THE DARTMOUTH CHARITIES

 

I have been asked to write a history of The Dartmouth Charities and to give some idea of the present position — who we are and what we do.

In White's Devon of 1850 (no relation ) special mention is made of Charities.  Those vested with the Corporation had recently been put under the management of Trustees as required by the Municipal Reform Act.  The Charities listed are: —

   Alexander Awdyan - Rents from property to find money for the poor.

   Sir John Acland's Charity - A weekly distribution of 1s. worth of bread.

   John Shapleigh - quote "In 1627 John Shapleigh left £100 in trust with the Corporation, for    the poor but they have not paid interest since 1694".

   Thomas Paige - £2.8s yearly for the poor - about 1630.

   John Plumleigh - In 1641 gave the TOWN CLOSE as a place for the inhabitants to dry and bleach their clothes and a herbage for the poor.  This, I believe, was near the leat at the entrance to FORD. Added later was half an acre called FORD MEADOW which was provided with wells and tables.

     George Prestwood  1671

     Thomas Boone    1677    Also left money for food for the food of the poor          

     Richard Langdon  1707   

Almshouses

William Ley in 1599 built almshouses and left them to the Corporation.
Richard Kelly 1653 and John Levering 1671 also provided help for these.  These almshouses fell into disrepair and were replaced in 1810.  I have not been able to place their exact location.                                                       

FORDER ESTATE CHARITY

This was an estate of some 55 acres to provide a Latin schoolmaster, an
English schoolmaster, and poor of the parishes and part upkeep cf St. Saviour’s Church.

Parish of St. Saviour's


This again had a number of charities, the earliest dating from 1659.           

The Town Council was also under obligation to provide water for the poor of Dartmouth via springs and wells and later via the leats and conduits.

All this is, of course, mere history but it does lead on to the present position.  In 189O, owing to various criticisms and arguments, it was decided to set up the present scheme approved and supervised by the Charity Commissioners. This, to summarise briefly, eventually set up two bodies:-

a)  The Dartmouth Charities in 1890

b)  The Dartmouth United Charities in 19O9

I wish they could have "thought up some less confusing names but to avoid confusion the first is often referred to as .the "House of Lords" (though I can assure you there is nothing aristocratic about us) and the second as the "House of Commons".

By the time these were set up the various charities had invested in an enormous amount of property in the town.  Some held freehold but the great majority as ground landlords with leases varying from 50 to 500 years and ground rents running from many pounds to a few shillings.

The Dartmouth Charities ("a" above) manages all property, invests money as needed, collects all rents and dividends and decades, subject to permission from the Charity Commissioners, to sell or buy properties or change investments.  The Commissioners keep a tight control on what is done and a full audit of accounts has to be submitted annually.

Any surplus income at the end of each financial year has to be divided:-

1/2         to Dartmouth United Charities

1/3           to the Churchwarden of St. Saviour's

1/6         to the Dartmouth Town Council

The first two of these are clear enough.  The 1/6 to the Borough was originally "to provide water for the poor of Dartmouth."  When the Town built its own reservoir and water scheme, this amount was paid into the water account. (By law the water account had to be separate from the General Rate Fund).  When the S.W. Water Board took over, this l/6th was allowed by the Charity Commissioners to be used for the "upkeep of the leats or other historic buildings in the town." Hence it could not be taken over by the South Hams Council with other town assets. At the present time, the Council portion is used for the upkeep of ancient buildings

APPLICATION OF INCOME

At the end of the first financial year, 29th September 1890, the amount available for distribution was £36.11.2 and under the terms of the Scheme at that time, this was allocated:—

    St. Saviour's Church, for the upkeep

     of the fabric of the building               (2/3)   £24.7.6.

    Dartmouth Council, for maintenance

    of the conduits                              (1/6)  £6. 1.10.

    Cottage Hospital                             (1/6)  £6. 1.10.

By 1903, the net amount available for distribution had riser to £193.15.8 and the allocation was:-

St. Saviour's Church                                     £129.3.9

Dartmouth Council.                                        £32.5.11.

Dartmouth Soup Kitchen                    £4.4.0

Dartmouth Loan Blanket Society            £2.2.0

District Nurse                            £8.8.0

Cottage Hospital                          £8.8.0

Coal Club                                 £2.2.0

Poor                                            £7.2.0       £32.6.0.

                                                          £193.15.8.

Distribution of the sum of £7.2.0 anong the poor was left to the discretion of 3 Trustees, one of whom was the Vicar.

It is to be noted that the foregoing charitable allocations, i.e., the items totalling £32.6.0 were decided by the Trustees at the time of their meeting and as each item was separately discussed, this must have been very time consuming.

 

To simplify this procedure, the Charity Commissioners, on 8th October 1909 authorised the constitution of Dartmouth United Charities, a separate body, to be responsible for allocating the 1/6 share of the net income of Dartmouth Charities each year.

There were also several smaller trusts with their own trustees, almshouses, Forder, etc. which were put under the United Charities, hence the name, "UNITED."

By 1925, the amount available for distribution by Dartmouth Charities exceeded £500 and in accordance with the Scheme of 22nd January 1890, its allocation became:-

St. Saviour's Church                      1/3

Dartmouth Council                          1/3

Dartmouth United Charities                 1/3

This was first put into effect on 17th December, 1925 when the net income was £559.12.4 divided into 3 shares of £186.10.10, £186.10.9 and £186.10.9.

Starting in 1950, discussions took place between the two Dartmouth Charities and later with the National Association of Almshouses, with the purpose of amending the ]/3, 1/3, 1/3 apportionment of Dartmouth Charities net income and on 19th August, 1955, the Charity Commissioners authorised the following allocation:-

St, Saviour's Church                      1/3

Dartmouth Council                          1/6

Dartmouth United Charities                 1/2

This arrangement still holds.  The Almshouses are the responsibility of the United Charities, hence their increased allocation.

THE PROPERTIES

The Dartmouth Charities obtain the principal part of their income from the renting of some 35 properties, ranging from such important buildings as Boots Cash Chemists, Lloyds Bank and Cobbold Marine, down to flats and allotments.

It is important to note that the rents charged for domestic living accommo­dation are agreed beforehand with the local rent officer and are therefore always reasonable

A smaller income derives from about 30 houses, on very long leases of from 100 to 500 years, entered into in the early part of this century.

A notable recent acquisition is No. 3/4 Fairfax Place, purchased by the Dartmouth Charities in 1977.

An important project currently in hand by The Dartmouth Charities is the renovation of No. 4 The Quay.  This, a Jacobean building dating from the early part of the 1600's, is of considerable historic interest, contemporary with the Butterwalk, and will be restored externally to as near the original as possible. Internally it will become a shop and two flats.

THE NET INCOME

From the modest start of £36.11.2 in 1890 the net income has steadily risen during the intervening 90 years and over the five year period 1973-78 averaged £9,000 annually:-

St. Saviour's Church              £2,000
Dartmouth Council              £1,500
Dartmouth United Charities     £4,500

This amount, all going to the benefit of Dartmouth, makes the work of The Dartmouth Charities well worth the effort, and, one hopes, fulfills the spirit of the intentions of the donors of the original Trusts and Charities.

METHOD QF APPOINTING TRUSTEES

There have been several minor alterations since 1890 but at present there are 17 Trustees.  Of these, The Mayor of Dartmouth, the Vicar and the two Churchwardens of St. Saviour's Church are ex-officio.  The other thirteen are selected from citizens of the town, male or female, and we trust that when a vacancy occurs we invite a worthy successor. The present Trustees are:-

Ex-Qfficio

The Mayor (Denis A Woods)

The Vicar (Reverand J Butler)

Two Churchwardens (Mr. Robert Middleton)

A vacancy occurs at the moment for a Churchwarden

 

Donald G. Hitt (Chairman                        Gordon Pook

Wilfred J. Bates (Vice Chairman)               Mrs. Eva J. Pykett

Sidney H. Bell                                  Trevor P. Reeve

John Ellwood                                    Edward H. R. Tuson

Ralph C. Flisher                                Harold G. White

William E. Lidstone                            Edward J. Williams

A vacancy occurs at the momemt for a Trustee

 

We appoint our own Chairman, at present Mr Donald Hitt, and we have a Clerk and Receiver, Mr. Derek Scorer, F.R.I.C,S., (since 1951 )and a Surveyor, Mr. H. W. Gale, M.S.A.A.T., (since 1972)  All three give excellent and unstinting service; the increase in value of the properties and the revenue they produce is a worthy tribute to them and previous Chairmen, especially Messrs. Brian Kirk and Harold Adams.

So much for The Dartmouth Charities.  It must be emphasised that we have no right or power to give money except as laid down above.  We have a duty to invest wisely and to obtain the best income we can, though we do always have the welfare of Dartmouth in mind and heart.

H. G. White

21A Pathfields, DARTMOUTH.

DATE    12th March, 1981