Horsley: Charities for the poor

CHARITIES FOR THE POOR.

In 1714 Walter Chambers left an annual rent-charge of 10s. to buy bread for the poor. The original grant had been lost by 1828 and no record of payment was to be found, but the rent-charge appears to have been paid occasionally during the later 19th century until 1884. (fn. 1)

Henry Sheppard (d. 1819) left £160, the interest on which was to be distributed at Christmas in clothing for 5 men and 5 women not in receipt of parochial relief. The charity was augmented by Mary Frost who, by will dated 1819, left £240 to be applied on the same terms. (fn. 2) The income deriving from the charity in the later 19th century was c. £17. (fn. 3) A small bequest was made by John Wight, by will dated 1835, to buy bread for the poor. The income from the charity in 1970 was £1 yearly. Colonel John Harvey Ollney (d. 1836) left a sum of money for coal and blankets for the poor which produced an annual income of £8 in 1970. Edward Wilbraham, by will dated 1859, left a sum of money, the interest to be divided equally to provide coats for poor men and blankets for poor parishioners. In 1970 the interest amounted to £7 yearly. (fn. 4) The foregoing charities were administered jointly from the mid 20th century and provided clothing vouchers, distributed at Christmas to 24 inhabitants. The administration was regularized in 1970 by a Scheme of the charity commissioners. (fn. 5)

The vicar Henry Stubbs (d. 1678) left £20 to buy New Testaments for the poor. (fn. 6) The sum was used to buy a field called the Testament Ground which produced an annual rent of £1. (fn. 7) The charity was not recorded in 1683 (fn. 8) but was said to have been paid regularly in the early 19th century. (fn. 9) Another bequest for testaments was made by Joseph Browning, who left a rent-charge by will dated 1770, but the charity was challenged successfully under the Mortmain Act. (fn. 10)