Mary Elton, by will, dated 24th of September, 1770, bequeathed the sum of £200, upon trust, to apply the interest for the use and benefit of the ten poor widows of Palmer’s Hospital.—Richard Adney bequeathed in 1805 the sum of £200, the interest thereof to be divided among the inhabitants of Palmer’s Hospital.
William Warter gave the sum of £20 to Palmer’s Hospital, in respect of which 20s. is paid from an estate at Rudge, which formerly belonged to the donor, on St. Thomas’s day, and distributed among the inmates.
Bread Fund.—The poor women of this charity also participate in the general distribution of bread in the parish of St. Leonard’s.
The Low Town.—Sir Robert Lee, Knt., in 1635, bequeathed £100, to be applied in the purchase of land, the rents and profits thereof to be given for the use of the poor residing in the Low Town of Bridgnorth. The money was applied in the purchase of a close containing about five acres of ground, situated in Oldbury Lordship, the annual rent of which amounts to about £21, which is distributed as the donor directed.
Charities of St. Leonard’s.—Henry Bourne bequeathed in 1693 the sum of £50, the interest thereof to be given away to the poor of the parish in bread every Sunday, as the churchwardens and overseers should think fit.—Edward Jackson, who died in 1709, gave the sum of £100, the interest of which was to be given to the poor in bread every first Sunday in the month. In the year 1709 the bailiffs and burgesses of Bridgnorth purchased an estate at Highley for the sum of £390, which was made up of the following sums:—£50 of Henry Bourne’s legacy, £100 of Edward Jackson’s charity, £50 of John Lem’s legacy, the interest of which was left for the minister of the parish, together with a further sum of £10, said to be given for putting out apprentices, £80 of the almshouse money, and the residue, £110, was money belonging to the parish. This estate consists of 33a. 2r. 20p. of land, which produced in 1820 the sum of £70. 16s. 9½d., and after payment of £4. 10s. to the almspeople, has formed the basis of a general bread fund.
John Bennett, by will, dated 18th January, 1732, gave an annual rent charge of £5, clear of all reduction, to be paid out of his estate at Bobbington, to be laid out in bread and given to such poor as attended church on the days of Wednesday and Friday. He also gave 20s. yearly to the minister of St. Leonard’s for a sermon to be preached every 10th day of October. The £5 for bread forms one of the items in the general distribution.
John Guest, by will, dated 15th of December, 1773, gave to the bailiffs and burgesses of Bridgnorth for the time being the sum of £200, to be put out at interest, and he directed that the interest of £50, part of the said legacy, should be laid out in bread and distributed every 9th day of January, or the Sunday following, at each of the parish churches of Bridgnorth. This legacy was invested in the three per cent. consols, and produces the annual sum of £7. 17s. 6d., of which the sum of £1 is annually paid to the parish of St. Leonard’s, and forms part of the general bread fund, and £1 to the parish of St. Mary.—John Guest, the younger, by will, dated 10th December, 1780, gave £20 to the two parishes of Bridgnorth, in trust, to apply the interest annually for the use of the poor, to be distributed in bread.
William Guest, by will, dated 21st June, 1811, bequeathed £400, upon trust, to apply the interest thereof in the purchase of bread, to be distributed among the industrious poor of the parish.
Bread Fund.—A general distribution of bread is made every Sunday in the year by the churchwardens to such objects as appear to be most in need, from the charities of Wheeler, Bennett, John Guest, John Guest, jun., and William Guest, which in all amounts to £96. 19s. 10½d.
Edward Guest, by will, dated 13th March, 1797, bequeathed the sum of £300, upon trust, to place out the same at interest, and of the profits thereof to pay one-third part to the minister of the church of St. Leonard, and one-third part to the minister of St. Mary’s, and he gave to the churchwardens and overseers of the poor of each of the said parishes £50, to be by them placed out at interest, and the dividends distributed in bread at Christmas, to the poor of the said parishes.