Winslow History | Vestry, 1901

Easter Vestry, 1901

Buckingham Advertiser, 20 April

The annual Church Vestry was held on Easter Tuesday. The Vicar presided, and among those present were Rev. W. H. Shackel, Messrs. H. Bullock, J. C. Hawley, W. S. Neal, W. Lorkin, W. Ingram, T. F. Vaisey, G. A. Monk, T. Walker, W. Wise, W. A. [?=WH] Stevens, etc…

The Vicar next produced the Ecclesiastical Charity accounts.
Mr. Lorkin asked how it was that the Joseph Rogers Charity accounts were not included. He understood it was an ecclesiastical charity, and they were entitled to be informed how it was administered.
The Vicar said it was not an ecclesiastical charity.
Mr. Lorkin said he put the question to Mr. Bullock at the Parish Meeting and was informed that it was not a parish charity and would be produced at the Easter Vestry.
Mr. Walker said he understood the same.
Mr. Bullock said he did not state that they would be produced, only that they might be. If they looked at the newspaper report they would find he was quite correctly reported.
Mr. Lorkin said it was quite immaterial, as he had written to the Charity Commissioners on the subject… [see below]

Mr. W. S. Neal said it was a bad time to advocate spending money when there was a deficit, but he should have liked to have seen the path to the south porch put in better order.
A discussion then took place as to the payment of the Parish Clerk for tolling the curfew-one o’clock and seven o’clock bells- it being the opinion of the Vestry that if the fund was kept separate from that of the service tolling, Nonconformists would be more likely to contribute.
Mr. Neal said that now they were very amicable in the town and there was no ill-feeling, he thought it would be appreciated as an act of grace from the Vicar if he would allow the bell to be tolled at Nonconformist funerals. He knew the relatives would like it.
Mr. Walker said it was so in Mr. Preston’s time, and the altering of it created a very sore place.
The Vicar said he had his own feelings about the matter, but now that it had been the custom so long, he should not like to do anything without consulting the ordinary.
Mr. Lorkin asked how it was that the bells were not told when a Willesden pauper was buried. He could tell them the general opinion was that it was done so that people should not know when they died.
The Vicar said as a matter of fact it was not done for any of the paupers because it was not asked for.
Mr. Neal said it was simply because the Guardians would not go to the expense.
The meeting then concluded with a vote of thanks to the Vicar for presiding.

Buckingham Advertiser, 6 July 1901
WINSLOW SCHOOL CHARITY.
We have been requested to publish the following correspondence:-
To the Secretary, Charity Commissioners, Whitehall, London, S.W.
SIR,--I am writing as a resident and a native of the parish of Winslow, under Section 44 of the Charity Trusts Amendment Act, 1855, to draw your attention to the misapplication of a certain Charity.
This consists of a house, land, and buildings, containing 23 acres and situated in the parishes of Great and Little Kimble in the County of Bucks, and was bequeathed by one Joseph Rogers, carrier, in the year 1722, who left the sum of £600 to be laid out in the purchase of land, the yearly rents and profits thereof to be expended in educating and instructing such a number of poor people’s children belonging to the aforesaid parish of Winslow, as his Trustees would find the same to answer.
This property now consists of the aforesaid portion of land situated in the above-named parishes of Great and Little Kimble.
According to a return made to the Charity Commissioners in 1884, the net income derived from this Charity after deducting necessary expenses, was £42, with which sum twenty boys were then educated in the Public Elementary Schools at Winslow.
As education in all elementary schools is by law entirely free, the proceeds of this Charity are now applied towards the expenses of management of the past and present schools, the latter of which are now, by order of the Educational Department, in course of construction.
Such monies or the interest thereof are now being used for the relief and benefit of the subscribers rather than that of poor people’s children.
At a Parish Meeting recently called for the purpose of electing Parish Councillors and transacting other business, I as an elector and a native of the parish, with the given consent of the Chairman, at once took the opportunity to draw the attention of the meeting to this particular Charity.
This opened up a long and animated discussion, ending with a declaration from the Chairman, that the above Charity was an ecclesiastical one, and expressed the opinion that the Trustees were acting within their rights and within the meaning of the said Trust.
  Against this we, the inhabitants of Winslow, take the greatest possible exception, on the grounds that the money from the funds of this Charity are not now applied for the purpose for which it was intended, namely, the education of poor people’s children, although suggestions have been repeatedly made to endow the schools with a system of secondary education (so much needed in our rural parish), or by the granting of additional scholarships. Hence my appeal to your lordships’ Council.
   I have the honour to be, sir,
                                                            Your obedient servant, WALTER H. LORKIN.
Winslow, March 24th, 1901.

Charity Commission,
July 2, 1901.
To W. H. Lorkin, Esq., Winslow, Bucks
SIR,- Adverting to your letter of the 24th ult., I am to say that in view of all the circumstances of this case the Commissioners have suggested to the Trustees the desirability of making an application for an Order establishing a scheme for effecting a reconstitution of the Governing Body.
I am to add that upon the receipt of a sufficient application, instructions will be given for the preparation of a suitable scheme, the draft of which will be duly published under the direction of the Commissioners in the locality interested.
I am sir,
Your obedient servant, R.DURNFORD.