Matthew Chubb was born in 1548 and was the son of John Chubb and Agnes (neé Corbyn).

Agnes’ father, John Corbyn was a prominent member of Dorchester society. He was a wealthy property owner and Bailiff, then Constable of Dorchester in 1561 and 1568.

John Chubb came from Misterton near Crewkerne in Somerset.

Shortly after Matthew Chubb was born his family moved to Dorchester where his father became a member of the Corporation and Town Steward by 1555.

Matthew Chubb became a scrivener, drawing up wills and conveyances. He lent money and became a Goldsmith. Like his father, Matthew became a member of the Corporation and was Town Steward in 1583. In 1601 he became Member of Parliament for Dorchester and was re-elected in 1604.

Matthew married Margaret Budden (or Boden). Margaret’s father, John was Esq of Shaftesbury and Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in 1601 and 1604.

John Budden died in 1615 and is buried in Trinity churchyard next to his wife.

Matthew became the richest man in Dorchester and provided money to build the Almshouses in Crewkerne in 1604 as his father was from there. He then gave money to build Chubbs Almshouse in Shaftesbury, his wife’s home town.

In 1611 Chubbs Almshouse was built to accommodate 16 ‘poor women’, 14 of whom were to be from the parish of St Peter and the Holy Trinity. The house was built by a right of way and used to be marked with a brass tablet. Around the same time, Sir Henry Spiller founded an Almshouse for 10 ‘poor men’ of the town and this was built opposite Chubbs.

After the death of Matthew Chubb’s wife Margaret, he married Margaret Buckler. They had a son, Matthew Jnr.

In 1613 Dorchester suffered a great fire which destroyed most of the town, along with 170 homes. This led to a need for Almshouses and in November 1613 Matthew Chubb was authorised by King James I to loan £1000 towards the rebuilding of the town. Matthew and his wife rebuilt the George Inn and endowed an Almshouse for women which was built in 1620.

On Matthew Chubb Snr’s death in 1617 his wife willed that his land and property be transferred to his friend Robert Coker. Robert was also a Goldsmith and the transfer was made on condition that his second daughter, Joane, marry Matthew Chubb Jnr when he became of age. This happened but sadly Matther Chubb Jnr died in 1632 and Joane married Thomas Man in London in 1633. Joane transferred the land and property to her parents, Robert and Martha Coker.

A modern replacement for Chubbs Almshouse was built in 1968 on the righthand side of Salisbury Street as it leaves the town centre.