The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-06-17
LONDON PAkIsHEs.


Some Of its parishes parishes frequently
covering only few rods of ground-havs
almost no population. One, that of st.
Benet Sherehog, had at the last census q
population of but thirty-two souls; many
have less than one hundred, and only four
teen have population exceeding one thou
sand, while not single parish in the whole
city has ten thousand The Bank of Eng
land is built over the whole of one parish,
St. Christopher le Stock, and part of two
others adjoining. The little garden or court
in the middle of its inclosure was once the
mere blocks OF Offices, inhabited only by
the Office honsekeepers and their families.
But though the population has gone, the
parochial charities remain, and year by year
yield the large sum of more than E1OO, 600,
possibly very much more. 1t is, therefore,
know what is done with the money. In
many instances it is impossible to distribute
it according to the intention of the original
donor. Expedients of all kinds have there
fore to be resorted to in order that the in
comes Of the charities may get dispersed.
Some parishes do get hold of q few paupers
and good deal of money is made away
with over them, but whether wisely or not
it is impossible to say, for details are rarely
or eversupplied. Judging, however, by the
samples of charity administration that have
come to light, the habit of concealment il
most likely highly prudent. It is worth
while giving few samples of city parochial
charity dispensation gathered from the in
teresting analysis appended to the re-
port of the School Board COMMITTEE. We
may quote almost at random. and shall find
plenty like the following: In the case Of
Hammond's Trust in the Parish of st. An
drew-by the Wardrobe, the Church Warslens
spent f39 out of money belonging to .
charity for the poor, for flags, on the oc-
casion of laying the foundation-stone of the
building for the Bible Society's premises.
Out of Harrison's Trust, for general uses
of the poor" E53 was paid in one year to
the church choir. In another instance,
where about $76 is payable to the poor Of
st. John the Baptist upon Walbrook, "only
e. is paid to the poor personally" gifts be-
ing made to hospitals, asyiums, church
funds, and such like. This parish has al
together an annual income of apparently
about e, 900 q year, the greater part of
which appears to be diverted TO uses not
contemplated in its bequests. In some
cases the city companies have quietly alb
sorbed the greater part of the proceeds of
charities, as in the following example: 60 In
st. Vedast Foster Parish Lady Gresham be-
queathed on trust six houses to Sir Rowland
HM-'the comfort and relief of the poor
being the thing she most earnestly desired
to be accomplished Sir Rowland con-
veyed the property to the Mercers' Company
upon trust that they should pay out of the
rents s9 los. year to the poor of three
parishes, st. Vedast being one.. At the
date of the conveyance the property yielded
ETA Is. Sd. year. The value of the estate
at present has not been ascertained; in 1919
It was recorded as yielding sf9O2 per an an
mum. The Company however, continue
to pay the sum of f3 only to each of the
three parishes - Macsnillian's Magazine.