Updated 29 Feb 2016
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WIRKSWORTH Parish Records 1600-1900
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Transcribed 25feb2016
WIRKSWORTH URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL
Particulars of Joint Charities received
from Charity Commission
TAYLOR'S CHARITY
By Indenture, bearing date 30th September 1748, and inrolled
in Chancery, between Thomas Brown of Wirksworth, of the one part
and Thomas Harris, Vicar of Wirksworth, and four others, Church-
wardens of the parish of Wirksworth, of the other part; reciting
that John Taylor, by his Will, bearing date 1st May 1744, gave
£100 to the minister and churchwardens of the parish of Wirksworth,
for the use of the poor, to be put to such uses as they should
think proper, that the poor might receive the interest of it yearly
at Christmas; and reciting, that after the death of the said John
Taylor, his executors had paid this legacy, and that it had been
put out at interest for two years, and that the interest had been
duly applied, but that the principal had since lain dead for want
of security, and that to prevent further loss the parties of the
second part had agreed to lay the same out in a purchase of freehold
estate, and had contracted with James Banks for the purchase of
three parcels of land called Middlehills and Botham's Close, in Ible,
for £100 and that on that contract the said James Banks had agreed
to accept of a lease of the said promises for twenty one years, from
25th March then last, at the clear yearly rent of £4; and reciting,
that by indentures of lease and release, bearing date 28th and 29th
of the same month of September, the said James Banks had in
consideration of £100 conveyed to the said Thomas Brown and his
heirs, two closes adjoining to each other, called the Middlehills,
containing by estimation 2½ acres, and a close containing by
estimation one acre, called Botham's, adjoining on the South to
Middlehills, situate in Ible in the parish of Wirksworth; and that
by lease bearing even date with the deed, the said Thomas Brown
had demised the said premises to the said James Banks for twenty-one
years, from 25th March then last, at the clear yearly rent of £4,
the said Thomas Brown declared that the said £100 in the indenture
of release mentioned, was the money of the said parties of the second
part, and that the conveyance was made to him in trust for the said
Thomas Harris and his successors, vicars of the said parish, and of
the said other persons and their successors, churchwardens thereof
for the time being, for ever; And the said parties of the second part
acknowledged that the said sum of £100 the consideration money of the
said purchase, was the sum given by the will of the said John Taylor,
and that the said purchase and lease were made for security of
that sum, and to the intent that the rents and profits of the said
lands might for ever be applied for the relief of the poor of
Wirksworth, and yearly at Christmas distributed amongst them pusuant
to the said Will.
The above-mentioned lands at Ible, called the Middle Hills and
Botham's Close, are in the occupation of John Bateman, as yearly
tenant, at the rent of £8.7s. per annum.
The rent is received by the churchwardens at Christmas, and has
hitherto formed part of the annual distribution at that season amongst
the poor of the township of Wirksworth hereinafter mentioned; but it
appears from the recital of John Taylor's will, that his donation was
given for the benefit of the poor of the whole parish of Wirksworth
and not intended to be confined to the township alone.
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Transcribed 25feb2016
German Buxton, by his Will, bearing date 22nd May 1765, directed
that £100 should be raised out of his personal estate, and invested
in Government or other securities, and that the interest thereof
should be paid, after the deaths of his executor and executrix, to
the vicar of Wirksworth for the time being, in trust, to distribute
the same on every Ash Wednesday amongst so many of the poor widows
and poor housekeepers of the parish of Wirksworth not receiving
alms or relief therefrom, as the same would extend to pay at 5s
each: and if the said interest should not be sufficient to relieve
all the poor widows at any time applying for the same, he empowered
the distributor to give a preference to such as he should in his
discretion deem the greatest objects of charity; and if there should
be in any year a surplus, for want of proper objects applying, he
directed that it should be distributed in the succeeding year, or as
soon after as opportunity should offer.
It is stated on one of the tables of benefactions in the church,
that this sum of £100 was laid out in the purchase of a piece of
land in the township of Wirksworth, called the Youlcliff Head,
containing two acres or thereabouts, which, by indenture of bargain
and sale, bearing date 11th April 1780, and inrolled in Chancery,
was conveyed to the Reverend Richard Tillard, vicar of Wirksworth,
for the purpose mentioned in the said German Buxton's will.
Some title deeds relating to the Youlcliff Head were produced
to us by the churchwardens, but the conveyance of 1780 could not be
found at the time of our enquiry (July 1827).
The field called the Youlcliff Head, which contains 1.3r.7p.
is in the occupation of Samuel Frost, as yearly tenant, at a fair
rent of £5 per annum. The rent is received by the churchwardens
at Christmas, and is paid over by them to the curate of Wirksworth,
on behalf of the vicar, and it is shortly afterwards distributed by
him amongst necessitous widows and housekeepers of the parish of
Wirksworth, not receiving regular relief, in sums of 5s. to each, as
far as it will extend.
BAGSHAW'S CHARITY
Elizabeth Bagshaw, by her Will, bearing date 12th May 1797
and proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1802, gave to
Stephen Hall, of Middleton, and Ralph Toplis and Samuel Wright, of
Wirksworth, and their successors, for ever, £2,000 three per cent.
consolidated annuities, on trust, that they should yearly on 4th
November, for ever, pay and apply the dividends thereof to such poor
decayed housekeepers as they in their discretion should think proper,
resident in the said parish of Wirksworth, at the rate of 20s. a piece
And to the intent that the said trust might be kept up to the number
of four, she directed that the survivors of the said Stephen Hall,
Ralph Toplis, Samuel Wright, and the vicar, should from time to time,
as often as one or more of them should die, appoint one or more fit
persons to be trustees in the room of the persons so dying, the vicar
of Wirksworth for the time being always to be one; and that on every
such appointment, the said stock should be transferred by the
surviving trustees into the joint names of the surviving and new
trustees.
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Transcribed 26feb2016
The above abstract of this will is taken from a deed
bearing date 21st August 1802, between the said Stephen Hall,
Ralph Toplis, Samuel Wright, and the Reverend John Challinor,
vicar of Wirksworth, of the one part; and William Stanley,
Stephen Smith Ward, Robert Mann, and Henry Harpur, executors of
the will of the said Elizabeth Bagshaw, of the other part; whereby
after reciting her will, and reciting the said executors had
transferred £1,880 three per cent, consolidated annuities into the
names of the said trustees which, together with £120 three per
cent. consolidated annuities sold out and and applied in discharge of
the legacy duty, made up the said £2,000 stock, the said trustees
declared that the stock was vested in them, in trust, to pay the
dividends thereof according to the directions contained in the will
of the said Elizabeth Bagshaw.
All the trustees named in Mrs Bagshaw's will are dead, and
new trustees have been from time to time appointed. The above-
mentioned sum of £1,880 consolidated three per cent. is now
standing in the names of Thomas Hall, Ralph Toplis, Charles Wright,
and the Reverend Henry Gordon, the present vicar of Wirksworth,
as trustees.
The dividends, which amount to £56 8s per annum, are received
through the bank of Messrs. Arkwright and Toplis. A yearly meeting
of the trustees is held on or about 4th November, which is
attended by the curate on behalf of the vicar, who does not reside
at Wirksworth, and the yearly sum of £56 8s. is then divided into
four parts amongst the trustees, each of whom prepares a list of
persons considered by him proper objects of charity. These lists
are compared with each other, in order that the trustees may avoid
giving more than one portion to the same person; and after the
meeting, each trustee distributes the sum allotted to him in sums
of £1 to the persons in his list. These persons are usually such
as do not receive relief from the poor's rates.
The distribution of the fourth part of the dividends received
by Mr Thomas Hall, and before he became a trustee, by his father,
Mr Stephen Hall, has been confined to poor persons of the township
of Middleton, in this parish, and the remaining three-fourths have
been given to poor persons of the township of Wirksworth only. It
appears, however, to have been Mrs Bagshaw's intention that her
charity should extend to poor decayed housekeepers resident in any
part of this parish, the selection of the particular objects being
left to the discretion of the trustees.
GISBORNE'S CHARITY
The poor of this parish partake of the Reverend Francis
Gisborne's charity.
GREATOREX'S CHARITY
William Greatorex, of Stonebridge, in the township of
Wirksworth, by his Will, bearing date 25th June 1734, and proved at
Lichfield in the same year, by Benjamin Wigley, Francis Radford, and
John Toplis, three of the surviving executors thereof, gave
according to the desire of his father, the clear yearly sum of £3
to be for ever issuing and payable out of a close or parcel of land
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Transcribed 26feb2016
in Wirksworth, called the Green Yard, adjoining to a place called
Milne House Green, by his executors and their heirs, from time to
time, for the putting forth of such poor boy of the parish of
Wirksworth, yearly, or once in two years, apprentice to some handi-
craft trade, to some person whose legal settlement should not be
within the said parish, if the same might be conveniently done, as
his said executors and their heirs, together with Thomas Gell,
surgeon, and his heirs, or the major part of them, should think to
be the fittest person for that purpose.
A note was produced to us by the permanent overseer of the
poor of the township of Wirksworth, which he informed us he received
from John Toplis, esq. of Wirksworth, lately deceased, stating that
there was a close belonging to Mr Toplis, charged with the payment
of £3 annually for apprenticing poor children, and paid by him, as
trustee, to such poor boys as might be proper objects.
Having applied to Miss Toplis, the daughter of the late Mr
John Toplis, who has succeeded to her father's property, for
further information respecting this Charity, we received a letter
from Mr John Andrew, her solicitor, stating that Miss Toplis had
not been aware that any part of her estates was chargeable with an
annual payment for apprenticing poor children; that she knew,
however, that her father was in the habit of advancing money for
that purpose, but she had considered that he was acting as trustee,
without being aware from what source the money was raised, and she
supposed that on his death the trust devolved on some other person.
Mr Andrew further stated, that Miss Toplis, with a view of
affording every information in her power, had requested him to look
into her title deeds, which he had done, but that the only document
he could find relating to this charity, was an old paper, containing
the following memorandum.
"Legacies, etc. in Mr William Greatorex's will, dated 25th June
1734. Executors named as under, to whom, as their heirs and assigns
for ever, is given all other messuages, lands, and tenements, (except
what are given to his wife), which Mr Toplis says is an estate let
at £36 per annum, subject to the payment of £3 per annum chargeable
on one close."
As to the application of this annual sum, Mr Andrew stated,
that it appeared that three boys had been placed out by the late
Mr Toplis, within the last ten years of his life, and the last
about two years before the time of our inquiry (July 1827); but
that the annual sum being too small for a premium £6 had been
generally paid with a boy every other year, instead of £3 annually.
The information conveyed by Mr Andrew's letter, led to a search
for the will of Mr William Greatorex, which was found at Lichfield, as
above stated. We have since been informed by Mr Andrew, that on a
further inspection of Miss Toplis's title deeds, it appears that
she is now the owner of the piece of land, called in the donor's will
the Green Yard; that she will account for the annual sum of £3 from
the time of the last payment made by her father for apprenticing a
poor child in respect of this charity, and continue the payments in
future.
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TOWNSHIP OF WIRKSWORTH
DEANE'S CHARITY
Daniel Deane, by his will, bearing date 1st April 1637, gave
to the poor people of the town of Wirksworth, yearly, for ever,
20s. to be distributed by the churchwardens of that parish, to
sixty of the poorest inhabitants of that town, in fourpenny
loaves of household bread, on the feast-day of the Annunciation
of the Virgin Mary; and he directed that this sum, with others for
the poor of St Werbergh and St Michael, Derby, should be paid out
of the rents of his house in Derby, wherein Humphrey Hanbury then
dwelt, which he gave to his nephew, Thomas Street, and the heirs
of his body.
This annual sum of 20s. is now received from the secretary
of the trustees of the assembly rooms in Derby, as being charged
thereon, by the churchwardens of Wirksworth, and is distributed
at Easter, in bread, amongst poor persons of this township.
LEE'S CHARITY
It is stated on a table of benefactions in the church, that
Dorothy Lees, by Deed, in 1646, gave to Hugh Sheldon, of Monyash
a pingle in the Old Field, in Wirksworth, called Old Field, or Oat
Hill Pingle, containing about two acres, and a close called the
Witch Acres, containing about two acres, and another close, called
Shaw Close Pingle, containing about two acres, on trust, to pay
the yearly rents and profits thereof to the poor of Wirksworth and
Middleton; the poor of Wirksworth to have three-fourth parts, and the
poor of Middleton one-fourth part, paid to them on or about Good
Friday, the said Hugh Sheldon, his heirs or assigns, being allowed
to deduct every year 3s.4d. for their trouble and expenses in
coming to receive and divide the rents.
The deed of 1646, referred to in the benefaction table, could
not be found at the time of our enquiry.
The property of this charity consists of,
1. A Field, called the Oat Hill Pingle, containing 1a.3r.30p.,
in the occupation of Henry Pearson, at the rent of £5 10s. per annum.
2. A Field, called Barn Close, containing 1a. and 6p. and
a meadow adjoining, containing 3r. and 34p. lying near the village
of Middleton, in the occupation of Thomas Frost, at the rent of £5
per annum.
This field and meadow were by the award of the Wirksworth
Inclosure, dated 1806, awarded by the churchwardens and overseers
of Wirksworth, and the sidesman and overseer of Middleton, in trust,
for the poor of their respective townships, in exchange for two
pieces of land called the Upper Witch Acre, containing 1a. and 11p.
and the Nether Witch Acre, containing 1r. and 8p. thereby given in
exchange to Stephen Hall.
3. A Field, called the Hanging Shaw Close, containing
2a.3r.10p. in the occupation of John Allsop, at the rent of £3.3s.
per annum.
All these are yearly tenants. The rents, which are stated to
be fair, amounting in the whole to £13 13s. are received by the
churchwardens of Wirksworth, at Easter, subject to an annual
allowance of 6s.4d made partly to Henry Pearson and partly to John
Allsop, two of the tenants. It does not appear on what account this
allowance is made.
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Transcribed 28feb2016
One fourth part of the rents ????????
the overseer of Middleton; the distribution of which will be
mentioned in a subsequent part of this Report. The aplication
of the other three-fourth parts of the rents, and of the income
of the eight following charities, to the poor of the township of
Wirksworth, will be stated in the Account of Cheney's and
Harrison's charities.
BUCKLEY'S CHARITY
It is also stated in a benefaction table, that Ellen Buckley
by her will, bearing the date 1st March 1680, gave 20s. yearly, to be
paid on or about 4th May by the churchwardens, to forty poor
widows, within the town of Wirksworth, having no pensions.
An annual sum of 20s. has been paid by Charles Hurt, esq. to
the churchwardens, at Easter; but it is not known from what
charity, or in respect of what land, it has been so paid.
It will be seen in the account of Elizabeth Blackburn's
Charity, that by the Wirksworth Inclosure award, in
exchange for a piece of land called the North Field, and a rent-
charge of 20s. per annum, arising out of a field called Gilkin
Close or Mount Skip, belonging to Charles Hurt, esq. We are not
aware of any other donation to the poor of Wirksworth, of 20s.
per annum, except that of Daniel Deane, which has been already
accounted for, and this of Ellen Buckley's; and we are therefore
led to suppose that the annual payment of 20s. made by Mr Hurt
originated from Ellen Buckley's charity, and that it is the same
for which an equivalent in land was received by the churchwardens
and overseers under the award. If this conjecture be well
founded, Mr Hurt is no longer liable to the annual payment of 20s.
SUMMER'S CHARITY
It is also stated on a benefaction table, that George Summers,
by his Will, bearing date 1st February 1683, gave £3 yearly, to be
paid to the churchwardens, and to be distributed to the poor of
Wirksworth on Saint Thomas's day; and that on payment of the
annuity, he directed that the churchwardens should seize on the land
called Fishpool Flat, and hold the same until the arrears should be
fully paid.
The annual sum of £3 is now received by the churchwardens in
respect of this charity from Mr David Gregory, to whom the Fishpool
Flats, which consist of three closes, and contain about 10 acres,
formerly belonged. In 1801, Mr Gregory exchanged this land with
John Toplis, esq. for three closes in Wirksworth, called the Dale
Closes, containing about 13 acres, and he states at the time of the
exchange it was agreed between him and Mr Toplis that the annual
payment of £3 should be charged on the Dale Closes in exoneration of
the Fishpool Flats. We have not seen the deeds of exchange, but a
draft was produced to us by Mr Thomas Norris Ince, from his
father's papers, of an indenture of feeffment, bearing date 1st
June 1801, whereby the said John Toplis conveyed the Dale Closes
to the said David Gregory; and after reciting that the said John
Toplis was then seised in fee of certain closes in Wirksworth,
called the Fishpool Flats, which were charged with the payment of
£3 yearly, for ever, to the poor of Wirksworth, and that the said
John Toplis and David Gregory had agreed that the Fishpool Flats
should be exonerated from the payment of that yearly sum, and that
the Dale Closes should be charged therewith, the said David Gregory
covenented with the said John Toplis, that he and his heirs would
pay to the churchwardens and overseers of Wirksworth £3 per annum,
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on Saint Thomas's day, to be distributed to the poor of
Wirksworth, and that the Dale Closes should stand charged
with the payment thereof, and that he would indemnify the said
John Toplis from such payment.
We apprehend that these parties had no power to change
the security for this donor's charity; and that the land
called the Fishpool Flats, which is now the property of Miss
Toplis, continues liable to the annual payment of £3 if it should
become necessary to resort to it.
The Dale Closes are still the property of Mr David Gregory,
and the annuity is regularly paid by him to the churchwardens at
Christmas.
ANTHONY BUNTING'S CHARITY
Anthony Bunting, (whose donation to the almhouse of Wirksworth
has been already been noticed) by his Will, proved in 1685, gave to the
churchwardens and overseers of the poor of Wirksworth 26s. yearly
for ever, to be paid by sixpence in bread every week to six or
seven poor poor people that should attend God's service on Friday.
This annual sum of £1 6s. is now received by the churchwardens
from Mr Joseph Pickard, and is understood to be a charge on the
property in Wirksworth belonging to him, out of which he pays the
annual sum of £5 in respect of the following charity of Francis
Bunting, who was the brother and executor of Anthony Bunting. It
forms part of a distribution of bread to the poor of Wirksworth,
to the amount of 2s.9d. per week, the particulars of which will be
hereinafter stated.
FRANCIS BUNTING'S CHARITY
Francis Bunting, by his Will, bearing date 12th August 1693,
and proved at Lichfield in 1695, gave to his executors, Sir Philip
Gell, William Eyre, and Thomas Bagshaw, and their heirs, a yearly
rent-charge of £5 to be for ever issuing out of his houses and
lands in Wirksworth, and to be by them paid to the vicar and
churchwardens there for the time being, to be by them distributed
yearly on St Stephen's day, by 5s. a piece to twenty poor men that
should be householders in Wirksworth, and receiving no alms or pay
from the town; and he directed that it should be lawful for his
executors and their heirs to distrain for the same in any of his
houses and lands in Wirksworth aforesaid, so oft as it should be
unpaid; and he desired that the said £5 a year should be effectually
settled in trustees for the said poor householders in Wirksworth,
out of some part of his houses or lands there, that it might be yearly
for ever paid according to the intent of his will, and that from the
time of such settlement it should not be a charge on his whole
estate there.
It does not ppear whether any settlement was ever made of
the rent-charge of £5 on a specific part of the donor's property,
according to his directions. The annual sum of £5 is now received
by the churchwardens, at Christmas, from Mr Joseph Pickard, as the
owner of a messuage and five fields in Wirksworth, called Pasture
Ridding, Upper Close, Big Meadow, Little Ridding, Little Meadow,
and an allotment, containing in the whole 15a.2r.20p. It has
hitherto formed part of the general distribution to the poor
hereinafter mentioned, but it ought to be specifically given, in
conformity with the donor's direction, to twenty poor householders
of Wirksworth, in sums of 5s. each.
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HOADES'S CHARITY
It is stated on one of the tables of benefactions, that
Mary Hoades, the daughter of Thomas Hoades, by her will, in
November 1702 gave, and that the said Thomas Hoades by his will
confirmed, to the poor of Wirksworth, 40s. yearly, to be charges
on a piece of land in Hognaston, called the High Greave, and to
be distributed by the churchwarden on St Thomas's day.
This annual rent-charge of 40s. is received by the church-
wardens, at Christmas, from Mr James Trewman, as the owner of the
land at Hognaston called the High Greave.
WOODIS'S CHARITY
It is also stated on one of the tables of benefactions, that
Sarah Woodis, by her will, bearing date 28th April 1707, gave to
the poor of Wirksworth 40s. per annum, to be paid 20s. on 24th
December, and 20s. on 24th June, for ever; and that she also gave
to the minister of the meeting-house in Wirksworth 40s. per annum,
to be paid as aforesaid, so long as there continue to be a meeting-
house there, and when it should be discontinued and there should be
no minister there, the whole sum of £4 yearly to be paid to the poor
of Wirksworth half-yearly on the days above-mentioned.
In the Parliamentary Returns of 1786, this donation is stated
to be a sum of £40 then in the hands of John Toplis at interest,
producing 40s. per annum.
An annual sum of £1.12s. being the interest of £40 at 4 per cent.
was received in respect of this charity by the churchwardens, from
Miss Toplis, the daughter of the said John Toplis, up to Christmas
1826, when she paid the principal sum of £40 to the churchwardens,
and it was deposited by them in the Wirksworth savings bank, in the
names of the minister and churchwardens, in addition to the sum
previously deposited there, which will be mentioned in the account
of Cheney's and Harrison's Charities.
We are informed that another sum of £40 arising from this
charity, the interest of which was payable to the minister of the
meeting-house at Wirksworth, as long as there should be a meeting-house
there, and whenever it should be discontinued, to the poor of
Wirksworth, was several years ago laid out in repairing the roof of the
meeting-house there, which is still in existence; but no security
appears to have been given for the preservation of the sum thus
expended, the interest of which, if there should cease to be a
meeting-house at Wirksworth, ought to belong to the poor.
BLACKBURN'S CHARITY
It is stated on one of the tables of benefactions, that
Elizabeth Blackburn, by her Will, gave the rents of three pieces
of land, lying in the North Field of Wirksworth, and of a piece of
land which she purchased of Michael Burton, esq. lying betwixt the
said pieces, to be distributed to the poor of the town of Wirksworth
yearly for ever, on the Feast of the Annunciation, by one church-
warden and one overseer of the poor of Wirksworth for the time being.
By award of the commissioners of the Wirksworth Inclosure,
dated in 1806, they awarded to the churchwardens and overseers of the
poor of Wirksworth, in trust for the poor thereof, a close called the
Wheatcroft Close, containing 4a.2r.34p. bounded by an ancient lane
leading to Kirk Ireton and Callow, and another close called Nash's
Close, containing 1a.3r.2p. bounded by the inclosure therein
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mentioned, in compensation ????????????????
North Field and a rent-charge of 20s. per annum arising out of a
field called Gilkin Close or Mount Skip, belonging to Charles Hurt, esq.
and thereby given in exchange by the said churchwardens and
overseers to the said Charles Hurt.
The land thus given in exchange by the churchwardens and
overseers is understood to have comprised the whole of that which
was derived from Mrs Blackburn's charity; and we have already
mentioned that the rent-charge of 20s. per annum is supposed by
us to have been derived from Ellen Buckley's charity.
We are informed that from the time of the inclosure to the
year 1827, a rent of £10 per annum was paid by Mr Hurt to the
churchwardens, one half at Easter and the other half at Christmas,
and a further sum of 20s. was also paid by him at Easter, in
respect of the Wheatcroft Close and Nash's Close, awarded in
exchange to the churchwardens and overseers as above mentioned;
and that the rent was thus received from him in consequence of
the Wheatcroft Close having been leased by him previously to the
exchange.
Before the time of our investigation, Mr Hurt had stated
to the churchwardens that this lease had expired, and we have
since learnt that the Wheatcroft Close and Nash's Close have
been let by the churchwardens and overseers, the former to
Samuel Evans at the rent of £8 and the later to George Buckley
at the rent of £6 per annum.
POOR'S ALLOTMENTS
By the above-mentioned inclosure award, two allotments,
one containing 1a. and 30p. and bounded by High Style Road, and
the other containing 1r. and 2p. bounded by the same road, were
alloted to the churchwardens and overseers as trustees of
Wirksworth poor.
We have not been able to ascertain in respect of what
particular lands the poor became entitled to these allotments,
but they were probably made in compensation for rights annexed
to some of the above-mentioned premises, of which the rents are
received by the churchwardens, and distributed to the poor.
These allotments are now in the occupation of Robert Brambly,
as yearly tenant, at the rent of £3 10s. per annum, one half of
which he pays at Christmas and the other half at Easter, to the
churchwardens.
CHENEY'S AND HARRISON'S CHARITIES
In February 1822, Mrs Bridget Cheney gave to the poor of
Wirksworth £100 to be invested in the Wirksworth bank for savings,
the interest thereof to be distributed yearly, at Christmas, by
the minister and churchwardens for the time being, which sum was
invested according to her directions. In 1823, a sum of £12 13s. 8d
was added to it, arising from the produce of the sale of timber from
part of the beforementioned lands; and in 1825 a further deposit was
made of £13 10s. arising from a legacy of £10 given to the poor by
John Harrison, of the Isle of Man, (respecting which we have
obtained no further particulars), together with £3 10s. interest due
thereon.
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Transcribed 01mar2016
These three sums, amounting in the whole to £126 3s 8d are
now in the savings bank, in the names of the minister and church-
wardens, and the interest thereof, amounting to £5 1s.2d. a year,
forms part of the distribution to the poor at Christmas.
The interest arising from these deposits, and the income
received by the churchwardens from the beforementioned charities
for the poor, together with a moiety of the alms collected at the
sacrement, alloted to the churchwardens for distribution (the
other moiety therefore being distributed by the curate) form a fund
from which bread is provided and given to the poor every Sunday
at the church after service, to the amount of 2s.9d. per week, by
the churchwardens.
The annual sum of £1 6s. arising from Anthony Bunting's
charity, for a weekly distribution of six pennyworth of bread,
is included in this distribution. The annual sum of £1 arising
from Deane's charity is, as has already been stated, distributed
in bread at Easter. For the distribution of the residue of the
money arising from the said charities, two annual meetings of the
churchwardens and overseers are holden, one in Easter week and the
other within a few days after Christmas, of which public notice is
given, and the rents etc received at each of these meetings
respectively are distributed in small sums amongst all the poor
persons of the township of Wirksworth, in proportion to their
numbers in family, according to lists in which such alterations as
become necessary are made at each time of distribution.
FURTHER NOTES (1945)
The charity of Elizabeth Greaves was founded in 1863 by her
Will by which she gave £1,000 on trust for the distribution
of the income on the 1st February yearly to or for the benefit of
poor persons residing in the Parish of Wirksworth in sums of not
less than 10s. each per person. The stock representing this fund
is held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds. By an
Order of the Commissioners dated the 28th June 1864 the Vicar
and churchwardens of Wirksworth were appointed to be Trustees,
ex-officio.
As to the Poors Land little appears to be known. It is
understood to have originated in the investment of the proceeds
of sale of timber, but it is not known to what charity the timber
belonged. The Vicar and Churchwardens and the Trustees appointed
by the council are the Trustees.
All the charities in question are non-ecclesiastical and
parochial. The charities of Taylor and Bagshaw are for the
Ancient Parish and the remainder for the Township.
Any alterations to the Trusts or the constitution of a single
body of Trustees to administer the charities as a whole
would require a Scheme which the Commissioners are un-
able to undertake in present conditions.
Any securities held by the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds
for any of the charities can be sold and the proceeds reinvested
in authorised securities.
A sale of land would require the sanction of the Commissioners
who would be prepared to entertain an application from the Trustees of
the charity concerned.
It is the duty of the Trustees of each charity, as a body, to
select the beneficiaries and to determine the extent and nature of
the benefit to be allowed to each. Subject to that condition, it
is competent to them to employ an Almoner or other official
???????????? the distribution.
END OF PAGE 10
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Joan Wheeldon writes on 23feb2016
Hi John,
I have a document from Wirksworth Urban District Council, titled
Particulars of Joint Charities received from Charity Commission.
It seems to list a load of charities based on late 1660 wills
and early 1700 wills and I was wondering if you would be interested
in a copy to add to your records.
Kind regards
Joan
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Joan Wheeldon wrote on 24feb2016
Hello John,
Here it is. The history behind it is that I'm trying to hoover up
Wheeldon information from assorted family and this was amongst the
things that one cousin sent. However, I'm not sure why we have it
as I haven't spotted anything relevant to the Wheeldon's. Hopefully
names of people and fields etc will be of interest to you - please
let me know how you get on with it.
Best wishes
Joan
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Joan Wheeldon wrote on 25feb2016
Hello John,
PDFs are a pain because of their size sometimes - there do seem to be
some programs out there you can use to reduce the size but my virus
etc scanner isn't happy for me to download them!!! But good luck with
the transcribing. As for the source, all I can say that it was in a
bundle of documents, photos etc which came from my grandparents who
lived at Biggin, John Henry Wheeldon (1880 - 1962) so I'm afraid it
isn't really helpful to you. He was a special constable and received a
long service medal at Wirksworth in 1930 and seems to have been involved
with parish duties of one sort or another and was a member of the
parish council. I'm sorry but I can't be of any further help about
the origins of the document.
Kind regards
Joan
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Joan Wheeldon wrote on 28feb2016
Hi John,
Unfortunately I am working off a scan and that is how it has been
scanned originally. I have no idea whether my cousin has the original
which he then scanned and sent to me or whether the scan is all he
has - I will try and find out if he has the original but he isn't the
most communicative of people.
Regards
Joan
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