Bread Charities

Elizabethan Poverty - During Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, 1558 - 1603, the population rose rapidly, from about 3 to 4 million. The extra population were increasingly unable to support themselves. There were also a number of poor harvests in the 1590s which led to food price increases and a drop in the standard of living. The Government determined that each community was responsible for the care of its poor and set up several Acts, one of which stated that a churchwarden and 2 or 3  substantial householders from each parish should be nominated annually to supervise the needs of the poor.

Despite this, one of the most important sources of support was private benefactors, such as Sir Edward Randall, who established his charity in 1590 to help the poor of Edlesborough, Dagnall and Northall.

It became almost impossible for the poor to move from their parish of settlement. Vagrants and beggars were arrested and beaten and families were often split up in consequence. People receiving relief from the parish were made to wear a badge on the shoulder of the right sleeve of their outer garment. The penalty for not wearing this was withdrawal of relief, whipping and 21 days hard labour in gaol.

 In 1683 the five children of a family in Edlesborough seemed likely to become dependent upon the parish after their father was arrested for begging. Each child had been born in separate parishes as their parents had moved from place to place for work. The first three were ordered to be removed to their different birthplaces at once and the others to be similarly removed when they were 7 years old.

 Seven appears to have been the age of responsibility. Child paupers were apprenticed at that age. After a constable at Wing had publicly flogged two children aged 4 and 2 years for begging, there was such an outcry that a Buckinghamshire court ruled that no vagrant under 7 years could be whipped.

Victorian Poverty - By the beginning of the 19^th century poverty was still regarded as the natural state of the labouring poor. Fluctuating harvests, disruption of war and the fine line between subsistence and penury were seen as inevitable and difficult to change.  The years following the Napoleonic wars (ended 1815) were particularly hard and many people existed almost entirely on turnips grown in the village.

The poor were often unwilling to apply for relief, so the number of charities gradually increased, directed at those least able to help themselves, eg the children and the sick, plus relief for the destitute. The charities set up by Thomas Ginger and Joseph Chennell both fell within these categories.

 Edlesborough Bread Charities

Randall’s Charity

Founded by deed in 1597, it provided that 1.25 tons of wheat should be distributed among the poor yearly, as bread.  It was conveyed in 1614 to the Egerton family of the Ashridge estate.  In 1890 the wheat produced 860 4lb loaves (1.8kg), each loaf containing about 3.2lb of flour. The estate continued to pay for the bread annually until it was sold, about 1929, after which the cost was assigned as a charge on Ashby’s Farm in Dagnall.

Ginger’s Charity

Thomas Ginger died in 1870 and left provision in his will for a trust, the income to be applied in bread on Christmas Day to the poor of Edlesborough and Northall. In 1925 it was recorded that the dividends amounted to £5 3s 4d, and were distributed in bread at Christmas.

According to the Charities Commission Register this charity was removed in 1996.

Chennell’s Charity

Joseph Chennell died in 1894 and left provision in his well for a charity, the income to be applied in bread at Christmas to agricultural labourers of Edlesborough. In 1925 the distribution was made to about 90 families.

Like the Ginger’s Charity, it was removed from the Charities Commission register in 1996.

Each had its own body of trustees, but often reported their activities to the annual meeting of Edlesborough Parish residents. The minutes from 1899 to 1963 have been transcribed and can be found on the Parish Council website, www.edlesborough-pc.gov.uk

The Poor Act of 1834 abolished the old parochial system and amalgamated the parishes into unions, the nearest one being in Leighton Buzzard.

Extracts from Minutes of Edlesborough Parish Meeting

Randalls Charity summary

• 1909-end of 1920s: 864 4lb (1.8kg) loaves were distributed at Easter, paid for by Ashridge Estate.
• 1909: query whether part of it could be given in flour. Presumably not as it was not mentioned again
• 1915: change to 2 distributions of 2lb loaves over the Easter period, which was much appreciated by the recipients.
• The recipients, from all 3 villages, were chosen by a committee appointed by the Parish Council.
• The annual income of the charity from the charge on Ashby’s farm from 1928 was £21-8s.   
• Bread increased in price in the 1930s, to 7d per loaf in 1937, to 8d per loaf in 1945, though down again to 5d per loaf in 1950 and back up to 8d by 1956. Since the income was fixed at £21-8s the number of loaves varied.
• There was no allocation at all 1947 to 1949 because of bread rationing.
• In 1957, as bread prices continued to rise, the allocation was postponed to find the fairest means of distribution to the Parishioners.
• It seems to have still been in existence in 1976, when there were 80 households in the Parish with a member over the age of 70. Each of these households received a voucher for about £1 to spend on bread from the Unigate milkman

Gingers Charity summary

• 1911: about 240 loaves were distributed at Christmas; about 160 to residents of Edlesborough and about 80 to Northall.  
• 1913: The distribution comprised 145 loaves, plus a total of 19s-6d in groceries. It was queried whether this was allowed and the Vicar agreed to check with the Charity Commission.
• 1914: 159 4lb loaves and  44 grocery orders were distributed. The same person protested against groceries being given in the place of bread or any change being made in the administration of the Charities unless the matter was decided at the parish or parish council meeting. Perhaps the Charity Commission agreed; there were no further mentions of groceries in the minutes.
• 1937: the bread cost 7.5d per loaf (compared with 7d per loaf for the Randall’s bread) and in 1945 9d as against Randall’s bread cost of 8d.
• 1961: in the meeting of March 1961 it was reported that there had been no distribution at Christmas because there was no incumbent of the Charity.  It was designated as a Christmas Charity so (apparently) could not be distributed at any other time of year.
• 1996 - Charity removed from Charity Commission registration

Chennill’s Charity

• 1955: Owing to the small number of parishioners qualified to receive bread from this Charity, the Charity Commissioners were asked whether the funds could be transferred to  some other charity for the benefit of the Parish. 
• 1996 - Charity removed from Charity Commission registration