Complex sentence: Ackroyd's kindness was well known and many had cause to be grateful to him and felt his problems as keenly as their own when some of his overseas investments failed and he suffered great financial loss.
Split into simpler sentences: Ackroyd's kindness was well known, and many had cause to be grateful to him. They felt his problems as keenly as their own when some of his overseas investments failed and he suffered great financial loss.