James Evelyn founded the Beef and Faggot Charity, along with the Felbridge School Charity and The Chapel Charity, by a codicil of his will dated 3rd July 1793. James Evelyn was the second son and heir of Edward Evelyn, and inherited the Felbridge Place estate on the death of his father in 1751. It was James Evelyn who was responsible for the construction of Felbridge Place, in 1763, on the site of a previous property called Heath Hatch that had been constructed at the end of the 16th century by his grandfather, George Evelyn. James Evelyn founded Felbridge School in 1783, to provide for the educational needs of eight boys and four girls selected from the parishes of Godstone, Horne, Worth and East Grinstead, as parts of all four parishes lay within the Felbridge Place estate. He was also responsible for the construction of the Felbridge Monument in 1785, a 70ft/21m-high column, built as a dedication to his parents, Edward and Julia Evelyn, and the Evelyn Chapel built in 1787, on a site opposite the current church of St Johns in Felbridge. Although built as a family chapel, it was also used by the estate workers, whose place of worship until this date had been St Nicholas church, Godstone, some ten miles North of Felbridge.
It is evident that during his life, James Evelyn was a model lord of the manor, providing for both the educational and spiritual needs of his estate workers and tenants in Felbridge. It is also evident, from the codicil of his will referring to the Beef and Faggot Charity, that he provided for the welfare of these people, especially the poorer members of the community, as the codicil recommended that 4-stone (56lbs/25.2kg) of beef should be provided and made into broth and distributed, as during his lifetime, from the first Thursday in November until the last Thursday in April, and that a round of beef, weighing not less than 4-stone 2lbs (58lbs/26.1kg), should be provided every Sunday of the year, as during his life time.
The codicil stipulated that the preparation and cooking of both the beef broth and beef should be done by the Schoolmistress, who would receive 200 faggots of wood a year to dress (prepare and cook) the meat. The codicil also made provision for beer and bread to be served with the broth and beef by allowing the Schoolmistress the rate of 1d per head for beer and 1d per head for bread for those who partook of the charity. For the service of preparing the broth, the Schoolmistress was allowed 6d a week, although there is no mention of payment for preparing the Sunday meal. This income would have amounted to 13/- a year, on top of the wage for teaching at the school and the security of free board and lodging at the Schoolhouse.
The codicil also stated that the number of people to benefit from the charity of receiving the beef broth and the prepared beef was not to be less than twelve nor more than fourteen. Although the exact number of estate workers and tenants is unknown at the death of James Evelyn in 1793, there is a list of fifty-six names that were paying tithes on the Evelyn estate in 1800, which gives a rough idea of the number of households on the estate. Bearing this in mind, with the number of people entitled to benefit from the Beef and Faggot Charity being between twelve and fourteen, this would equate to one person being eligible in up to 25% of the households, and with a static population of about 300 living in the Felbridge area, this would equate to about 5% of the community. However, it is unclear where the prepared food was eaten as the codicil refers to the 4 stone of beef being made into broth and distributed, which may imply that at least the broth was eaten away from the Schoolhouse. It is also unclear as to whether the entitlement of beef broth and the beef dinner was enjoyed by the same twelve to fourteen people, or whether different people were eligible to one or the other. There is also no evidence of the selection process, as to whether it was by application or nomination.
On the death of James Evelyn, the Felbridge Place estate passed to his eldest daughter Julia Annabella, wife of Sir George Augustus William Shuckburgh Medley, who took the Evelyn name. On her death in 1797, and the decision was made to lease Felbridge Place, the outcome being that there was no longer a resident lord of the manor in Felbridge. On the death of Sir George Evelyn in 1804, the Felbridge Place estate passed to his daughter Julia Evelyn Medley Shuckburgh Evelyn, wife of the Hon. Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson, who did not take up residence, again leaving the Felbridge Place estate without a resident lord of the manor. It is unclear whether the Beef and Faggot Charity that had operated during the lifetime of James Evelyn continued to be administered to the community of Felbridge after his death in 1793, or whether the charity ceased to operate.
The Beef and Faggot Charity actually came into being on 19th April 1807, nearly fourteen years after the death of James Evelyn, when the High Court of Chancery ordered the granddaughter of James Evelyn, Julia Evelyn Medley Shuckburgh Jenkinson, to set aside the sum of £3,500 to be taken from the Evelyn estate, (the total capital being of the value of £11,327. 8s. 9d), and invest it in 3% consols., to provide for the future expenses of the Charity. The sum of £3,500 was later reduced by £88. 9s. 6d to £3,441. 10s. 6d by the legal expenses incurred with the appointment of two Trustees to the Charity on 15th July 1821, that of Hon. Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson, and Samuel Foster, of Lincolns Inn, London. The reduced sum of money was invested in the names of the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds for the County of Surrey, under the terms of the Charity Commissioners.
In 1851, the Hon. Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson died, and it is not clear who replaced him as Trustee of the Beef and Faggot Charity. On his death, Felbridge Place passed to his daughter, Lady Selina Charlotte, wife of Viscount William Charles Milton, and the estate continued to be leased. However, on 20th March 1856, George Gatty purchased the Felbridge Place estate, along with the rights to the lord of the manor, and it would appear that George Gatty took an active interest in the Beef and Faggot Charity, taking up the position as a Trustee of the Charity. A surviving account from 1861 details the following expenditure:
Firing £ 3.
Bread, beer and cooking £ 3. 18s.
Beef for Averys bill £19. 17s. 4d
Beef for Steers bill £20. 18s. 8d
In 1862, the value of the Beef and Faggot Charity was still £3,441. 10s. 6d, and the Trustees were listed as, George Gatty, esq., his successors and owner of the same estate, Rev John Netherton Harward, Vicar of East Grinstead, Rev Charles James Hoare, Vicar of Godstone, Rev George Wilson Banks, Rector of Worth and Rev George Bird, the Incumbent of Blindley Heath. On 29th January 1864, a scheme was authorised by the Charity Commission making the owner of Felbridge Place, the Manager of the Charity and receiver of all the income. The scheme also confirmed the rules as to the distribution of the beef broth on Thursdays between the beginning of November and the end of April, and the provision of a beef dinner on Sundays at Felbridge School. Those eligible for the charity were to be resident in the district of Felbridge or within 2 1/2 miles (4kms) of the Schoolhouse at Felbridge, and would be selected or excluded at the discretion of the Manager. There were to be no less than twelve people in total, but the Manager was given the power to increase this number if funds allowed. On the death of George Gatty on 19th May 1864, Felbridge Place passed to his second son and heir, Charles Henry Gatty, who also took on the role of Manager for the Beef and Faggot Charity.
An amended scheme for the Beef and Faggot Charity was approved on 11th December 1866, which stated:
The owner of the Mansion House at Felbridge for the time being shall, if willing to act, be the Manager of this charity, and shall receive the income and shall apply in providing victuals and coals and paying the expenses herein-after mentioned.
The Manager shall every week provide a sufficient quantity of beef or other good meat, either with vegetables or without, as thought best by the Manager, to be divided and distributed at the Schoolhouse at some convenient hour each Saturday afternoon or evening by the Master or Mistress, under the orders of the Manager.
The victuals shall not be cooked, but the Schoolmaster or Schoolmistress shall receive 6d a week for the trouble of receiving, dividing and distributing them.
The Manager may provide coals to warm the said Schoolhouse at an expense not exceeding 30/- per annum.
The recipients shall be deserving poor persons resident in the District of Felbridge, or within 2 1/2 miles of the Schoolhouse, and shall be selected, and excluded at the direction of the Manager.
The recipients shall not be less than 12 in number, and the Manager shall, in his discretion, increase the number if he finds that income of the Charity sufficient to provide a reasonable and sufficient amount of victuals as aforesaid for a large number.
If the owner of the Mansion House at Felbridge is unwilling or unable to act, or shall manage the Charity in a manner unsatisfactory to the Trustees, the Trustees may take the management into their own hands, or may appoint any other fit person in his place.
It would seem that by the 1860s, the original arrangements of providing beef broth every Thursday during the winter months and a cooked meal of beef every Sunday of the year were proving to be difficult to achieve. Also, coal had replaced faggots, primarily for heating the Schoolhouse, with no mention of it being used as fuel for cooking. The payment of 6d per week for preparing and distributing beef broth between the beginning of November and the end of April had also changed to payment all the year round for receiving, dividing and distributing beef and vegetables weekly, on a Saturday, the total amounting to 26/-.
It appears that over the next thirty years, the management of the Charity drifted solely into the hands of Charles Henry Gatty, and although he was supposed to make annual returns of income and expenditure to the Charity Commissioners, did so on only three occasions. From the returns he made it would appear that the annual income from the investment of the capital in 3% consols. was £94. 12s. 8d, with the value of meat that was annually distributed at just under £90, and the remaining value regularly spent on school insurance, coal for warming the school building and on cleaning the church, though in general, Charles Henry Gatty duly distributed the charity in the manner stipulated by the Charity Commission in 1866.
On the death of Charles Henry Gatty on 3rd December 1903, the Felbridge Place estate passed to two male cousins, Charles Lane Sayer and Alfred Leighton Sayer, along with the management of the Beef and Faggot Charity. However, as non-resident owners of Felbridge Place, which was again leased, the active Board of Trustees had fallen to three, Rev George Edward Gerard Hoare, Rector of Godstone, Rev Francis George Deedes, Vicar of Blindley Heath and Rev Douglas Yeoman Blakiston, Vicar of East Grinstead, it was decided a review of the Trustees needed to be made. It was through the initiative of the then vicar of St Johns Church, Felbridge, Rev John Thorp, that the Beef and Faggot Charity was put on a business footing after the death of Charles Henry Gatty, with the suggestion that the vicar of the parish of Felbridge should act as an Ex-officio Trustee, being that the vicar of the parish would reside in Felbridge and therefore have links with the community that were not possible with current or future non-resident owners of the Felbridge Place estate. During this re-evaluation of the Beef and Faggot Charity, the Charity Commission reviewed the terms of the original Evelyn Charity that provided for the School, Chapel and Beef and Faggots and amended the subsequent order laid down in 1866. Since that date, The Charitable Trusts Acts of 1853 to 1894, and The Board of Education Act of 1899, had been passed. After the construction of St Johns church in 1865, and subsequent formation of the ecclesiastical parish in 1866, the endowment providing for the Evelyn Chapel had been transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. However, nothing had been done in regards to the School or Beef and Faggot Charities. The amendments made by the Charity Commission on 8th July 1904, dealt with the part of the original endowment that applied to educational purposes, and it was decided that the whole of the endowment for the School Charity should be set aside to form a sole charity for the school, along with income of £1. 10s from the Beef and Faggot Charity for the purpose of warming the Schoolhouse. Therefore the Charity Commission ordered that:
To provide for the said yearly sum of £1. 10s., and in satisfaction thereof, a sum of £60 consols., part of the sum of £3,444. 10s. 6d. like Stock held by The Official Trustees of Charitable Funds in trust for the said Beef and Faggot Charity, shall be forthwith transferred in their books to the account of the said School Charity.
A review of the Beef and Faggot Charity followed, and the Charity Commission approved an amended scheme on 24th August 1906. This new scheme stated:
The body of Trustees shall, when complete, consist of five competent persons, being Three Ex-officio Trustees and two Representative Trustees.
The Ex-officio Trustees shall be The Vicar and Church Wardens, for the time being, of the Ecclesiastical District of Felbridge.
The Representative Trustees shall be persons qualified and appointed as follows:
One shall be resident in the Parish of East Grinstead and shall be appointed by the Urban District Council of East Grinstead.
One shall be resident in the South Ward of the Parish of Godstone and shall be appointed by the Parish Council of Godstone.
Each appointment shall be made for a term of four years.
The Trustees shall hold ordinary meetings at least once in each year.
In the case of persons who have for not less than three years next preceding the date of this Scheme been in regular receipt of gifts of articles in kind out of the yearly income of the Charity, the Trustees may, if they think fit, continue to make such gifts out of such income.
Subject to the payments aforesaid, the yearly income of the Charity shall be applied by the Trustees in making payments under one or more of the following heads for the benefit of such deserving and necessitous persons resident in the district of Felbridge, or within 2 1/2 miles of the Schoolhouse, as the Trustees select for this purpose, and in such way as they consider most advantageous to the recipients, and most conducive to the formation of provident habits:
1) Subscriptions or donations in aid of the funds of -
a) Any Dispensary, Infirmary, hospital or Convalescent Home, whether general or specific, upon such terms (so far as may be) as to enable the Trustee to secure the benefits of the institution for the objects of the Charity.
b) Any Provident Club or Society established in or near Felbridge for the supply of Coal, Clothing or other necessaries.
c) Any duly registered Provident or Friendly Society accessible to the inhabitants of the said beneficial area.
d) Any Cottage Hospital or District Nursing Society.
2) Contributions towards
a) The provision of Nurses for the Sick and Infirm.
b) The travelling expenses of Patients to and from such institutions as are above mentioned in paragraph 1.a).
c) The purchase of Annuities, whether present or deferred or the augmentation of any income or other means of support possessed by the recipient which shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Trustees to be properly secured, and to have been produced by his or her own exertions or providence.
d) The cost of the outfit, on entering upon a trade or occupation, or into service of any person under the age of 21.
e) The cost of providing proper care and supervision (including any necessary cost of locomotion) for poor children requiring temporary change of air or special protection or treatment.
3) The supply of-
Clothes, linen, bedding, fuel, tools, medicine or other aid in sickness, food or other articles in kind to an amount not exceeding £15 in any one year.
4) Payments for placing out as apprentice to any suitable trade, occupation or service, a poor deserving boy, born in the said beneficial area or who is, or whose parents are, bone fide resident therein, and who is, or has for not less than six years been attending some Public Elementary School or Schools.
Provided that the funds of the Charity shall in no case be applied in aid of any rates for the relief of the poor or other purposes, or, save as herein expressed provided, so that any individual or institution may become entitled to a periodical or recurrent benefit therefrom.
At the time of approval, the Charity was valued at £3,381. 10s. 6d, producing a gross annual income of £84. 10s. 8d. The new Board of Trustees who were signed in on 9th October 1906, at the first meeting after the approved scheme, comprised of, Rev John Thorp, vicar of St Johns, Felbridge, George Huggett of Felbridge Park Lodge and James Payne of Felbridge, both churchwardens, William Vicessimus Knox Stenning of Halsford, East Grinstead appointed by the Urban Council of East Grinstead and Mr H J Smeed of Gatehouse Farm, Newchapel, appointed by the Godstone Parish Council.
It is interesting to note that in May 1906, Mr W H Hills, the chairman of the East Grinstead Urban Council, had been reported in a local newspaper as having concerns that the inhabitants of East Grinstead were being deprived of their privileges by the new scheme of the Felbridge Beef and Faggot Charity, by suggesting that only inhabitants of the ecclesiastical parish of Felbridge would be entitled to receive the benefit and not, as originally laid down, inhabitants within a 2½ mile radius of the Schoolhouse. In his opinion, it would be a direct violation of the founders wishes. He also pointed out that if the substitution of areas took place it would mean that only 500 of 5,500 people currently having the right to participate would still be eligible and the town of East Grinstead would be losing a share in a capital sum. His fears were unfounded, as the Charity Commission retained the original directive of a 2½ mile radius of the Schoolhouse. It is also interesting to note, that Mr W H Hills later became a trustee for the Charity, perhaps to ensure that the inhabitants of East Grinstead were not deprived of their privileges!
At the second meeting after the adoption of the revised scheme, held on 26th November 1906, the list of recipients entitled to the distribution of 4lbs of beef a month was revised and comprised of:
George Belton of Rope Plat House (now Lyric Cottage, Rowplatt Lane)
Harry Bingham of North End
Mrs C Brooker of Golords (now Golards Farm)
John Brooker of Chestnuts (now the offices of Autoculture, Crawley Down Road)
Stephen Buckland of North End
John Creasey of Mill Lane
William Dearling, The Post Office (now The Village Shop)
Harry Marden c/o Mrs Stone, near Imberhorne School (Imberhorne School being then what is now St Peters RC School)
Arthur Stripp of Furnace Cottages (now Furnace, Furnace Wood)
James West of Warren Farm (now the site of Warren Close)
George Wheeler of Park Farm
It was resolved that a ticket would be sent to each recipient a day or two before the 1st of each month for them to collect their beef. The list of recipients would also be reviewed every six months. At this meeting the clerk presented tenders for the supply of beef from:
Mr Rogers @ 8 1/2 d per lb.
Mr Watford @ 7 3/4 d per lb.
Mr Honeycombe @ 9d per lb.
Mr Watfords tender was accepted for the following six months and if it proved to be satisfactory it would be accepted for the next twelve months. Meetings at this time were held every quarter and grants were made for the following three months.
It is interesting to note that within the forty years between the Charity Commission schemes of 1866 and 1906, the whole concept of charity to the deserving of the Felbridge community had radically changed. By 1906, there was only a fleeting mention of providing food or nourishment, which had been the essence of the original Charity set out in the codicil of the will of James Evelyn in 1793, although it is evident from the minute book that twelve people were still receiving an allocation of beef. Concerns at the turn of the 20th century placed the emphasis upon providing clothing, warmth and medical care to both young and old. The Minute Book for the Beef and Faggot Charity for 1906 to 1925 gives an interesting insight into the lives of the community of Felbridge. Some of the early successful applications include:
10th June 1907 Resolved that the sum of £5 be granted towards the apprenticeship in engineering with Messrs. A & C Brigland for John Henry Godley.
27th January 1908 Resolved that 2/6 a week be paid to Mrs Brooker (90 years of age) of Gollards Farm in respect of her old age and sickness.
Resolved to provide 4 outfits for 4 girls, May Paice, Hilder Bingham, Dora Pattenden and Dolly Woodham in respect of going out to service, at 50/- each, and that the several articles had been inspected by Miss A G Thorp and approved by her.
Resolved that a grant, not exceeding 7/-, be paid to Mary Dearling for a pair of spectacles.
12th October 1908 Resolved that 30/- be allowed to Florence Strip in respect of her teeth.
28th January 1909 Resolved that £1 be allowed towards the purchase of a Donkey by G Wright of Felbridge Lane.
29th March 1909 Resolved that the sum of £5 be paid in respect of the tricycle for Mr Meppems daughter.
3rd July 1911 It was resolved that a sum of 15/- be allowed to Peter J Burtenshaw of North End towards the expenses of a change of air as recommended by the doctor.
The minute book also lists the Societies, Provident Clubs and hospitals that received donations from the Trust. The stipulation for a donation from the charity was that they all had to be available for use by residents of Felbridge. These included:
Felbridge Boot and Shoe Club
Felbridge Clothing Club
Felbridge Coal Club
Felbridge Sick and Poor Fund
Queen Victoria Cottage Hospital
East Grinstead District Nursing Association
East Grinstead General Dispensary
East Grinstead Blanket Lending Society
Blindley Heath Nursing Home.
By 1915 the number of people receiving an allocation of beef had halved, this, coupled with the ever-increasing cost of, and difficulty in, supplying beef, and the onset of World War I, caused another change to be made to the Beef and Faggot Charity, which was detailed on 19th July 1915. The entry in the minute book states:
The only tender for supplying beef came from Mr C Morris, at 1/1 per lb.
It is resolved that the monthly gift of meat be discontinued and that the present six recipients be allowed 2/6 per month in lieu of the allowance of 4lbs (1.8kg) of beef.
In 1927, the only person listed as receiving in lieu of beef was Alan Bingham, who received 7/6. By the early 1920s the value of allowances granted for clothing, as well as the number of grants for clothing, had been greatly reduced and by the late 1930s had ceased altogether. There is, however, a reference to a special grant being made of £1 towards the cost of carpenters tools for John Harvey, son of Mr H E Harvey, but in general grants were made as a cash payment to help with the cost of living.
The 1930s saw many changes made to the charity. In October 1930, it was decided that a parcel of groceries, each costing 7/6, would be distributed at Christmas time to eighteen of the recipients. This continued until the onset of World War II. In January 1931, it was decided that in future, the secretary would pay all grants made by the Trust direct to the recipients, prior to that they were made by the Trustees. It is interesting to note that in 1932, there were fifteen cash grants, three grocery grants and one clothing allowance being paid out each quarter. In February 1932, a new vicar, Rev Albert Sidely, was appointed to St Johns, and he implemented several changes during the short time that he was at Felbridge. He had concerns over the validity of some of the recipients and investigated cases where he felt that the circumstances of a current recipient might have changed for the better. He was also concerned that there was no knowledge of the exact groceries being supplied to the recipients by Wheelers Stores, Rowplatt Lane, the designated store for the supply of the groceries. It was at the suggestion of Rev Sidley that application forms were introduced, as he felt that more specific information as to the nature of aid required would be gained from a standard set of questions than from a letter. Unfortunately, Rev Sidely died before seeing this introduced. Three new Societies or Provident Clubs were added to the list of donations during the 1930s, The Childrens Home, East Grinstead, The Nursery Association, East Grinstead and the East Grinstead branch of the Chichester Diocesan Association of Moral Welfare.
In April 1934, it was decided to ask all recipients to make fresh applications, still by letter, each year at the Michaelmas Quarter, (end of September), so that the Trustees could assess whether the recipients means had improved sufficiently for their name to be taken of the list. The application form, suggested by Rev Sidely in 1932, was introduced in 1935. In April 1936, the Trustees raised the question as to what constituted the necessities of life in the way of food, as from the list of supplied provisions from Wheelers Stores it was apparent that the recipients had not been purchasing items the Trustees considered necessities. It was decided that a list of nine articles would be drawn up and supplied to the recipients of groceries stating that these constituted the necessities of life in regard to food and that the vouchers supplied to redeem their grocery grant could only be used to purchase these items, a list was also supplied to Wheelers Stores.
With the onset of World War II, it proved increasingly difficult to supply the Christmas gift of groceries due to food rationing; the solution to the Christmas gift was each recipient would receive two cartloads of coal instead. The coal was supplied by Bests of East Grinstead and was delivered in the first weeks of March. After hostilities ceased, questions were raised about the policies adopted by the Trustees during the war period, and it was thought by some that they were not justified and could not now continue, as they did not conform to Clause 17 of the adopted Charity Commission scheme of 1906. In 1947, the Trustees, under advice, adopted a new interpretation of Clause 17. This was to discontinue the provision of a grant of cash or a grant for groceries, except for those already receiving it prior to 1945. The Chairman of the Trustees did not agree with the new interpretation, however it was still adopted. The consequence of this action was felt in September that year, with the annual Christmas gift. It was reported that the Fuel Controller objected to the usual issue of coal at Christmas because of prevailing conditions. The possibility of substituting a cash grant was ruled out because of the new interpretation of Clause 17 and continued rationing difficulties prohibited the issue of groceries. It was therefore decided to discontinue the Christmas gift issue. With the introduction of annual applications, the number of Trustees meetings had fallen to two a year by 1947, and by 1949, to one, where applications were reviewed and assistance offered for the following year.
During the 1950s the majority of applications made to the Beef and Faggot Charity were for groceries, coal and help with the cost of living. Groceries, on average, that had been issued to the value of 10/- a quarter in the early 1930s rose to £6 a year by the mid 1950s, with the coal allowance ranging from 1/2 to 1 ton a year. In 1953, Felbridge became a Civil Parish in its own right, administered by its own elected Parish Council, having spent most its life as Godstone Detached under the administration of Godstone Parish Council. Gradually, Godstone Parish Council forwarded all relevant files relating to Felbridge and in 1955, the clerk of the Felbridge Parish Council received the file on the Beef and Faggot Charity. It was at this point that the Felbridge Parish Council discovered that the Charity was not an ecclesiastical one as had been thought. It was discovered that copies of the Charitys accounts had not been sent to Godstone Parish Council since 1949, possibly due to the change of vicar at St Johns, Felbridge in that year, who may not have been aware of his responsibilities in regard to the Beef and Faggot Charity. The accounts for 1953-54, however, were supplied so presumably Rev Reginald Theobald, the new vicar, had by then become acquainted with the procedures of the Charity. On receipt of the file, the Felbridge Parish Council also discovered that the order setting up the Charity, as outlined in the 1906 Charity Commission scheme, provided that one of the Trustees should be resident in the South Ward of the Parish of Godstone and be appointed by the Parish Council of Godstone. In view of the fact that the Civil Parish of Felbridge had recently been formed and was now independent from Godstone, and responsibility of the affairs of Felbridge now fell to the Felbridge Parish Council, it was necessary for the Trustees of the Beef and Faggot Charity to have the order amended by the Charity Commissioners, who agreed that the Trustee previously appointed by Godstone should now be appointed by Felbridge Parish Council. The Godstone appointment had been Mr K G Frayer, who was willing to continue to serve, and his appointment was proposed and accepted by the Felbridge Parish Council in October 1955.
The Charity Commission proposed some variations to the existing scheme for the Beef and Faggot Charity, which brought it more in line with existing conditions and the new scheme was approved on 13th March 1956, which stated:
In clause 5 of the Principal Scheme (Beef and Faggot Charity as regulated in 1906) for the words One shall be resident in the South Ward of the Parish of Godstone and shall be appointed by the Parish Council of Godstone there are substituted the words One shall be resident in the Parish of Felbridge and shall be appointed by the Parish Council of Felbridge.
Clause 17 of the Principal Scheme shall be henceforth as follows:-
17a) Subject to the payments aforesaid the Trustees shall apply the yearly income of the Charity as they think fit for the benefit either of poor persons resident in the Ecclesiastical Parish of St John the Divine, Felbridge, or within a radius of 2 1/2 miles from the Schoolhouse at Felbridge generally or of such poor persons resident therein as they select and in particular but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing in one or more of the following ways:
1) Gifts of bedding, clothing, food, fuel, furniture or other useful articles, including comforts or other aids for the sick.
2) Weekly allowances of a value of not less than 2s. 6d. or more than 10s. except with the approval of the Charity Commissioners; provided that instead of paying the whole of such weekly allowance to any recipient in money the Trustees may spend all or part thereof for his or her benefit in such ways as they think fit.
3) Gifts of money to relieve sickness, infirmity or distress.
4) Grants for the benefit of persons who are sick, infirm, convalescent or in need of rest or change of air to defray the expense of recuperative holidays or of obtaining domestic help.
5) Payment of travelling expenses of persons entering or leaving hospitals, convalescent homes or similar institutions or of relatives visiting the sick or infirm in such institutions.
6) Assistance pf persons who are preparing for, entering upon or engaged in any trade, occupation or profession by provision of tools or books, payment of fees for instruction or examination, payment of travelling expenses or such other means as will fit them to earn their own living or advance them in life.
7) Subscriptions to almshouses or other charitable institutions or organisations having for their object the benefit of poor persons resident aforesaid.
8) Subscriptions to homes or hostels for the residence of care of old, infirm or homeless persons upon terms, which will ensure that their benefits are available for poor persons resident as aforesaid.
17b) In applying the income of the Charity the Trustees shall observe the following restrictions:
1) They shall not apply the income of the Charity directly in relief of rates, taxes or other public funds; but they may apply the income in supplementing relief or assistance provided out of public funds.
2) They shall not commit themselves to make recurring grants.
3) They shall not give assistance to individuals unless satisfied that they are deserving and in need.
The Board of Trustees remained unchanged, except for the Godstone Parish Council appointment, which would henceforth be made by the Felbridge Parish Council. At this time, references to donations made to Societies and Provident Clubs disappear from the minute books.
In 1961, the Trustees Investment Act was passed that allowed for a wider scope of investment funds. It was agreed that the funds of the Charity, which at that time amounted to £3,381. 10s. 6d., being invested in 2 1/2% consols., would be transferred to a new Unit Trust, with the hope of gaining more income. During the 1960s and the 1970s the Charity provided a combination of groceries, and coal donations distributed to about twenty people a year, and the Christmas gift was reinstated, along with a card expressing Good Wishes to be delivered with the goods supplied. In 1970, the reinstatement of quarterly meetings was suggested but it was generally agreed to call Trustees together from time to time in emergencies, but to remember to leave a good sum of money towards the allocation of the Christmas gifts, and not only use it on fuel and groceries throughout the year. It was agreed in November 1970, that the number of applications should be curtailed rather than reduce the various sums of money allocated. By 1974, due to the rising cost of coal, it was felt that recipients of groceries were at a disadvantage in the value of goods received, so the decision was made that the allocation of 5cwt (254kg) of coal, at a cost of £5.40, would be reduced to 3cwt (152.4kg), at a cost of £4.11, and that the value of groceries would increase from £3.50 to £4.00, therefore balancing out the value of each donation.
In 1976, the decision was made to give a straight £5 donation to the twenty-six recipients on the trustees list, for the recipient to use, as he or she decided. This would be paid annually in December and would combine the coal and grocery grants with the Christmas gift. The Board of Trustees agreed to meet in October to review the list of recipients and amend where necessary, and determine the value of the donation based on the performance of the investment trust. The value of the donation gradually increased, along with the number of recipients, throughout the 80s and early 90s. There were 35 recipients in 1996 and the monetary value peaked in 1998 at £20. With falling dividends from the investment trust, it was decided in November 2000, to retain the £20 gift and reduce the number of recipients to twenty-eight. A further decision was made in December 2002 that an increased amount should be given to fewer people in the future.
2003 should see a boost to the Beef and Faggot Charity investment trust of £1,750, money negotiated by Felbridge Parish Councillors Ken Housman and Alec King, from The Sand and Gravel Pit Charity after the sale of the Snow Hill public gravel pit back in the 1980s. The sale went through without notification to the Felbridge Parish Council who, on discovering the completed transaction, felt that Felbridge was entitled to its third of the value, along with Bletchingley and Horne, the other two parishes involved with the Sand and Gravel Pit Charity. Eventually, after the sale of the Tilburstow Hill gravel pit, it was agreed that Felbridge was entitled to its one third. It was decided by the Felbridge Parish Council that the best way for the people of Felbridge to continue benefiting from its share of the sale of the gravel pit was to invest the money in the Beef and Faggot Charity. However, the decision about Felbridges entitlement of the proceeds of the sale of the Snow Hill gravel pit was made in 2002, and to date, the Parish Council are still waiting to boost the funds of the Beef and Faggot Charity.
The Beef and Faggot Charity has stood the test of time and has evolved to best suit the needs of successive generations of Felbridge, although there was some doubt as to the correct title of the Charity in 1995. Some believed it to the Beef and Faggot Charity and others, the Beef and Faggot Trust, however, after some research, it was established that it was the Beef and Faggot Charity, and that the name had changed to Trust in 1931, but that Trust was not accepted as a legal title by the Charity Commission. Perhaps the biggest changes to have occurred since the initial foundation of the Charity in 1793 are:
The Charity was enforced by an order of court, to invest money for future expenses, to be run by a Board of Trustees, with the vicar of St Johns, Felbridge, as the chairman, thus overcoming the problem of Felbridge not having a resident lord of the manor to manage the Charity.
The original distribution of beef broth during the winter months and a cooked beef dinner on Sundays was later replaced by the distribution of uncooked beef and later still by an assortment of groceries, clothing, coal and medical care. This has now been replaced by a donation of cash, annually, in December, although provision is made under the 1956 scheme for a number of other options, if requested.
There is now no fixed number, either minimum or maximum, of recipients eligible each year; the number of recipients is restricted only by the performance of the investment fund.
Although it is unclear how recipients were chosen to benefit from the beef broth or cooked beef dinner during the lifetime of James Evelyn and the initial years of the Charity after his death in 1793, applications are no longer made to the Charity, as they were between 1906 and 1956; instead, official representatives of the Charity give donations to people in the Felbridge and North End area through nomination.
The Beef and Faggot Charity, particularly if it receives the additional money from the Sand and Gravel Pit Charity, should continue to be active for many years to come. The Charity is a testament to the compassion and vision of James Evelyn, who not only provided for the educational, spiritual and welfare needs of his estate workers and tenants in Felbridge during his lifetime, but also after his death, over two hundred years ago, he continues to contribute to the welfare of residents of Felbridge. Through their continued acceptance of this now annual gift from the Beef and Faggot Charity the recipients perpetuate the ideals of James Evelyn and partake in a long established part of the heritage of Felbridge.
Glossary
Consols. - Consolidated Fund a fund into which certain tax revenue is paid and from which certain recurrent expenses, notably interest, are met.
Dress - to clean for cooking or sale, (the beef).
Faggot - Bundle of twigs, sticks or branches, bound together.
Investment trust - A company that invests its capital, acquired by the issue of shares, solely in other companies
Round - Whole or complete, (of beef, weighing not less than 4 stone 2lbs).
Bibliography
Papers relating to the Beef & Faggot Charity, 1862-1866, SHC, 3545
Charity Commission Seal for Beef & Faggot Charity, 1866, 1904, 1906 and 1956, FHA
Sale Catalogue for Felbridge Place, 1911, FHA
Accounts for the Beef & Faggot Trust, 1906-1925, SHC, 3545
Minute Book for the Beef & Faggot Charity, 1906-1925, FHA
Minute Book for the Beef & Faggot Charity, 1960- 2002, Board of Trustees
Applications to the Beef & Faggot Charity, 1926-1960, SHC, 3702/6/10
Charities of the Tandridge hundred, Victoria History of Surrey
History of East Grinstead by WJ Hills, FHA
Beef & Faggot Charity, notes by I D Margary, FHA
Beef & Faggot Charity, notes by Nancy McIver, FHA
Beef & Faggot Charity, notes by Ken Housman, FHA
East Grinstead Urban Council, article in local newspaper, 5/5/1906, FHA
Obituary of Rev J Thorp, Local Newspaper, 1914, FHA
Beef & Faggot Trust, Surrey Mirror, 1933, FHA
Felbridge Parish & People, by The Felbridge Parish Council
The Village School, by Gordon Wilkins
The Beef & Faggot Charity at Felbridge, by Daphne Ayerst, Parish News, Nov.2002, FHA
Minutes of the Felbridge Parish Council, 1953-1999
SJC 03/03