The city of Stoke-on-Trent: Charities | British History Online

A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 8. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1963.

Citation:

'The city of Stoke-on-Trent: Charities', in A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 8, ed. J G Jenkins( London, 1963), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/staffs/vol8/pp329-332 [accessed 17 November 2024].

CHARITIES FOR THE POOR

Table XII


Founder	Instrument	Endowment	History

Tunstall (fn. 1)
Mrs. Adderley of Blake Hall (fn. 2)	Will of 1692	50s. rent-charge for poor of Tunstall.	Lapsed through failure to collect by 1818.
William Baddeley (fn. 3) (d. 1734)	Will	£30 to provide 15s. for poor of Tunstall and 15s. for poor of Chell on St. Thomas's Day.	It seems that Thomas Child, executor of William Baddeley and trustee of his £30, added another £20; by 1824 £4 interest was distributed in cash to poor of Tunstall at Shrovetide; lapsed by 1958.
John Cartlich (fn. 4) (d. 1734)	Will	£50 to be laid out in land to produce rent of £2 for distribution to poor of Tunstall at Shrovetide.
Thomas Ford of Tunstall (fn. 5)	Will proved 1902	£200, interest to be distributed to poor members of Methodist New Connexion Church in Tunstall.	Since closing of Mount Tabor Chapel in Tunstall in 1953 (see p. 297), income has been paid to Chell Heath Methodist Chapel Poor Fund.
John Nash Peake of Congleton (Ches.) (fn. 6)	Will proved 1905	£500, interest to be distributed to poor of Tunstall at Christmas at discretion of his executors and the chief bailiff of Tunstall; charity to be called the Nash Peake Fund.	In 1956 these charities were distributed at Christmas in the form of 137 tickets worth £27 8s. Under terms of the will the Roxburgh Fund is vested in the city authorities. Income of Nash Peake Fund 1956–7 £20 9s. 10d. interest on stock, that of Roxburgh Poor Fund £9 interest on stock.
Eliza Roxburgh of Weston-super-Mare (Som.) (fn. 7)	Will proved 1913	£200, interest to be distributed to poor of Tunstall; charity to be called the Roxburgh Poor Fund.
John Chesters (fn. 8)	Will proved 1950	£100, income to be distributed to Methodist residents of the Old People's Homes in Stanley Street.	It was to become payable after death of his widow (still living in 1955).
BURSLEM (fn. 9)
John Colclough (fn. 10) (d. 1666)	Will	£5 rent-charge to provide 20 1d. loaves each Sunday after morning service; residue in money on 2 Feb.	By 1824 the Sunday bread still distributed, but rest of money given in bread soon after Christmas; lapsed 1938.
John Wedgwood (fn. 11)	Will proved 1705	£5, interest to provide bread every Christmas Day.	Charged by his daughter Katherine Egerton, by will proved 1756, on land in Burslem; the form of her settlement invalid under Act of 9 Geo. II, and payment lapsed about end of 18th century.
Revd. Mr. Orme (probably Edward Orme, curate of Burslem 1688–1707, or Edward Orme of Newcastle d. 1705) (fn. 12)	Will	£10.	No effects for payment of legacy.
Thomas Leigh of Jackfield (fn. 13) (d. 1720)	Will	£40, interest to be distributed to poor at discretion of executors.	Lapsed by 1786.
Revd. William Adams (fn. 14) (d. 1722)	Will	£10, interest to be distributed to poor of Hulton on St. Thomas's Day.	No effects for payment of legacy.
Hugh Meare (fn. 15) (d. 1742)	Will	£20, interest to be distributed to poor.	Lapsed by 1788 through insolvency of borrower.
R. (probably Richard) Cartwright (fn. 16) (probably d. 1754)	Will	£20, to provide 5s. worth of bread four times a year.	Lent to overseers towards cost of new workhouse (see p. 130) and 20s. charged on poor-rates; charged on land at Harriseahead by 1919 and lapsed on sale of land soon afterwards.
Katherine Egerton (fn. 17)	Will proved 1756	£2 10s. rent-charge for distribution to poor.	Settlement invalid under Act of 9 Geo. II, and charity never paid.
Ralph Shaw (fn. 18)	Will—between 1720 and 1759	£5, interest to be distributed to poor.	No effects for payment of legacy.
Joseph Bucknall (fn. 19)	Will proved 1789	£200, interest to be distributed to poor of Cobridge at Christmas.	£225 settled by Jacob Warburton (will of 1825) as Bucknall's executor to provide £10 for poor of Cobridge under Bucknall's will and £1 5s. for the Roman Catholic priest at Cobridge. From c. 1837 trustees paid whole to the priest who distributed £10 to the Catholic poor. Payment suspended by trustees c. 1870, and under scheme of 1880 the charity, represented by £299 4s. 1d. stock, was vested in the vicar and churchwardens of Cobridge who were to distribute the income in kind at Christmas among poor of Cobridge irrespective of creed. This charity is still (1958) paid.
Randle Keay (fn. 20)	Will of 1817	£500 to provide bread for poor attending parish church on first Sundays of February, May, and August and on 1 November (founder's birthday) or Sunday following; also £4 to rector for supervising distribution and preaching on each occasion on practical charity.	Became payable 1846, but only £300 available; applied also to new ecclesiastical Districts of Burslem as created. By 1958 income of £7 15s. distributed in general comforts at discretion of Rector of St. John's; charity sermons, still preached in 1932, have since lapsed.
Howard Haywood (fn. 21)	Will proved 1875	£30,000 to be applied to sick poor of Burslem and immediate neighbourhood in such a way that his name and that of his brother Richard should be for ever associated with it.	Howard and Richard Haywood Hospital built 1886–7 in Moorland Road; replaced by present hospital in High Lane built 1927–30. Endowment increased by other gifts.
Elger Robinson of Burslem (fn. 22)	Will proved 1904	Stock (£313 17s. in 1937), interest to provide coal at Christmas for poor widows and other poor attending Swan Bank Wesleyan Chapel; in memory of his daughter Louisa (d. 1889).	By 1958 22 gifts of 10s. were being made each year towards cost of coal.
Harriet Bates of Endon (fn. 23)	Will proved 1912	£300 stock, residue of interest, after deducting cost of maintaining grave of herself and her husband, to provide income for poor of Cobridge.	Stock sold 1913 for £325.
Col. Sir William Warrington Dobson of Seighford Hall (fn. 24)	Will proved 1942	£1,000, income to be used to continue the treat given to poor children of Burslem by Sir William and his late wife (tea and concert before Christmas to about 1,200 children from elementary schools of Burslem).	Income accumulated during war; treats subsidized until 1948 by Parker's Brewery (Sir William's firm).
Mrs. E. A. Smith (fn. 25) (d. 1957)	Will	£100 to be applied by Rector of St. John's to poor of his parish.	Capital held by rector in 1958 for disbursement in general comforts as required.
STOKE-UPON-TRENT PARISH (fn. 26)
Robert Bagnall of Fenton Vivian (fn. 27)	Deed of 1674 or 1675	£100 for purchase of a £5 annuity to be distributed to poor of Botteslow, Fenton Vivian, Fenton Culvert, Longton, and Meare Lane End on 24 June and 1 Nov.	Laid out in purchase of £5 rent-charge; by 1822 distributed in cash and bread to poor of these townships; from 1843 distributed in clothing (in February by 1847) by rectors of Stoke and Longton; by 1957 added to Stoke parish bread and clothing fund as £2 15s. rentcharge.
Revd. Mr. Orme (probably Edward Orme, curate of Burslem 1688–1707, or Edward Orme of Newcastle d. 1705) (fn. 28)	Will	£1 interest on £20 for poor of parish.	Lapsed by 1824.
Robert Whilton (fn. 29) (d. 1729)	Will	£1 rent-charge to provide bread twice a year, half to be distributed to poor of Eaves liberty in Bucknall chapel and half to poor of rest of parish in Stoke church.	By 1824 distributed to widows in cash and bread at Stoke and Bucknall; from 1843 distributed in clothing; lapsed 1860 through failure to collect but revived 1902; lapsed again by 1958.
Thomas Finney of Blurton (fn. 30)	Will of 1761	£3 p.a., settled as interest on £60 by executor, for poor widows living near Stoke church.	At first distributed in money to widows, from 1843 in clothing; embezzled by a trustee 1888.
George Broom of Hanley (fn. 31) (d. c. 1799)	Will	£1 rent-charge for poor of Hanley.	Distributed in bread by 1824; still in force 1865.
Ephraim Chatterley of Shelton (fn. 32)	Deed of 1803	£8 8s. rent-charge (or net profit from land concerned) for bread for poor of Hanley and Shelton on Christmas Day and Good Friday.	By 1885 the income (£10) was distributed in bread at Christmas and Easter by the incumbents of Hanley, Shelton, Northwood, Hope, Wellington, and Etruria; under a scheme of 1895 the income (£24 0s. 8d. interest on stock, the land having been sold 1889) was to be used for the general benefit of the poor of the borough; paid to the North Staffs. Deaf and Dumb Society 1950–3; allowed to accumulate 1954–6.
William Ridgway of Northwood (fn. 33)	Not known	Almshouses in Keelings Lane for 'decayed widows' by 1832.	The history of the almshouses after c. 1840 is not known. A small side lane off Eastbourne Road near its junction with Keelings Lane is still called Widows Row and runs close to the site of the former almshouses.
John Bourne (fn. 34)	Deed of 1834	Land in Fenton, the income to be distributed to poor of parish on St. Thomas's Day.	Some years before 1902 two-thirds of the income (£27 rent in 1894; £24 12s. 8d. interest on stock by 1902, the land having been sold 1895) was allotted to the poor of Fenton; under a scheme of 1902 the income was assigned to the poor of the ancient parish; still in force 1935–6.
Revd. John Woodhouse (d. 1833) (fn. 35)	Deed of 1836 in fulfilment of will	£100 to provide bread for poor of Penkhull and Boothen at Christmas.	Distributed to poor of Stoke town as well as of Penkhull and Boothen by 1840; still distributed in bread in 1879; by 1957 paid to Stoke church schools account.
John Tomlison of Cliffville (fn. 36) (d. 1838)	Will	£5 p.a. to provide bread for poor of Penkhull, Boothen, and Stoke town on 1 Jan.	By 1958 income £3 6s. 6d. interest on stock; two-thirds added to bread and clothing account, one-third to Stoke church schools account.
William Cook of Longton (fn. 37)	Will proved 1873	£100, interest to be distributed every Christmas Day to 10 poor widows, members of the Methodist New Connexion Zion Chapel in Longton.	Since the amalgamation of Zion and Bourne Chapels the money has been paid at Christmas to 10 widows, members of Bourne Chapel.
Thomas Gilbert (fn. 38)	Will proved 1878	£280 to mayor and corporation to provide food for aged poor over 60 of Hanley borough during subsequent 21 years.	£152 still remained in 1901 but this had been spent by 1904.
William Carter (fn. 39)	Will proved 1881	£150 to provide bread for poor of Stoke-upon-Trent parish.	By 1958 the income, £3 13s., was added to parish bread and clothing fund.
Samuel Owen, Rector of Bucknall 1878–91 (d. 1891) (fn. 40)	Presumably will	Not known.	By 1960 the income, £34 6s., was distributed to old and needy of Bucknall parish at Christmas and other times.
William Webberley of Meir (fn. 41)	Will proved 1893	£500, interest to be distributed to poor widows on St. Thomas's Day by rector and churchwardens of St. James's.	By 1958 distributed by rector on St. Thomas's Day to elderly women of parish in financial need.
Henry Hill of Meir (fn. 42)	Will proved 1895	£1,000, interest to be distributed in money or kind on 22 Dec. (founder's birthday) to 50 or more aged poor of borough of Longton as Henry Hill's Christmas Gift.	Laid out in land 1896; a further £28 8s. 2d. stock added 1942; by 1958 disbursed in sums of 4s. in Longton area of city.
George Mountford of Stoke (fn. 43)	Will proved 1898	£500 to provide annual dinner for aged poor of Stoke borough, to be selected by a committee of the borough council.	Became payable 1906; in 1937–8 £18 spent on dinner, £2 7s. 6d. on tea, and £1 7s. 1d. on tobacco; still in force 1958.
George Burton of Stoke (fn. 44)	Will proved 1907	£215 for aged persons attending Stock church.	Implemented under scheme of 1922; in 1958 the income, about £18 interest on stock, distributed in gifts at rector's discretion.
Marion Telwright (fn. 45)	Will proved 1913	£100, income to be distributed by the rector or churchwardens of Bucknall to the poor on 1 January.	By 1960 the income, £3 16s. 8d., was distributed to old and needy of Bucknall parish at Christmas and other times.