The income from Lord Campden’s Bequest (Charecrofts) in pensions to the deserving poor of the parish.
From Lady Campden’s (Butt’s) half in such pensions, and half in apprenticeships.
And from Cromwell’s (Gravel Pits) three-fourths in pensions, and one-fourth in apprenticeships.
Meanwhile the parish had been increasing greatly in population. Other churches had been built, and other congregations than that worshipping at the Parish Church of S. Mary Abbots had been formed, and districts allotted to them. Questions arose as to distribution of the charity funds as between the inhabitants of the various districts, and in 1852 a petition was presented to the Court of Chancery by the Incumbent and Churchwardens of the District Church at Brompton to have them settled by the Court under the powers of an Act of Parliament of 52 George III. And on the 23rd December, 1852, the Court of Chancery made an order directing that the trustees of the Campden Charities should in future apply the profits therefrom as they had hitherto been accustomed to do; but that in future without interfering with any pensions or contracts of apprenticeship already entered into by them in the proportions following among the various church districts:—
| S. Mary Abbots, Kensington | 25 parts. |
| S. Barnabas, Kensington | 9 „ |
| Holy Trinity, Brompton | 21 „ |
| S. Mary’s, West Brompton | 6½ „ |
| S. John’s, Notting Hill | 17 „ |
| S. James, Norland | 9½ „ |
| Total | 88 „ |
Such order, it is evident, must have embarrassed the actions of the trustees greatly, and considerably interfered with their judicious application of the charity funds. I have not been able to refer to the evidence upon which the order was obtained, but if, on the ground of the distribution of the population of the parish in 1852 it had any shadow of justice then, it would be highly unjust now, when the population of the northern half of the parish, forming the Parliamentary district of North Kensington, and then comprised in the church districts of S. John’s, Notting Hill, arid S. James’, Norland, is greater than that of all the other districts put together.
Between 1853 and 1879 the income from the Campden Charities increased from the £667 7s. to about £3,500 a year.
Several leases of plots of ground had fallen in, and meanwhile the value of the land had been rising enormously. Charecrofts, at Shepherd’s Bush, formerly a nursery ground, was in 1864 let on a building lease for a term of ninety-nine years at a ground rent of £870 per annum. In 1865 the London and South Western Railway treated for and subsequently purchased a part of the estate, 5 acres 2 roods 5 perches in extent, for the sum of £10,000, which reduced the rent of the estate from £870 to £485 per annum.
This sum of £10,000 was for some time invested in consols, but in 1887 was reinvested in the purchase of ground rents in the city of London.
In 1874 a portion of Butt’s Fields was sold to the Duke of Bedford for the sum of £18,500 (a very good price you will think) for the site of Thorney House at the corner of Gloucester Road. In 1875 a further portion of the estate, being 12 and 13, Hyde Park Gate, was sold to Mr. James Watney, M.P., for £22,500. Both of these amounts were at first invested in consols, but have since been invested in the purchase of a freehold estate in the city called Thanet House, and in ground rents in the city.