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The charity aims to provide educational grants to young people aged 16-24 years of age, to assist them in their studies it also supports those undertaking apprenticeships. The trusts income comes from investments from legacies left by Sir Samuel Mico, and includes rental income from the George Inn on Weymouth Quay which is owned by the trust. The trust provides grants towards:
The trust particularly welcomes applications from those on apprenticeships and those wishing to take up professional careers. TO APPLY FOR A GRANT GO TO OUR GRANTS / APPLICATIONS PAGE Sir Samuel Mico Samuel Mico married Jane Andrewes who’s father Henry Andrewes was Alderman of Farringdon Ward Within from 1632 until 1638 and sheriff from 1632 until 1633. In London he lived in the parish of St Andrew Undershaft and he also owned the George Tavern on the quayside in Weymouth.
The George Inn Weymouth, which was Sir Samuel Mico's Weymouth home and is now owned by the Trust He was admitted to the Freedom of the City of London on 26th March 1633 in the Mercers’ Company: an extract of the records reads as follows: "Item this day the right honourable the Lord Maior by vertue of his prerogative of making three persons free of this Citty by redempcion presented unto this Court Samuell Mico to be made free of this Citty as the second of the said Three Whereupon it is ordered by this Court that the said Samuell Mico shallbe admitted into the freedome of this Citty by redempcion in the Company of Mercers paying to Mr Chamberlen to the Cittys use the sume of xlvis. Viiid" Samuel was a Member of the Court of Assistants of the Levant Company from 1647-1649. . He traded in the Middle and Far East as a member of the Levant Company and East India Companies, importing spices and silk. En extract from Samuel Pepys Diary for the 19 February 1664 confirms Mico’s involvement with the East India Company. This it is believed relates to the seizure of several fully laden cargo ships by the Dutch East India Company. It is believed that the large sum mentioned in connection with Mico represents compensation to owners and those with interests in the Cargo’s of the seized ships. 19th February 1664 :. Up in good order in my head again and shaved myself, and then to the office, whither Mr. Cutler came, and walked and talked with me a great while; and then to the 'Change together; and it being early, did tell me several excellent examples of men raised upon the 'Change by their great diligence and saving; as also his owne fortune, and how credit grew upon him; that when he was not really worth L1100, he had credit for L100,000 of Sir W. Rider how he rose; and others. By and by joyned with us Sir John Bankes; who told us several passages of the East India Company; and how in his very case, when there was due to him and Alderman Mico L64,000 from the Dutch for injury done to them in the East Indys, Oliver presently after the peace, they delaying to pay them the money, sent them word, that if they did not pay them by such a day, he would grant letters of mark to those merchants against them; by which they were so fearful of him, they did presently pay the money every farthing."The ships involved are believed to be the English ships Postilion, Fredrick, Francis, John and the Bantam Frigate. The seizure is recorded in the Court Minutes of the East India Company on 2nd July 1658. On 6th July 1658 Samuel Mico (and others) petitioned the Council of State to take action of the seizure of these vessels. As a result the Secretary to the Council was ordered "to write to His Highness’s Agent in the Low Countries to represent the case to the Lords the States-General and require from them justice and satisfaction." On the 6th December 1653 Mico was elected as the Alderman for the Ward of Farringdon Without and was sworn into this role on 8th December 1653. He was discharged from this office on 13th May 1656 on payment of a fine of £700. Samuel was a merchant of some standing, court minutes of the time show that he paid £1,260.3s.6d on the 1st June 1659 for 1075 parts of long cloth. On 10th October 1660 he bought quantities of spices and cloths at the Company sale at a cost of well over £1,000. These were considerable sums of money at the time. Samuel was Knighted Sir Samuel Mico on 18th March 1665 and became Master of the Mercers’ Company from 1665 to 1666. Sir Samuels will was written on 21st September 1665, he died sometime in early 1666 (date currently unknown) and his will was proved on 22nd May 1666. On 11th July 1666 the court minutes of the East India Company granted "Sir Samuel Micos Lady" permission to use the House for one day to sell goods left to her by Samuel. In his will he left most of his estate to his widow (Lady Jane Mico) and his nephew, also Samuel. He left the George Tavern and a sum of £500 to the town of Weymouth for the preaching of an annual sermon in the parish church, for the binding out of three poor children apprentices and for the relief of ten poor decayed seamen of the town, aged 60 and upwards. He left a similar sum of money to the Mercer’s Company to provide loans for young men to set them up in business.
Plaque on the wall of the George Inn Writing found on the back of his will reads: "These writings concerning the gift of the George Taberna for ye binding out of three poor children yearly apprenticed out of the profit of the George aforesaid were put into the Gowne chest at the Full Hall of the Maisonette of Sir Roger Cathance, Knight Held Serptember 1668" It is believed that the pensions and apprenticeships did not start immediately because for some years the burgesses of the borough used the money to repair damage sustained during the Civil War.
The Trust Today Almost 340 years after Mico's death the trust continues to support apprentices and others on educational courses between the ages of 16 to 24, it also pays a small pension to "poor decayed" seaman. Each year on the Friday before Palm Sunday at 1100 hrs the trustees, descendants of Sir Samuel, seaman and the young beneficiaries of the trust continue the tradition of gathering in the parish church of Weymouth (St Mary's), where a laurel wreath is placed on Sir Samuel Mico's coat of arms, to hear a sermon and to give thanks for Sir Samuel. Afterwards they process along to the quay where all partake in wine, lemonade and hot cross buns.
The trustees process with the Major and mace bearers of the borough of Weymouth & Portland
Laurel wreath placed on the coat of arms of Sir Samuel in St Mary's Church |
