Group Grants
The Bridge Estate Charity
Just before Scotland and England were being united into one Kingdom, the predecessors of the Bridge Estate were being united by a decree of the Charity Commission dated 20th January 1601. This was formed by a unification of Charities into the Bridges and Highways Repair Charity whose income was to be used according to the separate covenants, but primarily for the upkeep of the Bridge over the River Cherwell, the then dividing line between Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire and the highway approaches to that Bridge in Oxfordshire. The annual rents of the various premises held by the Trust varied from 2/8d to a maximum of £1. Inflation is not just a modern phenomenon! Two Bridgemasters, Overseers or Receivers were to be appointed by the Bailiff, Aldermen and Burgesses and the Minister and Churchwardens of the Town to receive the rents and interest and bestow it according to the original intentions. In practice, the Town Council came to appoint these two men who were called Bridgemasters and were generally Town Councillors.
Unfortunately, there is little knowledge of the activities of these Bridgemasters, apart from some names. It is noted that in the 17th Century the majority were past Mayors of the Town, so no doubt the Charity was being held in esteem, otherwise it is unlikely that such people would take on a post of no importance. It is known that the River Bridge was kept in a reasonable state of repair, and the property held as income; indeed, the Bridge Street property boundaries were exactly the same until the 1970’s, when part of the land was compulsorily purchased for the Cherwell Street road widening.
There are no known complaints of the Bridgemasters and their responsibilities during the first two hundred years of their existence, but it would be surprising if during this period there had not been some chivvying of the Bridgemasters about the state of the roads. In November 1823, cash balances were £255.18.10d and it was decided to provide street lighting of the main roads at a cost of £100. No mention of the type of lamp is made, so it is presumed to have been oil wick lanterns.
The first major change of Charity took place in 1844 when the Township of Neithrop took over the responsibility for the upkeep of the Bridge and the adjacent roads. This left the Bridgemasters with an income that was no longer required for its main original use. There was a favourable report of the Bridgemasters handling of the trust in 1824, and when they decided sometime after their unexpected surplus of income to give it to the Town Council, there were no serious dissidents.
In 1889, no grants whatsoever were made and £100 was invested in Consols, two years later they were sold to pay for new stables and a coach-house at one of their properties. Again, in 1892 no grants were made but nearly £300 was spent on improvements and Surveyor’s fees. In 1893 £300 was spent on widening the Oxford and Bloxham roads, and in 1894 £500 was given to the Town towards the widening of the Bridge to its present size. This action was probably prompted by a polite but strong letter signed by over 150 Burgesses of the Borough in April 1890, as the income of the Trust was not being fully employed “there were three objects to which we venture to call attendance as being highly desirable of accomplishment. Firstly, the Bridge is insufficiently wide to allow of the passage in safety at all times of the day of the very large traffic passing between the different parts of the Borough …… This is particularly the case at the middle of the day, when the numerous working men who have their occupation in the Town and their homes in Grimsbury are passing and on market days when the Bridge is frequently much occupied by cattle as well as vehicles and the need of a wider footpath is greatly felt.”
The widening of Castle Street was also mentioned in this letter as was the third request “to urge that having regard to the importance and extent of the duties now devolving upon the Magistrates and Council of the Borough …… the present Municipal Buildings are wholly inadequate… but the Council has no funds available for acquiring the additional space.”
In 1910 the Trustees gave the Banbury Council the sum of £1,000 for the purchase of 28 High Street. This property was adjoining SH Jones (Vinters) and was purchased to be demolished, which enabled the widening of the road junction from Marlborough Road into High Street. This is probably the largest single grant – in real terms – ever made by the Trustees and was a great benefit to the Town.
The total number of properties owned by the Trustees has dwindled over the years, although the quality and value has increased. In 1910 the Charities were receiving rents amounting to £593 from 21 hereditaments (excluding the Almshouse) which in April 1984, there were only 9 properties held as investments, but whose total rents amounted to £61,030. A rent collector was employed to collect the rents and received a commission of £16.7.0d while Tithes and Land Tax amounted to £2.18 Od. Guineas were the denomination charged by professional people and Fortescue & Sons (Solicitors) as Clerks were paid five guineas for their work in the year.
During the period 1914 – 18 War, little was given in the form of grants, except that the surface water drainage system in Bridge Street was improved at a cost of £1,200. Some of the accrued interest (£500) was loyally placed into 5% Exchequer Stock 1921. The annual income at the end of the War was in excess of £1,500. To help the Town Council in their efforts to induce the Northern Aluminium Company (known in later years as Alcan Extrusions Limited) to establish themselves in Banbury, the Trustees made the great decision, October 1930, to give £400 towards the purchase of the land for the factory in Southam Road.
It was nearly 30 years later before the increasing income of the Bridge Estate was used for any purpose other than bolstering its other Charities, Lady Arran, Almshouse and later the Sick Poor Fund.
A grant of £630 was given in 1969 towards the Tree Planting Scheme in Banbury. A year later with the advent of two major housing schemes for the local elderly, Abbeyfield and Baptist Housing Association, a £1,000 grant was given to each of these organisations. From then on the Bridge Estate’s expanding income was extensively utilised for the benefit of Banbury and its townspeople, for during the next fourteen years over £108,000 was donated to local people and organisations. The Trustees took the initiative with the Cherwell District Council requesting the modernisation of the Banbury Cross lavatories, stating that they should supply at least £10,000 for the project. The original toilets had been built at the instigation of the Charities’ Trustees in 1924, when approximately a quarter of the finance was found. In the event, £11,500 was granted towards the present project (about one-fifth of the cost) and a plaque acknowledging the fact was placed on the wall by the Council.
Banbury Recreation Charity
Application of Income
The objects of the Banbury Recreation Charity is to provide, or assist in the provision of, facilities for the physical recreation for the inhabitants of the Town of Banbury and the neighbourhood thereof in the interests of social welfare in order to improve their conditions of life.
Other names:
- Charity for a Recreation Ground (Banbury Rugby Club) (Old Name)
- Charity for a Recreation Ground Banbury (old name) Governing Document
Charity Commission Scheme dated 26th April 1991 as amended by scheme dated 25th June 1993 and 13th August 2002.