Charities

• Friendly/Benefit Societies

Very prevalent in village life. And has a dedicated page.

• Pennant's[2]  (Founded in 1837, for the poorest, best behaved who regularly attended church)

This charity includes two cottages and gardens located in Church-end. On January 20, 1837, these properties were transferred by the Rev. Thomas Pennant, the former rector of the parish, to the current and future Rectors of Weston Turville. Each year, in November or December, the rector is responsible for using the income from these properties to buy useful clothing. The clothing is to be given to up to six of the poorest and most well-behaved residents of Weston Turville. Preference is given to those who have regularly attended church services or, if they were sick, were visited at home by the rector during the year.

Thomas Pennant married Caroline Griffith and died in 1846, aged 65 leaving no children. There is still a grade 2 "Pennant Cottage" in Church Lane Weston Turville.

The Thomas Pennant's Charity is registered as Charity #204357 and was active until 2021...at least.

• Findall's (Founded in 1604[2]  (though stated as 1654 in Buck Advertiser 02 Oct 1953) - For keeping the church pathway clear, and for the poor)

On a tablet once exhibited in the parish church, there was an inscription relating to this charity, as follows:-

"William Findall, A.D. 1604, gave £6:13:4, to be paid on Mid-Lent Sunday, out of Summer Leys, in the parish of Weston Turville. N.B. To be paid out of this sum to the poor of Weston, 6s. 8d.; to a scavenger to keep the church ways clean, 13s. 4d. The above sums to be paid into the hands of the churchwardens for the time being, yearly for ever, for use of the poor."

This rent-charge issues out of a piece of meadow land called Summer Leys, containing about 30 acres in the parish of Weston Turville, formerly belonging to Mr. William Hayward.[10] 

At some point, the distribution changed to:-[9]

• 6s. 8d. paid annually to churchwardens of the parish for the poor as origionally stated, 

• By 1895, there seems to have been a dispute regarding the "scavenger" allocation with the churchwardens of Aylesbury declining to had this portion over to Weston Turville trustees which was ultimately resolved by the Charity Commissioners (in favour of the Weston Turville Trustees and with a reprmand for the Aylesbury churchwardens). 

• It then seems 13s. 4d was paid annually to prisoners in Aylesbury gaol, then by 1953 this portion was paid to Bucks Discharged Prisoners Aid Society

• 13s., 4d. is paid into the Church Service Fund towards the sexton's salary. 

• The Rector's annual £10 (For the upkeep of a bull and a boar for exclusive use of parishioners)

At the inaugral meeting of the Parish Council 4 Dec 1894 one of the issues included was the provision of a bull to villagers for an annual fee of £5 and sixpence under an agreement with Charles Edwin Axtell. Villagers were to pay sixpence on each occasion the animal was used.

Then at the Parish Council meeting 26 March 1897 the Rev. J. Ellam paid £5 to the Council on account of the Bull and Boar Fund and Mr. E Brill agreed to provide and keep a parish bull on the terms offered by the Council.

In 1920 it was noted that The rector of Weston Turville who owns the Manor Farmfor the time being as part of his living has to pay the tenant or some other person to keep a bull and a boar for the free use of the parish.[11]

• Poor Houses (including bakehouse, undone by the Poor-law)

• Village Greens (A great idea, messed up by Enclosure)

• Gravel Pits (Five acres for repair of parish's roads - also undone by Enclosure)

See Roads (and Footpaths) on Criminality page.

• WESTON TURVILLE SCHOOLHOUSE TRUST Charity #1083898

For Education / Training / Religious activities for Children

Historical Context: In the 18th century, charitable giving focused on food security, a major concern for rural communities. The “Widow Turpin” charities have evolved over nearly three centuries, adapting to societal changes while supporting those in need.

Land in Weston Turville: The land mentioned in Widow Turpin's will is a ten-acre field off New Road, still rented out for grazing.

Bread Distribution History:

• 1899: 1,457 loaves (2lb each) distributed in two sessions.

• 1900: 1,452 loaves (2lb each).

• 1905: 1,000 loaves (2lb each).

• Today: Food vouchers are given instead of loaves.

Trustee Inquiry: One trustee is W. Kirtland, possibly the farrier and publican who went bankrupt.

Challenges and Changes (1947-1953):

• 1947: Rationing during WWII caused issues,  "being given out to a £10 a week man"[3]  or one with £1,000 in the bank[3]  

• 1951: Controversy and apathy surrounded the charity.[4]  An American who heard about unclaimed loaves tried to help by providing a baker’s details from Cincinnati.[5]

• 1953: Widow Turpin's charity is used as an example of a charity made redundant by the Welfare State.[6]  There are trustees nominated but declining the offer, then the intention to change the charity to issuing vouchers instead.[7]

Mary Turpin: Mary Turpin, Widow Turpin, was the wife of Thomas Turpin of Halton. Thomas described himself as a Yeoman (landowner) in his 1702 will. He was weak in body but of sound mind. He bequeathed his estate to his kinsman Joseph after his wife Mary.

Thomas Turpin: Thomas Turpin’s will was signed with a bold ‘T’ and a red wax seal. He died on 24th July 1703 and was buried at Halton. Mary Turpin died in 1712 and was buried at Halton, as was Joseph Turpin, who died in 1710.

Family Legacy: Thomas and Mary’s son, also named Thomas, was baptised at Halton on 16th September 1682. Thomas married Deborah and had five children. The last record of the Turpin family in Halton was the birth of a daughter in 1716.

References

1. ^ This page is mostly based upon a Bucks Herald article "The Parish Council and Charities" 27 June 1896 full transcript at bottom of page.

2. ^ Returns of Charitable Donations for Poor Persons in the County of Bucks. 1786, 1820

3. ^ Bucks Avertiser 14 Mar 1947

4. ^ Bucks Herald 15 June 1951

5. ^ Bucks Herald 29 Jun 1951

6. ^ Daily Herald 22 Jul 1953

7. ^ Bucks Advertiser 25 Sep 1953

8. ^ A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 2. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1908. 

9. ^ Bucks Advertiser 02 Oct 1953.

10. ^ Bucks Advertiser 28 Mar 1840 under the title "Charities under the Management of the churchwardens of Aylesbury" and again 22 Mar 1884

11. ^ Bucks Herald 18 Dec 1920

12. ^ Bucks Herald 10 Apr 1897

Bucks Herald article "The Parish Council and Charities" 27 June 1896

THE PARISH COUNCIL AND THE CHARITIES.

At a meeting of this Council, held on February 1st, 1895, a Committee, consisting of Mr. J. Sharp, Mr. T. Young, and Mr. T. Rickard, were appointed to investigate all documents connected with Parish Charities, &c., and to report to the Council. Their report was duly presented to the Council, and having been discussed and certain modifications agreed upon, was ordered to be entered as under:-

"The Committee find the following charities are at the present time being administered in the parish:- First, Pennant's; 2nd, Tindall's; 3rd, the Rector’s annual payment of £10; 4th, Turpin's. There are other charities known to have existed but are now obsolete, and little is known about them, viz., 1st, the Poor Houses, including a bakehouse; 2nd, Village Greens; 3rd, the intended Gravel Pits.

"1. Pennant's.-This charity consists of two freehold cottages and gardens, situate in Church-end, transferred by deed, dated 20th January, 1837, under the hand of the Rev. Thomas Pennant, late rector of the parish, to the Rectors of Weston Turville for the time being, upon trust that the said Rectors for the time being do and shall in the months of November or December in every year pay, apply, and dispose of the net proceeds  of the said premises in the purchase of some articles of useful clothing to be given according to the discretion of the said Rector to any number not exceeding six in any one year, of the poorest and best behaved of the inhabitants of Weston Turville, who shall, during the current year, have been the most constant attendants on Divine Service in the Parish Church, or who, in case of sickness, shall have been attended by the said Rector in their own homes.-The Charity Commissioners, in their reply, dated May 11th, 1895, to the Committee's enquiry, dated March 19th, 1895, stated as under: From a perusal of the record contained in my letter, it would seem that this charity is not Ecclesiastical, and that, subject to the approval of the Commissioners, an appointment may be made under section 14 (3) of the Act of two trustees, one by the Rector as sole trustee, and one by the Parish Council.'

"2. Tindall's.-This charity is somewhat involved.

It consists (1) of an annual sum of 6s. 8d. payable by the churchwardens of Aylesbury for the poor of this parish, and is regularly paid to and distributed by the parish officers. (2) There is a charge of 6s. 8d. stated in the Charity Commissioners' report to belong to this parish under this will, for keeping the pathway to the church in clean condition. This sum the churchwardens of Aylesbury decline to pay, asserting that it belongs to Aylesbury parish.-The following is the reply of the Charity Commissioners :-An annual sum of 6s. 8d. is payable for the poor of Weston Turville by the churchwardens of Aylesbury, and as appears from their accounts for the year 1893 a sum of 13s. 4d. was paid by them in respect of two years' contributions to the churchwardens and overseers of Weston Turville. If on further representing the matter to the churchwardens of Aylesbury any difficulty should be experienced by the Weston Turville trustees in obtaining payment, it would be well that they should communicate with this office. (Note.-The Charity Commissioners have not answered the question respecting the second payment of 6s. 8d., stated by the Charity Commissioners to belong to Weston Turville, for keeping clean the pathway to the Church, and reply only respecting the 6s. 8d. due to the poor of Weston Turville, which has been regularly paid and never disputed.)

"3. The Rector's Grant of £10 a year.-It is an undoubted fact that for 100 years the Rectors of Weston Turville have paid an annual sum of £10 for the purpose of providing a bull and boar for the exclusive use of the parishioners, with the view of enabling them, free of all charge, to improve the breed of these two animals. The money has hitherto been paid to such persons as would keep the animals upon the conditions stated. At the present moment it is partially inoperative. The amount of £10 is said to be inadequate to meet the expenses consequent upon carrying out the grant, and no parishioners will undertake the duty. The Committee are of opinion that the annual payment of £10 should be vested in the Parish Council, according to clause 6 (3), and clause 8, sub-section H, of the Act of 1894, and that the Council should propound a scheme for carrying out the intentions effectually of the valuable grant of the Rector's, subject to the approval of the Charity Commissioners.

"4. Widow Turpin's Charity.-This charity consists of nine acres of land situate in the new road, and let at the present time to Emmanuel Purssell at a rental of £28 per annum. No documents or deed of gift have been seen by your Committee; and the only information is from the board on the church wall, north aisle, according to which the donor left all her freehold, leasehold, and lay grounds situate in Weston, to Mary Hockley for the term of her natural life and no longer, and if she hath children lawfully begotten of her body then at her decease to be equally divided between them, and for want of such issue then immediately after her decease to the poor of Weston to be equally distributed in groat loaves of good and wholesome bread to the poorest inhabitants of Weston. The same to be distributed by the overseers and their successors in equal portions on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel and the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.' The charity came into the possession of the parish in the year 1736. 

EXTINCT CHARITIES.

"1. The Poor Houses. - These were situate in Church End. It was customary for the overseers to lodge the poor in them before the Poor-law system was altered to Workhouse Unions in 1837, when they became useless. The Poor-law Commissioners then ordered them to be sold, and the proceeds to be paid into Rickford's Bank. The houses were sold by auction on Feb. 14th, 1838, to Mr. W. Purssell, and realised 

£175. After deducting expenses of sale, a sum of £136 appears in the Union books as paid to them by instalments, dating from Feb. 26 to Dec. 30, 1838. There appears to be a balance due from Charles Horner of £34:2:6, which, most probably, after such a lapsе of time is irrecoverable. The disposition of the £136 seems to have been somewhat selfish. It went towards reducing the Poor-rate for the next six months, and sо benefited those parishieners only who lived at that time, thereby disregarding the claims of posterity. In some parishes of the Union a nobler course has been pursued ; the purchase money has been invested in consols and the income so derived is applied to reducing the present poor-rates. Holcott and Grendon Underwood are parishes having this advantage; Wendover, in the Wycombe Union, has always received a drawback off their rates under similar conditions. Attached to the poor houses was a public bakehouse, and some villagers now living remember it. All is swept away to the loss of villagers for ever, for it must have been a most useful institution for the poor.

VILLAGE GREENS.

"The Greens are known to have existed in olden times, both of them at Brook End. One is now incorporated in Brook Farm, belonging to the Mercers Company; and the other contignous to it, about half an acre in extent, was transferred to Mr. John Eldridge in 1857 by the Duchy of Lancaster on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, and so removel the last impress of regal sway from the Manor of Weston Turville. This small allotment was conveyed to King George IІ. under the Enclosure Act of 1799. It is to be regretted that these useful public rights have been lost to the parish, for at the present time infinite good wonld be conferred upon the village had they been retained (1) by the rearers of dueks, geese, chickens, &c., an enormous industry; (2) on the parishioners generally, in providing them with a recreation ground which they do not possess at the present time.

THE INTENDED GRAVEL PITS.

"It is stated in the Act of Parliament, dated 1798, preceding the Enclosure of 1799, that 'it shall be lawful for the Commissioners, if they shall think it necessary and proper, to set out and appoint out of the lands and grounds here intended to be divided and enclosed ground, not exceeding five acres, for the purpose of getting materials for repairing the roads and ways already made, or about to be made by virtue of this Act." The Committee regret to report that after making every inquiry in their power they are unable to find any fact showing that this most desirable and useful benefit to the parish generally was provided; indeed, there is scarcely a document in existence bearing legally upon any of the parochial institutions generally.