Lawrence Astelyn, by his will of the 25th July 1523, gave to the Company 13 small tenements without Cripplegate to keep an obit at the Church of St. Mary, Abchurch, and pay 2s. 6d. in alms to the poor of said parish, and tɔ the beadle of the Company 4d.

The Company pay 30s. to the churchwarden of St. Mary, Abchurch, annually.

It was formerly distributed at the grave of the owner. The Company seem to have acquired an absolute interest in the property from the Crown or the alienees of the Crown, subject only to the rentcharge of 2s. 6d., which they have augmented to 30s. voluntarily.

CATCHER'S CHARITY.

Alderman Catcher gave 40s. a year to the Company for five poor men of the Company. Christ's hospital pay 40s. a year, ninus income tax, to the Company, who divide it amongst five poor men who are freemen of the Company. They are generally aged men in poor circumstances, and each receives 2s. a quarter.

STRAY'S CHARITY.

Ralph Stray, by his will of the 2nd November 1602, gave his freehold lands and hereditaments in Suffolk or elsewhere to certain persons therein named, subject to the yearly payment of 40s. to the Company, viz., to 10 poor men of the Company (whereof the clerk and beadle to be of that number) 20s., and the other 20s. to be spent by 5s. at every quarterly dinner. The rentcharge of 40s. per annum is paid to the Company by Mr. Robert Garrard, auctioneer, Lower Bush Street, Ipswich, who is supposed to be the owner of the property in Suffolk. The Company gives 6d. a quarter each to eight poor persons, freemen, freewomen, or widows of freemen. The Company, out of

their own funds, distribute from 150l. to 2001. to their poorer members, according to a scale which they have settled, having regard to the position they have held in the Company; and these small charities are added to the sums so given, so as to make up the allowances settled by the scale. There are 36 persons on the poor list, 26 men and 10 women; the highest sum on the list is 361. a year, and the lowest 51., but there have been cases in which the highest sum has been exceeded out of the bounty of the Company.

INGOLE'S CHARITY.

Daniel Ingole, by his will of the 14th January 1690, gave his farm at East Ham, Essex, to J. Marloe and his heirs, charging the same with 67. a year for the Company, to be distributed yearly amongst the poor of the Company on the 5th of November. The rentcharge of 61. is paid in full by Mr. Jabez Abbott, a farmer at Wall End, East Ham, Essex, who is supposed to be either the owner or occupier of the land charged.

It is distributed in the manner mentioned under the head of Stray's Charity.

ROBINS' CHARITY.

John Robins, by will of the 20th April 1648, gave 81. a year to the poor of the Company, to four poor men, 108. each per quarter. This rent was charged by the testator on a house No. 53, Barbican, devised to the Company, and now belonging to them, let at 651. per annum.

The Company pays the 81. to their poor in the manner directed by the testator, with the other gifts, as mentioned in the account of Stray's Charity.

GREGG'S CHARITY.

Thomas Gregg, by his will of the 24th February 1682, gave to the Company 100l. to lay out in land to purchase 51. a year for ever for 20 ancient men and widows. This sum forms part of an investment of 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols, standing in the corporate name of the Company, and which was purchased by them to pay this and the following charities.

The 57. is distributed amongst the poor free:nen and widows of freemen, making up the pensions settled, as mentioned under Stray's Charity.

RANDALL'S CHARITY.

Lewis Randall in 1616 gave to the Company 50l. to pay 50s. yearly to 10 poor men. This sum forms part of the sum of 4,5187. 6s. 4d. £3 per cent. Consols, standing in the corporate name of the Company. The 50s. are given away to poor men of the Company with other gifts, and with the Company's voluntary appropriation, so as to make up the sums allowed to each recipient amounting to the scale which I have mentioned under the head of Stray's Charity.

The capital sum of 4,5181. 6s. 6d. stock produces 1357. 10s. 10d. as dividends, which is sufficient to provide for all the uninvested charities, including Newman's gifts, and exclusive of the rentcharge out of real estate, and leaves a balance of 19s. 6d. in excess. It is scarcely possible to ascertain the portion of the capital of the investment which should be attributed to each individual charity. The investment was made some 15 or 20 years ago, in order to meet the payments.

LEACH'S CHARITY.

Thomas Leach, by will of the 14th April 1793, gave 301. to the Company, and the interest at 51. per cent. to be equally divided amongst three poor men. This sum forms part of the investment of 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols standing in the corporate name of the Company.

The dividends are distributed to the class referred to by the testator, as mentioned under the head of Stray's Charity.

CLARKE'S CHARITY.

Thomas Clarke in 1715 gave 501. for five poor hollowware men, 10s, each per annum. This sum of 501. is part

of the 4,5187. 6s. 4d. Consols standing in the corporate name of the Company.

The sum of 10s. a year is given to five poor persons of the class indicated, so far as possible, there being at present many persons employed in the manufacture of pewter pots. The distribution is with other gifts, as mentioned under the head of Stray's Charity.

JACKSON'S CHARITY.

Samuel Jackson, by will of the 17th January 1715, gave to the Company 1507. upon trust that they should yearly, on the 22nd February, pay to six sadware poor freemen 20s. a piece for life. Sadware are the people who were employed in making plates and dishes as distinguished from the hollow ware, which were cups. This sum of 1501. is part of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 20s. apiece is given away to six persons of the class indicated, with the monies as mentioned in the report of Stray's Charity.

HOWARD'S CHARITY.

William Howard in 1725 gave 100l. to the Company, the interest to be paid to five poor men and five poor widows on the 1st August yearly. This sum of 100l. is part of the 4,5181. 68. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 10s. each is given to five poor men and five poor women with the gifts, as mentioned in the report on Stray's Charity.

PARKER'S CHARITY.

Daniel Parker in 1722 gave 150l. to the Company to pay yearly 20s. to six poor freemen. This sum forms part of the investment of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sums of 20s. each are paid to six poor freemen with the usual gifts, as in the report on Stray's Charity.

ADAMS' CHARITY.

Henry Adams in 1733 gave to the Company 1007., the interest for poor freemen. The sum is part of the same investment of the 4,5187. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 108. a year is given to each of eight poor men; see the method of distribution under the head of Stray's Charity.

GIFFEN'S CHARITY.

Thomas Giffen in 1765 gave 20l. to the Company, the interest for four poor freemen. This sum of 201. forms part of the 4,5181. 68. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 48. each are given to the persons indicated, as stated in the report on Stray's Charity.

SCATTERGOOD'S CHARITY.

Thomas Scattergood, by will of the 21st August 1776, gave to the Company 600l. in trust to pay to five poor men and five poor women 21. each yearly. The investment of this legacy forms part of the 4,5187. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 201. a year is given away to five poor men and five poor women in the manner mentioned in the report on Stray's Charity.

EWSTER'S CHARITY.

Thomas Ewster, by his will of the 2nd May 1776, gave 1007. Reduced Annuities to the Company for poor members of the Company. This sum of 1007. is part of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The Company distributes 37. a year to six poor widows, with such monies as mentioned in the report on Stray's Charity.

NORFOLK'S CHARITY.

Richard Norfolk in 1783 gave 1001. New 41. per cent. Consols to pay the interest between eight poor persons of the Company. This sum is now considered to form part of the investment of 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The Charity gives away 47. a year to eight poor persons of the Company, with other monies dedicated to charitable purposes, in the manner mentioned under the head of Stray's Charity.

CLEMENTS' CHARITY.

James Clements in 1783 gave to the Company 1007. Four per Cents., the interest to be paid to two poor freemen. The sum forms part of the 4,5187. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 41. a year is distributed to poor freemen as mentioned under Stray's Charity.

JONES' CHARITY.

John Jones in 1783 gave to the Company 6001. Consols, the interest to be paid yearly to nine poor men and nine poor women.

This sum forms part of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 20s. each is paid annually to nine poor men and nine poor women as mentioned in the report of Stray's Charity.

BEDOW'S CHARITY.

Nathan Bedow in 1784 gave to the Company 201., the interest to be paid to two poor men and two poor women. The sum forms part of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 16s. 2d. is divided equally among the two poor men and two poor women every year at the September distribution, making up with the other monies the pensions mentioned under the head of Stray's Charity.

NEWMAN'S CHARITY.

A sum of 11. a year is paid to the clerk, and 17. a year to the beadle, which in the books of the Company is placed under this head.

I cannot find any account of the origin of these payments. The sums are, however, paid out of the dividends of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols.

SWANSON'S CHARITY.

Thomas Swanson, by his will of the 10th June 1783, bequeathed, after the decease of his wife, an annuity of 301. to the Company, upon trust to apply the same amongst such and so many poor widows of freemen as the said Company should think fit, and he directed his trustees to transfer a sufficient sum in the Three or Four per Cent. Consols to the said Company to answer and pay the said amount of 301.

The principal of this legacy forms part of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 57. a year by half-yearly payments is given to six poor widows of freemen.

HUST'S CHARITY.

Richard Hust, by his will of the 12th February 1835 (proved the 24th June following), bequeathed to the Company 2001, Consols upon trust to apply the dividends on or near the 21st September yearly equally between eight poor widows of freemen aged 50 years or upwards, to be nominated by the Court of the Company, at Midsummer, the eldest of such poor women to be preferred. The legacy, deducting duty, was paid to the Company and forms part of the 4,5181. 68. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The sum of 138. 6d. each is given annually in September to eight poor widows of freemen, with other monies as mentioned under the head of Stray's Charity.

SMITH'S CHARITY.

Isaac Smith, by his will of the 4th October 1855 (proved 23rd February 1856), bequeathed out of his purely personal estate to the Company 5001. Consols. In trust to pay to five poor men and five poor widows free of the Company, of the age of 60 years, 30s. each annually for ever.

The sum of 500l. forms part of the 4,5181. 6s. 4d. Consols before mentioned.

The Company pay 157. annually in quarterly distributions of 7s. 6d. each (with other gifts) to five poor men and five poor women. This is distributed in addition to the scale of pension referred to in the Report of Stray's Charity.

All which I submit to the Board.

Dated the 5th day of April 1882.

(Signed)

THOS. SAWBRIDGE,
Clerk to the said Company,
Milk Street, Cheapside.

£ s. d.

135 10 2

32 3 4

£167 13 6

WILLIAM ROBERTS' CHARITY.

William Roberts, by his will of the 22nd July 1813, gave to the Company 1,000l. Consols upon trust out of the dividends to pay 101. yearly to three poor women, widows of plaisterers freemen of the Company, not under 55, and not receiving any other charity, and he desired the Company to advertise in the newspapers three times for such poor widows. The same sum of 1,000l. 31. per cent. Consols stands in the corporate name of the Company.

The dividends amount to 301. a year.

The Court elect a widow as a vacancy happens, after advertisement as directed (in the "Builder," " Morning Advertiser," and the "Times"), so that three widows are always on the list. The words of the will are construed to mean that the husband must not only be free of this Company, but also of the trade of plaisterers. They remain on it until disqualified by marriage or otherwise.

ELLIS'S CHARITY.

James Ellis, by his will dated the 17th May 1735, gave the Company the sum of 1201., to be laid out in land, and until so made to be invested, and out of the rent and dividends to buy 40 bushels of coals to be given and distributed in December in every year to such poor people as shall belong to the said Company as the Master and Wardens should think fit. The sum of 1167. 14s. part of the above sum was laid out in January 1744 in the purchase of six 201. lottery tickets. There has been no investment in land and there is no subsequent account of any disposition of the fund. The Company have in its corporate name stock in the 3 per cent. Consols, exceeding in amount that which they hold on charitable trusts including this sum, and they regard the sum of 1201. of the capital of such stock as belonging to this Charity. The dividends, amounting to 31. 128. a year, they divide every January among about eight poor of the Company, or a smaller number according to the applications, in money. The Company distribute some pensions and gifts from their own funds independently of those which are held on charitable

trusts.

DONOR UNKNOWN.

The Company have for many years paid 61. a year (deducting 248. land tax) to the parish of Holywell, Flintshire.

The charge was made on a house No. 85, Wood Street, Cheapside. It would seem to have been on the foundation of one Ellis Parry in 1628.

By a deed poll of 27th February 1668, Abraham Stanyon, to whom the premises had been conveyed declared that he held them in trust for the Plaisterers' Company. It was sold in 1852 to the Parish Clerks' Company, subject to the payment of the rentcharge. All which I submit to the Board.

2nd June 1865.

THOS. HARE,

Inspector of Charities.