General Charities.—The sum of £308 17s. was expended in the purchase of an estate at Ellesmere, in 1726, which consists of 19a. 3r. 22p., producing a yearly rental of £45. Of the said purchase money £200 was the gift of Thomas Baker, in 1685; £30 the gift of Thomas Cotton, in 1683; £50 the bequest of Stephen Rogers; and £20 the gift of Richard Presland. The rent is received by the churchwardens, and carried to one account with the produce of several other charities, and disposed of in bread, and small sums of money, to deserving objects of charity.
The sum of £1. 6s. is received every alternate year from a farm in Willstone, which was bought subject to this payment, about forty years ago. This is known by the name of Diana Robert’s Charity, the like payment being made every alternate year to the parish of Cardington.
Brook’s Charity. The particulars of this charity will he found noticed with those of St. Alkmund. The yearly sum of £2. 10s. is received on account of this parish, and carried to the general charity account noticed above.
The Rev. Samuel Presland, by will, in 1750, as appears from an entry in the book of charities, gave £10 to be placed out by the overseers, and the interest to be distributed to the poor. In the same book it is stated that Thomas Presland gave £20, and directed the interest to be given among poor housekeepers. These two sums, with £50, the legacy of Richard Williams, are placed out on the security of the house of industry, and the interest carried to the general charity account.
Mary Griffith, in 1781, left £50 to the churchwardens and overseers, the interest to be distributed every Sunday in twopenny loaves. This sum is placed out on the security of the tolls of the Leighton turnpike road, and £2. 10s. annually received as the interest thereof.
The Rev. Philemon Hayes left to the minister of the parish 10s. for a lecture on Candlemas day, and the same sum to be distributed to poor people by the churchwardens. John Bryan by his will made an addition to Mr. Hayes’s gift of 10s. for the said sermon and 10s. to the poor. In respect of these charities the sum of £2 is charged upon land called the Tenter Field, near the Quarry, Shrewsbury.
Elizabeth Hanmer, in 1755, left £20, the interest to be distributed in bread; she also left a house on the stone bridge, the rent to be paid to the clerk of the parish. The stone bridge above-mentioned with the house thereon has since been taken down, and a sum of money was awarded to the clerk as compensation for it, with which sum, and the £20 left to be distributed in bread, another house was bought for him. The house is now let by the clerk, and he receives the rent and pays thereout 20s. yearly, as the interest of the legacy of £20.
Richard Breathen gave to the churchwardens and overseers the sum of £20, the interest to be given to the poor. This money was placed in the hands of a person who died insolvent, and after a lapse of some years his son repaid the principal, and in 1820 it was carried to the general charity account.
Josina Pemberton. The particulars of this charity will be found noticed with the charities of St. Alkmund parish. The yearly sum of £2. 2s. is divided among thirty poor housekeepers.
The average annual income of the Charities of Shrewsbury amounts to about £2,000, exclusive of the Loan Charities, which produce no income, being gifts of sums of money to be lent out for limited periods to young tradesmen and others, free of interest. The Loan Charities amount to £840. 8s. 4d. In 1837 the High Court of Chancery appointed certain trustees to administer the charities of which the Corporations of Shrewsbury were previously the trustees. The following is a list of the trustees:—The Right Hon. Lord Berwick, Sir F. Brian Hill, John Bather, Esq., Mr. R. Beacall, Peter Beck, Esq., Robert Burton, Esq., W. J. Clement, Esq., T. G. Gwyn, Esq., J. Hazledine, Esq., Rev. C. Leicester, Rev. W. G. Rowland, A. Spearman, Esq., W. R. Ward, Esq., R.N., John Wingfield, Esq., Mr. John Woodward, William Butler Lloyd, Esq., John Whitehurst, Esq., Mr. Thomas Woodward, Mr. Richard Jeffreys Muckleston, and Mr. J. G. Brayne. Treasurer and Solicitor, William Cooper, Esq. Clerk and Secretary, Mr. William Poole, Scoltock-offices, Guild-hall and Corn-market Chambers.