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Charities in the township of Abram c1830
Details are from the charities commissioners' "Further reports of the Commissioners for inquiring concerning charities", c1830.
Such small charities established by individuals were common in previous centuries.
It is interesting to note that some of the charitable giving coincided with election time.
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DUCKENFIELD’S CHARITY.
"By Indenture, bearing date 29th September 1632, as appears from an entry in a book containing copies of documents relating to the endowment of Hindley chapel, between Frances Duckenfield, alias Croston, widow, of the one part, and Richard Hilton, and nine others, of the other part, the said Frances Duckenfield granted and conveyed to the said Richard Hilton and others, and their heirs, four closes in Mobberley, in the county of’ Chester, called the Smithy Field, the Kiln Croft, and the Two Cow Leys, containing, by estimation, 14 acres, large measure, on trust, after her decease, to employ the rents in manner following; viz. 50s. yearly for the minister of Hindley chapel, so as he should be elected or approved by the said trustees for the time being, by any two or more godly neighbouring ministers, and by the greater number of’ the householders and masters of families in Hindley, and so that she the said F. Duckenfield, her heirs and assigns, with their families and servants dwelling within the said chapelry should have some convenient pew in the chapel; and she directed that in default or during a vacancy of such minister, and in case of refusal of such pew, the said sum of 50s. should be employed towards the better maintenance of poor aged and needy householders in Hindley and Abram, not able to maintain their families and who should attend church or chapel, and of poor destitute children and for binding them apprentices, as the said trustees should think fit, so as the same should not abridge such poor people of their ordinary relief; and upon further trust, to pay the yearly sum of 4l. for the relief of such poor aged, needy and impotent householders, in Hindley and Abram, as should be unable to maintain sheir families, and should neither beg themselves nor suffer their children to do so, and also of poor orphan children, and for the binding them apprentices, at tile discretion of the said trustees, so that the same should not abridge their ordinary relief; and upon further trust to pay 20s. to the master of the free school in Hindley, for the augmentation of his salary, and to pay the remainder of the rents to her grand-daughter Ann Atkinson, her heirs and assigns; and it was provided, that when any six of the said trustees should be dead, or oftener, the survivors should, within six months, convey the trust premises to the use of themselves and six or more substantial persons, upon the trusts aforesaid; and it was agreed that the said trustees should, yearly, on Easter Monday, meet to give an account of their receipts and disbursements ments.
It does not appear that any subsequent deeds have been executed for the purpose of vesting tile estate in new trustees but James Bevan esquire, Nicholas Marsh and James Mackay, are considered as the trustees of this charity.
The yearly sum of 4l. given to the poor of Hindley and Abram, is paid by the agent of Wilbraham Egerton, esquire, and this sum is divided in the proportion of 2l. 8s. to the former township, and 1l. 12s. to the latter.
The sum of 2l. 8s. is laid out in linen cloth, with other charities, on New Year’s day, which is given to the poor not receiving regular weekly pay, three yards and a half to a woman and four yards and a half to a man.
The yearly sum of 50s. given to the minister of’ Hindley chapel is paid to certain persons Who are in possession of the benefice, under a sentence of sequestration."
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THOMAS CROOK’S CHARITY.
"The history of this charity, with an abstsact of the will of Thomas Crook dated in 1688, will be found in our 11th Report, p. 334.
The yearly sum of 1l . given by the testator to the poor of this township, to be distributed by his two sons, their heirs and assigns, and by the overseers, every Easter-eve, is received and carried to the same account and disposed of in the same manner as the produce of the other charities hereafter mentioned."
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CHARITIES OF ABIGAIL CROOK AND OTHERS.
"In the Parliamentary Returns of 1786, it is stated that Abigail Crook gave to the poor of Abram 12l; that Thomas Ince gave 40l. and that several other persons gave sums, amounting with those above-mentioned, to 94l. 10s., which sum, with 10s. given by the township, was laid out in land.
The only deeds produced to us relative to these charities were indentures of lease and release, bearing date 4th and 5th February 1765, in which it is recited, that by indenture of bargain and sale, bearing date 21st April 1726, between Thomas Culcheth, the heir of Robert Culcheth of the one part, and Thomas Richardson, and three others, of the other part, the said Thomas Culcheth, in consideration of 95l., conveyed to the said Thomas Richardson and others, and their heirs, a messuage and tenement in Abram and the several closes thereto belonging, called the Further and the Nearer Croft, containing, by estimation, 1 A. & 1 R., upon trust, to dispose of the rents and profits thereof to the use of the impotent poor of Abram, the purchase money being made out o’ several gifts and legacies to the use of the poor of Abram.
It is also recited, that there was endorsed upon the indenture of bargain and sale a schedule of the benefactions laid out in the above purchase, and a provision, that upon the death of any two of the trustees, the survivors should convey to themselves and two other substantial inhabitants or freeholders of the township of Abram.
New trustees were appointed in 1797, of whom James Bevan is the only survivor. A new deed has been lately prepared for the conveyance of the said premises to Philip Newton, John Whitley, Richard Bevan and Adam Chadwick, and their heirs. In this deed it is recited, that the wife of the said James Bevan had built upon part of the Further Croft a school-house and the premises comprising a messuage and tenement, with the two closes called the Further and Nearer Croft, and a plot of land, part of the south side of the Nearer Croft, fronting the highway, and containing 128 square yards, some years ago demised by the trustees to John Dobb, for a long term of years, at the improved rent of 20s. per annum, and also the school and schoolhouse built as thereinbefore recited, are thereby conveyed, upon trust, to apply the rents and profits of all the said premises, except the said school and schoolhouse, to the use of the impotent poor of Abram and to use the said school and schoolhouse for the religious instruction of of the poor children of the impotent poor of Abram in the principles of the church of England.
The premises belonging to the charity consist of,—
1.—Two cottages, now held by William Henry Webb, at the yearly rent of 1l. These cottages were built, about the year 1810, by John Dobb, who sold his interest to Mr. Webb, the present possessor. It does not appear whether any lease was granted to John Dobb, or what interest he had in the premises. If the terms of the agreement with Mr. Dobb cannot be ascertained, it seems right that the trustees should immediately take steps for determining the present tenancy, and granting to Mr. Webb a lease of the premises for such a period as with reference to the expense incurred in the buildings should appear reasonable. The value of the cottages is estimated at 81. a year.
2.—Three small cottages let to three several yearly tenants, Joshua Dixon, Jane Oakes and Richard Wilcocks, at the respective yearly rents of’ 1l., 2l. and 2l. 2s.
3.—The school and dwellinghouse built on the charity estate in 1824 by Mrs. Bevan of. Lowton at her own expense. These premises are occupied rent free by a person who is appointed by the township to teach school, and for the use thereof 10s. is paid yearly to the charity from the overseers accounts.
4..—About one acre and a quarter of land, including a garden let to John Livesey as yearly tenant at 11l. 10s. per annum.
Except with regard to the premises first mentioned, these are considered as fair rents.
The income derived from these rents after the payment of any expenses incurred in repairs is added to the produce of the other charities for this township, and a portion of Guest’s charity received from the rector, and the amount is laid out in the purchase of linen and blankets by Mr. Bevan, who distributes these articles with the assistance of the overseers and other inhabitants, at the school, on the first Thursday in March, amongst such poor pessons of the township as are thought the most proper objects. No distinction is made whether they receive parochial relief or not; 85 persons partook of this charity in March 1828. The benefit thereof is sometimes extended to a greater number, by taking from the poor persons a small payment, in proportion to the price of the article delivered to them.
In March 1828 there was a balance in Mr. Bevan’s hands of 12l 12s 6d out of which there was to be paid the expense of the new trust deed."
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NEWTON'S CHARITY
"In the Parliamentary Returns of 1786, it is stated that William Newton in 1721 bequeathed 10l. for woollen cloth for the poor of this township.
This legacy appears to have been lent to the trustees of the woollen stock charity at Ashton, in the parish of Winwick; 6s. 6d. is paid yearly by the above mentioned trustees as the interest thereof, and carried to the same account as the other charities above-mentioned.
This township is also entitled to partake of the charities of John Guest, Edmund Molyneux and Edward Holt noticed under the head of the township of Wigan, and of Richardson’s charity noticed under the head of the township of Ince in this parish."
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