CHARITIES
St. James's Hospital.
The early
history of this hospital has already
been traced. (fn. 1) In about 1687 there
was one almswoman only, 'but she a miserable
idiot.' (fn. 2) The hospital was still in use in 1704–5, but
the chapel had long been disused as such and had later
been converted into a barn, and was then in decay. (fn. 3)
The mastership was later used to augment the stipend
of one of the vicars-choral. In 1825 it was proposed
to transfer the hospital property to the Chichester
infirmary, but the plan was abandoned, as such a
proceeding could not be adopted without sanction of
parliament. The charity is now regulated by a
scheme of the High Court of Chancery dated 5 May
1855, and varied by schemes of the Charity Commissioners dated 28 February 1890 and 1 January 1909.
The trustees consist of the lord bishop, the mayor and
the archdeacon of Chichester (ex officio) and three
persons residing in or carrying on business in Chichester. The endowment of the charity now consists of
£4,035 5s. 5d. 2½ per cent. Consolidated Stock, and
£600 8s. 6d. like stock (set aside for repairs and improvements) and several lands and hereditaments, the
whole producing approximately £172 per annum. The
net income is paid to the Royal West Sussex Hospital,
one-fourth being applied to the chaplaincy fund.
St. Mary's Hospital.
The early history of this
hospital has also been given. (fn. 4) The endowment (fn. 5)
of the charity now consists of several acres of lands
and hereditaments and £800 2½ per cent. Annuities,
£15,591 12s. 9d. India 3 per cent. Stock, £12,306 4s. 11d.
5 per cent. War Stock, £669 14s. 7d. 2½ per cent.
Consolidated Stock, £207 0s. 10d. 3½ per cent.
Conversion Stock and £719 5s. 2d. 5 per cent. War
Stock, the whole producing approximately £2,635
per annum.
Sedgewick's legacy was founded by will in or about
the year 1785, and it appears that the income on
£726 3 per cent. Consols was applied for the general
purposes of St. Mary's Hospital. The endowment
of the charity now consists of £531 6s. 3d. India 3 per
cent. Stock producing in dividends £15 18s. 8d.
Painblanc's or Painblame's legacy.
The origin of
this charity is not known, but it appears that the
income on £711 18s. 10d. 3 per cent. Consols was
applied for the general purposes of the above hospital.
The endowment of the charity now consists of
£694 14s. 9d. India 3 per cent. Stock producing in
dividends £20 16s. 8d. per annum. St. Mary's
Hospital and the subsidiary charities of Sedgewick
and Painblanc are regulated by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 4 November 1898 which
constitutes the Dean and Chapter of the cathedral
church of Chichester trustees thereof and the net
income is applied in payment of stipends of and
providing Christmas dinners for six foundation almspeople, nine non-foundation almspeople and fifty-nine
pensioners.
John Hardham, by his will (fn. 6) dated 6 February 1772,
gave the interest on a sum of £15,500 3 per cent. bank
annuities to the guardians or trustees of the poor
house to ease the inhabitants in their poor's rate.
The charity is now regulated by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 25 February 1930 which
appoints the mayor, aldermen and citizens of Chichester to be trustees. The endowment of the charity now
consists of £22,735 13s. 9d. 2½ per cent. Consolidated
Stock, producing in dividends £568 7s. 8d. per annum,
which is paid over to the rating authority in relief
of the rates of that part of the city within the walls
and of the suburb of St. Pancras. The above sums
of stock are standing in the name of the Official
Trustees of charitable funds.
Anne, Countess of Newburgh, by her will dated
6 October 1858, directed that so much of her investments as would produce £40 per annum should be applied in augmenting the income of the Roman Catholic
priest at the Roman Catholic mission at Chichester.
The endowment of the charity now consists of
£36 18s. East India Railway Company Annuity
Class D, standing in the names of the Right Reverend
P. E. Amigo, Bishop of Southwark, and three others,
and this is paid to the rector of the Roman Catholic
church at Chichester.
Chichester Branch of the Y.M.C.A. originated in a
Declaration of Trust dated 17 October 1889 of
premises and a Declaration of Trust dated 20 December 1890 of a sum of stock. By a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 18 July 1922 the
premises and the stock were sold and the proceeds of
sale were appropriated towards the purchase of new
premises situate at No. 1 North Pallant, Chichester.
By a further scheme of the Commissioners dated
12 October 1928 the property and furniture and
effects were vested in a body corporate called the
National Council of Young Men's Christian Associations (Incorporated) as trustees of the charity.
William Butler, by his will proved at Chichester
17 June 1925, devised 4 houses in Priory Road, Chichester, to the trustees of St. Mary's Hospital upon trust
to be used as residences for out-pensioners of the
hospital, preference being given to widows of not less
than sixty years of age. He also devised 4 houses in
Alexandra Terrace, Chichester, to the same body of
trustees to be used as a reading room for the residents
of Chichester, and particularly for residents of St.
Pancras. By the same will he gave No. 4 Alexandra
Terrace to the same body of trustees to be used as a
workshop for boys. He further directed that in the
event of any of the above devises not taking effect, the
properties should be sold and the moneys invested in
the names of such persons to be appointed by his
trustees to form the endowment of a charity to be
called 'Alderman William Butler's Charity,' the
income to be applied in the payment of weekly sums
not exceeding 2s. 6d. each to such persons as the trustees should think fit. All the above properties have
recently been condemned by the local authorities and
consequently a sale of the same is contemplated.
Helen Egan, by her will proved at Lewes on the
26 June 1931, bequeathed a share of her estate to the
Chichester Diocesan Branch of the Church of England
Temperance Society. The endowment of the charity
consists of £50 5 per cent. War Stock, £717 6s. 4d.
3½ per cent. Conversion Stock, and £150 4 per cent.
Victory Bonds producing in dividends £33 12s.
The Almshouses.
The date of foundation is
not known, but in 1786 it appears that there were
6 almshouses which were then unoccupied and in a
dilapidated state. They were rebuilt about 1806 by
means of voluntary subscriptions.
Mrs. Martha Dear, by her will dated 16 May 1806,
gave to the mayor, aldermen and citizens of Chichester
£1,000, part of the interest to be applied towards
repairing the above almshouses, the residue to be
distributed among such poor women as should be
selected to inhabit the almshouses. The endowment
now consists of £1,008 3s. 2½ per cent. Consolidated
Stock held by the Official Trustees, producing £25 4s.
annually in dividends.
James Loader, by his will proved in London on
9 February 1870, gave £300 towards the additional
support of women in the almshouses. The endowment now consists of £306 10s. 3d. 2½ per cent.
Consolidated Stock held by the Official Trustees
producing £7 13s. 4d. annually in dividends. The
above charities are regulated by a scheme of the
Charity Commissioners dated 14 January 1902, which
constituted 5 persons, to be appointed by the vestry
of the parish of St. Pancras, to be trustees. The net
income is distributed amongst the inmates of the
almshouses.
Mrs. Martha Dear, by her will above mentioned, gave
£120, the income to be paid to the acting physician
and surgeons of Chichester Dispensary, now the West
Sussex Hospital. The trustees of the almshouses act
in the administration of this charity. The endowment
now consists of £274 5s. 5d. 2½ per cent. Consolidated
Stock held by the Official Trustees producing in
dividends £6 17s. per annum.
The same donor by her will gave 100 guineas, the
income to be paid to the minister or sequestrator of
the parish church of St. Martin or, in case of a cessation
of the service at St. Martin, for the minister of St.
Peter the Great otherwise Subdeanery in the city of
Chichester. The trustees of the almshouses administer this charity. The endowment consists of
£105 10s. 2½ per cent. Consolidated Stock held by
the Official Trustees producing in dividends £2 12s. 8d.
per annum, which is paid to the vicar of the Subdeanery.
Church Land.
The date of foundation is not
known, but for some time past the rent of a piece of
land of about 3 acres lying near Portfield Barn in the
parish of Rumboldswick is annually appropriated to
repairs of the parish church of St. Pancras. The rent
amounts to £10 per annum and is paid to the churchwardens.
James Loader, by his will proved 9 February
1870, gave to the rector and churchwardens £200, the
interest to go towards annual repairs of the church
of St. Pancras. This amount was paid in 1880 to the
trustees of Queen Anne's Bounty, from whom
£5 17s. 8d. is received annually.
Elizabeth Johnston, by deed dated 27 November
1861, gave to the rector and churchwardens £1,000
East India 5 per cent. Stock, half of the yearly dividends
to be applied for providing a Scripture reader, the
remaining half in providing nurses for the sick poor
of St. Pancras. The endowment now consists of
£1,000 India 3½ per cent. Stock held by the Official
Trustees producing in dividends £35 per annum, and
a cottage known as No. 94 St. Pancras which the donor
gave for the purpose of providing a residence for the
Scripture reader. The house is now let at a rental of
£13 per annum. The income of £48 is paid to a
Church Army sister (parish worker) as part salary.
Sarah Evershed, by her will proved at Chichester on
9 November 1797, gave £100 to be invested and the
income paid half-yearly to the minister of the General
Baptist Meeting, St. Pancras. The endowment now
consists of £176 2½ per cent. Consolidated Stock held
by the Official Trustees producing in dividends
£4 8s. per annum. The trustees of the General
Baptist Chapel at Eastgate administer the charity.
Baffin's Lane Chapel comprised in a Declaration
of Trust of 9 August 1721, and the manse held in
connection therewith, Dame Elizabeth Farington's
Charity, founded by indenture dated 11 December
1778, and the Charity of John Bayley, founded by will
dated 18 February 1807, are now regulated by a scheme
of the Charity Commissioners dated 27 June 1919
which appoints the trustees for the time being of the
General Baptist Chapel at Eastgate to be trustees of
the charities. The manse was sold prior to 1823 and
the proceeds were invested and are now represented
by £756 2½ per cent. Consols, part of £1,686 5s.
like stock mentioned below. The chapel was sold in
1917 and the proceeds invested in £336 9s. 4d. 2½ per
cent. Consolidated Stock held by the Official Trustees
producing in dividends £8 8s. per annum, and constituting the endowment of the General Baptist
Chapel Repair Charity. The endowment of the
remaining charities consists of £1,686 5s. 2½ per cent.
Consolidated Stock held by the Official Trustees,
producing in dividends £42 3s. 4d. per annum and
constitutes the charity of Dame Elizabeth Farington
and others for the minister of General Baptist Chapel.
Robert Raper, by indenture dated 1 December 1849,
conveyed to trustees a chapel and vestry room and a
piece of land adjoining, situate near to the Eastgate in
St. Pancras, to be used as a place of public worship by
General Baptists. Owing to the chapel having been
disused for a considerable period, the rents of the
property were accumulated and invested in £947 15s.
new 3 per cent. Annuities. The chapel is now used
for Unitarian worship.
James Dearling and another, by indentures dated
26 and 27 February 1768 and in consideration of £250,
conveyed to trustees a close of land of 4 acres called
Dell Hole Field, in the parish of St. Peter the Great,
to receive and dispose of the rents most beneficial to
the General Baptist Society meeting at their house
called the Baptist Meeting House in St. Pancras. This
land was sold and the proceeds invested.
The endowments of the above charities now consist
of £2,417 5s. 1d. 2½ per cent. Consolidated Stock held
by the Official Trustees, producing in dividends
£60 8s. 4d. per annum, and £550 5 per cent. War
Stock in the names of the British and Foreign Unitarian
Association Incorporated, producing £27 10s. per
annum, and constitute the endowment for General
Baptist Society meeting in Baptist Meeting House.
The trustees of the General Baptist Chapel at Eastgate
administer the charities.
Miss Emma Muggridge, by her will proved 2 November 1921, left £702 to the incumbent of St. Peter
the Great otherwise Subdeanery in the city of Chichester 'to be applied by him in his absolute discretion
for the provision of a Parish Room.' The endowment
consists of £404 Southern Railway 4 per cent. Debenture Stock and £336 3s. 6d. Birkenhead Corporation
5 per cent. Redeemable Stock 1950–60 held by the
Official Trustees, producing in dividends £32 19s. 4d.
per annum which is applied in the upkeep of the Subdeanery Parish Room.
Elizabeth Beazley's Charity.
The date of foundation is not known, but there is an annual rent
charge of 13s. 4d. on lands in the parish of Bosham
paid to the churchwardens of St. Bartholomew's
church, who distribute it among 4 widows attending
the parish church, to provide their Christmas
Day dinner.
Church Charity.
From time immemorial two
cottages known as Nos. 10 and 11 Westgate, Chichester,
have been the property of St. Bartholomew's Church,
and the income from them has always been paid to
the churchwardens, who have devoted it to church
expenses. The property was sold in 1924 and after
deducting £50 towards defraying the cost of certain
repairs to the church, the balance of the proceeds,
amounting to £43 10s. 2d., was invested in £75 11s. 6d.
2½ per cent. Consolidated Stock, the dividends upon
which are being accumulated by the Official Trustees
at compound interest until such time as the £50 is
replaced.
Henry Comper, by his will proved at Chichester on
28 November 1879, directed that £500 3 per cent.
Consolidated Bank Annuities be set apart in the
names of the rector and churchwardens of All Saints,
the dividends to be paid to the rector in augmentation
of his income. In 1880 the stock was transferred to
the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty.
Henry Comper, by his will proved as above, directed
that £500 3 per cent. Consolidated Bank Annuities be
set apart in the names of the rector and churchwardens of St. Andrew, the dividends to be paid to
the rector in augmentation of his income. In 1880
the stock was transferred to the Governors of Queen
Anne's Bounty.