Charities

Back to the Church

Extract from Tewkesbury Hundred (Upper) Clifford Chambers

By will proved in 1649 Thomas Jackson of Clifford Chambers gave £100 for a free school and £50 to which his executors added another £50 for the poor. The money was laid out in land and the income £10 in 1683 was used in the 18th Century mainly to pay the schoolmaster

A house known as the Church House was built in the churchyard before 1548 by the parishioners for the poor of the parish. In the 1670's Henry Dighton wrongfully took possession of the house which he was made to restore to the churchwardens and overseers in 1683 and in the 18th century the house was used for the school.

About 1490 Hugh Casnell Rector of Clifford, gave four houses in Stratford for the benefit of the poor of Clifford and to help to pay taxes imposed on the parish. £16 from the charity misappropriated by Henry Dighton in 1666 was later recovered, and in 1786 the annual income was £12. In 1829 the rent from the houses amounted to £25 14s which was used to buy bread. The Charity was regulated by a Scheme of 1884 and in 1895 was united with a charity called the Stratford Bridge Charity.

At that time, the income from Casnell's charity was used for coal, and in 1884 several people complained that the Rector had combined the charity with a coal club and only members of the club could benefit from the charity. A complaint was also made that only part of the income was distributed by the trustees. The houses belonging to Casnell's charity were sold in 1920 and in 1962 the accumulated income of £100 was used to buy coal for c.30 old age pensioners and widows.

A 10s rent given by Henry Tomes before 1683 for bread for the poor had been lost by 1750.

Lister Dighton by will proved 1807 and George Annesley by will proved 1872 each gave £21 stock for bread for the poor, The combined income of £1 was used for bread in 1962

Clifford Chambers shared in John Loggin's charity of which Swalcliffe (Oxon) was the main beneficiary and in 1829 Clifford's share of £5 was used for cloth to make shirts. The charity regulated by a Scheme of 1889 provided £5 a year for Clifford Chambers in the 1950's