Parliamentary Papers

Wimeswould.

Town Lands, continued.

Thompson's Gift.

Balland's Gift.

Chamberlain's Gift.

Herbage Charity.

poverty, setting forth of soldiers, and payment of taxes, or otherwise for the commonwealth of the said parish, at the discretion of the most substantial persons thereof, with a provision that the rents of the said premises should be collected as theretofore by the town-reeves, or by the appointment of the said most substantial persons, and that when the number of feoffees should be reduced to two or three, the survivors should convey the said premises to ten of the most substantial of the inhabitants of the said parish, upon the trusts aforesaid.

Leake's Augmentation.-By deed of feoffment, dated 23d April, 17th Elizabeth, as appears from a recital in a subsequent deed, dated 16th December 1617, William Leake, gentleman, and William Leake, clerk, enfeoffed Thomas Barnett and nine others of a messuage, croft, and 50 acres in Wimes would, upon the trusts of the schedule thereto annexed.

The trusts declared in this schedule are identical with those of the preceding one.

By feoffment, dated 17th January 1658, the surviving feoffees of the preceding feoffments enfeoffed William Fox and 11 others of the premises respectively vested in them.

By the award made on the inclosure of Wimeswould, and dated 21st February 1759, 53A. OR. 7P. were allotted to the trustees for the use of the town.

The present trustees are William Burrowes, John Burrowes, Thomas Hallam, Richard Lacey, Joseph Sheppard, William Sheppard, John Hardy, John Burrowes, and Luke Mason, who were appointed by indentures of lease and release bearing date 6th and 7th January 1830. The property is let to several yearly tenants, at rents amounting together to 1047. 10s. The rents are received by a treasurer chosen from among the trustees, and distributed under their direction in the following manner: 147. 10s. yearly to the parish schoolmaster; 17. yearly to the parish clerk; 107. yearly to a surgeon for attendance upon the poor of the parish, and the residue in clothing, coals, and money among the poor indiscriminately.

THOMPSON'S GIFT.

Joseph Thompson, by Will, dated 22d March 1730, bequeathed to the feoffees of the town of Wimeswould for the time being the sum of 1007., upon trust, to place out upon security and apply the interest towards having 10 poor boys of that town taught to read, write, and cast accounts, by a schoolmaster in the school in Wimeswould.

By indentures of lease and release, dated the 25th and 26th days of July 1735, the release being made between John Lovett and Elizabeth his wife of the one part, and Edward Thompson and seven others, the then feoffees of the town of Wimeswould of the other part, it was witnessed that the said parties of the first part, in consideration of the sum of 1057. by the said parties of the second part paid, granted and released to the said parties of the second part, and their heirs, a close in the liberties of Burton-upon-the-Woulds, in the county of Leicester, called the Kayland Close, containing 10 acres, upon trust, to pay the rents and profits of the said close to the schoolmaster of the town of Wimeswould, for teaching 10 poor boys of that town to write, read, and cast accounts, according to the intent and meaning of the Will of the said Joseph Thompson.

The charity continues under the management of the town feoffees, to whom the legal estate in the land was conveyed by the indentures of lease and release, dated 6th and 7th January 1830, mentioned in the preceding report.

The rent is paid to the parish schoolmaster, in consideration of which, and of the 147. 10s. received by him out of the town lands, he teaches 25 boys, nominated by the trustees, to read, write, and cast accounts.

BALLAND'S GIFT.

The benefaction table states that Daniel Balland gave 50l. for five poor widows of the parish, to which the trustees of Barnett's Charity added a certain sum, and bought a piece of ground called the Widow's Close, the rents and profits thereof to be disposed of for the aforesaid use.

The purchase deeds could not be found, but entries of the receipt of rent for the close appear in an old account-book as early as 1703.

The close, which is in Wymondham, contains 1A. 3R., and is let to Joseph Thomas, as yearly tenant, at a rent of 51.

The rent is received by the minister, and distributed by him equally among five poor widows. By an old custom the objects of the charity are changed every three years.

CHAMBERLAIN's Gift.

The benefaction table also states that the Rev. W. Chamberlain gave 17. yearly, to be laid out in godly books, and distributed as the minister and churchwardens should think proper. This statement referred to a donation of 207., which has been since added to 1007. Three and a Half per Cents., the gift of Dr. Johnson in 1823, for the same purpose.

In respect of both, 1201. Three and a Half per Cents. stands in the names of William Fisher Ella, Thomas Hallam, and the Rev. Henry Alfred, and produces in dividends 47. 4s. 2d. The vicar at certain periods lays in a stock of Bibles, which he distributes among the poor. He had at the time of the Inquiry a balance in his hands of 71. 6s. 6d.

HERBAGE CHARITY.

Wimeswould was inclosed under an Act of 13th George II., which enacted (among other things) that two-thirds of the herbage and pasture of the public roads should be vested in the Commissioners therein named, and their heirs, for the use of such poor as had no lands, in such manner as the freeholders within the manor for the time being, or the major part of them assembled at a public meeting, to be held yearly on the 1st of March in the vestry-room of

the church, should direct or appoint; and in default of such direction, in such manner as the said Commissioners or their successors, or any three or more of them, should think most for the benefit of the said poor; and as to the residue, upon trust, for the benefit of the said parish, in such manner as the constable, churchwardens, and overseers of the poor of the said parish at a public meeting to be held in the vestry should appoint.

The herbage of the several roads within the parish, has, on an average of the last 12 years, been let at a yearly rent of 531. 18s. 11d., of which the average distribution among the poor has not exceeded 10l. 6s. 6d., although under the provisions of the Act it was fixed at two

thirds.

The parish, at a public meeting, directs the application of the rent, and the amount apportioned to the poor has been distributed in small sums.

Wimeswould.

Herbage Charity, continued.

TOBIAS RUSTAT'S CHARITY FOR AUGMENTATION OF POOR VICARAGES.

By indenture of lease and release, dated 2d and 3d July 1688, between Tobias Rustat of T. Rustat's Charity. the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, in the county of Middlesex, of the one part, and the Honourable Anchitell 'Grey, Geffrey Palmer, Matthew Johnson, George Pochin, William Franke, and Lawrence Carter of the other part, the said Tobias Rustat granted and released to the said Anchitell Grey and others, their heirs and assigns, a messuage in Breedon-on-the Hill, in the occupation of the said Anchitell Grey; also the rectory and parsonage impropriate of Breedon, together with all glebe lands, impropriate tithes, and other rights thereto belonging, except tithe woods, and profits arising from any trees, woods, or underwoods within the said parish or precincts of Breedon, to hold to and to the use of the said Anchitell Grey and others, and their heirs, in trust, after the death of the said Tobias Rustat, to dispose of the rents and profits thereof in the manner following, viz., 20l. per annum, part thereof, to the vicar or incumbent, or such as should serve the cure of the parish church of St. Mary-of-the Castle, of the borough of Leicester, and 107. per annum more thereof to each of the respective vicars, incumbents, or such as should serve the cures for the time being, of the respective parish churches of Whitwick, Sileby, Withcote, and Slawston, all in the county of Leicester, and all the residue of the rents and profits of the tithes and premises after payment of all charges and expenses relating to the management of the said estate and the trusts thereof, to be paid or allowed to the vicar, incumbent, or such as should serve the cure of the parish church of Breedon for the time being, such annuities and payments to be made half-yearly; and upon further trust, that when any four of such six trustees should die, the two survivors should convey the trust premises to the use of themselves and four other persons, to be chosen by them, and their heirs and assigns, upon the trusts aforesaid. The said indenture contained a proviso that the said Tobias Rustat might at any time during his life, or by his Will, revoke and alter, or change any of the trusts thereinbefore limited, and by the same or any other writing or writings under his hand and seal, to declare, limit, and appoint other trusts.

By indorsement, dated 26th July 1688, on the back of the said indenture of release, the said Tobias Rustat appointed that the sum of 107., directed in the said release to be paid to the incumbent of Withcote, should be disposed of for the benefit of the vicar of Wistow, or such other poor curate in the county of Leicester as the said Matthew Johnson should appoint.

By deed-poll, dated 10th October 1691, the said Matthew Johnson, in pursuance of the said power, appointed that the said 107. settled on the incumbent of Withcote, should, during Mr. Manton's incumbency there, be paid to Mr. Read, vicar of Somerley, as an addition to his vicarage, on condition that he should as often as he could serve at Withcote when Mr. Manton was absent; and further appointed, that after Mr. Manton's death or removal from the cure of Withcote, the said 107. should be paid to the incumbent of Withcote or the vicar of Wistow, in respect of his service in Newton Harcourt Chapel, as the owners of the manor of Withcote should think fit.

By deed-poll, dated 14th October 1692, the said Tobias Rustat, under and by virtue of the power reserved to him in the said indenture of 3d July 1688, appointed that the said messuages, tithes, and premises, and the trusts thereof, should after his death be disposed of by the trustees or major part thereof (the said Matthew Johnson during his life to be one), for and towards the better maintenance of the several vicars and incumbents of the churches before mentioned, or any of them, or any other vicar or vicars inhabiting or residing in the county of Leicester, in such manner and proportions as the major part of the said trustees (the said Matthew Johnson being one) by writing under their hands and seals should appoint, having always respect to such as should want most and deserved best; and the said Tobias Rustat earnestly desired his trustees to meet once in every year for the due management of the said trust, and to make an allowance, if they should think fit, for a dinner or collation, not exceeding 40s.

Successive appointments of trustees have been made, by indenture of 25th June 1717, 12th October 1736, 10th September 1767, by direction of the Court of Chancery, in consequence of a petition presented for that purpose, 30th June 1808; and, lastly, by indentures of lease

T. Rustat's Charity, and release, in 1825, by the deeds following, which give the allotments as set out at the time of the inclosure.

continued.

By indenture of lease and release, dated the 29th and 30th July 1825, between the Right Honourable George Harry Earl of Stamford and Warrington, and Clement Winstanley, esq., of the one part, and the Right Honourable George Harry Grey, commonly called Lord Grey, eldest son and heir apparent of the said Earl, the Honourable William Booth Grey, brother of the said Earl, George Anthony Legh Keck, and John Pares, esqs., of the other part, reciting that, by indentures of lease and release, dated 29th and 30th June 1808, all that messuage or tenement, situate and being in Breedon-on-the-Hill, formerly in the tenure of Anchitell Grey, esq., with the appurtenances; and all that the rectory or parsonage, impropriate, of Breedon aforesaid, together with all glebe lands, impropriate tithes, and other rights, members, and appurtenances thereto belonging, except the tithe wood and profits arising or renewing in respect of any trees, woods, or underwoods being, or that thereafter should be, within the parish or precincts of Breedon aforesaid; and also all those several pieces or parcels of land in the late open and then inclosed fields of Breedon aforesaid, containing respectively 26A. 2R. 23r., 53A. 1R. 10P., and 6A. 3R. 12P., and amounting in the whole to 86A. 3R. 5P., or thereabouts, and which, upon the inclosure of the open fields of Breedon, and certain commonable and waste grounds within the same, by virtue of an Act of Parliament of the 32 Geo. II., were set out and allotted in lieu of and in full satisfaction and recompense of and for the great tithes of and in the said fields of Breedon, and the commonable lands and grounds within the same; and also of and in such of the then inclosures of the said fields of Breedon as abutted upon any of the then uninclosed lands therein, and did not contain four statute acres, and were not homesteads or orchards, or reputed as such; and also all those two pieces or plots of land on a certain common or place called the Brand, or Breedon Brand, containing respectively 33A OR. 18P. and 1A. 2R. 32P., and which upor the said inclosure were also set out and allotted in lieu of the great tithes of such part of the said Brand as was by the said recited Act directed to be inclosed; and also all those pieces or plots of land, situate in the parish of Breedon, containing respectively 8A. 3R. 33P. and 1R. 28P., or thereabouts, being part of certain commonable and waste lands, inclosed in pursuance of an Act of Parliament passed in the 42d Geo. III., and which upon such lastmentioned inclosure were set out and allotted in lieu of and for the great tithes of such lastmentioned commonable and waste lands; and also the yearly sum of 167. 7s. 9d, which, upon the said first-mentioned inclosure, was appointed to be paid in lieu of the great tithes of all the then titheable inclosures in Breedon aforesaid, except such as adjoined or abutted upon any of the uninclosed land or ground therein respectively, and did not contain four statute acres, were conveyed and assured by the then Earl of Stamford and Warrington (since deceased) and Sir John Palmer unto the said Earl of Stamford and Warrington, party to the now abstracting indenture, then called Lord Grey, Clement Winstanley, and others, and their heirs, to the use of them, the said grantors and grantees, their heirs and assigns, for ever, upon such trusts, intents, and purposes as were declared or mentioned in, or were then subsisting or capable of taking effect, under and by virtue of the deeds and writings in the said indenture of 30th June 1808, being for certain charitable purposes founded by Tobias Rustat: and reciting that, by several writings under the hands and seals of the trustees of the charity estates, or the major part of them, for the time being, several annual sums were then payable to the several vicars or incumbents of the churches or chapels thereinafter named, viz., COZ. to the vicar of Breedon, 20l. to the vicar of St. Mary of the Castle, near the borough of Leicester, and 107. a-piece to the vicars of Frisby-on-the-Wreke, Sileby, Belton, All Saints, in Leicester, St. Nicholas, in Leicester, Great Glenn, Syston, Cosby, Great Peatling, Lowesby, and Belgrave; and reciting that the trustees named in the above recited indenture of 30th June 1808, except the said Earl (then Lord Grey) and Clement Winstanley, being dead, the said two survivors had elected the said Lord Grey and others, parties of the second part, to be new trustees in the place of those deceased-it is witnessed that, in pursuance and performance of the trust vested in them, the said George Harry Earl of Stamford and Warrington and Clement Winstanley, as such surviving trustees, granted and released to the said George Harry Grey, commonly called Lord Grey, and the other parties of the second part, all and singular the said messuage in Breedon, the said parsonage impropriate, and all the said several allotments before described, and the said rent of 167. 7s. 9d., and all other the before-mentioned premises, to hold the same to the said grantees and their heirs to the use of the said grantors and grantees, and their heirs, upon the trusts above mentioned: and reciting that, since the year 1800, there had been a surplus of the rents and profits of the said trust estates, after satisfying the several annual sums from time to time payable to such vicars as were thought proper objects by the said trustees, and out of such surplus rents the sum of 1,6331. 6s. 8d. stock in the Three per Cent. Consolidated Bank Annuities had been purchased, and was then standing in the names of some of the trustees, from the dividends whereof the benefit of the said charity fund had been extended to a greater number of vicars than the rents and profits were sufficient to provide for; it was thereby declared that the said sum of 1,6331. 6s. 8d. stock should be considered as part of or an augmentation to the said charitable fund, and be held and disposed of upon the same trusts as were therein before declared or referred to concerning the said trust estate, and that the dividends of such stock should be employed and disposed of, and be applicable to such and the like purposes with the rents and profits of the said trust estates, with power to the said trustees, or the major part of them, to transfer and sell and dispose of the said stock by writing under their hands and seals.

The trustees meet every two or three years, when allowances are ordered to be made to other vicars to supply the place of those deceased, and the accounts of the charity are audited

continued.

and balanced. The allowances are generally of 101. each, and there are at present eleven of T. Rustat's Charity, that amount; one of 20l. to the vicar of St. Mary's, Leicester, as ordered by the original deed, and 901. yearly to the vicar of Breedon, in whose parish the whole property of the charity lies, and who, by the deed of 1688, was ordered to have all the residue after the specific payments therein mentioned. The orders to receive annuities are made in writing, under seal and on stamp, and are also entered in the minute-book. Applications are made by clergymen by letter; and at the last meeting there was only one applicant, whose case was not attended to.

At Lady-day 1835 there was a balance in hand of 3167. 10s., which was reserved by order of the trustees for putting the buildings in repair. No repairs have been done for many years on the Breedon farm-buildings, as the tenant, who was very old, objected to have anything done in his lifetime. He is lately dead, but it is under consideration whether it will be expedient to make any such outlay on the part of the charity as the land lies in detached parcels, and may be conveniently occupied with Lord Stamford's farms, and have the benefit. of his buildings, as all the tenants at present hold farms under Lord Stamford, as well as under the charity.

The treasurer is Lord Stamford's agent: he receives a salary of 107. per annum for making the payments, keeping the accounts, receiving the rents, and managing the property. The estate is let as follows: