STATEMENT of the ACCOUNTS of the CHARITY called THE DECAYED LIVERY FUND, of which the following Persons are the Trustees, viz., THE MASTER, GOVERNORS, AND COMMONALTY OF THE MYSTERY OF BARBERS OF LONDON, for the Year ending on the 11th day of August 1881. 1.-GROSS INCOME arising or due from from the ENDOWMENTS of the Charity for the Year ending on the 11th day of August 1881. Date. 2.-BALANCES IN HAND and RECEIPTS on account of the Charity during the Year. Amount. Date. 3.-PAYMENTS or account of the Charity during the Year. Amount. 1881. £ s. d. Balance (if any) in favour of the Charity and in hand at the commencement of the account. ,, one year's dividend on 2987. 188. 8d.: 78 1 8 May 3 cash paid four decayed liverymen, 67. each cash 67 paid two poor liverymen's widows, and back payments not charged in previous accounts. 24 0 0 0 0 To balance 79 5 6 Outstanding Debts or Liabilities of the Charity, and to what Persons, and on what Accounts. Amount. 4.-An ACCOUNT of all MONIES owing to or from the Charity, so far as conveniently may be stated, at the close of the Year ending on the Monies owing to the Charity, and from what Persons, and on what Accounts. Amount. Balance brought down Dated the day of . 18. Balance BLACKSMITHS' COMPANY. REPORT OF MR. SIMONS. The accounts having been supplied, there does not appear to be any present intervention of the Board required in this Charity. J. SIMONS. TO THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS FOR IN pursuance of an order of the Board on the 15th December 1862, I inquired into the present circumstances of the endowed Charities under the management of the Blacksmiths' Company in the City of London, and have to report as follows : THE BLACKSMITHS' COMPANY. Edward Prestyn, by deed of gift dated 3rd June 1557, granted and confirmed to 21 persons therein named, citizens, blacksmiths, and spurriers of London, a messuage or tenement with the appurtenances, called the and Hope, situate in the parish of St. Sepulchre without Newgate, London, and also a shop with appurtenances situate in the parish of St. Sepulchre, to hold to them, their heirs, and assigns, to the use of the Society of the Art and Mystery of Blacksmiths, London, and their successors for ever upon condition that they should, after the death of the said Edward Prestyn, yearly dispose out of the rents of the said premises in charity, among the poor artists of the society of blacksmiths and spurriers in London, at the discretion of the keepers or wardens for the time being, the sum of four shillings lawful money. The premises now consist of a house called the George Inn, Old Bailey, and three houses in Fleet Lane erected on the sites of the before-mentioned public-house and shop. The George Inn is let on lease for a term of 61 years from 1824 to Carman at the yearly rent of 1007. The three houses in Fleet Lane are let to Alderman W. Lawrence at a lease for 61 years from 1828 at the yearly rental of 361. The Blacksmiths' Company, out of the rents of the estate, distribute 501. 8s. annually amongst 24 poor freemen of the Company or their widows by quarterly payments of 10s. 6d. to each. This is the only endowed Charity under the management of the Company. All which I submit to the Board. Dated 14th January 1863. JOHN SIMONS. Inspector of Charities. A LIST of such of the FREEMEN of LONDON as are LIVERYMEN of the WORSHIPFUL COMPANY of BLACKSMITHS, entitled to VOTE in the ELECTION of MEMBERS for the CITY of LONDON. 1862. Allen, Thomas, 17, Little Trinity Lane, Thames Street. Abbiss, James, Alderman, 61, Gracechurch Street. Billingsley, Richard, 9, Thomas's Place, Pell Street, St. George's East. Bent, James, Beech Street, Barbican. Billingsley, James, 49, Upper Cornwall Street, St. George's East. Cockman, William, 17, James's Villas, Queen's Road, Dalston. Clifford, Allen William, 69, Fair Street, Horselydown, Southwark. Carter, William, Martlett Court, Bow Street, Covent Garden. Clifford, Richard, 69, Fair Street, Horselydown, Southwark. Cunningham, Daniel, 5, Copthall Court. Davis, John, 1, Grove Terrace, Brooksby Walk, Homer ton. Dunn, Joseph Goulding, 7, Brunswick Crescent, Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell. Denham, Benjamin Edward, 38, Seckford Street, Clerkenwell. Davison, Robert, 4, Grosvenor Road, Highbury New Park. Davis, Nathaniel, Eastern Counties Railway Station, Shoreditch, Dibbs, Solomon John, The "Queen Victoria," Blue Anchor Road, Bermondsey. Dunn, Samuel, 2, Nicholas Passage, Nicholas Lane, Lombard Street. Ferguson, Charles Wood, 7, Cambridge Terrace, Broke Road, Haggerston. Finlay, John, 37, Rye Lane, Peckham. Fraser, Alexander, Truman's Brewery, Brick Lane, Spitalfields. Farmer, Richard, 92, Saint John Street, Clerkenwell. Harlow, William, 8, Coburg Street, Rotherhithe. Huntley, William Robert, Brewhouse Lane, Greenwich. Medwin, Thomas, 2, Wellington Road, Coldharbour Lane, Martin, George William, 1, Brunton Place Commercial Road, East. Nicoll, John George, Vine Cottage, Stratford Green. Ogilby, William Law, Sussex Place, Regent's Park. Outhwaite, Lesley Alexander, 22, Richmond Crescent, Richmond Road, Islington. Paine, John, Stockwell Place, Clapham Road. Reeves, Henry, 1, Woburn Square. Riley, Edward, 30, John Street, St. George's East. Reed, John, 2, Sampson's Gardens, Great Hermitage Robertson, Captain William, 6, Boxworth Grove, Barnsbury. Scamell, George, 6, Highbury New Park. Tarr, Jacob, Thanet Cottage, Swan Lane, Rotherhithe. Turner, Benjamin Smith, 46, Myddleton Street, Clerkenwell. Williams, William, Cannon Street. Watt, John, Alvah Villa, Wickham Terrace, Lewisham Welland, John, 68, Huntingdon Street, Hoxton. Wright, Benjamin, Merton Lodge, Upper Wandsworth Watt, John, junior, 25, Gainsford Street, Horselydown.. JOSEPH GOULDING DUNN, BLACKSMITHS' COMPANY. STATEMENT of the ACCOUNTS of the CHARITY called "PRESTYNS," of which THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY of BLACKSMITHS, London, are Trustees, viz., THE WARDENS and COURT OF ASSISTANTS for the time being of THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF BLACKSMITHS for the Year ending on the 31st day of December 1879. 1.-GROSS INCOME arising or due from the ENDOWMENTS for the Year ending on the 31st day of December 1879. Balance (if any) in favour of the Charity at the commencement of the account 040 3.-PAYMENTS. ආප s. d. 0 4 0 040 day of 4.-An ACCOUNT of all MONIES owing to the Charity, and on what Account, at the close of the Year ended on the 18 4.-An ACCOUNT of all MONIES owing from the Charity, and to what Persons and on what Account, at the close of the year ended on the day of 18 NIL. NIL. I, William B. Garrett, Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths, do certify that the foregoing statements are correct. Dated this 2nd day of September 1880. (Signed) WILLIAM B. GARRETT, Clerk. BOWYERS' COMPANY. REPORT OF MR. SIMONS. TO THE CHARITY COMMISSIONERS FOR In pursuance of the order of the Board on the 20th of December 1860, I held an inquiry into the state of the endowed Charity under the management of the Bowyers' Company in the City of London, and have to report as follows: * JAMES WOOD'S CHARITY. Jn There is but one Charity under the management of this chartered Company which arises under the will of "James " Wood, dated 1st August 1625, whereby he devised his manor or lordship of Islay Walton, in the county of Leicester with certain messuages, lands, and tenements lying within the said Islay Walton, Kegworth, and Ösgathorp, in the county of Leicester, unto the master, wardens, court of assistants, and commonalty of the Company of Bowyers and their successors for ever. trust, that the said master and wardens should yearly, out of the rents and profits of the said premises, pay and bestow upon three scholars within the University of Oxford, and upon two more scholars within the University of Cambridge, freemen's sons of the Company of Bowyers, if there should be any such, and if not, upon five other poor scholars who have come from Christchurch School in London, or such others as the said master and wardens should think most fit towards their maintenance at the University, the yearly sum of 61. each. These exhibitions to be held for seven years if the scholars continue so long at the University. And upon further trust that they should give and bestow upon six poor men or widows free of the Company at Michaelmas yearly, one year to each of the said persons three yards of broad cloth, of the value of 10s. the yard, to make a gown, and another year to each of them 30s. in money, and so on from year to year for ever. And the said master, wardens, and livery should every second year, upon the day when they swear their master and wardens, repair to the parish church of St. Nicholas Cole Abbey to hear a sermon and then to give the parson 20s. for his sermon, and to the clerk and sexton 1s. 6d. each, to the churchwardens for the use of the poor of the said parish 10s., to the beadle of the Company 2s., and unto the poor people they shall meet coming and going 15s. in twopences, and shall also, upon quarter day to be holden for the said Company, give unto the yeomanry of the Company 5s. to be spent at their discretion, and should also bestow every half year for ever upon the poor of the town of Islay Walton, 10s. to be distributed at the discretion of the churchwardens; and further that the master, wardens, and commonalty of the said Company and their successors should receive and keep the residue of the rents, issues, and profits of the said manor, lordship, and other the premises, towards purchasing a hall, and to be otherwise employed, at their discretion, for the use of the poor and good of the Company. The testator gave also to the Company 100l. to be lent out to four discreet young men of the Company, by even portions at 3 per cent. interest, for two years; the interest to be distributed by the master and wardens amongst the poorest freemen of the Company at their discretion. It is not known what became of this 1007., neither is there any trace of it ever having been lent as directed. The Bowyers' Company greatly increased the number of exhibitioners and the allowance paid to them; there appear to have been five exhibitioners at each University for more than 25 years, with the uniform payment of 107. to each, until 1847-8 when in consequence of a heavy loss occasioned by a law suit with the tenant of the farms (which necessitated a mortgage of the property for 1,3507.), the costs amounting to nearly 3,000l., the court of assistants determined that until the mortgage is paid off, the number of exhibitions shall revert to that specified in the will, There are in fact at the time of this inquiry but four exhibitioners, viz., Cooke and Freeman at Cambridge, and Hughton and Hill at Oxford; Shippard having just left the latter University, another will be elected in January. Neither of the men at this time at college are Bowyers' sons, and only one (Houghton) from Christchurch School. Not John Wood as reported. The members of the court (13 in number) are stated to take great interest in the election of these scholars and personally to inquire into the cases of the applicants. The gift of cloth and money directed to be given to six poor men or widows of the Company is now altered, the cloth has not been given within the memory of any of the Court, and the number of Bowyers is only 34, and it is stated that there are not six poor eligible persons among them, therefore the application of this portion of the bequest is now by way of annuity. To 1 poor person of the Company do. do. £ 12 per annum. 16 do. One of the annuitants, a yeoman of the Bowyers' Company, receives, in addition to his pension, the 20s. per annum directed by the will. The payment of 20s. per annum for the poor of Islay Walton is regularly made, the Bowyers' Company have also for the benefit of Islay Walton converted some cottage property into a school, and give the mistress 107. a year towards her salary, the children's pence making up the remainder. The estate is represented to be in excellent repair, and the surplus rent, after the before-mentioned payments, is carried to the general account of the Company. Endeavouring to ascertain the acreage of the lands bequeathed to the Company by James Wood, I was informed that it is unknown; the received tradition is, that all the documents of the Company were destroyed at the Fire of London, and a similar event occurred at the hall of the Company in Noble Street, City, and it is supposed that other property had belonged to the Company, but that all evidences had been thus lost. The Company have no hall now. It was represented that the property given by the testator was not supposed to be very greatly increased in value, but the increased rental has been from the extensive purchases of adjoining land, and the outlay of 2,500l. in building, draining, &c. As lately as 1824 the Company purchased 87a. Or. 27p. and added it to this estate. The present total acreage is 389a. 3r. Op., which is let on lease for 14 years from Lady Day 1859 to Mr. Edward Barnett, jun. at the yearly rental of 5141. 15s. 4d. The master and court expressed their intention of again augmenting the number of exhibitions to 10 immediately the before-named mortgage is liquidated, and increasing that number as their funds permitted, for the results had been satisfactory. All which I submit to the Board. Dame Alice Owen, by indenture of the 22nd November 1609, reciting a license from the Crown to purchase lands in Islington and Clerkenwell, and to build houses thereon for poor widows, and reciting that she had purchased the Ermitage fields and had built a hospital thereon, conveyed the same and other hereditaments of 401. a year to the Brewers' Company for the relief and maintenance of 10 poor old widows of the parishes aforesaid, to be held by the said Company in trust for the said Charity for ever. And by other indentures of the same year a rentcharge of 251. issuing out of the Charterhouse Closes in Islington and St. Andrew's, Holborn, was conveyed to the Company in support of the almshouses. And Lady Owen on the 20th September 1613 made certain rules and orders for the good government of a free school, which she had built in the Clerkenwell, and the said almshouses at Islington, whereby she directed that the schoolmaster should have his habitation free, the chapel, schoolhouse and garden, and should be paid 57. quarterly by herself during her life, and after her death by the Company. And that the master should teach grammar, writing, &c., and that there should be 30 children in the school-24 of Islington and 6 of Clerkenwell. And by her will of the 10th June 1613 she directed her executors to set apart a competent portion of her estate to purchase a piece of ground of 201. a year for the maintenance of the schoolmaster of her said school. And on her death-bed she directed her executors to provide a further sum of 21. a year for the repairs of the said school and almshouses, and in pursuance Sir Thomas Rich, her executor, purchased a farm at Orsett, Essex, containing 41 acres of the yearly value of 221., and conveyed the same by deed of the 20th August 1623 to the Company. There was annexed to the rules and orders, framed by the Foundress, a schedule containing the then yearly revenues of the free school and almshouses, provided by the Foundress, unto the Company for the perpetual maintenance of the school and almshouses, viz : A distribution of the then revenues approved by Alice Owen : By an order of the Master of the Rolls of the 3rd June 1829, on the petition of the Company of N. Charrington and John Martineau, it was ordered that the Master, to whom the said matter stood referred, in approving of a scheme for the application of the rents to become due in respect of the estates, situate respectively in Islington and Clerkenwell and Orsett aforesaid, and for the government of the said school and almshouses in case he should find that the rents of the said estates applicable to either of the Charities were more than sufficient for the purposes of the said Charities to which such rents were applicable, should be at liberty to settle a scheme for a sufficient application of so much of the rents to accrue in respect of the said estates as he should be of opinion were not likely to be required for the support of the said Charities to which such rents were applicable, and after the said Master should have made his report, such further order should be made as should be just. And the said Master, by his report of the 17th March 1830, found that the rents of the said estates at Islington and Clerkenwell had increased to 9007. per annum and were capable of a further increase, and that the rents of the estate at Orsett amounted to only 501. a year, and were not capable of much further increase, and that the rents at Islington and Clerkenwell, which were solely applicable to the support of the said almshouses, were much more than sufficient for the purposes of the said Charity, while the rents of the Orsett Estate, applicable to the support of the said grammar school, were greatly inadequate for the purposes of that Charity. And that the school was of great advantage, and it was desirable that it should be maintained. And it appeared from the schedules annexed to the rules and orders ordained by the said |