants; as a
charity, it continues to provide residential care over 300 years later.
Born in London, the son of a goldsmith (George Morden), Morden was apprenticed to Sir William Soame, a wealthy London merchant and member of the British East India Company, in 1643. After a posting in Aleppo in Turkey, Morden returned to London in 1660 having amassed a substantial fortune and become a member of the East India company himself.
It is said that, having decided to return to England, Morden loaded his complete fortune into three ships, none of which arrived at the expected time, prompting his deep despair. However, their eventual arrival after difficult voyages led him to rejoice and made him determined to help merchants who had fallen on hard times.
In 1669, he purchased (for £4,200) Wricklemarsh Manor (now part of Lee) in south-east London, an estate of over 250 acres (1 km²) with a mansion house.
