152 



Bishop* 8 Cannings. 



deed relating to it in the possession of the feoffees, is dated Febru- 

 ary 5th, 1760, and is a conveyance to the feoffees therein named, 

 of the several parcels of which it then consisted ; all of these par- 

 cels ar£ still in the possession of the feoffees, except certain portions 

 of them, which have been exchanged for other parcels, in pursu- 

 ance of several Acts of inclosure. The trusts of this deed are for 

 the reparation and uses of the parish church of Bishop's Cannings, 

 and for no other purpose whatsoever. These trusts have been 

 faithfully executed by the present feoffees, viz., Wm. Macdonald, 

 vicar of Bishop's Cannings; Thomas Brown, William Brown, 

 Charles Biddings, and Mark Sloper. 



With other charities, we must not omit to mention, though 

 small in amount, those of Mr. Paul Weston, and Mr. Stevens, 

 which have become unavailable for the intended objects of the 

 donors. Mr. Weston left to the overseers £20, and Mr. Stevens 

 £10, the interest arising from which to be distributed in bread 

 among the second poor. This was regularly done every year on 

 St. Paul's day, until the present Poor Law came into force, when 

 the Commissioners refused to allow it to stand on the parish 

 accounts. £30 therefore lies in abeyance, and the poor lose their 

 loaves. 



Thomas Stevens. Among those who have done honour to their 

 native parish by their talents, their industry, and their Christian 

 beneficence, the name of Thomas Stevens, Esq., Alderman of the 

 city of Bristol, is deserving of a record in this memoir. He entered 

 Bristol a poor rustic boy. His father had a wish that his son 

 should obtain a more profitable calling than his own, which was 

 that of a labouring man, and went to Bristol (probably on foot) for 

 the purpose of apprenticing him to some tradesman there. This 

 was in March 1622, and at the expiration of the month he was 

 apprenticed to a grocer for eight years. On the expiration of the 

 term of his servitude, March 15th, 1630, he took up his freedom 

 to the trade to which he had served his time, and soon after com- 

 menced business on old Bristol Bridge, which ancient structure 

 was then crowded with houses. Stevens was successful in trade 

 and on the 15th September 1660, held so good a position in the 



