The title of this Company is, "The Master, Wardens, "Assistants, and Commonalty of the Freemen of the Art "and Mystery of Painters, otherwise Painter-Stainers, "within the City of London."

The Company is constituted of a Master and two Wardens, one styled the upper and the other the renter warden, and a Court of Assistants, making altogether 22 members of the Court, who are chosen from the livery. The liverymen are about 90 in number, of whom 45 are painters or house decorators by trade. They are increasing in number. The number of freemen cannot be known.

The property on which these charges are imposed consists of four houses in Evans' Court, Basinghall Street, and one in Basinghall Street, at the corner of the court, and they produce a net income of 1251. a year. The Company pay 11. 12s. a year to the churchwardens of St. Michael Bassishaw, and two sums of 13s. 4d. and 31. 48. to the churchwardens of the parish of St. Alphage, the former as the gift of Mrs. Chamberlain, and the latter as the gift of Thomas Evans. There has not been any payment to a free school in Derbyshire, and such a charge, if any existed, must have been long since barred. The remainder of the income forms the proper funds of the Company.

DOROTHY SMITH'S CHARITY.

Dorothy Smith, by her will of the 25th January 1790, gave 5001. 3 per cents "to the Governors of the Charity for the Relief of Blind Persons." The gift was construed as a bequest to Christ's Hospital, as well as to the Painters' Company, both corporations being trustees for blind persons. The sum of 2501. stock was only received, and the dividends being allowed to accumulate brought the amount to 3771. 5s. 1d. 3 per cent. consols, part of a larger sum in the corporate name of the Company, and producing a gross yearly income of 111. 6s. 4d., which is disposed of by paying 10l. to a blind pensioner elected under the general rules (see Stock's Charity), 9s. 7d. is generally carried to expenses of administration, and the rest is allowed to accumulate, and at present amounts to 71. 38. 10d. cash.

MRS. JANE SHANK'S CHARITY.

Mrs. Jane Shank, by her will of the 7th July 1795, gave the clear residue of her personal estate to the Company, upon trust to invest the same in the funds, and to divide the dividends into 12 parts, and apply 11ths in payment of pensions of 107. a year to indigent blind women, and to retain the remaining twelfth part as a compensation for

their trouble and expenses, The sum which had been realised under this gift at the time of the last inquiry was 8,7291. 1s. 3d. 3 per cent. reduced stock. The sum has since been increased by the falling in of annuities given by the will, and it now amounts to 10,2747. 10s. 8d. 3 per cent. reduced stock, which stands in the corporate name of the Company, being part of a sum of 12,0871. 28. 8d. like stock. The dividends, amounting to 3087. 4s. 8d. per annum, are distributed amongst 28 pensioners of 107. each, all of whom are single women, and in other respects fall within the description of the pensioners to whom Stock's Charity is given. The remaining dividends are carried to the clerk's salary and the expenses of the Company. A small fraction is given away occasionally as a supernumerary pension. The clause which enlarges the terms of the description in the event of the persons to be preferred not being found, has not been required to be acted on, but the Company have sometimes transferred pensioners from Stock's list to Shank's, when the limitations have been regarded as too strict or less applicable.

MRS. MARY GRAINGER'S CHARITY.

Mrs. Mary Grainger, by her will of the 18th February 1808, gave to the Company 1,000l. 4 per cent. stock, the dividends to be applied for the benefit of blind men. The 1,000l. 4 per cents were converted into 1,1007. 3 per cent. consols, which stands in the name of the Company, and is part of a sum of 11,570l. 15s. 8d. like stock. The dividends, amounting to 331., are given away in three pensions of 107. apiece, and 17. a year is added to Smith and Yeates' to make up the pensions by them to 107. The remainder, amounting to 21., is paid to the Company as expenses of distribution, advertisements, &c., and in aid of the clerk's salary.

MRS. ANNE YEATES' and MRS. SMITH'S CHARITY.

Mrs. Anne Yeates, by her will of the 22nd March 1794, left the residue of her personal estate to be divided between the hospitals for the blind and for incurable lunatics. Under a suit in the Court of Chancery, this Company received, in 1813, 1131. 10s. in respect of this legacy for the benefit of the blind, which they laid out in 2001. 3 per cent. reduced. By some additions arising from accumulations of the dividends of this fund, and of the dividends of Mrs. Smith's gift applicable to like purposes, the capital of this Charity was in August 1821 raised to 3001. 3 per cent. reduced stock, and which is now standing in the corporate name of the Company as part of a larger sum, The sum of 3001. stock producing only 91. a year, a sum of 17. a year is taken from Mrs. Grainger's gift, which makes up a pension of 107. a year that is paid to a blind person elected according to the general rules laid down by the Company.

FAIRCHILD'S CHARITY.

John Fairchild, who died in 1806, left the residue of his personal estate to the Company, the interest to be distributed amongst the poor at Christmas. The sum of 1,5127. 12s. 3 per cent. reduced annuities, being the produce of this gift, stands in the corporate name of the Company as part of a larger sum of like stock; and the dividends, amounting to 451. 7s. 6d., are distributed by the Court of Assistants on the first Wednesday in every January in open Court to poor widows of members of the Company and decayed freemen. The gift is occasional, but it is rarely taken from a person whose name has been placed on the list. The money in the poor-box is commonly added to these dividends, and generally given to the poor women coming under the description. At the last distribution three persons received 41. each; eight, 31. each; six, 21. each; three, 17. 10s. each; and one, 17. 12s. 6d. ; making altogether about 541.

STOCK'S CHARITIES.

John Stock, by his will of the 26th February 1780, (inter alia) gave to the Company 3,500l. consols, upon trust to pay the dividends to the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy. And he directed that the said Corporation should

yearly, about Christinas, nominate 10 poor clergymen to receive 101. each annually, preference to be given to those who should be, or have been, married; the said 10 curates not to have incomes exceeding 401. yearly each. And he gave 51. a year to the Secretary of the said Corporation.

And he also gave to the Company 4,2001. consols, upon trust to apply out of the dividends 1007. yearly amongst 10 poor journeymen painters free of the Company, and to two decayed liverymen of the Company, of not less than 50 years of age, 101. apiece; and to the clerk of the said Company 67. a year for his trouble.

And by a codicil to his will, of the 25th June 1781, he gave to the Company his residuary personal estate for blind and distressed people, in the words and manner of an annual payment, to be as the Rev. Mr. Hetherington's, at Christ's Hospital.

Under the gift of the residue, the Company received from the executors a transfer of 55,000l. 3 per cent. reduced stock in the corporate naines of the Painters' and Drapers' Companies. It is stated that the will was the subject of a suit in equity, probably for the administration of the testator's estates, but I have not been able to obtain any copy of the proceedings.

The first gift, for the benefit of poor curates, consists of a sum of 3,500l. 3 per cent. consols standing in the corporate name of the Painters' Company (part of a sum of 7,7001. like stock). The dividends, amounting to 1057. a year after deducting the income tax, are paid over to the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy, by whom they are distributed.

The dividends on the remainder of the sum of 7,7001. like stock, consisting of 4,2007., amounting to 1261. a year, are applied as follows:

A sum of 3887. 1s. 1d. stock, part of the capital of this fund, is treated as being applicable to provide the expenses of the supervisors of the charities of the testator appointed under the following clause :

"I do hereby appoint the president, or in his absence the treasurer, of the Society of the Sons of the Clergy, the president or treasurer of Christ's Hospital, the alderman or deputy of the ward of Farringdon Within, the masters of the Mercers' and Drapers' Companies, the vicar of Christchurch, and the master of the Painters' Company, trustees, supervisors, and inspectors of such part of my will as relates to charitable endowments."

The supervisors, however, have never attended or performed the supposed duty from the settlement of the Charity Endowments in 1785 up to this time. The dividends on this portion, amounting to somewhat more than 101. a year, would, I presume, have fallen into the general income of the Company, as a payment to which they are liable, but have not been called upon to make.

The Company pay income tax on so much of the fund as is not distributed for purposes of charity, which amounts to from 51. to 107. a year, bringing up the disbursements to 1,6401. and upwards.

SYDDALL'S CHARITY.

Miss Ann Rhodes Syddall, by her will of the 26th Deoember 1857, bequeathed to Stock's Charity for the Blind 1,000l., to be paid out of such part of her personal estate as might be lawfully appropriated to such purpose. The legacy duty was deducted, and the Company on the 2nd August 1861 received 9001. 7s. 9d., which was invested on the 2nd September 1861 in 9937. 10s. 7d. 3 per cent. consols, which stands in the corporate name of the Company, part of a larger sum, and the dividends amount to 291. 16s. a year. On January 5th, 1863, the Company received 441. 14s., being three half year's interest, and they then paid three pensions of 101. each to pensioners elected under the general rule. It is intended to invest the 147. 14s., and add it to the 9937. 10s. 7d., so as to create a capital sufficient to support three pensions together, with a small payment in exoneration of the charges of the administration.

All which I submit to the Board.

CHARITIES to the AGED BLIND distributed by the PAINTERS' otherwise PAINTER STAINERS' COMPANY.

The charities to the aged blind consist of annual pensions of 101., distributed under the wills of John Stock, Esq., Mrs. Jane Shank, Mrs. Dorothy Smith, Mrs. Mary Grainger, Mrs. Frances Yeates, and Miss Ann Rhodes Syddall. Petitioners for the said Charities must beSixty-one years of age complete.

Have been totally blind for three years.

Unable to maintain themselves.

In distressed circumstances.

Born in England, not in Wales or Scotland.

Must have lived three years in their present parish or place of residence,

Have no income for life above 101. a year, or receive any benefaction to that amount.

Have never received alms from any parish or place as

a pauper.

Never been a common beggar.

Of sober life and conversation.

These being the qualifications prescribed by the benefactors and donors of the Charities, the trustees cannot depart from them in the slightest degree; and they must be testified to by the minister and the churchwardens of the parish in which the petitioner resides. The petitioner must also furnish certificates of baptism; if married, of marriage, and of total blindness from a surgeon.

Petitions are only issued from the 25th October until the 30th of November inclusive, between the hours of 10 and 2 o'clock; and no petition will be knowingly issued to an applicant who is not fully qualified.

The election takes place on the second Wednesday in December annually.

On the election of a pensioner, a certificate, containing a receipt stamp and full instructions to enable the annuitant to receive the pension, is forwarded the first week in January annually, to the minister of the parish in which the pensioner resides. This certificate must be properly executed by the minister and churchwardens, and presented for payment at the Hall on the days specified.

Petitions should be completed with all convenient speed, and carefully examined previously to being returned.

The name of the person who undertakes the management of the case should be inserted at the left-hand corner of the petition in the blank left for that purpose.

The ministers or officers of parishes, and the relations and friends of pensioners, are earnestly requested to give immediate notice to the clerk of the Company in case of death or disqualification, as the absence of such notice may retard the election of deserving applicants.

OTHER CHARITIES distributed by the PAINTERS'
COMPANY.

Mr. John Stock's Charity to two decayed liverymen of the Company, of the age of 50 years and upwards, in pensions of 101. per annum.

The pensions are paid half-yearly, viz., in the first weeks in May and October.