DRAPERS' COMPANY.

TO THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS FOR ENGLAND AND WALES.

In pursuance of a minute of the board on the 13th day of November 1860, I have inquired into the condition and circumstances of the Charities under the management of the Drapers' Company of the City of London, and I have stated under the head of each specific endowment the result of my investigation.

The style or title of the Draper's Company is "The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers."

The government of the Company is vested in the—
Master, Four wardens, and Court of assistants, consisting of a minimum of 12, but now consisting of 21 besides the master and wardens.

The livery, consisting of upwards of 300 (about 320), who are necessarily free (and by a recent regulation free four years before eligible for the livery).

Many freemen and freewomen are not on the livery; the number of these are unknown.

The freedom is acquired—

I. By patrimony; the son or daughter of a freeman having been born after the parent had taken up his freedom is free.

II. By servitude; seven years to a freeman or freewomen of any calling.

III. By redemption on payment of 100 guineas at the option of the court; and

IV. By the free grant of the court.

Sir Thomas Adams' Charity.

Sir Thomas Adams, by an indenture of the 20th June 1666, granted to the Drapers' Company an annuity of 40l., charged on the manor of Chaworth in Essex, in trust to pay the same to the Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge.

This is received without deduction from Lord Maynard, and paid to the Professor of Arabic at Cambridge. The Rev. Henry G. Williams is the present professor.

Sir Thomas Adams' Charity.

Sir Thomas Adams bequeathed to the Company 200l. to be lent out at 40s. per cent., to be paid to the poor of the Company.

The 200l. is part of the 3,811l. 10s. 6d. administered under the decree in Clonne's Charity, and the 4l. per annum is applied to the pensions to the poor on the roll (see Kendrick's Charity).

Lady Askew's or Ascue Almshouses.

Lady Askew or Ascue, according to the Company's books, by her will (I presume in consideration of some devise or bequest which does not appear), laid upon the Company the obligation to provide and assign seven poor widows of good name and honest conversation severally to have and hold the tenements or almshouses in Beech Lane during their lives rent free, and to distribute amongst the poorest people of the Company 20s., part of the Company's rent of the land in Beech Lane adjoining to the said almshouses, and to take for their pains the yearly sum of 10s.

The almshouses regarded as derived from this foundation are eight old tenements in a row in Beech Lane, St. Giles Cripplegate. They are about to be removed to Tottenham under the arrangements referred to in my report on Milborne's Almshouses. They are occupied by eight poor widows, chosen by the master and wardens at a court of wardens.

The will of Dame Ann Askue, of which a copy is in the possession of the Company, purports to devise to the Company seven tenements in the parish of St. Giles, Cripplegate, and also two gardens and two lodges and stable, and one capital messuage and a hog yard adjoining in Beech Lane, in the said parish, for the sustenance of the almshouses, with a gift of the residue of the issues and profits to the poor of the Company at the discretion of the master and wardens. Except the almshouses and the houses belonging to Walters' trust, the Company have no property in Beech Lane.

Nothing in the way of income is known to have been derived from any gift of Lady Askew. There is 1l. paid annually to the general charities on account of her donation, but nothing to this institution.

The principal fund from which the inmates of these almshouses are supported is derived from,—

Buck's Charity.

Robert Buck, by his will of the 17th November 1620, gave to the Drapers' Company a messuage and land in the parish of Langley, Kent, on trust that the renter warden should pay to the two younger wardens 20l. for the purchase of clothing, which, with 3l. in money, should be sent to the parish of Ugley in Essex, for such of the surname of Buck as should inhabit Bollington Hall. And he directed that the clothing and money should be given in the second year to the parish of Manendine in Essex, and in the third year to the parish of Stansted-Mountfichett, in Essex. And he further directed the following payments:—

And the residue to the wardens for the repairs of the estate, or to such other charitable uses as they should deem expedient.

The Commissioners of Inquiry referred this case to the Attorney-General. An information ex-officio was filed by Sir John Campbell, Attorney-General, on the 28th May 1838, stating the said certificate of the Commissioners, and that according to the true construction of the will the whole of the rents of the said lands and premises ought to have been applied to charitable purposes, and the said Company were not nor had ever been entitled to any part thereof for their own use and benefit, and they ought to account for all such sums as had been received by them out of such rents, and applied for their own use and benefit, and that all proper directions ought to be given for the proper application of the said rents and profits for the future: And praying that it might be declared that the whole of the lands, &c., and the rents thereof, were applicable to charitable purposes, and that the Company were not entitled to apply any part of the rents thereof to their own use, and that an account might be taken of the sums received by the Company, or by any persons on their behalf, in respect of the rents of the said lands or from such fines or premiums as aforesaid, and of their application thereof, and that in taking such accounts they might not be allowed any such sums which should not appear to have been applied by them to the purposes of the charity in accordance with the intention of the testator; and that they might be decreed to make good whatever upon such account should appear to have been received by them over and above what they had properly applied and disposed of as aforesaid. And that all proper inquiries might be directed for the purpose of ascertaining of what the lands and premises so devised as aforesaid consisted, and that all directions might be given for the proper application of the sums which should be coming from the said Company upon such accounts to be taken as aforesaid, and for securing the rents of the said lands for the future for the charitable purposes as intended by the will of the said testator as aforesaid.

The suit appears to have been terminated in pursuance of an arrangement, shown in the following correspondence, between Mr. Parkes, acting for the Attorney-General, and Mr. Lawford on behalf of the Company:—

"21, Great George Street,
26th June 1839.

"Dear Sir,
Attorney-General v. Drapers' Company (Buck's Charity).

"As it appears from the defendants' answer that the surplus revenue belonging to this charity carried to the Company's general account has been more than repaid out of the Company's income in monthly stipends of 1l. 9s. paid to each of the eight poor women residing in the almshouses in Beech Lane, I am desirous of being informed whether the Company will consent to a decree to keep for the future the whole proceeds of the charity distinct from their general account, and not carry over the surplus revenue as heretofore; if so, I will prepare and send you minutes of proposed decree, as the account prayed against the Company will be waived in the event of their consenting to the terms now suggested. They must, however, pay the costs of the suit, which they can retain from the future receipts of the charity estate.

"I am, &c.
"Joseph Parkes."

"Drapers' Hall,
26th May 1840.

"Dear Sir,
Attorney-General v. Drapers' Company (Buck's Charity).

"We are favoured with your letter of the 19th instant, with a copy of that of the 26th June last, and in reply to your proposal, we beg to state that we have no objection to the defendants' entering a resolution on their books to keep for the future the whole proceeds of this charity distinct from their general account, and not carry over the surplus revenue as heretofore; and in order to dispose of the suit we will recommend our clients to pay the costs, as between party and party, out of their own funds, and the suit can then be dismissed upon the usual petition, which we will direct our clerk in court to sign; the arrangement above suggested will effect what you propose in your letter of the 26th June last; but we should object to any decree for which there seems no reason, but, in truth, if the facts had not been misunderstood by the Commissioners there could have been no suit.

"We are, &c.
"E. and J. Lawford."

"21, Great George Street,
22nd August 1840.

"Dear Sir,
"Attorney-General v. Drapers' Company.

"I see no objection to ending this suit by the arrangement mentioned in your letter of the 26th May, and which will save the expense of a hearing.

"You will therefore be good enough to enter the resolution on the Company's books as proposed, and obtain the sanction of the Company thereto in the usual manner. When this is done please to make an early appointment for me to inspect the resolution. I enclose you my costs in the suit, which I will at the same time settle with you. The information may then be dismissed as proposed.

"I am, &c.
"Joseph Parkes."

By an order of the Master of the Rolls of the 30th April 1841, it was ordered that the information might stand dismissed out of the Court without costs.

It appears that there was no resolution of the Company subsequently to the last-mentioned letter, but that previous to the letter of Mr. Lawford of the 26th May 1840 the subject had been brought by him to the notice of the Court of Assistants; their resolution thereon is recorded in the following minute of the 14th April 1840, authorising the arrangement:

"It is resolved, that the Court do authorise the clerk of the Company to pay the costs in question, and to adopt such course as may appear to him most proper for staying the proceedings in the information filed against the Company in relation to Buck's Charity, either upon the terms mentioned in the letter from Mr Parkes or such modification of the plan proposed as shall appear to him expedient."

Since the dismissal of the information, and in pursuance of the arrangement made with the Attorney-General's solicitor, the practice has been to carry the income of the estate to one account, intituled "Robert Buck's Trusts," with 5l. a year from Lady Ramsey and the 6l. 8s. from Henry Butler's Charities.

The estate, as described by the Commissioners of Inquiry, consists of an old mansion-house at Caring, in the parish of Langley, near Maidstone in Kent, and 98 acres of land let to George Cutt, a yearly tenant of 140l., the rent not having been raised since the last inquiry.

On the 31st December 1860 the balance of payments entered in the Company's books in excess of receipts on account of the three charities was 767l. 0s. 8d.

It appears by the state of this account, and the proceedings and correspondence, that the administration of the fund, whatever discretion or absolute power the Company may theoretically assert, is practically satisfactory; that even more than the charity could strictly require is applied for its benefit; and the Attorney-General has thought that any legal proceedings would be idle, in which opinion I have no doubt the Commissioners will concur.

Dame Mary Ramsay's Gift.

Dame Mary Ramsay, by her will of the 8th July 1601, gave to the Company 200l. towards the relief of the poor of the said Company. The management of the loan fund is stated in my report on Clonne's Charity. Of the interest of this sum at 5l. per cent., 5l. or one moiety is annually carried to the account of the poor in the almshouses in Beech Lane, and 5l. to the poor of the Company.

Butler's Gift.

Henry Butler bequeathed to the Company 100l. to purchase lands and pay thereout 4l. a year to the eight poor widows in the Beech Lane almshouses. To this was subsequently added an unpaid accumulation of 34l., and making together 134l., the interest of such amounting to 6l. 8s. a year is paid to the same account as Robert Buck's Trust.

Whitbread's Gift.

Samuel Whitbread, as executor of his father, transferred 833l. 6s. 8d. Consols to the names of the master and wardens, in trust, to pay the annual dividends amongst the poor widows in the Beech Lane almshouses, as declared by an indenture of the 22nd April 1797. The fund now stands as part of a large sum of like stock in the corporate name of the Company, which varies annually as circumstances require. The dividends, amounting to 25l. a year, are divided half-yearly in January and July amongst the eight widows in the Beech Lane almshouses, in addition to what they receive from the Robert Buck Trust. This annual gift amounts to 1l. 11s. 3d. each.

Asilwood's or Hazlewood's Charity.

John Asilwood or Hazlewood devised to the Drapers' Company by his will of the 27th November 1532 all his messuages and tenements in the parishes of St. Bennet, Gracechurch Street, St. Clement, near Lombard Street, and St. Edmund towards the support of poor brethren and and sisters of the said Company.

The book of abstracts of deeds of the Company, referred to by the Commissioners of Inquiry (vol. 32, part 2, page 434) under the head of "Gracechurch," refers to an indenture by which the property appears to have been vested in fee simple in John Haslewood (or Asilwood), William Milborne, William Calby, and John Rudstone. Of these it would seem that Asilwood was the survivor, but whether he held the property in his own right or as trustee of the Company, does not appear, and may be very doubtful, especially having regard to the decision in the case of the Attorney-General (relator, Thos. Spencer Hall) v. the Fishmongers' Company, mentioned in my report on the charities administered by that body (pages and ).

The house in Gracechurch Street was purchased by the City of London under the London Bridge Approaches Acts, and the purchase money was received by the Company, and a portion has been reinvested in the purchase of a house in Mark Lane.

The rent of the property before the sale and the income of the purchase money since, as well as the rents of the Mark Lane property, have been carried to the account of the income of the Company, and has not been regarded as subject to any charitable trust (except as to 105l. a year mentioned in Colborne's case).

The Commissioners of Inquiry certified this case to the Attorney-General. It does not appear, however, that any steps have been taken in the matter. The Drapers' Company are not aware of any proceedings subsequent to the Commissioners' Inquiry, nor have my inquiries been the means of gathering any additional information relating to it.

Upon the subject of the origin of the title of the Company to property acquired under devises prior to the Reformation, I would also refer to my concluding observation in the report on Sir John Milborne's almshouses, below.

Bancroft's Charity.

Francis Bancroft, by his will of the 18th March 1727, gave to the Drapers' Company all his real and personal estate, on trust, to lay out 4,000l. or 5,000l. in purchasing a piece of ground, and building thereon almshouses for 24 old men, with a chapel and schoolroom for 100 poor boys, and two dwelling-houses for masters, and the residue of his personal estate to be employed in the purchase of estates of inheritance to answer such charitable purposes for ever, and any surplus to be applied in improving the charity as the Company should think fit. The testator directed that the 24 old men should be members of the Company, and appointed by them and the two schoolmasters to be chosen, and the 100 boys to be placed in the school by the said Company. And he further directed that the 24 old men should have 8l. a year each, half a chaldron of coals, and a baize gown every third year; that the two masters should have each 30l. a year, and 20l. a year should be allowed for coals and candles, and that the boys should be clothed yearly. Also he directed two sermons to be preached yearly, the ministers to receive 20s. each and the readers 10s., and clerks and sextons 2s. 6d. each; and he directed that the children on leaving school should have 2l. 10s. for clothes or 4l. for binding them apprentice. And he gave to the clerk of the Company 20l. a year and 30s. to his man.

The Commissioners of Inquiry, by their report on the parish of St. Dunstan, Stepney, in the county of Middlesex, in which this institution was established, set forth the residuary, real, and personal estate which accrued to the Company under this devise and bequest (vol. 4, p. 182), together with the fact of the purchase by the Company in pursuance of the will of about five acres of ground at Mile End, on which the almshouses, chapel, school, and master's houses then stood. They stated also in detail the real estate derived under the founder's will and the investments made by the Company out of the residuary personal estate. They also stated the augmentations in the charitable disbursements which had been made: first, in 1803. by the conversion of the day school for the 100 boys into a boarding school, the increase of the salaries of the masters, and the appointment of a chaplain.

The Commissioners made a later report on the same institution, on the occasion of the inquiry into the charities under the Drapers' Company (vol. 32, pt. 2, p. 421). The only material additions to the former report were the fact that the accumulations of stock had increased since the former report from—

40,800l. Consolidated Annuities, and

33,400l. 3l. per cent. Reduced Annuities;

to

40,900l. 3l. per cent. Consols, and

33,800l. 3l. per cent. Reduced Annuities;
that the almsmen had been increased from 24 to 30. Six additional houses having been erected, and that a question of the proportionate amount of rents of some property in Coleman Street, purchased partly with money of the charity and partly with the property of the Company, was a matter for the decision of a court of equity, and had been therefore certified to the Attorney-General. The steps taken on this point are mentioned at No. 19, in the following table:—

The present estate of the charity consists of the following particulars:—

The charges and expenditure on the estate of the charity are as follows:—

1.—The Charges.

In the year 1859 a sum of 91l. was paid for the cost of the conveyance of the premises in the Poultry purchased by the Company, but this cannot be regarded as a usual charge.

2.—Expenditure on the Charity.

At the end of the year 1860 there was a balance to the credit of the charity above the disbursements of 235l. 6s. 2d., which, with a small sum added to it, making 274l. 17s. 6d., was invested in the sum of 300l. 3l. per cent. Reduced Annuities.

The duties of the head master and the second master and the other officers of the establishment are pointed out in the printed statement of the foundation and rules of the hospital annexed to this report.

The almspeople are chosen from the freemen of the Company (or freemen in preference) by the master and wardens at a court of the master and wardens. There is no prescribed limit as to age, but aged men are generally selected. Their wives are admitted with them, but cannot remain when they become widows. A daughter of an almsman of competent years is permitted to be with him.

The boys are not restricted to any class or condition. They are presented by members of the Court of Assistants in rotation, and if thought proper and eligible appointed by the master and wardens. The class of parents of the children very greatly varies, from that of professional persons to domestic servants. It is, in fact, an entire relief of the parent of the expenses of the child from 7 to 15. The education is in reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, and drawing. It is a good middle class education. The present master is the Rev. William Hunt. He is a clergyman of the Church of England, and has been accustomed to tuition at Birmingham and Marlborough. The second master, Mr. Cornelius Laycock, is not in orders. The usher is William Grant, who has been in a training school. The whole of the appointments are made by the Court of Assistants.

The present matron is the widow of a late under master, and has held that situation about 10 years. She appoints the female servants.

Sir Edward Barkham's Charity.

Sir Edward Barkham gave, by his will of the 14th January 1632, an annuity of 6l. 13s. 4d. issuing out of a house in Cheapside. Six of the oldest and poorest freemen to have 20s. each, and the clerk and beadle each 6s. 8d. The house belongs to Lord Tredegar, and the rentcharge, amounting to 5l. 6s. 8d. (1l. 6s. 8d. being deducted by the owner for land tax), is received by the Company. The amount of the gift to the poor of the Company is carried to the account of the charities general (see Sir Richard Champion's Charity), and forms part of the fund distributed on the quarter day to the quarterly poor. The 13s. 4d. is paid to the clerk and beadle as directed.

Lady Bayly's Charity.

Lady Bayly, by some gift or bequest to the Company, purchased from them, 2d. in meat, 1d. in bread, and 1d. in money for each of five poor persons every Sunday at the Church of St. Michael, Paternoster Royal, being poor householders in that parish. The Company pay 4l. 6s. 8d. a year to the churchwardens of the parish.

Bloomer's Charity.

Giles Bloomer, by his will of the 22nd February 1676, bequeathed to the Company 100l. to be lent at 3l. per cent. to an upholsterer free of the Company, and the interest distributed among 10 persons of the Company, 6s. each. And he also gave one third of the residue of his personal property to be placed out in like manner and distributed amongst the poor of the Company by 6s. to each, and if any upholsterers, to have 12s. each; and if a third of the residue amounted to 300l., then 3l. per annum to be disposed of as follows:—

The sum of 100l. forms part of the 3,811l. 10s. 6d. advanced under the decree of the Court in Clonne's Charity. The sum of 9l. is carried to the pensions of the poor on the roll (see Kendrick's Charity). The sum of 3l. is the charge imposed upon the Company by the deed poll mentioned in Clonne's Charity, that being the interest of the loan fund. There are also payments of—

18s to the account of the warden, 12s. to the clerk, and 3s. to the beadle of the Company, which continue to be annually made. These, I presume, with the exception of the payment to the poor of the Company beyond the 3l., represent the extent of the residuary estate of the testator.

Blundell's Charity.

Peter Blundell, by his will of the 9th June 1599, gave to the Company 150l. to purchase lands to pay thereout 40s. for poor prisoners in the Compter in the Poultry, and the residue to be bestowed that the master and wardens should have the benefit for their labour and pains. The sum of 40s. a year is paid annually to Mr. Temple, the city officer, who receives the payments for the prisons; 1l. 12s. a year is carried to the account of the master, and the other 6l. 8s. to that of the wardens of the Company. There does not appear to be any reason for fixing this charge upon any especial property.

Sir William Boreman's School, Greenwich.

Sir William Boreman, Clerk of the Green Cloth to King Charles 2nd, by his will of the 3rd February 1684, devised to the Drapers' Company a schoolhouse and premises and certain fee-farm rents, rentcharge, and lands for the maintenance of a schoolmaster, and for the lodging, clothing, feeding, education, and maintenance of 20 poor boys, and for the maintenance of four poor widows to be placed in an almshouse. And he bequeathed to the Company 500l. for the increase of the revenue of the said school and the poor boys.

The school was subjected to a body of ordinances and statutes prescribed by the founder, by which he directed that 20 boys, born in Greenwich, the sons of seamen, watermen, and fishermen, inhabitants of East Greenwich, especially of such loyal men as have served the King in his wars, should be maintained with meat, drink, lodging, clothes, and teaching, and are to be chosen by the Company on every vacancy from two to be nominated by the minister and churchwardens, and the feoffees to appoint the master and to be the sole electors, visitors, and governors of the foundation, and the founder thereby also directed the order of religious teaching and divine services.

The property of the charity at present is as follows:—

The disbursements in respect of the institution are—

Statutory allowances.

The above form the separate expenses which are charged to Sir William Boreman's Trust. There is a further income and an additional branch of the establishment under William Clavell's foundation, and the expenses not included in the above table are charged upon the joint fund being apportioned.

Clavell's Charity.

William Clavell, who had been educated in the school, by his will bequeathed to the Company a legacy of 5,000l., (which they received in June 1818) for the maintenance, education, and clothing of so many additional boys as the same would provide for. The sum has been increased by accumulations from 5,700l. 3l. per cent. Reduced Annuities, the amount at the last inquiry, to 7,200l. like stock, which stands to the account of the Company as part of a larger sum.

The dividends amount to 216l. per annum, which, with the income of Sir Wm. Boreman's trust, forms an annual receipt of 844l. 2s. 5d.

The master of the school at this time is Mr. Peter Blake. He had been a schoolmaster in Greenwich previously to his election to this office in February 1854. He has no other profits, although the statutes permit him to teach 20 oppidans or town boys for his further benefit and advantage. The foundation and establishment boys are nominated by the minister and churchwardens of East Greenwich on every vacancy, who present two boys, described and certified to be of the qualifications mentioned in the statutes, not less than seven nor more than nine years of age, and otherwise as before stated. The presentation recites the will and the cause of the vacancy, and proceeds—

"We hereby certify that the children hereafter named appear to us to be both of them qualified and to be the most preferable objects according to the limitations above mentioned."

The boys are generally removed about the age of 14. There is no further benefit in the way of apprenticeship or any future provision. No record is preserved of the subsequent history of the children educated in the school. There is no instruction in navigation or any other special science.

At the end of the year 1860 there was a balance in hand on the account of Boreman's Trust of 171l. 16s. 1d., and on account of Clavell's Trust of 90l. 4s. 1d.

Sir W. Langhorne's Charity.

Sir William Langhorne, in the year 1713, gave to the Company a sum of money which, with savings, was invested in the sum of 1,000l. Reduced Annuities, and was appropriated to the Green Coat School, and now forms part of the 1,500l. Reduced Annuities mentioned in the report on that school.

At the former inquiry Mr. H. Smith, the then clerk of the Company, stated that the above legacy was originally invested in Bank 4 per cent. Annuities, and afterwards transferred to South Sea Stock, in which there appears to have been several changes and some loss, and it was converted into 200l. South Sea Annuities, which, with 500l. South Sea Annuities added to the account in March 1748, were sold out in 1775, and the produce laid out on mortgage of an estate in Ireland, which mortgage was paid off in 1811, and the money invested in 1,000l. 3l. per cent. Reduced Annuities. (fn. 1)

Buck's Charity.

Robert Buck, by his will of the 17th November 1620, gave to the Drapers' Company 300l., to be lent to three young men at 3l. 6s. 8d. per cent., and the produce paid on the 8th November to 40 poor men and women of the Company receiving no other pension of any other men's gifts. The 300l. forms part of the 3,811l. 10s. 6d. mentioned in Clonne's Charity, and the 10l. a year is appro priated to the pensions of the poor on the roll mentioned in Kendrick's Charity.

Campe's Charity.

Lawrence Campe, by an indenture of the 17th March 1612, gave (inter alia) 5l. a year to the Drapers' Company for the relief of their poor. The 5l. a year is received from the churchwardens of St. John-the-Baptist, Walbrook, and is carried to the fund of the charities general for the "poor on the roll." (See Kendrick's case.)

Crawley or Cawley's Charity.

William Cawley, as appears by an old book of the Drapers' Company, directed them to pay 2l. 3s. 4d. annually to the mayor of Winchester for the use of the poor of that city. The payment is annually made by the Company on the receipt of the mayor.

Sir Richard Champion's Charity.

Sir Richard Champion by his will of the 22nd October 1568, gave to the Company 200l. to be lent to four young men without interest.

And he directed his wife, Barbara Champion, to buy so much lands as would countervail the yearly alms of Mr. Mylborne.

Dame Barbara Champion, by a codicil to her will of the 23rd September 1576, gave 100l. to the Drapers' Company, to be lent out to young men without interest, and gave to the Company lands and tenements in St. Margaret Pattens and St. Dunstan's in the East, which she had purchased in part performance of the will of her husband.

In a report of the Committee of the Company of the 8th December 1791 under the head of "monthly pensions," it is stated that "these pensions were established by the wills of Thomas Russell and Sir Richard Champion, each giving 2s. 6d. per month to 13 poor persons of the Company, the former are directed to be to members of the Company, the latter to poor men or women."

In a book of extracts of wills in the possession of the Company there is the following entry: "The Company according to the will and appointment of Lady Champion and in performance of the last will of Sir Richard Champion, knight and alderman, deceased, are with the rents of certain lands given to the Company to pay monthly, viz., 12 times in the year, to 13 poor brethren or sisters of the Company the sum of 32s. 6d., viz., to each of them, 2s. 6d., being the like pencon as is paid Sir John Milbourne's penconers by his appointment."

In the same book of extracts is the following statement of the will of Lady Champion:—

"Whereas I, the said Dame Barbara Champion, did of late purchase of one Dabridge Cort, gentleman, certain lands and tenements in the parishes of St. Margaret Patton and St. Dunstan in the East of London as by the writings thereof made may appear. The which purchase so by me made was in part of performance of the testament and will of Sir Richard Champion, knight, late citizen and alderman of London, deceased, my late husband. Now my mind and will is that all the said lands and tenements so by me purchased of the said D. Cort, with all and singular their appurtenances, profits, and commodities, shall be and remain wholly unto the master wardens and fellowship of the Worshipful Company of Drapers of London, and to their successors, master and wardens of the same Company or fellowship of Drapers of London. To have and to hold all the same lands and tenements with all their issues, rents, profits, and comodities so by me purchased of the said D. Cort unto the master, wardens, and company or fellowship of the drapers of London, and to their successors for ever, in part performance of the said testament and last will of the said Sir Richard Champion, my late husband, deceased, and the residue that shall be unperformed of the testament of my said late husband, as well touching the drapers as touching the poor prisoners, or otherwise, I will that my executors with all convenient speed shall see the same performed and finished as my trust is in them."

It appears by the old account books in the possession of the Company that after the death of Sir Richard Champion the widow, during her lifetime, paid to the Company 19l. 14s. a year under her husband's will, which would be 4s. more than the 19l. 10s. which the husband's gift would annually amount to, and the Company paid the 19l. 10s. to the poor. After the death of Lady Champion, her executors paid the Company 11l. 14s. per annum, which, with 8l. a year, the then rent of the premises in St. Margaret Pattens and St. Dustan's in the East, made up the like sum of 19l. 14s. This payment continued for a few years and then ceased, but nothing appears to account for the cessation, which may be conjecturally explained either by the estate being fully administered or by the possible payment of a capital sum sufficient to provide for the future annual deficiency of which, however, no trace appears. The same payment was continued to the poor after the excess ceased to be received from the executors.

The receipts for rent are first entered in ancient and contemporary accounts of the Company under the head of "revenues belonging to the Company of Drapers called the House Lands, wherewith the said Henry May is to be charged for one whole year, ending at the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, 1578."

(Among others.)—

"St. Margaret Pattens and St. Dunstan in the East."

"Edward Blow, pewterer, payeth by the year for certain tenements in the parishes of St. Margaret Pattens and St. Dunstan in the East given to the Company by Sir Richard Champion, viii l."

The discharge is thus stated: "Item, paid, to divers poor people of our Companie in the presence of the masters and the wardens, the charity bequeathed by Sir Richard Champion, kt., for xii. months, the last month ending the last of September 1576, at xxxii s. vid. for one month amongst the poor, some, xix l. xiij s."

For two or three years the receipt from the executors of Lady Champion is thus entered,—

"Received of Master Thomas Heardsome, one of the executors of the Lady Champion, deceased, in money towards the performance of Sir Richard Champion, his devise for the poor of this Company the sum of xi l. xiv s."

The Company have administered this charity for 70 years past under the recommendation of the committee of the 8th December 1791 hereafter mentioned, and the payment forms part of the gift to the poor on the roll. By some oversight the 19l. 10s. a year has not been brought into the account, an omission which will, however, be seen to be substantially immaterial, inasmuch as a very much larger sum has been always paid than the charities would amount to, including that sum.

A search has been made amongst the muniments of the Company, but nothing can be found showing what was the bequest of Sir Richard Champion for four prisoners. An ancient copy of the will of Lady Champion was discovered, by which it appears that she gave 30l. to be distributed amongst the poor prisoners of several city and neighbouring prisons by 10l. a year in three years; and it is not improbable that the gift of the husband was to be distributed within a short period in the same manner.

The premises in St. Margaret Pattens and St. Dunstan's in the East comprised in the purchase from Dabridge Cort and other property. comprising altogether 19 messuages taken under the London Bridge Approaches Act prior to the last inquiry (volume 32, part 2, p. 434). The Company received on that occasion for the whole property so taken the sum of 19,676l. The accounts of the Company do not enable them to distinguish the amount received in respect of the Dabridge Cort purchase, supposed to be the Champion property from the amount received for the other estates. If, as stated by the Commissioners of Inquiry (p. 434), the Champion Estate consisted of 11 messuages, it may be roughly estimated that the latter estates included 11/19 of the whole, and therefore produced about 11,000l.

The Commissioners of Inquiry (see vol. 32, part 2, p. 434), state that they had certified the case to the Attorney-General. Upon examination of the Parliamentary returns of proceedings by the Attorney-General, I do not find that any steps have been taken in the matter; and the Drapers' Company, who must have been parties, are not aware of any such proceedings.

The two sums of 200l. and 100l. were not brought into the loan charities or made part of the scheme referred to in Clonne's Charity, as I have elsewhere observed; nor are these sums specifically in existence, or at present represented by any fund.

The Commissioners of Inquiry in their report (vol. 32, part 2, p. 447) state the method of keeping the accounts of the charities. That system was established in conformity with a report of a committee, made the 8th of December 1791, which recommended that,—

"If the proposed method should be approved by the court your committee would recommend that the amount of the charities should be kept in the Company's books in the following manner, to wit,—That all the charities should be charged to the account of Charities General, as they are paid, and that at the end of the year each trust for which a separate account is kept should be debited and the account of Charities General credited for the amount of the different founders' allowances; and that in like manner the Company's income should be debited for the amount of each specific charity for which no account is separately kept in the Company's books, and a list made of the names of the persons to whom such charity was given, together with the Company's additional allowances, in order to show that the provisions in the different founders' wills have been substantially complied with."

The committee at the time of making that report contemplated that it would be "more for the benefit of the poor that the said charities should be consolidated, and that instead of giving the trifling sums established by the pensions therein-before mentioned, and the small sums on the different charity days above stated, all the poor of the Company upon the roll, except those provided for by almshouses and pensions, should be paid pensions of 6l. 6s. a year;" and which occasioned an annual excess of payments on the charity account above the receipts of 80l. 3s. 10d. The pensions of 6l. 6s. per annum adopted in pursuance of that recommendation have at various times been increased and now amount to 16l. per annum, and the excess above the allowances have been augmented in proportion, and in the last year ending 31st December 1860, amounted to 486l. 14s. 10d. I have elsewhere mentioned the progressive augmentation of the stipends of the almspeople, which have increased the aggregate amount of the excess of payments over receipts on the "Charities General" to a much larger sum.

This aggregate excess in the same year was 1,235l. 2s. 4d. exclusive of large gifts of a charitable nature from the funds of the Company not brought into the account of "Charities General" to other poor of the Company."

Christopher Clarke's Charity.

Christopher Clarke, by his will of February 1671, gave certain messuages and land in Whitechapel, on trust, to pay—
and the residue to the poorest freemen of the Company who should be greatest objects of charity, 20s. each.

The property consists of the following particulars:—

The estate is subject to a ground rent of 6s. 6d. to the lord of the manor of Stepney in respect of the copyhold land.

I am informed that the property in the Whitechapel Road is held not in fee simple, but subject to a lease, dated the 16th January, 27th Elizabeth (1585), granted by Henry Lord Wentworth to John Denton of part of the waste soil or ground of the manor of Stevonheath for a term of 500 years from the Michaelmas before the date of the lease, reserving a rent of 20 pence a year. This lease and the premises therein comprised was assigned to John Clarke by deed of the 5th April 1610 for the residue of the term. I do not observe that this is mentioned in the report of the Commissioners of Inquiry.

There is paid to the wardens and clerks of the Drapers' Company 1l. 6s. 8d.

The balance is paid to the account of the Charities General (see John Rainey's Charity) and applied for the benefit of the poor of the Company. (fn. 2)

Frances Clarke's Charity.

Frances Clarke, widow of Roger Clarke, gave 200l. to the Drapers' Company, and by an indenture of the 15th February 1608 the Company covenanted with her to pay to the poor prisoners in the Compter, Wood Street, 10l. a year at Midsummer and Christmas for releasing them out of prison or relieving them if they lie there, as should be most agreeable to charity.

The Company desire the Governor of Whitecross Street Prison to acquaint them annually with the names of prisoners for debt who can be released at the expense of a sum not exceeding 5l. The governor in conformity with this application supplied the Company (in 1860) with a list of twenty-three prisoners who could be released by the Insolvent Debtors Court, or by arrangement, for sums varying from 5l. to 2l. 2s., making up the sum of 109l. 15s. 6d. (the exact sum which the clerk of the Company had in his letter intimated that the Company could bestow). This fund was made up as follows:—

Clonne's Charity.

Owen Clonne, by his will of the 22nd August 1563, gave to the Company his lands and tenements in the parishes of St. Andrew Hubert, St. Margaret Pattens, and St. Mary at Hill, on trust, to sell the same and lend the produce to 10 young men of the Company for five years at 5l. per cent., and distribute the profit to the poorest householders of the Company.

The Commissioners of Inquiry, after mentioning the sale of the premises for 1,100l., observe that with regard to this and several other sums of money held in trust to lend at different rates of interest and to apply to other charitable uses, the Company paid the income without making any such loans, and that upon the question of the manner in which the Company were bound to comply with the loan trusts the case had been certified to the Attorney-General.

An information ex-officio was filed by the AttorneyGeneral in February 1839 (which was afterwards amended) against the Drapers' Company, stating the following bequests and gifts:—
and praying for the establishment of a scheme.

The information was heard before the Master of the Rolls on the 12th November 1841, and by his order it was referred to the master in rotation to approve of a proper scheme for the administration and regulation of such charities, and a scheme was accordingly approved by the report of Sir George Rose of the 14th December 1843, which was (with some slight alterations) confirmed by order of the Court of the 20th February 1844, under which order it was declared that the sum of 3,960l. was in the hands of the Company to be applied on loans, as mentioned in the scheme, out of which the taxed costs, amounting to 148l. 9s. 6d., were to be paid, which left 3,811l. 10s. 6d. in the hands of the Company, which was in accordance with the scheme invested in the purchase of 4,246l. 8s. 11d. Consols in the corporate name of the Company.

The Company in pursuance of the arrangement expressed in the scheme executed a deed poll under their common seal, dated the 22nd June 1843, reciting the proceedings in the suit, the scheme, and the resolution of the Court of Assistants of the 9th March 1843, that the master, wardens, and clerk should be authorised to make the several payments mentioned in the schedule, amounting in the whole to 153l. 15s. 4d., although it might happen the principal moneys from which the same should arise might be wholly or partially lost, it was thereby declared that the Fraternity should from time to time cause the same annual sum of 153l. 15s. 4d., to be paid accordingly. The schedule therein referred to is as follows:—

The scheme settled and approved by the order of the 20th February 1844 was as follows:—

1. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the object of the several testators before mentioned the several sums given by them and now in existence shall be blended together and form one fund, and shall be lent out by the master and wardens of the Drapers' Company to such persons, members of the said Company, as they shall think fit, at such rate and interest and for such terms as hereinafter mentioned.

2. That the loans from the said fund shall be made by the said master and wardens to any deserving and honest member of the said Company who may appear to the said Company to require such assistance, in any sums not exceeding 400l., which they are hereby empowered to lend accordingly, and at the rate of 4l. 10s. per cent. per annum; but no loan of the said charity funds is to be made to any master or warden, clerk, officer, or servant of the said Drapers' Company.

3. That all persons borrowing from the said fund shall find not less than two sureties, who shall join with them to enter into a bond to the said Company for the repayment of any loan to be made as aforesaid, and interest according to the terms on which any such loan shall have been made, and the said master and wardens shall at their discretion, as and when they shall think fit, call upon the person receiving such loan to find another person as surety in the place of any surety who shall have been accepted and who may have died or become insolvent, or have left the United Kingdom, or become in such circumstances as no longer to be a sufficient security for the repayment of any loan and interest aforesaid. And the said Company shall have power from time to time, as they shall find it expedient with a view to the interest of the said charity, to call in and compel payment of any of the said loans, and for that purpose to take such steps and proceedings as they may be advised.

4. That the period of repayment of any loan from this Company to any such person as aforesaid shall be not exceeding seven years, the person borrowing being at liberty at any time, on giving one month's notice in writing to the said master and wardens, to pay off the amount thereof, together with the interest thereon calculated as aforesaid, such person being at the whole expense of preparing the bond or other security for the repayment of such loan.

5. That unless there shall be no other application for loans after the publication of the advertisement hereinafter directed, it shall not be competent to the trustees of the charity to renew the amount of any or to regrant by way of loan any sum previously lent out to any poor honest member as aforesaid.

6. That the said Company having undertaken under their common seal to pay to the several charities and persons as heretofore the several sums directed in the wills of the testators before amounting to 150l. 15s. 4d., whether they shall be in receipt of any money for interest or otherwise, or otherwise the said Company shall be at liberty from time to time and at all times to invest or leave uninvested all money belonging to this fund during the time it shall not be lent out on loan as is herein directed, but the said Company shall once in every year cause an advertisement to be inserted in two or more London daily newspapers of the greatest circulation according to the return of the Stamp Office, and that such advertisement shall be in the form following, mutatis mutandis, or as near thereto as the circumstances of the charity will permit.

Form of Advertisement.

"Notice is hereby given that the sum of £, part of certain charity funds given to the Drapers' Company by various to be lent in sums not exceeding 400l. for a period not exceeding seven years at 4½ per cent. interest per annum. The persons wishing for such loans will be required to enter into bonds for the repayment thereof with two sureties. Applications to be made in writing with the names of the proposed sureties to the Clerk of the Company on or before the day of at whose office all further particulars may be obtained."

7th. That the said Company shall direct their clerk to receive such written applications, and he shall also be directed to give all applicants the requisite information of the qualifications necessary to entitle the persons to the benefit of the said charity, and shall likewise lay before the master and wardens at their meeting next after such advertisement the names of every applicant, and proceedings shall then be taken to ascertain whether such applicant is or is not duly qualified and a proper object to receive the benefit of the said charity, and shall grant or refuse such applications as to them shall seem right.

8th. That a memorandum explaining the general nature and object of this scheme shall be put up in some public and convenient part of the buildings called Drapers' Hall of the said defendants, the Drapers' Company.

The advertisements are inserted once a year in two newspapers, which have been the "Times" and the "Morning Advertiser." Some moneys have been lent since the scheme, and all such moneys have been repaid, and I am informed that in every case, excepting one, the repayment has been made, not by the principal, but by the surety.

The applications have not been frequent, and the appropriation of funds for this object does not appear to be attended with any benefit generally.

There is at present an application for the loan of a sum of 300l., which is about to be granted. I have been asked whether it is incumbent on the Company to sell out a portion of the stock in order to make this loan, or whether it might be made out of any floating incomes in the hands of the Company, the charities being on such advance indebted to the Company to that extent; and I have had no hesitation in saying that it is perfectly competent to the Company to advance the funds from any sources which it might be convenient to them to apply, the Company being by the decree liable to the full extent of the prescribed capital, and for the annual payments under the deed poll.

The sum of 56l. a year mentioned in the schedule as applicable in respect of the interest of Clonne's Charity for the poor of the Company (with the exception of 1l. 12s. 0d. to the wardens and 8s. to the master) forms part of the fund applied quarterly to the poor on the roll, which contains 60 pensioners at 4l. a quarter as mentioned in Kendrick's Charity.

The 1l. 12s. and 8s. are paid to the officers accordingly.

Colborne's Charities.

Henry Colborne, by a codicil to his will of the 7th August 1655, directed his trustees to purchase a lease of the rectory of Kirkham, and lay out the profits for the first 16 years (except 100l. a year to his son) to purchase lands to maintain schools and poor people, to be settled upon the Drapers' Company.

In 1673 the liability of the Company in respect of the lands and endowment and the rights of the respective townships interested in the endowment were settled by the Court of Chancery. It would seem from the Report of the Commissioners of Inquiry (vol. 2, p. 250), that the Company instead of purchasing lands specifically for the charity charged their own estates (which are in Cheapside, Honey Lane Market, Dowgate Hill, St. Swithin's Lane, Botolph Lane, Lower Thames Street, and Monks Lane, together with 884l. 10s. 3l. per cent. Consols now in the Court of Chancery in the name of the Accountant-General to the credit of the Company) with an annual sum of 105l. The property thus charged remains the same as specified by the Commissioners of Inquiry (ubi sup.), except that the premises in Gracechurch Street and Sherborne Lane have been taken for City improvements, and a house in Mark Lane has been purchased with part of the proceeds, and the sum of 884l. 4s. 10d. 3l. per cent. Consols above referred to, the residue of the said proceeds, remaining in the name of the Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery.

The sums paid by the Company (exclusive of 45l., 16l. 10s., and 8l. for the Kirkham Schools) are—

Mr. Disley was appointed by an order of the Company, dated the 8th November 1860, on the recommendation of the vestry of Goosnargh and Whittingham, "during the pleasure of the Court, and until a more suitable master according to the statutes of the said school shall be found fitting for that situation."

The Drapers' Company remit also annually the sum of 5l. to the chapel wardens of the chapelry of Goosnargh. They have no account of the distribution.

The Company also remit 5l. 10s. a year to the vestry clerk or churchwardens of Kirkham, and receive a receipt from the churchwardens or one of them. The subsequent appropriation amongst the several townships, a matter in which the Company does not interfere. The Board have had under their consideration the distribution of this sum in the township of Hambleton, which was the subject of a lengthened correspondence with the incumbent (see File, 6,323.)

The Kirkham school has been the subject of a recent scheme in the Court of Chancery.

In March 1836 an information was filed by the AttorneyGeneral at the relation of Peter Hesketh Fleetwood and others, trustees of Kirkham School, under Barker's will, against the Drapers' Company and the Rev. James Webber, the vicar of Kirkham, and Fox and Halls, the masters of the Kirkham School, stating the will of Henry Colborne and the decree of 1673, the will of James Barker, and a decree of the Chancery of the County Palatine of Lancaster, of August 1805, a private Act of Parliament of the year 1813, discharging certain estates in Westmoreland from the use of Barker's will, and settling other estates in lieu thereof, a scheme settled by the registrar of the Court of the County Palatine in August 1825, and containing various statements of dissatisfaction with the management of the said school, and praying (amongst other things) an inquiry whether the estate comprised in the indenture of the 10th December 1673, and thereby vested in the Drapers' Company for the purpose of securing the annual payment of 105l. to be applied for charitable uses expressed in the codicil of H. Colborne, were still vested in the Company or in what manner such annual payment was then secured, and that by the decree of the Court the power of nominating and removing the several masters of the Free School, and of making regulations for the management thereof, might for the future be vested in the trustees of James Barker's Charity either solely or jointly with the Drapers' Company, and in case the Court should be of opinion that the nomination of the masters of the school to be established as aforesaid out of the said H. Colborne's Charity ought to continue vested in the Drapers' Company only, or that no other subjects of education ought to be taught therein other than those directed by the decrees aforesaid respecting the said charity, then that a separate school might be established out of the said J. Barker's Charity, and that it might be referred to the Master to approve of a scheme for the regulation thereof, comprising such subjects of education as were adapted to the wants of the inhabitants of the said parish, and that the power of nominating and removing the masters of such separate school, and making regulations for the management thereof, might be vested in the trustees of the said J. Barker's Charity, or in such other persons as the Court should think fit.

By the decree of the Court of Chancery of the 30th of July 1840 (by Lord Langdale, M.R.), it was declared that the charitable bequests created by the will of J. Barker ought to be established, and the trusts thereof carried into execution, and that the Drapers' Company were entitled to appoint, and that they and their successors should for ever thereafter appoint, the preacher, schoolmasters, and usher of Kirkham School, and that for ever thereafter the trustees of the charitable gift of the said J. Barker, upon just and reasonable cause appearing to them, should from time to time be entitled to remove such persons respectively from being preacher, schoolmasters, or usher respectively of such school, and that upon every such removal the trustees of the said charitable gifts should give due notice in writing to the Drapers' Company of such removal; and it was ordered that the said Company should proceed to appoint a successor to the person who should have been so removed, and that the trustees of Barker's Charity and the Reverend Jas. Webber, D.D., or other the vicar for the time being of Kirkham, be visitors of the said school; and it was ordered that the relators and the Drapers' Company should respectively propose before the Master, and that the said Master should approve of a scheme for the management of Kirkham's School, having regard to the declarations aforesaid, and for the application to such school of what the Master should, under the directions for apportionment, apportion in respect of Kirkham School aforesaid for the application of the annual sum of 69l. 10s., paid by the defendants, the Drapers' Company, to the schoolmaster, preacher, and usher of the said school, and in settling such scheme the said Master was to be at liberty to extend the instruction to be given in the said school to such matters other than the matters then taught in the school as the said masters should deem to be fit to be taught, and that the defendants, the Drapers' Company, and their successors, and the trustees of Barker's Charity should from time to time make all such ordinances and regulations for the management of the school, as they should deem proper, which should from time to time be observed by the masters and usher accordingly. And the defendants, other than the Drapers' Company, were dismissed from the suit.

The Master made his report on the 16th December 1844, approving of the scheme therein set forth, and the cause coming on, on the said report and on further directions on the 6th May 1845, an order was made which, after reciting the steps in the cause, proceeds as follows:—

"And it appearing by the will of J. Barker that provision was thereby made for exhibitions for scholars going to the University of Cambridge only, and the counsel for all parties consenting, it was ordered that the order confirming the report be discharged, and that the scheme approved of by the Master for the apportionment of the income of Barker's Charity be amended by striking out the words 'Oxford or,' and that the scheme approved of by the Master for the management of the said Kirkham School be amended by striking out of the 40th rule the words 'Oxford or,' and that the said report when so amended be confirmed, and it was declared that the several schemes approved of by the said Master for the application of the charity estates, and the management of Kirkham School aforesaid, subject to the alterations therein-before directed, were fit and proper schemes for those purposes, and it was ordered that the same, with such alterations and amendments, be established and carried into execution."

The clause of the scheme which affects this charity is the eleventh, and is set forth in the printed scheme appended to this report. By that clause the payments to the three masters are directed to be made in conformity with the scheme of 1673, and those payments are made a part of the settled and larger salaries appropriated to the several masters by the said scheme.

The 69l. 10s. is remitted by the Company half-yearly to the Rev. Jno. Burrough, the head master of the Kirkham School, to whom notice was sent of the present inquiry. (fn. 3)

Sir Allan Cotton's Charity.

Sir Allan Cotton, by his will of the 25th July 1627, bequeathed to the Company 300l., to be lent to three young men at 4l. per cent., and distributed—

The 300l. forms part of the 3,811l. 10s. 6d. mentioned in the report on Clonne's Charity. The 4l. a year is paid to the churchwardens of St. Martin Orgar, and 4l. to the churchwardens of Whitchurch. The 4l. to the poor of the Company forms part of the pensions to the poor on the roll mentioned in Kendrick's Charity.

Roger Cotton's Charity.

Roger Cotton, by his will of the 26th June 1602, bequeathed to the Company 100l., to be lent to two young, men, free of the Company, at 5l. per cent., half to the parish of St. Clement, Eastcheap, and the other half to the parson and churchwardens of the parish of Whitchurch, Salop, and to two of his nearest kinsmen, if there dwelling, for the poor of the said parishes who should not live idly.

The 100l. forms part of the 3,811l. 10s. 6d. mentioned in Clonne's Charity, and the 2l. 10s. is paid to the respective churchwardens of St. Clement and Whitchurch.

William Cotton's Charity.

William Cotton, by his will of the 25th June 1606, gave to the Company 150l. to buy land at 7l. 10s. per annum, or to be lent to young men of the Company at 5l. per cent.

The 150l. forms part of the 3,811l. 10s. 6d. mentioned in Clonne's Charity. The 50s. a year is paid to the churchwardens of Whitchurch, and 50s. a year to the churchwardens of St. Michael, Crooked Lane. The 50s. to the poor of the Company forms part of the quarterly bequest to the poor on the roll (see Kendrick's Charity).

Sir Thos. Cullum's Charity.

Sir Thos. Cullum, by his will of the 2nd May 1662, devised to the Drapers' Company four houses in the parish of Trinity Minories, leased at 41l. 10s. a year, to be disposed of as follows:—

and the residue to the Company for their own use.

The property charged is a builder's yard and five houses in Church Street in the Minories belonging to the Company. The premises are let to Mr. Symonds under an agreement for a lease for 21 years, from Lady-day 1861, at a net rent of 250l.

To the poor of the Drapers' Company, which is carried to the account of the Charities General (see John Rainey's Charity), 5l.

The sum of 2l. is carried to the account of the wardens, and 10s. to that of the clerk.

The gift of the residue, "and what else, should at any time arise of the property," to the Company for their own use, clearly carries the balance to the Company.

Deacle's Charity.

John Deacle, by his will of the 24th July 1706, bequeathed to the Company 100l., to be placed out at interest, and the produce distributed yearly to the poorest of the Company at Bow Church on the 5th November.

Certain poor freemen of the Company about 80 in number) receive 2s. 6d. each, not at Bow Church, but at the Hall of the Company, in the month of November, in respect of this and Hollis's Charity. They are the same persons who receive the 10s. each under Royley's Charity.

Dixon's Charity.

Henry Dixon devised, by his will of the 9th November 1693, all his messuages and tenements to the Drapers' Company, in trust, after paying all expenses of receiving the rents, &c., to dispose of the residue towards placing apprentices to handicraft trades in the first place such poor boys as should bear his Christian and surname, 5l. each; and in the next place such poor boys as should bear his surname only, 4l. each; and for want of such, then so many boys of the parishes of Bennington and Enfield, St. Catherine Coleman, and St. Mildred Poultry, London, 4l. each; and for want of such, the sons of the tenants, 3l. each; and, lastly, for want of such, any poor boys as the Company should nominate 4l. a-piece.

And by a memorandum to his will of the 10th April 1695 he directed the Company to pay 40s. yearly to St. Catherine Coleman for coals for the poor in Northumberland Place in that parish.

The premises, which consist of copyhold tenements of the manors of Enfield and Worcester, are stated by the Commissioners of Inquiry (vol. 32, part 2, p. 428) to have been from time to time surrendered to trustees for the charity. The last admission having been on the 2nd June 1829, when Edward Lawford and others were admitted. I cannot find there has been any subsequent admission. Edward Lawford is still surviving.

The present estate of the charity is.—

Enfield—Middlesex.

The charges and disbursements of this estate and the charity are as follows:—

In March 1847 the Company presented their petition to the Court of Chancery, stating that the income arising from the tenements and premises of the charity at the time the Company accepted the trusts of the will was the yearly sum of 202l. 6s. or thereabouts, but that the same, with the dividends on the said Bank Annuities, was then of the yearly value of 646l. 19s. or thereabouts, in addition to the interest upon an Exchequer Bill for 500l., and praying that it might be referred to the Master to settle a scheme for the future regulation and management of the charity, and for the application of the yearly income of the charity estates and funds towards the charitable objects mentioned and pointed out in the said will, or as near thereto as might be, having regard to the said will and to the yearly increase of the said funds, and in settling such scheme the AttorneyGeneral might be at liberty to attend before the Master.

The Court, by its order of the 12th March 1847, referred it to the Master to approve of a scheme for the future regulation and management of the charity, with liberty to the Attorney-General to attend, and the Master was attended accordingly, and made his report of the 9th May 1848, wherein he stated the will of Henry Dixon, and that the Drapers' Company proposed the following scheme for the future administration of the said charity:—

Scheme.

That the sum of 30l. per annum should be paid to the clerk of the Drapers' Company for his trouble in collecting the rents and profits of the said charity, and in carrying into effect the orders which shall from time to time be made by the court of assistants or any committee of the said Company, and that all the residue and remainder of the dividends, interest, rents, issues, and profits of the said charity property, after deducting all the expenses attending the same, shall be applied in the following manner, that is to say:—

In, for, and towards placing apprentices to handicraft trades in the first place of such poor boys, wheresoever born, as shall bear the Christian name and surname of the said testator "Henry Dixon," and are of the age of 14 years or more, the sum of 30l. for each such boy, and also for the payment of the sum of 10l. to every such boy so placed out apprentice as aforesaid that shall duly and truly serve his said apprenticeship, and who shall be made free of the City of London by virtue of such service, and who shall apply for the same within a month after he shall be made free of the said city; and in the next place in, for, or towards the placing apprentice to handicraft trades of such poor boy, wheresoever born, as shall bear the surname of "Dixon" only, and shall be of the age of 14 years and upwards, the sum of 20l. for each boy, and for the payment of the sum of 10l. to every such boy so placed out apprentice that shall duly and truly serve his said apprenticeship, and who shall be made free of the City of London by virtue of such service, and who shall apply for the same within a month after he shall be made free of the said city; and for want of such of them, in and for placing out apprentice to handicraft trades of such and so many poor boys born and resident in the several parishes of Bennington, in the county of Hertford, and Enfield, in the county of Middlesex, and of the parishes of St. Catherine Coleman, in the City of London, and St. Mildred in the Poultry, in the said City of London, and who respectively shall be of the age of 14 years or upwards, a sum of not less than 5l. nor exceeding 25l. for each such boy, and also for the payment of a sum of 10l. to every such boy of the said several parishes so placed out apprentice as shall duly and truly serve his apprenticeship, and who shall be made free of the city of London by virtue of such service, and who shall apply for the same within a month after he shall be free of the said city; and in case there shall not be any boys within the description above mentioned, that the said Drapers' Company do apply the said dividends, interest, rents, issues, and profits in or for the placing out apprentices to the trades aforesaid of such of the sons of the tenants which now are or hereafter shall be tenants of the lands, hereditaments, and premises, or any part thereof which constitute a portion of the property in question in this matter, and whose parent or parents shall desire the same, and which boys are of the age of 14 years or upwards, a sum not less than 5l. nor exceeding the sum of 25l. for each such boy, and for the payment of the sum of 10l. to every such son of a tenant so placed out apprentice within two months after he shall have served the term of seven years as an apprentice upon his producing a certificate of his having served such apprenticeship under the hands of the churchwardens for the time being of the parish in which he shall have served his said apprenticeship; and in case there shall be no boys answering the description or descriptions aforesaid, that the said Drapers' Company may be at liberty to apply the said dividends, interest, rents, issues, and profits to and for the placing out apprentices to the trades aforesaid any poor boys as the court, commonly called the court of wardens of the Drapers' Company for the time being, shall from time to time nominate, think fit, and appoint, and which boys shall be of the age of 14 years or upwards, a sum of 25l. for each such boy, and for the payment of the sum of 10l. to every such boy so placed out apprentice that shall duly and truly serve his said apprenticeship, and who shall be made free of the City of London by virtue of such service, and who shall apply for the same within a month after he shall be made free of the said city.

That the said Drapers' Company shall in the month of February 1849, and in every subsequent year, pay the sum of 5l. as an annual donation to the trustee or trustees or schoolmaster for the time being in aid of the funds of the National School of the parish of Bennington, in the county of Herts, and in case the said National School shall at any time cease to exist then that the Drapers' Company may be at liberty to pay the said annual sum of 5l. for the support of any school or schools that may be situate in any parish in which a portion of the hereditaments and premises belonging to the said charity may be situate.

That the sum of 5l. shall be annually paid to the churchwardens of the parish of St. Catherine Coleman, London, in buying of coals to be given to the poor people residing in the said parish.

The Master approved the said proposed scheme, and the report was confirmed, and by the order of the Court of the 29th May 1848 it was ordered that such scheme should be carried into effect, and it was ordered that the costs of the petition and of the Attorney-General should be taxed and paid by the Drapers' Company out of the fund of the charity therein mentioned.

The sums were paid to 55 apprentices in sums from 5l. to 25l. Few applications are made from persons of the name of the testator, and a few from the parishes named in his will, and the others are children recommended by members of the Company. The rule of qualification is that they shall be over 14 years of age, and they are bound for seven years. When they are outdoor apprentices there is a private arrangement that they shall be allowed something by the Master for board and lodging. The Company have no information of the subsequent career of the apprentices, unless they apply for the after gift on taking up their freedom.

In 1860 16 apprentices applied for such after gift and received it.

There is annually a gift of 5l. to the Bennington School, and 5l. paid to the parish of St. Catherine, Coleman Street, instead of the 40s. a year appointed by the will.

At the end of the year 1860 there was a balance to the credit of the charity of 544l. 1s. 10¾d. (fn. 4)

Footnotes