John Cass

Sir John Cass (February 1661 – 5 July 1718) was a merchant, politician and philanthropist. He was born in Rosemary Lane, in the City of London. He was the son of Thomas Cass, carpenter to the Royal Ordnance. In 1665, the family moved to Grove Street, in South Hackney to escape the plague.

Cass became a merchant, builder and politician who served as Alderman, for the ward of Portsoken and in 1711 was elected a Sheriff of London. He was elected as one of the Tory MPs for the City in 1710; until losing to the Whig faction in 1715. He was appointed a commissioner of the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches, in 1711; this was a scheme to provide new churches for the rapidly expanding population of the metropolis. He was knighted in 1713; and died in 1718 of a brain haemorrhage. He was buried in the churchyard of St Mary Matfelon, in Whitechapel; now the Altab Ali Park.

Cass was a master of the Carpenter's Company in 1713; but the following year transferred to the Skinner's Company, and became their master. Between 1709 and 1715 he was treasurer to the Bethlem Royal Hospital and the Bridewell,

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