Individual Grants
THE BANBURY POOR TRUST
One of the smallest of the Charities administered by the Trustees is the Banbury Poor Trust.
The Banbury Poor Trust was established by a Settlement Deed dated 5th June 1926. Whereas in accordance with the informally expressed wishes of William Gillett late of Lowndes Square in the County of London a sum of Ten Thousand Pounds was provided out of his estate by William Bevington Gibbins of Ettington (Cousin, Executor and sole Beneficiary under his Will).
This sum was applied in the purchase by Mr. Gibbins on the 26th day of March 1926 in the names of the Trustees at that time of two Bills of Five Thousand Pounds of the Manchester Corporation each bearing that date and was settled upon Charitable Trusts for the relief of poor people in or near Banbury.
The application of the income of the Trust Fund is for the relief of poor people residing in or belonging to or connected with the Town of Banbury in the County of Oxford and/or any place or places situate within a radius of Ten Miles from Banbury.
The Banbury Poor Trust was registered with the Charity Commission in December 1965 Registration Number 245916.
The Bonds were re-invested into the Charities’ Official Investment Fund.
John Cheney of Calthorpe Street, Banbury was appointed to act as a Trustee on 10th December 1974, Geoffrey Braithwaite of Alcester on 31st January 1983 and Gillian Marriott of Chipping Norton on 1st October 1993.
The Trustees of the Banbury Poor Trust approached Banbury Charities as they were desirous of retiring as Trustees of the Settlement and consent was granted and on 26th July 2010 the Trustees of Banbury Charities were appointed as Trustees of the Settlement and the Banbury Poor Trust was encompassed within the umbrella of Banbury Charities.
The Trustees continue to apply the income of the Charities’ Official Investment Fund for the relief of poor people.
THE BANBURY WELFARE TRUST
The Banbury Welfare Trust was established by a Scheme sealed by the Charity Commissioners on 17th March 1976 which effectively merged seven small charities dated variously between 1620 and 1926.
- The Charity of John Brownsill, founded by codicil to will dated 18th June 1848;
- The Charity of Paynton Pigott Stainsby Conant, founded by will dated 16th October 1861;
- The Charity called Cooke’s Charity, founded by will of Stephen Cooke proved at the Principal Registry on 18th April 1885;
- The Charity of Mary Metcalfe, founded by codicil to will dated 11th May 1723 (exclusive of Mary Metcalfe’s Foundation for the Blue Coat School constituted by an Order made by the Charity Commissioners on 21st September 1906 under the Board of Education Act 1899, s.2 (2));
- The Charity called Thomas and Henry Metcalfe’s Eleemosynary Charity, regulated by a Scheme of the Commissioners of the 8th December 1914 (being the original Charity called Thomas and Henry Metcalfe’s Charity exclusive of the part thereof determined to be held for educational purposes by an Order made by the Commissioners on 21st November 1905 under s.2 (2) aforesaid);
- The Charity of Richard Plestow;
- The Charity consisting of the share of the Charity of Henry Smith applicable at Banbury aforesaid out of the income of the Tellescombe Estate, comprised in a Scheme of the Commissioners of the 23rd March 2926; and
In the matter of the Charities Act, 1960
The objects of the Charity were met in the early years by making gifts of coal to deserving persons but as the use of coal diminished annual grants were sought from Social Services Department of Oxfordshire County Council, the Social Work Department at Horton General Hospital and the Probation Service.
Lengthy negotiations with the Charity Commissioners finally resulted in a Scheme being sealed on 4th December 1992 whereby Banbury Charities thereafter became the Trustees of Banbury Welfare Trust, the management of the Trust to continue in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme dated 17th March 1976.
The object of the Banbury Welfare Trust is for the general relief of the poor in the Borough of Banbury.
This is the smallest Charity administered by the Trustees and although not an integral part of Banbury Charities, it is fortunate to receive grants from the main Bridge Estate Charity which enables the Trustees to relieve persons who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress living in the Borough of Banbury.
THE SICK POOR FUND
One of the smallest of the Charities administered by the Trustees is the Sick Poor Fund which, unlike the other Charities, is not an integral part of Banbury Charities, but for practical purposes it is considered as a section of the organisation.
The Banbury Nursing Association was formed in 1875 by a Doctor Pemberton for the provision of a Nursing Service for the sick of Banbury. The funds were provided by donations and flag days, for the employment of two nurses to visit the sick. Each patient was asked for a modest fee, but if they could not afford to pay, the treatment was free. This payment system was adopted by many General Practitioners at the time, relying primarily on the fees of the “better off” to pay for the poor, although the poor would only visit a Doctor in dire emergency. Lady members of the Committee took it in turns to visit the patients and look after their welfare.
Until recent times many of us have images of the District Nurse pedalling about the countryside with her black bag attached to a carrier on her bicycle. It is interesting to note that in April 1940 the Nurses were issued with auto-cycles and immediately after the War, a car was purchased for general use by the Nurses for longer distances or for the carrying of heavier equipment, even driving lessons were given for those who couldn’t drive.
During the existence of the Association there had only been three Presidents, namely:-
Doctor Pemberton 1875 – 1911
Doctor Penrose 1911 – 1946
Doctor Hewlings 1946 – 1954
The latter being the President at the time of its dissolution which was caused by having outlived its very useful purpose, the National Health Service and the County Council taking over the responsibilities of the District Nurse operated by the Oxfordshire Nursing Association to which the Banbury Nursing Association was affiliated.
In or about 1820 a society was formed known as the Banbury Visiting Charitable Society with the object of visiting the sick and distressed poor of Banbury. In 1926, by an Order of the Charity Commissioners the work of this Society and the administration of its funds were transferred to the Banbury Nursing Association.
The necessity and usefulness of this now defunct Nursing Association is illustrated that while originally two part-time Nurses were employed, in its latter years three full-time and occasional part-time Nurses were employed, and a cottage was rented for their use. One of the Nurses lived there in addition to temporarily housing the emergency Nurse of the time. Thanks to legacies, donations, fees, flag days, and the Metcalfe Charity, the funds were in a healthy state, and the total income in 1943 was £1,525.3s2d.
However, when the immediate post-war Government stated that it was introducing the Beveridge Scheme into a full National Health Service, the Committee were worried, unnecessarily, that their funds would be absorbed into National Health funds, they decided not to raise any more money, and used capital as income until their demise, realising that there would not be the need for their work. The fees for a general nursing visit was 3/6d and for a week’s attendance 15/- at the time of dissolution.
The Association approached both the Charity Commissioners and the Clerk to the Banbury Municipal Charities regarding a new Scheme for their remaining funds in 1950. This was agreed by both parties, and the draft Scheme of 1953 was accepted, and sealed on the 2nd February 1954. The Banbury Sick Poor Fund was born.
The funds have been re-invested into the Charities’ Official Investment Fund and the Trustees apply the yearly income of the Charity for the sick and poor of the Town.