A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



Nonconformist places of worship in the neighbour- 

 hood ; of these five were Baptist chapels, four Wes- 

 leyan, and three Independent. The number of 

 meeting-houses of all denominations has increased 

 rapidly to meet the needs of a large population. 

 There are now nine Baptist chapels ; one in Kent 

 Street is said to occupy the site of a meeting-house 

 founded in 1698. The Bible Christians have three 

 places of worship ; the Plymouth Brethren meet at 

 the Assembly Room, Bush Street, Southsea, and at 

 St. James's Hall, Commercial Road. The Congre- 

 gationalists have seven chapels, chiefly at Landport 

 and Southsea. The Unitarians have a meeting-house 

 in the High Street. The Primitive Methodists have 

 four places of worship, two at Southsea, one at Stam- 

 shaw, and one on the Eastney Road ; and the Wes- 

 leyans have fourteen. 184 There are also numerous 

 mission halls. 



The following is an account of the 

 CHARITIES principal charities in Portsmouth : 



In 1679 Thomas Winter by his 

 will gave 200 for the benefit of the poor. At a 

 subsequent date Thomas Mills gave the lease of 

 a house to the poor with power of sale. The house 

 was sold for 100. In respect of these sums, and 

 probably of other small legacies, the Corporation pays 

 15 a year, which is distributed on St. Thomas's 

 Day among the poor in sums varying from I/, to 

 /. 6J. 



In 1765 Charles West by will left 100 Old 

 South Sea Annuities, one moiety of the income 

 towards the relief of the .poor at Christmas, and the 

 other moiety to be given to thirty poor housekeepers. 

 The fund is represented by 113 ij/. 4< consols, 

 the dividends of which are duly applied. 



John Bass Eltham, by will proved 1880, left a 

 legacy invested in 2,927 01. SJ. consols, income 

 amounting to 73 5*. 6J., distributable between the 

 months of October and April to the poor of Ports- 

 mouth and Southsea, in money or in articles of 

 kind. In 1905 disbursements were made to l 52 aged 

 persons. 



Alderman Joseph George Whitcombe, by his will 

 proved with four codicils 23 November, 1892 

 (inter alia) bequeathed 6,000, to be known as 

 ' The Whitcombe Charitable Trust Fund,' for pro- 

 viding pensions of 10 per annum to poor persons of 

 sixty years of age or upwards, resident in the 

 borough of Portsmouth. The trust fund consists of 

 5,339 17*. 6J. India 3 per cent, stock. In 1905 

 annuities of 10 each were given to fifteen poor 

 persons. On the determination of certain life in- 

 terests the trust fund will be considerably augmented. 

 The same donor founded scholarships in connexion 

 with the grammar school and other schools. 



The above three charities are administered by the 

 Corporation. 



In 1 774 William Pike by his will left 300 on 

 trust for the interest to be paid on St. Thomas's Day 

 to the poor. The legacy was invested in Old South 

 Sea Annuities, which arc now represented by 440, 

 2 lo/. per cent, annuities, with the official trustees, 

 the dividends on which, amounting to l I a year, 



are duly applied. The vicar and churchwardens 

 were appointed trustees by an order of the Charity 

 Commissioners of I 2 March, 1869. 



The Highbury Street Almshouses. There was 

 formerly an almshouse in Penny Street which, being 

 required for the enlargement of the county gaol, was 

 sold in 1831 for 650. With this sum and volun- 

 tary subscriptions a site was acquired in St. Mary's 

 Street, afterwards called Highbury Street, and alms- 

 houses containing ten rooms for ten aged women 

 were erected, and a schoolroom used for infants. 

 Mrs. Caroline Jones, by her will proved in 1883, left 

 1,000 to be invested and income to be paid to the 

 inmates, 5/. each on Lady Day and Michaelmas Day, 

 and l each on Midsummer Day and Christmas Day, 

 any surplus for such charitable purposes as the vicar 

 should think fit. The investment was made in the 

 purchase of 980 ji. loJ. consols with the official 

 trustees, and the dividends are duly applied. 



Miss Anne Marie Williams, by her will, 1843, 

 bequeathed to the vicar of Portsmouth an immediate 

 legacy of 600 consols, and a further legacy of 600 

 consols after the determination of a life interest 

 therein, and directed that the income thereof should 

 be applied for the use of the most deserving poor, 

 including poor women in the almshouse, at Christmas 

 and Easter in each year, in such articles as the vicar 

 should think proper. The two legacies are represented 

 by 1,071 3/. 8(/. consols with the official trustees. 

 In 1905 the dividends, amounting to 26 15*. 4</., 

 were applied in grocery and coal tickets to seventy- 

 four persons. 



By deed, dated 31 March, 1865, Mrs. Anna 

 Victoria Little, widow of Major Robert John Little, 

 settled a sum of I oo consols (held by the official trus- 

 tees) upon trust that the dividends should be applied in 

 the distribution of bread and coals among the wives and 

 families of corporals, gunners, and drummers in H.M. 

 corps of Royal Marine Artillery resident at Portsmouth. 

 The income is distributed among necessitous families of 

 non-commissioned officers and men through the 

 agency of the Royal Marine Artillery Benevolent Fund. 



In connexion with the General Baptist Chapel, 

 St. Thomas's Street, is Bowes's Charity, which is 

 supposed to have originated in a gift of a Dr. Bowes, 

 the earliest deed in existence being dated 20 January, 

 1792, whereby the appointment of trustees is regu- 

 lated. Its endowment formerly consisted of 2,000 

 new 3 per cents., but now of 1,467 North 

 Eastern Railway 4 per cent, debenture stock, pro- 

 ducing 58 izi. \d. yearly, which together with 

 15 f)i, 3</. the rent of a dwelling-house, 19, St. 

 Thomas's Street, belonging to the chapel, was in 1905 

 applied in providing pulpit supplies, &c., 40, ex- 

 penses of the chapel 24, and the balance in repairs. 



The High Street Meeting House Charity Fund 

 now consists of 1,320, z lo/. per cent, annuities 

 held by the official trustees, arising from gifts of 

 various donors, producing 33 a year, of which fa 

 are paid to the minister of the chapel (now known 

 as the Unitarian Chapel), and ^ to the poor of the 

 congregation. Last appointment of trustees 23 May, 

 1901. 



M < The site of the Wesleyan Chapel 

 in Daniel Street was conveyed in trust by 

 a deed of 1875, together with the adjoin- 

 ing property, the rent of which is applied 

 towards the expenses of the chapel. By 



a scheme of the Charity Commissioners 

 of 10 May, 1867, the property was vested 

 in trustees in trusts of 'The Wesleyan 

 Chapel Model Deed.' New trustees were 

 appointed 18 April, 1889. 



200 



The site of the Wesleyan Chapel in 

 Victoria Road South was conveyed by 

 deed of 1865, and vested in trustees by 

 the Charity Commissioners 23 July, 

 1886. 



