Navestock: Charities

CHARITIES (fn. 1)

John Green, grocer of London, by will proved 1626, devised to the poor of Navestock, where he was born, all his property in the parish. He also left the parish £70 and the residue of his estate, which were used to buy more land. In 1834 the endowment consisted of freehold and copyhold land in Brentwood and Navestock, including an almshouse of two rooms occupied by paupers placed there by the parish officers. This stood at Navestock Heath opposite the road junction nearly ½ mile south of the village school. (fn. 2) It was burnt down in 1892. Parts of the property, including that in Brentwood, were sold between 1919 and 1942. In 1834 the charity's rental was £48 17s. 9d. In 1951 it held over a thousand pounds in stock and its income from this and rents was £92 17s. 7d.

In 1834 the income, after deductions for repairs, &c., was used to buy shoes, jackets, and faggots for poor people, including some receiving parish relief. The sum of £15 a year was given to the parish school from 1850 to 1872. The rest of the income was being spent on clothes and coal. In 1952 £65 was given to the vicar to distribute at his discretion.

In 1669 Lewis Betts gave £1 a year for four of the oldest decayed labouring men of the parish and £2 towards binding poor apprentices. Both sums were charged on property at Romford, and were regularly paid in 1834. The first was distributed, but no apprentice had been bound for 20 years. The money for apprenticing appears to have been used for that purpose for the last time in 1922. In 1951 £2 was distributed to four old people.

An unknown donor before 1786 gave the poor a rent charge of £1 issuing from Dycotts in Navestock. In 1834 it was spent along with Green's Charity and in 1951 with Bett's Charity.

Elizabeth Prince, by will dated 1796, left £150 in trust for a distribution every February to eight poor families or persons not in receipt of parish relief. In 1834 it was reported that the vicar was careful to choose people of good character and that all the poor of the parish received the charity in turn. In 1950 the income was £6 19s. and £10 was distributed among 20 people.

The Revd. Frederick Vane, by will proved 1865, left £50 in trust for distribution to the poor of the parish on St. Thomas's day. The money was invested. In 1929 it was said that many years before the income had been distributed in fourpenny pieces. In 1951 the income had apparently not been spent for some years.

The charities of James Wallenger and Lady Tipper were reported as already lost in 1786. The unknown donor's charity above has now the alternative title of Wallenger's but it is not clear that there is any evidence for this identification. Sir William Sedley, by his will of 1617, directed that his executors should buy annuities for the poor of Aylesford and Herne (Kent) and Navestock. (fn. 3) Deeds were executed giving rent charges to the other parishes but there is no record of any for Navestock.