CHARITIES FOR THE POOR
John Moreton, by deed of 1671, gave half the rental of
houses in Holborn (Lond., formerly Mdx.) for
poor relief and for apprenticing in Cottenham. (fn. 27)
In 1728 £11 a year was spent on apprentices,
£20 in 1783. (fn. 28) Two sets of almshouses were later
supported, one in Church End built in 1816, (fn. 29) called Moreton's almshouses, the other on
Rampton Road and known as Little London. (fn. 30) There were eight almshouses in Church End in
1851. (fn. 31) In the early 1960s they were allowed to
fall vacant and were demolished. (fn. 32) The Little
London almshouses in 1837 comprised four
dwellings. At that time Moreton's charity made
cash grants to people not receiving poor relief,
and spent money on coal and medical care,
on apprenticing, and on coats for the parish
watchmen. In 1834 c. £550 was paid towards
the new school. (fn. 33) The Little London almshouses
were rebuilt in 1853 (fn. 34) in Tudor style as a central
block with attached wings, comprising eight
cottages. (fn. 35) They were refurbished in the early
1960s and remained in use in 1987. (fn. 36) The charity's income in 1982 was c. £1,675, half from
the rents of the almspeople, which was spent on
maintaining the property. (fn. 37)
The town lands charity was established in
1664 with an endowment of 5&frac1/2; a. bought by
public subscription. (fn. 38) In 1876 the income was
usually spent on goods for poor families. (fn. 39) Thomas Maulden, by deed of 1713, gave land and a
common right (fn. 40) for which 16 a. were allotted at
inclosure in 1847. (fn. 41) One third of the income of
Catherine Pepys's charity was for the poor of
Cottenham. (fn. 42) Thomas Ridge in 1901 gave four
cottages, the rent of which was relieve 12 poor
people a year. (fn. 43) The town lands, Maulden's
charity, Catherine Pepys's eleemosynary charity,
and Ridge's charity were amalgamated in 1970
to form the Cottenham united charity. The total
income in 1982 was c. £480, of which £305 was
spent on Christmas gift vouchers. (fn. 44)
By will proved 1699, the former rector John
Fitzwilliam gave a right of common and land for
which 18 a. were allotted at inclosure in 1847;
£1 a year was to be paid to a poor widow,
a quarter of the other income to each of two
poor householders, and the remaining half
for church purposes. (fn. 45) In the 1860s the eleemosynary part of the charity helped to support the
almshouses, (fn. 46) and in 1983, when the charity's
total income was c. £800, it was spent on
Christmas parcels. (fn. 47) The charity retained 16 a.
in 1987. (fn. 48)
Jane Brigham, by will dated 1705, left a rent
charge of £15 for apprenticing two boys each
year, and Alice Rogers, by will proved 1728,
gave £10 a year for apprenticing two more. The
two charities between them paid for only about
one apprentice a year c. 1830. In 1837 Brigham's
charity, restricted to children of parents not
receiving relief, was having difficulty in finding
suitable candidates. (fn. 49) In the 20th century the
objects of the charities were widened to include
exhibitions for study at secondary school level
or above, but in 1982 the income of both together
was only £51 and nothing was spent except on
administration. (fn. 50)
By will proved 1715, James Smith, rector from
1698, left a rent charge of £1 for poor widows
attending church on Christmas Day. In the
1970s and 1980s the money was divided among
women parishioners who were expected to return
it to the collection plate. (fn. 51)
Sarah Ann Wallis, by will proved 1924, gave
£600 for the occupants of the almshouses and
other poor residents at Christmas. The income
from investments in 1975 was £47, which was
distributed in gifts; (fn. 52) none of the £122 income
in 1986 was spent. (fn. 53)