CHARITIES FOR THE POOR.

Anne Ward, wife of a former rector of Edgeworth, left £5 in 1644, the interest to be paid to the poor. (fn. 9) Thomas Ridler, rector 1684-1701, left an equivalent sum for the same purpose and the income from the combined charities in 1826 was allowed to accumulate and was distributed in money to the poor every six years. (fn. 10) A charity founded by John Ridler in 1724, by which the interest on £50 was to be given to the poor, was recorded in 1791 (fn. 11) but appears to have been discontinued by 1826. Anne Ridler, by will dated 1774, left the interest on £100 to the poor, but after the appointment of new trustees in 1819 legal complications prevented the distribution of the charity until at least 1826 when steps were being taken to remedy the situation. (fn. 12) In 1864 the Revd. Geoffrey Fausett left £100, the interest to be distributed in coal to the cottagers of the parish. (fn. 13) The combined income of the charities was allowed to accumulate in 1971 and distributed triennially in coal to old age pensioners. (fn. 14)

Footnotes