Winchester: Charities

A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 5. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1912.

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'Winchester: Charities', in A History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 5, (London, 1912) pp. 76-80. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol5/pp76-80 [accessed 18 March 2024]

CHARITIES

(i) Those connected with Winchester in general.

1. St. John's Hospital and the Allied Charities. The history of St. John's Hospital in its religious capacity and after the Dissolution as a charitable institution until the year 1829 is given under the Religious Houses of Hampshire. (fn. 1) A new scheme of management was drawn up in 1849, (fn. 2) which remained in operation until 1894. Then by order of the Charity Commissioners, dated 1 January 1895, the endowment of the hospital, amounting annually to £1,681 6s. 7d. from rents and about £19 from consols, was consolidated with the properties of twelve other charities under the title of 'St. John's Hospital and the Allied Charities.'

The donors of the twelve charities and their present endowments are as follows:—In 1566 Sir Thomas White for loans, the trust funds consisting of £867 18s. 6d. cash and £323 9s. consols; in 1603, William Burton, rents to the value of £106 and £381 2s. 3d. consols; in 1606, William Symonds, a rent-charge of £61 19s. from lands in Chawton and £7,321 7s. 3d. consols; in 1620, Anthony Edmonds, £750 19s. 5d. consols; in 1624, William Swaddon, an annual rent-charge of £4 from lands at Great Horwood (Bucks.); in 1624, Richard and Thomas Ashton (the will of the former is dated 1624 and that of the latter is unknown), £666 13s. 4d. consols; in 1630, Richard Budd, an annual rentcharge of £39 16s. 6d. from lands at Romsey (Hants) and of £32 9s. 4d. from the manor of Riven (Sussex), and £70 16s. consols; in 1635 and 1637, George Pemberton, farm and land at Houghton (Hants) of annual value of £144 and £1,504 3s. 1d. consols; in 1642, Margaret Yalden, £57 15s. 8d. consols; in 1665, John Sevier, rent-charge of £10 issuing out of land at Salisbury; in 1700, Frederick Tilney, £100 cash to be lent on loan; in 1701, William Over, rent-charge of £22 issuing out of a meadow at Romsey and £345 19s. 8d. consols. The total income of the twelve allied charities amounts to £700 a year.

By the scheme established by the order of 1 January above referred to the charities are divided into two branches, the 'eleemosynary branch,' comprising the bulk of the charities, and the 'advancement in life and education branch,' comprising the remainder. (fn. 3) The funds of the eleemosynary branch are devoted to the payment of almspeople, of grants not exceeding £50 a year to charitable societies, and, if possible, six annuities of £20 each, six of £15 and six of £10, (fn. 4) £3 to the ministers of St. John and St. Peter Cheesehill for the poor of the Soke of Winchester, and £3 and £2 6s. 8d. respectively to the ministers of Compton and Houghton for the poor of their parishes. In 1905 the town councillors of St. John's Ward were approved by the Charity Commissioners as electors of the trustees of the charities.

2. The Hospital of St. Cross and the Almshouse of Noble Poverty. The early history of this ancient institution down to recent times will be found under the Religious Houses of Hampshire. (fn. 5) The hospital, including the park with master's lodge, covers about 23 acres.

The endowments consist of freehold and leasehold properties, containing in the aggregate 864 acres, producing in 1904 a net rental of £1,663; the tithe rent-charge of eleven parishes amounting to £3,916; the reserved rents on freehold properties containing 121 acres or thereabouts, including the parsonages of Hurstbourne with St. Mary Bourne, Itchenswell and Owslebury and three houses in Front Street, St. Cross, amounting to £365; pensions from the rectors of thirteen churches, in respect of which £41 16s. was received in 1904, together with the sum of £2 10s. 10d. in respect of quit-rents and fee-farm rents; the total receipts from these sources being £5,988 6s. 10d.

The personal estate consists of £1,532 5s. 5d. consols held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds on 'remittance account' and a sum of £6,630 19s. 6d. consols on 'building account,' which, under the provisions of a scheme dated January 29 1901, is being accumulated until a sum of £10,000 has been raised for defraying the cost of additional buildings now in course of erection. A sum of £100 12s. consols, arising from sale of Owslebury glebe land, is held by the master and brethren of the hospital. The subsisting scheme provides (inter alia) for the payment of £400 a year to the master, together with a further annual sum of £100 for an assistant master or curate, £80 a year to the officiating minister of Freefolk, with an additional £40 if thought fit.

The brethren are divided into two classes: the brethren of the Hospital of St. Cross, and the brethren of the Almshouse of Noble Poverty, and there are paid twenty-four pensions at 8s. a week for single men or women, eighteen pensions at £26 a year for eighteen married couples, to be attributed to the former class of brethren, and four pensions of £40 for four married couples, and four pensions of £26 for single men or women to the latter class.

3. St. Mary Magdalen Hospital. The early history of this hospital until 1788 is given under the Religious Houses of Hampshire. (fn. 6)

The real estate belonging to the hospital consists of the Magdalen Hill Farm of 48 acres, 35 acres of land at Easton, houses in St. John Street producing a yearly income of £104 or thereabouts, and groundrents amounting to £82 a year from properties in Winchester and £302 4s. 8d. consols. The following annual payments are made to the hospital—namely, a pension of £7 1s. 4d. from the manor of Hinton Daubeney; £25 19s. 4d. from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; £3, known as the 'Crown donation,' from the Corporation, who also pay £10 a year in respect of Dr. Ebden's gift of £200 retained by them. (fn. 7) An annual sum of £8 is also received from Percival's Charity (see below). The aggregate income amounts to £245 or thereabouts, of which about £50 a year is paid to almspeople, and the surplus, after deducting cost of repairs, management, &c., is retained by the master.

4. Christ's Hospital, founded in 1586 by will of Peter Symonds, late citizen and mercer of London, and confirmed by Letters Patent 15 July 1605, for the maintenance for ever of six poor old and unmarried men and four poor young children, and for two poor scholars, one in Oxford and one in Cambridge, that should study to preach God's word.

The foundation is regulated by scheme under the Endowed School Acts of 13 May 1896 (altered 6 April 1900), (fn. 8) and by a scheme under the said Acts of 4 November 1901, whereby (inter alia) a yearly sum of £360 out of the endowment was allocated for the benefit of the hospital and the remainder to education.

By an order under the Board of Education Act 1899, the portion of the endowment applicable for education and that for eleemosynary purposes were specifically determined and the charity divided into two branches:

(a) Peter Symonds' School, to be called 'Christ's Hospital School Foundation,' and (b) the Brethren's Foundation, and the whole of the endowment, except the buildings of Christ's Hospital at Winchester (exclusive of the matron's house) and the yearly sum of £360, was assigned for educational purposes.

The school endowment consists of the Chadwell estate, let at £130 a year, £2,124 0s. 7d. consols and £52 2½ per cent. annuities, arising from redemption of an annuity of £1 6s. formerly received from the Mercers' Company. Additional school buildings have recently been erected. Six scholarships of £10 are given by the school, six of £10 by Winchester College, and four of £10 by St. John's Hospital, one exhibitioner at £15 a year at Oxford and one at £15 at Cambridge.

The Hospital Branch is endowed with certain securities held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds, producing £236 19s. a year, and £1,000 consols set aside for repairs and improvements; also £6,342 15s. 8d. consols in court to the account of the conservator and gubernators of Christ's Hospital, arising from sales of land, bringing up the income of this branch to £420.

5. Peter Symonds further directed the Mercers' Company to pay the annual sum of £4 2s. for distribution in bread. The charge has been redeemed by the transfer to the official trustees of £164 2½ per Cent. Annuities, who also hold £406 consols in trust for this charity. The dividends are applied in the payment of 6s. 8d. for a sermon on Good Friday and the distribution of money and articles in kind.

6. In or about 1668 William Cawley by will directed the Drapers' Company to pay to the Mayor of Winchester an annual sum of £2 3s. 4d., to be applied for the benefit of the poor. This sum is duly paid and applied.

7. Dr. Charles Layfield by will dated in 1710 bequeathed a portion of his residuary estate for the benefit (inter alia) of the poor of Winchester. The amount apportioned to this city is now represented by £1,307 15s. 5d. consols. The charity is administered under a scheme of the court.

8. In 1715 Joseph Percival by will bequeathed £200 for the augmentation of the revenues of the poor almsmen and almswomen of St. Mary Magdalen and the residue of his estate for poor aged men and women. The fund consists of £1,241 2s. consols. By scheme of 1877 £8 a year is given to St. Mary Magdalen Hospital and the residue for assisting deserving poor persons.

9. In 1732 Thomas Godwin by will charged his messuage called the Royal Oak, Winchester, with £5 a year to be divided equally amongst twenty poor housekeepers not receiving parish relief on St. Thomas's Day. This sum is duly received and applied.

10. The Royal Hants Hospital, founded in 1736, is possessed of the following permanent endowments held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds: namely, £5,693 13s. 9d. Bank stock arising from the gifts of Joseph Winter (1780) and John Bartlett (1815); £900 consols, John Thomas Waddington's gift (1859); £3,902 17s. 5d. consols, William Hollins' legacy (1865); £118 19s. 7d. consols, General William Charles Forrest's legacy (1902); £117 12s. 11d. India 2½ per cent. stock, Mrs. Mary Boyd's gift (1905); £1,021 London and North Western Railway 3 per cent. perpetual debentures, Thomas Drake's gift (1905).

The hospital is also entitled to the reversionary interest in £800 consols under the will of the Rev. Francis Swanton proved in 1871.

11. Lawes' Exhibition.—In 1828 the Rev. James Townshend Lawes by will gave £500 in augmentation of the 'Chernocke Exhibition' at St. Mary's College, Winchester, represented by £527 14s. consols held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds.

12. In 1834 Alice Long by will bequeathed £30 a year for poor prisoners. The trust fund with accumulations consisted in 1904 of £1,318 4s. consols held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds. The income is under a scheme of 7 February 1890 applicable in assisting deserving and necessitous prisoners.

13. In 1862 an industrial school was established by Mrs. C. Lyall, who gave £100 Bank of England stock towards its support. This school was subsequently closed, and the stock was transferred to the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds, who also hold £1,289 19s. 9d. consols, arising from a gift in 1861 of Dean Rennell (and accumulations) and eighteen shares of £10 each in the Winchester Cottage and Improvement Society bequeathed in 1877 by John Desborough Walford.

By scheme of 17 August 1894 the income is applied for training poor girls for domestic service.

The official trustees also hold under the title of the Winchester Charity School Fund £4,402 13s. 11d. consols, ten shares of £10 each in the Winchester Cottage and Improvement Society, the income of which is by schemes of 1879 and 1894 applicable for encouraging attendance at school, &c. An annual sum of £1 1s. issuing out of No. 9 Kingsgate Street is also received in respect of Dr. Kent's gift.

14. Sarah Mant by will proved in 1868 founded a charity to be known as 'Mant's Good Female Servants' Reward.' The trust fund consists of £2,423 0s. 1d. consols, dividends being applicable in annuities of £25 each, overplus in coals to poor of parishes of St. Thomas, St. Maurice and St. Mary Kalender.

15. In 1870 the Rev. William Thorn by will proved in this year bequeathed £200 for the poor of Jewry Street Congregational Chapel and £200 for scholars attending the Sabbath school. These legacies, less duty, were invested in two sums of £180 14s. 3d. consols respectively.

The same testator bequeathed £300 for the support of the British School, invested in the purchase of £180 4s. 3d. Consolidated 4½ per cent. stock of the London and South Coast Railway. The school having been closed, the dividends are applied in pursuance of the terms of the will for the benefit of the Home Missions Society.

16. Mrs. Charlotte Gell, by will dated 17 January 1860, bequeathed certain trust funds for the benefit of poor clergy in the diocese, which are represented by a sum of £5,348 7s. 8d. consols held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds. The administration of the charity is regulated by schemes dated 29 November 1881 and 20 March 1885.

17. Bishop Morley's College for Matrons.—This institution was founded in 1673 for widows of ministers of the dioceses of Winchester and Worcester and of the manor of Taunton Dean, Somerset. The endowments consist of a rent-charge of £160 11s. 7d. out of the rents and lands of the dean and chapter, a yearly sum of £7 10s. 6d. residue of fee-farm rent of £51 issuing out of the site of the late priory of the Holy Trinity, Mottisfont (see Bishop's Waltham). The college is also possessed (1905) of the following securities held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds—namely, £2,000 Bank stock, £6,000 Liverpool Corporation 3½ per cent. stock, £5,000 London and South Western Railway Company 3 per cent. debenture stock, and £6,391 9s. 7d. Metropolitan 2½ per cent. stock, which were purchased in 1900 with the proceeds of sale of £25,188 12s. 9d. consols, representing donations and bequests made from time to time, principally by Mrs. Barnaby, will 1737; Dr. Hoadley, 1770; Dr. Pyle, will 1777; and Dr. Nott, will 1847. A sum of £400 Metropolitan 2½ per cent. stock arising from accumulations is also held by the trustees. The trust is regulated by scheme of 1882, as varied by schemes 1894, 1897 and 1901. In 1903–4 eight resident matrons received £640 in monthly payments and three junior matrons (out-pensioners) received £50 a year each.

18. Charity of Dr. Hoadley for apprenticing, founded by will about 1770.—Its endowment consists of £4,825 11s. 9d. consols held by the official trustees. The income is under a scheme, 15 July 1870, applicable for apprenticing children of the poorer clergy of the diocese, or, in default of applications for that object, for exhibitions for their educational advancement.

(ii) In the parish of St. Bartholomew, Hyde.— 1. Church Land and Poor's Land.—The land anciently belonging to this trust and known as the 'Sheep-fair Field' was sold and the proceeds invested with the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds, who hold in trust for the church £508 9s. 7d. consols, and £421 14s. 2d. like stock accumulating until £619 7s. 1d. consols has been raised for recouping expenditure on church in 1879. The official trustees also hold £1,616 8s. 10d. consols arising from the same source in trust for the poor, together with £409 3s. 1d. Metropolitan Consolidated 2½ per cent. stock, proceeds of sale in 1894 of a tenement in Hyde Street known as 'The Poor House.'

2. In 1631 Sir John Paulet by will demised a house in the parish for the poor, now let at £15 a year, which is distributed among the poor.

3. In 1642 John Pink by will left £200 to be laid out in land, and to be charged with certain fixed annual payments, including 13s. 4d. for the poor of this parish, redeemed in 1893 by transfer to the official trustees of £26 13s. 4d. Metropolitan Consolidated 2½ per cent. stock.

(iii) In the parish of St. Faith.—1. In 1842 James Farquharson bequeathed 6,000 guilders Dutch 4 per cent. bonds upon trust to pay £18 5s. to the keeper of the lodge of the Catholic burial ground, and residue of income for repairs of same.

2. In 1895 William Churcher by will bequeathed £150 consols for repair of his tomb, and the balance of income in keeping in good condition the railings inclosing the burial ground of St. Faith, in which the tomb is situated. By a scheme of the Charity Commissioners of 15 August 1902 the dividends are applied for the latter object.

3. In 1898 Ellen Lasham by will left £100 for repair of tomb in churchyard and repair of churchyard. The first object being void, a sum of £50 only was paid, which was invested in £45 2s. 7d. consols. The two sums of consols are held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds.

(iv) In the parish of Holy Trinity.—A national school for girls and a school for boys (fn. 9) were founded by deeds dated respectively in 1845 and 1847. These are regulated by schemes of Charity Commissioners 22 December 1871 and 22 March 1872.

(v) In the parish of St. John.—A.D. 1528.— 1. Parish Lands.—By deed of 10 December 1527 John Thomas granted to feoffees lands and tenements for celebrating masses and other divine services in the chapel of St. Mary in the parish church. The parish is now possessed of several cottages, and share of rent of stable and store room, let at £12 a year, the latter belonging jointly to this parish and to St. Peter Cheesehill. The gross income, amounting to £168 6s. a year, is applied for church purposes.

2. 1641. Henry Smith's Charity. — By deed Robert Earl of Essex and others, as the surviving trustees of the estate of Henry Smith, in performance of the trusts reposed in them, appointed certain fixed payments out of divers closes in the parish of Shaldon (Hants) and out of a messuage in St. John to be applied to the use and behoof of the parishes therein named.

The property at Shaldon consists of 61 a. 3 r. 13 p., let at about £50 a year, which for a long series of years has been divided in moieties between the two parishes of St. John and St. Peter Cheesehill.

A messuage in St. John's parish, opposite the church, was occupied by paupers of those parishes rent free.

3. John Pink's Charity.—See parish of St. Bartholomew, Hyde.

The Official Trustees of Charitable Funds hold £26 13s. 4d. Metropolitan Consolidated 2½ per cent. stock in respect of this charity.

4. In 1846 the Rev. Malise Archibald Cuningham Graham bequeathed legacies for the benefit of the church choir and for apprenticing choir boys, invested in the purchase of two sums of £671 12s. 10d. India 3½ per cent. stock.

5. St. John's Schools. (fn. 10) —In 1853 Martin Filer, the elder, bequeathed £200 to these schools, invested in the purchase of £216 19s. 11d. consols; and in 1891 Henry Knight bequeathed £200, invested in £195 14s. 3d. consols.

6. Henry Knight likewise bequeathed £300 for the poor of the parish, now represented by £293 11s. 10d. consols.

7. In 1891 Miss Matilda Hill Newbolt bequeathed £100, income to be applied for the poor, invested in £104 14s. 3d. India 3 per cent. stock.

8. In 1871 the Rev. Francis Swanton, by his will, founded a charity for six aged men and six aged women. The fund consists of £178 1s. 10d. consols, the dividends of which are applicable on 17 December yearly.

9. In 1891 Miss Matilda Hill Newbolt bequeathed £100, invested in £104 14s. 3d. India 3 per cent. stock, the income to be distributed amongst the poor of the parish.

The several sums of stock above mentioned are held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds.

(vi) In the parish of St. Lawrence.—1. In 1712 Edward Grace by will charged his lands in Martyr Worthy with an annual sum of £5 4s. for the benefit of the poor of this parish, which is distributed in articles in kind.

2. In 1847 Miss Mary Littlehales by deed gave £23 8s. 10d. consols and seven £10 shares in the Winchester Cemetery Company, the income to be distributed in bread. The charity is duly applied.

3. Nathaniel Mill.—For endowment see Southampton Municipal Charities. A sum of 17s. 4d. is received from the trustees and distributed annually among the poor of the parish.

(vii) In the united parishes of St. Mary Kalender, St. Maurice and St. Peter Colebrook.—The sum of £1 is paid from St. John's Hospital and the Allied Charities to the minister for a sermon on All Saints' Day. See City of Winchester.

(viii) In the parish of St. Mary Kalender.—This parish is entitled to a share in the charity known as 'Mant's Good Female Servants' Reward.' See City of Winchester.

(ix) In the parish of St. Maurice.—1. This parish is entitled to a share in the charity known as 'Mant's Good Female Servants' Reward.' See City of Winchester.

2. The incumbent of this parish receives £20 a year from the charity founded by George Bishop of Winchester in or about 1673, being part of fee-farm rent of £56 2s. 0½d., issuing out of land in the parish of Selsey, Sussex.

(x) In the parish of St. Michael.—1. 1770. The books of the dean and chapter under this date show that Elizabeth Eyre gave the sum of £308 for the benefit of the rector of the parish (subject to certain conditions). Also that Dr. Roger Shipman by will in 1775 bequeathed two turnpike bonds of £50 each for the rector. These two gifts are now represented by £540 Metropolitan 2½ per cent. Consolidated stock held by the official trustees.

2. In 1772 Samuel Kent by will left £400, income to be applied in the distribution of coats and gowns for poor men and women, surplus in bread. The trust fund now consists of £687 10s. 10d. India 3 per cent. stock with the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds and the dividends are applied in clothing and bread.

(xi) In the parish of St. Peter Cheesehill.—1. The parish has been in possession of property known as the Parish Lands from time immemorial, which comprise four tenements in this parish, two tenements and a half share of stable and storehouse in St. John's and a moiety of a quit-rent of £2 8s. 4d. The income, amounting to £79 or thereabouts, is applied for church purposes.

2. The poor of this parish receive a moiety of the income of Henry Smith's charity, amounting to about £20 a year (see parish of St. John); the dividends on £50 consols representing the gift in 1742 of Bartholomew Smith of £15 (with accumulations); also the dividends on £26 13s. 4d. like stock (held by the official trustees) in respect of John Pink's charity (see parish of St. Bartholomew); a rentcharge of £1 10s., the gift of John Bowles in 1612, together with an annual sum of £1 10s. received from the trustees of St. John's Hospital and Allied Charities. See City of Winchester.

3. In 1841 and 1844 a school and teacher's residence were conveyed to trustees and in 1856 Elizabeth Earle bequeathed £140 3s. 3d. consols towards its endowment. The teacher's residence is let for 7s. a week. The trust is administered by scheme of 2 July 1901 as modified by order and Board of Education Act of 1 December 1903.

(xii) In the parish of St. Thomas.—1. Thomas Ashton by will, date unknown, devised to the Corporation three tenements in St. Clement Street, now let on lease for thirty years from Lady Day 1892 for £24 a year. The rector and churchwardens were appointed trustees in 1895 and the income is distributed in money.

2. The poor of this parish are entitled to a share of the charity of Sarah Mant. See City of Winchester charities.

3. In 1805 Elizabeth Imber by will gave £5 a year for distribution in bread. The charge is paid out of an estate in Bromham, Wilts. A sum of £800 consols is held by the official trustees representing a gift by the same donor, the dividends being applicable in educating and clothing eleven poor girls of this parish.

Footnotes

  • 1. V.C.H. Hants, ii, 200.
  • 2. Established by Order of Chancery 27 April 1849.
  • 3. According to this scheme, the charities of Sir Thomas White, John Sevier, Frederick Tilney and William Over have been devoted to loans, apprenticing and the promotion of technical education.
  • 4. The recipients must be deserving and necessitous men and women born in the city, soke or suburbs, who have been resident in the same not less than ten years.
  • 5. V.C.H. Hants, ii, 193.
  • 6. Ibid. 197.
  • 7. Ibid. 200.
  • 8. Ibid. 388.
  • 9. See V.C.H. Hants, ii, 406.
  • 10. Ibid.