Godfrey Beaumont's Charity

Also known as the Honley and Meltham Chapel Charity, this is an extant charity with the following aim:

To make income payments to the vicars of the churches in the Parishes of Honley and Meltham ... for the benefit of the general work of the relevant church.

The following information is reproduced from the charity's 2016 financial report:

The Charity was founded under the Will dated 31st March 1672 of the late Godfrey Beaumont. Mr. Beaumont was a Yeoman from South Crosland. Under his Will he made certain specific devises; then, in default of his having lawful issue (in the event he had none), he bequeathed the residue of his real property to certain named individuals upon trust to pay a specified sum of money annually for ever to the poor people of South Crosland, and the Will continued [modern spelling adopted]:

“And also pay yearly and every year for ever the sum of Three pounds of lawful money unto the Schoolmaster of South Crosland which shall teach scholars there, from time to time, for the time being for ever, And my Will and mind further is that the [named Trustees] and their heirs and the heirs of the survivor of them shall well and truly pay yearly and every year for ever the residue of the clear yearly profits of all [my residuary realty] after their reasonable charges deducted in going about the same unto the several ministers of the Word of God settled at the Chapels of Meltham and Honley in [Yorkshire] and their successors for ever equally to be divided between them from time to time for the time being for ever.”

By the Award dated 22nd November 1788 made under the Honley Inclosure Act (22 Geo.III., C8, Private) and by the Award dated 16th July 1832 made under the Meltham Inclosure Acts (57 Geo.III, C10 Private, and II Geo.IV and 1 Will.IV, C49, Private) the original Trust Estate was augmented as regards the religious gift.

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