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The style of the Company is, "The Wardens or "Keepers and Commonalty of the Mystery or Art of "Saddlers of the City of London." It consists of a Master, three Wardens, and a Court of Assistants of 20, making altogether 24 members. The number of liverymen is about 50, and a body of freemen, not liverymen, about 30 or upwards.

Admission to the Company is by patrimony, servitude, and purchase. The numbers have continued about the same for many years past. There is an instance of the gift of the freedom to the Prince of Wales, the father of George the Third, which is the last

case.

BANNER'S CHARITY.

By an indenture of the 5th July 1698 the Company of Saddlers, in consideration of 2001. paid by Richard Banner, covenanted with him that they would stand seized of their messuage on the north side of Cheapside, called the "Mitre," and other messuages, upon trust to pay 81. a year for putting forth every year one poor boy to a fit master in trade. The deed contained directions a to the class from which the boys should be taken, sons of freemen, or boys bred at Christ's Hospital, or any poor boy, and contained gifts over in case of default. The premises charged comprise the houses numbered 137 to 145, Cheapside, inclusive.

The Commissioners of Inquiry reported that but little attention had been paid to the Charity, and certified the case to the Attorney-General who filed an ex-officio information against the Company on the 14th February 1838, praying that the said Charity might be established, and that the said premises might be declared to be well charged with said rentcharge of 81. a year. That it might be declared that said Company was bound in each year to pay or set aside for said charity the full rentcharge of 81. a year. That they might be decreed to account for, and pay for the purposes of said Charity the full amount of the sums become due in respect of said rentcharge, and which had been retained by them since the date of the said indenture, and for such time as the Court might think proper, and that all necessary accounts might be taken for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of such sums, and for the establishment of a scheme.

The decree was made at the Rolls on the 16th March 1840, and the Court declared the premises well charged with the 81. a year and the costs of the suit were ordered to be taxed and paid out of the 7361. admitted by the defendants to be in their hands belonging to the Charity, and the residue of the said sum was ordered to be laid out and accumulated by the Company subject to the further order of the Court, and it was referred to the master to settle a scheme. The master by his report of the 8th December 1840, approved of a scheme for the management of the Charity, as follows:

1. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the object of the founder, the annual dividends of the stock belonging to said Charity, and also the rentcharge of 81. payable by the Company, shall be applied by them in payment of a premium, in putting or placing out some poor boy, having the qualification herein-after provided to be an apprentice to learn some trade or art. 2. That a memorial of the Charity and the funds available for the purposes thereof shall be put up in some conspicuous place at the Hall, and notice shall be

given annually on some court day preceding Shrove Tuesday for such persons as are freemen of the Company, and as are desirous of providing for their sons the advantage of the premium of this Charity, to give notice thereof to the Company through their clerk within a week from the time of such notice.

3. That notice shall be likewise given to Christ's Hospital, and if neither a freeman shall apply for his son, nor the Governors of the Hospital on behalf of boys brought up at that school, the Company shall be at liberty to bestow such premium on some poor boy whom they may consider deserving thereof, and worthy to receive the advantage of being a freeman of the Company.

4. That the qualification requisite to entitle a boy to be apprenticed with a premium from this Charity shall be that he is either the son of a freeman of the Company, or that he has been brought up in Christ's Hospital, or been elected by a court of the Company to receive the benefit of the Charity, and is in poor and needy circumstances, and a fit object to partake of the advantage of the Charity.

5. That the Clerk of the Company shall provide a form of a petition for persons seeking the aid of the Charity, and shall distribute the same to all applicants, and shall receive and lay before the Company all applications for the assistance of the Charity, and shall likewise make any inquiries considered requisite concerning any applicants, and shall likewise prepare the indenture of apprenticeship of the persons nominated to receive the assistance of the Charity.

6. That upon receiving a list of the applications the Company shall at the court held next after Shrove Tuesday proceed to elect from amongst the petitioners some boy to be apprenticed, and shall bestow a premium hereby provided upon such who may be so elected.

7. That in apprenticing any boy by means of this Charity the directions pointed out by the founder shall be followed, and such boy shall be first apprenticed to some freeman of the Saddlers' Company, or to the beadle of the Company, and by him assigned or set over before the Chamberlain of London to some master who shall be a freeman of the City of London, and whether in the Company of Saddlers or otherwise; and if such master shall not be a freeman of London that such boy shall be bound to the beadle of the Company in the first instance, and afterwards rebound to such non-freeman who shall be willing to receive such boy as an apprentice; and such boy shall accordingly serve such master for seven years, according to the custom of the City of London, and such master shall in respect of the premium to be paid to him with such boy find him with good and wholesome food and lodging during the period of such apprenticeship.

8. That if the annual income of the Charity shall be of too small amount to provide a sufficient apprentice fee annually, the Company of Saddlers at any of their courts may set apart the income accruing every two years in providing such premium, and may apply such income accordingly; provided that no such premium shall at any time exceed 507.

9. That if during any year there shall be a failure of objects to partake of the Charity, the Company shall be at liberty to apply the monies which may in consequence remain unappropriated towards payment of a premium, with an extra boy for some succeeding year, or the increasing the amount of the premiums in succeeding years.

10. That a book shall be kept in which shall be entered the christian and surname and age of every boy apprenticed, the amount of the premium paid with such boy, the christian and surname of the master to whom he shall be bound, and the period of such apprenticeship.

The stock in consols produced by the cash balance referred to in the master's report was 7011. 19s. 4d. 3l. per cent. consols, and the costs of the Attorney-General and the defendants and Christ's Hospital were taxed and paid by a sale of 881. 88. 5d. stock, leaving 6137. 10s. 11d. 31. per cent. consols, which with accumulations still stands in the corporate name of the Company.

The Company, since the termination of the sit, and on the 20th August 1861 had 2377. 13s. 6d. cash arising from unappropriated dividends, and the rentcharge, which they invested in 2631. 148. 4d. like stock, in the same name. The Company hold these several sums amounting together to 8771. 5s, 3d. 31. per cent. consols.

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There has been no case of apprenticeship since 1856, when the son of a freeman (James Edward Wright) was apprenticed to the trade of a manufacturer of sextants, quadrants, and telescopes. The course of apprenticeship is that the boy is apprenticed to the renter warden, and then assigned to the actual master who is not (usually) a freeman of the Company.

The balance of cash at the end of the year 1862 to the credit of the Charity was 60l. 148. 6d. The provisions of the scheme with regard to giving publicity to the Charity are duly observed.

EWER'S CHARITY.

Sarah Ewer by will of the 22nd April 1765, gave to the Company 2001. for apprenticing any poor boy of St. Catherine Coleman parish, to some proper master of the trade of a saddler. The Charity Commissioners reported (Vol. 32, Part 2, page 480) that the interest of this gift had not been applied pursuant to the will, and they referred the case to the Attorney-General, who in 1840 presented a petition to the Court of Chancery praying that the Company might be directed forthwith to invest 2007. in the petition mentioned in the purchase of consols, and that it might be referred to the master to tax the costs of the petitioner and of the Company, and of the said application, and consequent thereon, and that the costs when taxed might be paid out of 5841. in the petition mentioned, and that the Company might be directed to invest the residue of said 5841., after providing for such costs, in the purchase of consols in their own names. And that it might be referred to the master to approve of a scheme for the application of the income of said several sums of stock in accordance with the intentions of the testatrix.

The Court by its order, on the hearing of the petition on the 30th July 1840, directed that the Company should forthwith invest the 2001. received by them in the purchase of consols, and it was ordered that it should be referred to the master to tax the costs. And that the costs when taxed should be paid out of said 5841., admitted by the Company to be in their hands in respect of interest on said 2001. to the 1st December then next. And that the Company should invest the residue of said 5841., after paying such costs in the purchase of consols. And that it should be referred to the master to approve of some proper scheme for the application of the income of said stock in accordance with the intentions of said testatrix.

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The master approved of a scheme which was confirmed by the Court on the 30th January 1841, and the subsequent costs were at the same time ordered to be taxed and paid.

The scheme is as follows:

1st. That for the purpose of carrying into effect the object of the testatrix the annual dividends and interest of the funds belonging to this Charity shall be applied by the Company in payment of a premium in putting out apprentice some poor boy belonging to the parish of St. Catherine Coleman, London.

2nd. That a memorial of the Charity and the probable amount of the premium to be paid shall be put up in some conspicuous place in the hall of the Company, and, also, if consent can be obtained, in the parish church of the said parish, and proclamation shall be annually made at some Court of the Company for such persons or person as are or is desirous of offering themselves or himself to be such apprentice to give notice thereof to the Company through their clerk, within one week from the time of such proclamation, and in the event of no person applying, offering, or petitioning to be apprentice a notice of the object of the Charity and of the sum payable as a premium, and that persons duly qualified and desirous of receiving the benefit of the Charity are wanted for the purpose of selecting from them a boy to be apprenticed, shall be sent to the minister and churchwardens of the parish with a request that they will publicly advertize or give notice of the

* SARAH EWER'S CHARITY.

By an order of the Board of 3rd November 1874, the following scheme was established for the future regula tion of this Charity :

same by affixing a notice thereof on the doors of the church, and if no person shall appear to petition for the said premium in consequence of such public notice at the church within a week from the time of such notice, a second notice shall be sent to the said minister and churchwardens as aforesaid, with a request that the same shall be again publicly repeated by such minister and churchwardens, and a written notice to the like purport as that sent to the said minister and churchwardens shall be affixed outside of the church doors in like manner as aforesaid.

4th. That the clerk of the Company shall provide a form of petition and distribute the same to all applicants, and shall receive and lay before the Master and Wardens all applications for the assistance of the Charity, and shall likewise make any inquiries that may be considered requisite concerning any applicant, and shall likewise prepare the indenture for the apprenticeship of the persons nominated to receive the assistance of the Charity.

5th. That upon receiving the petitions from their clerk the Master and Wardens shall immediately pro ceed to select from amongst the petitioners some one boy to be apprenticed, and shall bestow in the payment of premium with such person the interest of the stock available for that purpose.

6th. That in making such selection of a person on whom to bestow the assistance of the Charity the Master and Wardens shall give a preference to those who are most deserving and have resided longest in the parish.

7th. That a freeman of the Saddlers' Company shall, if there is any willing to accept the person to be so apprenticed, be preferred as a master to teach such apprentice; but if no member of the Company can be found willing to take such person as an apprentice any other person may be chosen as a master who is not a member of the Company.

8th. That if the annual income of the Charity shall be of too little amount to provide an apprentice fee annually the Master and Wardens of the Company may apply the income for every two years in providing an apprentice fee, and shall be at liberty to pay such income accordingly. Provided, however, that no premium shall be paid to apprentice any person by the Charity of greater amount than 407.

9th. That if during any year there shall be a failure of objects to partake of the Charity the Master and Wardens shall be at liberty to apply the monies which may in consequence remain unappropriated towards payment of a premium to an extra boy for some succeed. ing year, or in increasing the amount of the premium for succeeding years.

10th. That an account shall be kept of the name and age of every boy apprenticed, and the amount of premium paid with such boy, and the name of the master to whom he shall be bound apprentice, and the term of such apprenticeship.

The sum of 7951. 18s. 31. per cent. consols was purchased with the 2007., and the accumulations, after the costs had been paid; and that sum, together with a subsequent investment in August 1861, of 3891. 158. cash, in the purchase of 4321. 9s. 2d. 31. per cent. consols, making together 1,2281. 7s. 2d. like stock, stands in the name of the Company to the account of the Charity.

There have been only two apprentices from this endowment under the scheme, one on the 3rd June 1845, and another on the 24th April 1854, both were boys of the parish of St. Catherine Coleman, and were assigned to saddlers, one of whom was, and one was not, a freeman of the Company, the latter being only a freeman of the City. One premium was 401., and the other 231. 7s. 6d.

There is a memorial of the Charity in the parish church, and annual notices are delivered to the minister and churchwardens, and a notice affixed to the church door in the beginning of January every year. There is also a permanent notice in the lobby of the Saddlers' Hall. The parish clerk is the ward schoolmaster, and he also, I am told, makes it his business to make known the endowment to those who attend the school. The above, however, have been the only applications, except one case of a youth who wished to be apprenticed

to the sea.

There was a balance of cash of 60l. 14s. 6d. at the end of 1862.*

Scheme.

The sum of 61., being the income of the Charity at the time of the foundation thereof, shall be applied in putting out a poor boy belonging to the parish of

GUNTON'S CHARITY.

Samuel Gunton, by will of the 30th March 1768, gave to trustees 400l. to invest the same in Government securities, and upon trust after certain events, to transfer the same to the Company in trust to sell such securities and apply the produce in putting out 16 boys apprentices to the trade of a saddler; and out of the residue of his estate he gave to the Company 1,2007. in trust to invest the same and pay the dividends equally amongst such eight poor freemen as the Company should think fit.

Apprentice Fund.

The sum of 400l. was invested in 4401. 31. per cent. Reduced annuities, and the course of administration, as stated by the late Commissioners of Inquiry (Vol. 32, Part 2, page 480), was to sell one sixteenth part of the fund to pay an apprentice fee when occasion occurred. This was continued down to the 3rd April 1849 when the eleventh sale of one sixteenth of the stock took place and produced 251. 8s. Od., which was applied in the apprenticeship of Edward Tentoll. There was then remaining five sixteenths of the capital fund, or 1371. 108. Od. Reduced 31. per cents.

In the year 1861 Mr. Warden Humphreys obtained the sanction of the Court of Assistants to the dedication to this Charity of the amount of the interest which was calculated to have been received on the balances from time to time of the fund remaining from the original investment. The sum thus arising was computed at 5981. 2s. 6d. cash which was invested in 6637. 13s. 2d. New 31. per cent. annuities, which makes a total of 8011. 3s. 2d. like stock now credited to the Charity.

The annual dividends amount to 247. Os. 8d., and there was a balance of cash at the end of 1862 of 381. 28. 3d.

There has not been any application of this fund to the purpose of apprenticeship since 1849. The existence of the Charity is supposed to be well known to the members of the Company, but no applications are made for its aid.

Poor Men's Fund.

The Company received 1,000l. in full of this bequest, and invested the same in the year 1783 in the purchase of 1,481l. 98. 7d. 31. per cent. consuls. The dividends, amounting to 441. 8s. 10d. a year, are divided amongst eight pensioners in sums of 5l. 11s. 1d. each. In the year 1862 there was a vacancy in the list, and the payment was made to seven only, and at the end of the year there was a balance of 5l. 10s. 11d. in hand.*

KITCHIN'S CHARITY.

Robert Kitchen, by his will of the 10th March 1555, devised to the Company all his lands and tenements in St. Olave Hart street.

St. Catherine Coleman, whom the Master and Wardens of the Saddlers' Company shall deem an object of charity, apprentice to some proper master of the trade of a saddler, belonging to the said Company, and the residue of the income of the Charity, and also the said sum of 61. when there shall be no sufficiently deserving applicant for the same shall be applied by the Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants, or the major part of them, in their discretion, for the benefit of poor boys belonging to the City of London (including any boys who may have been scholars in the City of London Freemen's Orphan School) by way of premium on leaving school as a reward for good conduct and proficiency to enable them to obtain instruction in some useful trade, by apprenticeship or otherwise, at the discretion of the said Master, Wardens, and Court of Assistants, or the major part of them, preference to be given to applicants residing in the aforesaid parish of St. Catherine Coleman.

*SAMUEL GUNTON'S CHARITY.

By an order of the Board of 7th January 1876 the following scheme was established for the future regula tion of Samuel Gunton's Charity for apprenticing:

Scheme.

The Wardens and Court of Assistants of the Saddlers' Company of the City of London, as trustees of the

To distribute every Sunday to

12 poor people of St. Ethelburga parish, 12d. To the churchwardens for the reparation of the church

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To the youngest warden of the Company 3 4 The Company pay annually in respect of their property in Jewry Street, Aldgate, rentcharges amounting together to Sl. 14s. (deducting 17. 6s. 8d. land tax) to the several purposes directed by the will, and also to an additional object, not mentioned in the will, for it appears by the books of the Company that by a decree of the Court of Chancery (the date of which is not mentioned), the Company have for a great number of years paid 61. 13s. 4d. to the parish of St. Martin Orgars, in addition to the payments mentioned in the will whereout is deducted 17. 6s. 8d. for land tax.

WEBB'S CHARITY.

John Webb by his will of the 7th August 1568 gave to the Company his house in St. Catherine, Christ Church, Aldgate, to pay 40s. at Easter to the poor of the Company. The house charged with this payment is No. 12 Aldgate, and is still the property of the Company who pay 6s. 8d. each annually to six poor freemen of the Saddlers' Company who are in receipt of other pensions or allowances from the Company. The Company note in their book that a tender of 40s. was made to the "next of blood" of the founder. I presume under some direction in the will, not mentioned in the report of the Commissioners of inquiry. This gift would be of course void.

SWIFT'S CHARITY.

James Swift in 1610 gave 31. a year (stated in the last Report, Vol, 32, Part 2, page 481, to be 27. a year) for the poor of the parish of Dronfield, Derbyshire. The rentcharge of 31. a year is annually paid in respect of their property No. 203, High Street, Southwark, and Red Cross Alley to the churchwardens of Dronfield on the receipt of an account of the previous distribution, which generally shows it to have been in sums of 1s., 28., and 58. to persons therein named.

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Charity, shall apply the funds belonging thereto in putting out and placing boys as apprentices to the trade of a saddler for such terms of years and at such premiums, not exceeding 801. in any one case, as the said trustees shall think proper; and in the event of a sufficient number of suitable candidates for apprenticeship to the trade of a saddler not being forthcoming within a period to be determined by the trustees at their discretion, the trustees shall be at liberty to make arrangements for the instruction and employment of boys in that or any other useful trade (provided that preference shall be given in all cases where practicable to the trade of a saddler) in such manner and upon such terms as the trustees shall think most expedient.

By an order of the Board of 15th November 1876 in the matter of Samuel Gunton's Charity for the benefit of poor freemen of the Company, directions were given by way of scheme that the Wardens and Court of Assistants of the Saddlers' Company of the City of London, as trustees of the Charity, should be at liberty, failing the possibility of finding duly qualified recipients, to apply from time to time, at their discretion, any monies or funds then in the hands or under the control of the said trustees, being accumulations of unappropriated income of the Charity, and also the future yearly income thereof, in gifts to the widows or unmarried daughters of freemen of the Company, and other poor deserving persons of the trade of a saddler or harness maker, although not free of the said Company.

from which it is accessible. The property has two windows looking into Pleydell Court, Fleet Street, and abuts on Lombard Street, Whitefriars. It adjoins property held on lease from the executors of Mr. Peacock, by which they obtain their entrance from Serjeants' Inn; and Mr. Peacock rents a portion of the estate on the north side in order to obtain access to his adjacent property. It also adjoins property purchased by the Company about 20 years ago.

The Company pay to Mr. Peacock yearly a rent of 401., and receive from him a rent of 281., leaving a deficiency of 127. chargeable to the Charity.

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to a cousin on condition to deliver to the Company four gowns of cloth at 8s. a yard, and four pairs of shoes and stockings to cost 20s. for four poor decayed men; and in the event of the said cousin dying without issue, or in the other events in the will mentioned, he devised the property to the Company to deliver eight gowns at 88. a yard, and eight pairs of shoes and stockings to ccst 40s. unto eight poor men of the Company, four saddlers by trade and four harness makers. The estate devolved to the Company under the devise. It is situated partly in the parish of Berstead and partly in the parish of Boxley, near Maidstone, in Kent. It is let to several tenants, and produces as follows:

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The poor of the Company on Shrove Tuesday Court receive amongst them (generally about 10 persons)

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The officers of the Company The balance is carried to the pension fund for poor freemen and widows of freemen. In 1862 this balance was

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By an order of the Board of 26th May 1876, the above-mentioned charge was redeemed by the transfer into the name of the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds of the sum of 1,000l. 68. New 31. per cent. annuities.

By an order of the Board of 13th February 1877, directions were given by way of scheme, that the Wardens and Court of Assistants of the Sadlers' Company of the City of London, as trustees of the said Charity, should be at liberty to apply from time to time at their discretion all such portions of the yearly income of the Charity as might not be required for the primary purposes thereof, in providing gifts of clothing for poor deserving freemen of the Company who might not be saddlers or harness makers, or for deserving widows or unmarried daughters of freemen of the Company who might be in necessitous circumstances.

† JOHN COX's CHARITY.

By an order of the Board of 7th January 1876, the following scheme was established for the future regulation of this Charity :

The Charity is only entitled to the rentcharge. The directions to change the recipients every second year are not observed, as there is not a sufficient number of applicants for the Gift. At the January Court in 1863 seven persons received 31 yards of cloth at 128. a yard, costing 19. 18., and seven pairs of worsted stockings at 2s. 4d. a pair, and seven pairs of boots at 12s. 6d. a pair, making together an expenditure of 24l. 4s. 10d.

In keeping this account the Company have thought themselves at liberty to charge no more than would have been the cost of the number of articles of clothing actually distributed if the prices had been the same now as those limited by the testator. Articles obtained at the prescribed rate would now, however, be almost worthless, nor are there so many recipients requiring them as the testator contemplated. The Company have, therefore, properly given away articles of good quality to the present number of applicants, and in so doing have really exceded the amount of the rentcharge. Instead, therefore, of charging themselves with a balance of 160l. 178. as due to the Charity in the year 1862, I have pointed out to the Company that not only are they perfectly justified in charging their actual yearly expenditure to the account of the Charity, but that accuracy in fact requires them to do so, and when this is done the fictitious balance will be cancelled.*

Cox's CHARITY.

John Cox by his will of the 6th November 1658, gave to the Company his freehold and copyhold lands in Essex, to pay to 20 poor working saddlers 408. a piece, and the remainder of the rents to the Company.

The Company hold an estate at Braintree which was exchanged by Mr. Onley for the estate devised by this testator. It is let to Henry Malton at a rent of 751. a year. It was copyhold, but has been recently enfranchised. The Company pay 21. a year (17. in April and 17. in October) to seven poor freemen of the Company who are continued on the list. The remaining 261. is carried to the general fund out of which the Company pay the Christmas gifts, and also the casual and other allowances mentioned in Labourne's Charity.†

Scheme.

The Wardens and Court of Assistants of the Saddlers' Company of the City of London, as trustees of the Charity, shall be at liberty to apply from time to time. at their discretion any moneys or funds now in hand or under the control of the said trustees, being accumulations of unappropriated income of the Charity, and also such portions of the future yearly income of the Charity as may not be required for the primary purpose thereof, in relieving poor deserving men and women, being either freemen of the Saddlers' Company, or widows or unmarried daughters of such freemen, or, if a sufficient number of applicants of those classes be not forthcoming, then in relieving poor deserving members of the trade of a saddler who may not be members of the said Company.

By an order of the Board of 4th February 1876, the above-mentioned charge of 40l. was redeemed by the transfer into the name of the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds of the sum of 1,333l. 12s. 6d. New 31. per cent. annuities.

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To Christ's Hospital for apprenticing one child

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500 To St. Botolph, Aldersgate, for bread 2 12 0 And the residue amongst poor working saddlers, freemen of the Company, and their widows.

The land, which consists of about 10 acres of land at Harrow, is let to Charles Blackwell on lease for 21 years from Michaelmas 1844, at 181. a year; it is subject to an annual quit rent of 3s. 4d. The six oldest of the male and the four oldest of the female pensioners receive each 10s. as a Christmas gift, making 51.

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Young George Honnor, by his will of the 21st March 1769, bequeathed the residue of his estate together with what he had before directed to become part of the residue after the death of his widow and after payment of certain legacies therein mentioned, to the Company upon trust to invest same and apply the interest in paying 30. per annum to such of the said Company as had been masters thereof, or that were or should be of the Court of Assistants, and come to decay but thought worthy of such their benevolence, and for no other use and purpose.

And by a codicil to his will of the 7th April 1769 revoked that part of the will as to members of the Court of Assistants, and ordered that they should have only so much paid them throughout annually as the Court of Assistants should think fit.

By a second codicil of the 10th November 1769 he directed that neither the Master and Wardens, nor either of them, nor any persons entitled to the residue, should interrupt his executors in the execution of the trust reposed by his will, and that the Master and Wardens, or the persons entitled to the residue, should take the account to be delivered by his executors without any other trouble or calling upon, either in law or equity, or otherwise, under forfeiture of the whole of the legacy.

About the year 1800 the sum of 2,8281. 10s. 5d. reduced annuities was received by the Company as the residue.

Owing to the paucity of applications from persons entitled to the benefit of the bequest, the surplus dividends arising from the stock were invested from time to time, and in 1851 the stock representing the Charity amounted to 15,9081. 188. 1d. Reduced annuities, and of 4171. 5s. 3d. cash.

In February 1851 a petition was presented to the Court of Chancery setting out the above facts and proposing a scheme for the future application of the dividends.

By an order of the 17th February 1851 it was referred to the master to approve a scheme, and by his report of the 28th February 1855 he found that there were 15 members of the Company dependent on their charitable assistance, and that there were 16 widows of deceased members then pensioners of the Company, and that the Company stood in need of aimshouses for their aged

poor. And that the petitioners proposed that a sum not exceeding 3,000l. should be raised by sale of so much of the Reduced annuities as with 2,0861. 68. 3d. the dividends thereon after the deductions therein men

*WILLIAM PEASE'S CHARITY.

By an order of the Board of 17th August 1876, directions were given by way of scheme that the Wardens and Court of Assistants of the Saddlers' Company of the City of London, as trustees of the said Charity, should be at liberty to apply, from time to time at their discre

tioned would be necessary to raise 3,000l., and that such last-mentioned sum should be laid out under the direction of the Court in the purchase of freehold ground and in the erection and furnishing eight almshouses. The master also approved of the following scheme :

Scheme.

A sum not exceeding 2341. a year shall be set apart out of the dividends of the said fund to answer the following pensions :

To any person who shall have come to decay after having served the office of master or prime warden, and who shall not be or become entitled from other sources to an annual income of 70l., or to property for an amount which if applied in purchasing an annuity for the life of the party would produce an annual income of 701. or upwards, a pension of such annual amount as the Court of Assistants shall think fit, not exceeding 741. a year in addition to the pension of 301. bequeathed by the testator.

To any person who shall come to decay after having served any office of warden, but who should not have served the office of master or prime warden, and not entitled from other sources to a similar income of 701., &c. (as above) a pension of such annual amount as the Court of Assistants should think fit, not exceeding 781. a year in the whole.

To any member of the Court of Assistants come to decay and who should not have served any office of warden and not be entitled from other sources to a similar income of 701., &c. (as above) a pension not exceeding 521. a year in the whole.

If at any time there should be a vacancy in any of the foregoing three classes of pensions, or the whole annual amount of any one of such pensions should not be paid by the said Court of Assistants in the exercise of their discretion as aforesaid to any one object, and there should be a plurality of applicants for either of the other classes of pensions, that the said Court of Assistants should be at liberty; if in their discretion they should think fit so to do, to apply the pension that might so happen to be vacant as aforesaid, or such part of a pension as shall not be wholly paid and applied as aforesaid, so far as the same would extend in paying another pension or pensions in that class in which there should happen to be a plurality of applications but no pensioner should receive in any case any greater annual amount than the maximum pension of the class to which he belonged.

That there should be laid out under the direction of the Court of Chancery in the purchase of freehold ground, and in the erection of eight almshouses thereon, and in furnishing thereof a sum not exceeding 3,000l., and that such almshouses when erected, and the furniture thereof should, from time to time, be kept in repair and insured against fire, and the necessary expenses thereof paid out of the trust fund.

That there should be paid to the occupiers of such almshouses such sum not exceeding 12s. a week as the Court of Assistants should, in their discretion, think fit, and the trust fund would enable them to afford.

That, subject to the discretion of the Court of Assistants, the occupiers of such almshouses should be provided with medical attendance, medicine, candles, and fuel.

That the qualifications of candidates for such almshouses should be that they were decayed freemen or freewomen of the said Company, or widows of freemen 50 years of age or upwards, and not in receipt of parochial relief, and not pensioners under any of the former classes, and any inmate of the almshouses who should become entitled from other sources to an annual income of 50l., or to property to an amount or value which, if applied in purchasing an annuity for the life of the party would produce an annual income of 501. or upwards, should be disqualified from continuing to be such inmate.

That a book should be kept by the said Company, in which should be entered the name, age, qualification, date of admission, and date of death, or removal of every inmate of such almshouses.

tion, such portions of the said Charity as might not be required for the primary purposes thereof, in relieving poor deserving persons of the trade of saddler or harness maker, or their widows, although not free of the said Company.

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