CHARITABLE DONATIONS TO THE POOR.
In the present age the good old-fashioned mode of bequeathing some portion of worldly substance for the education or relief of the poor is recognized by very few of our wealthier fellow-countrymen. The usual channels of relief to the poor and needy—the Poor-Law Union, the Night Asylum, the Good Samaritan Society, and other institutions of like class—are excellent in their way, and diffuse much benefit and comfort among the aged and indigent; but still our ancient charities, especially our schools and almshouses, whilst they secure to their recipients permanent, not precarious good, shed a brilliant lustre over the land, and denote the kind and benignant spirit of many of our ancestors. Would that the old benevolent English spirit were revived among us, and that all affluent men, who have possessed their money by inheritance, or obtained it by the force of their talents, or success in trade or commerce, would, among their testamentary bequests, never fail to “remember the poor.” Then should we have comfortable asylums for many hoary-headed men and women, who, reduced by misfortune, or overwhelmed by the distressing calamities of life, have no place of quiet shelter—no resting-place in which to pass the residue of their days.
The following list of Charitable Donations, left for the benefit of the poor of Oswestry, shows that in days gone by, the weak were not overlooked by the strong, and that many, imbued with practical Christian benevolence, deemed it their duty to aid, not only the poor of their own days, but those also of succeeding generations. The only Aims-Houses in the town are those situated near the turnpike-gate in Willow-Street. They are six in number, and were left by Dame Ellen, widow of Sir Francis Eure. Mrs. Jane Owen, in 1732, bequeathed to the twelve poor persons (six men and six women), inmates of the alms-houses, the sum of 18s. to be paid to them yearly, for ever, and also ordered her executor to charge her real and personal estate with the payment thereof. Mrs. M. Ormsby, by her will in 1805, requested her daughter (the present Mrs. Ormsby Gore), and those who should succeed her in the Porkington Estate, would pay “as she had done,” the poor people in the alms-houses for ever. Mrs. Ormsby Gore regularly distributes £3 among the inmates on Christmas-Day, that being the sum her mother had previously given. The alms-houses are kept in good repair by Mrs. Ormsby Gore, and she selects the inmates.
By what Instrument created, and Date. | Nature of Property, or Amount. | When payable. | By whom. | By whom directed to be distributed, and in whatmanner. | Time of distribution. | |
Owen Morgan | Will, 31 March 1604 | £20 per Annum. | 25 March | Haberdashers’ Co., London. | Parson and Churchwardens of the Parish of Oswestry, forthe relief of the poor | |
Hugh Yale | Will, 2nd Jan. 1605 | Several messuages and lands in Oswestry, producing atpresent £13, of thereabouts | Rts. payable at different times | Tenants | Bailiffs and Overseers, amongst the poor of the town and6s. 8d. for a Welsh Sermon | 1st January. |
John Morris, & Wife | Deed, 24th Ju. 1629 | £1 10s. per annum, on lands in Crickheath | On Feast day of Philip & James & All-Souls | J. W. Eyton. | Trustees to be appointed by the Burgesses, to bedistributed in bread, and for other purposes | |
Richard Wycherley | Deed, 23rd Dr. 1624 | A field in Beatrice St. let for £7 pr. annum | 25 March | R. Brayne, tenant | Bailiff 52s. per annum. for bread and the remainder to setout an Apprentice | |
Dorothy Santley | Deed, 18th Ch. I., 1643 | £2 12s. per annum issuing out of a field called CaeBychan | 25 March | Roberts, Ruthin, Rt. Roberts tenant | Church-wardens, Bailiffs’ and Vicar, in bread, tothe poor of the town | Every Sunday. |
Will, 1669 | £5 6d. 8d. issuing out of lands in Treflach | 25 Decbr. | Rd. Hunt, Esq. | £2 10s. by the Overseers of the Parish, and the likesum by the Overseers of the town, for the Poor, and 6s. 8d. tothe Ministers for a Sermon on St. Stephen’s Day | ||
A butt of land in Beatrice St., for which 5s. pr. anm. waspd. | Church-wardens and Overseers [124] | |||||
Muckleston Allen | 5s. per annum issuing out of houses in Cross-Street | 25 March | Reps. of David Oliver | In bread, but not stated by whom to be distributed | ||
Winifred Matthews | Will, 20th Ju. 1709 | £2 10s. issuing out of a field, in Trefonen, calledMaes y Benglog | 25 March | Sir W. W. Wynn | Vicar and Churchwardens to put out an apprentice, fromOswestry, and the townships of Trefonen, Treflach, Sweeney, andTreferclawdd, alternately | |
Will. June 5th 1727 | £100 secured on Willow-Street Gate & Road | Dec. 30th | Trustees | Vicar, Church-wardens, and Overseers, in putting out anapprentice, and in woollen clothing for the poor of the town eachalternate year | Christmas. | |
— Peacock | — 1732. | £5 secured with the above | Dec. 30th | Ditto | To be distributed amongst poor house-keepers of thetown | Christmas. |
Thomas Turner | Will, 1777 | £20 secured on Llangedwin Turnpike Road | March 25 | Trustees | The Church-wardens | Christmas. |
Richard Muckleston | Will, 20th Jan. 1638 | £2 per annum issuing out of estates inCarmarthenshire | March 25 | Rev. Jn. Lloyd Brunant | The Bailiff, Vicar, & Church-wardens, in bread, to thepoor of the Township of Oswestry | Good Friday. |
Francis Shore | Will, 13 Aug. 1691 | £1 per annum issuing out of houses in Ch. Street,belonging to Mr. David Jones | This has hitherto been distributed by Mr. D. Jones, whoclaims to do so, as the lineal descendant of the survivingTrustee of the Testator | Feast of St. Thomas. | ||
Will, 2nd May 1794 | £1 issuing out of her house, forge, yard, &dwelling-house in Oswestry aforesaid, with one croft of landthereunto belonging, devised to Richd. Pryce, Mercer | Jany. 1st | Thomas Allen | Mayor and Church-wardens, amongst 20 poor labourers ordecayed tradesmen | New Year’s Day. | |
Elizabeth Williams. | Will, 1703. | £2 per annum issuing out of Mixon Hall, andcroft | Plm Mon | Reps. of James Vaughan | Church-wardens, to the poor, in 6d. or 1s. to each | Palm Monday |
Rebecca Lloyd | Will, 10th Jan. 1733 | £1 per annum issuing out of house inCross-Street | 25 Decbr. | Rv. J. Thomas | Vicar, amongst the poor | Christmas |
Sir William Williams | Will, Sep. 7th, 1734 | £200 | 21 Decbr. | Sir W. W. Wynn | Vicar, Church-wardens, and Trustees, amongst such poorpersons of the Parish as they shall think fit | At such time as they shall please |
Elizabeth Williams | Will | Croft at Croes-Wylan, occupied with Penylan, for which£1 10s. has hitherto been paid | Croxon & Co. | The tenant of Penylan has hitherto distributed this sumyearly in clothing for the poor | ||
Will | A field called Cae Mark, in the Parish of Llanyblodwel,occupied by Margt. Oliver; consists now of a house and buildings,and several small closes | Marg. Oliver | She distributes 10s. upon All-Saints’ Day, atSweeney Mountain, to poor persons of Sweeney and Weston, inmoney; and also another 10s. in bread | |||
James Phillips | Will, 24th Ap. 1661 | In 1833, £522 7s. 10d., which, after certaindeductions, left £186 8s. 8d. to be distributed between theParishes of St. Chad, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Ellesmere, andWhitchurch | Mayor & Corporation of Shrewsbury | Church-wardens, in flannel | Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude | |
Lady Eure | Will | Porkington Alms houses, and 18s. per annum to poor peopleoccupying them, since incrsd. to £3 | Reps. of Mrs. Jane Owen | Money to be distribtd. at Christmas | ||
Deed, 2nd Mar 1748 | Messuage in Cross St. exchanged in 1823 for one in BrookSt. for the use of the Vicar, if actually resident in thesame | If not occupied by the Vicar, then to be let and the rentsdistributed by the Country Wardens in placing out childrenin the Parish whose Parents’ names are not in thePoor’s Books | ||||
Sir Nathaniel Lloyd | Will, 1740 | Interest of Stock, at present producing £97 19s. 8d.per annum | Christmas & Midsummer | Trustees, or person authorized by them | Nomination in the Reps. of Sir N. Lloyd, & the Bishopof St. Asaph, alternately | Christmas and Midsummer 12 poor persons of Oswestry, &8 of Whittington |
— Thomas | Will | £2 12s. annually, out of lands in — | Every Su. in bread | Owner of the Aston property | Ditto | St. Thos. Day |
— Jeffreys | ⅓ of an estate at Osbaston, which 3rd now produces£4 0s. 8d. per annum | Church-wardens of lower division of parish | St. Thos. Day, 4s. out of every 10, to the poor in Morton;3s. in Maesbury and 3s. in Crickheath. | |||
***Swinnerton’s Charity is lost. | ||||||
LIST OF CHARITIES FOR THE USE OF THE CHURCHWARDENS, CONSISTING OF SUCH ONLY AS ARE PAID TO AND DISTRIBUTED BY THEM.
Charities relating to the Town only.
Yale’s; Morris’s; Witcherley’s; Sontley’s; Donor unknown, (Owen?) Land in Beatrice Street; Muckleston Allen’s; Lloyd and Peacock’s; Muckleston’s (Poor of Oswestry); Margaret Lloyd’s; Elizabeth Williams’s (Mixon Hall); Rebecca Lloyd’s (Freeman).
Charities relating jointly to the Town and Parish.
Morgan’s; Gough’s; Winifred Matthews’s; Turner’s; Sir William Williams’s.