56 almspeople, viz.: one married couple and 54 widows or single women. For the most The part they belong to the class of domestic servants or seamstresses. Christian Candidates for admission to the almshouses are required to fill up printed forms Almshouses containing particulars designed to show whether they possess the required qualifications. -continued. Applications must be signed by the minister of the church or chapel attended by the candidate, by a subscriber and three householders recommending the candidate from personal knowledge, and by a surety guaranteeing that the applicant shal! have 4s. 6d. per week for maintenance while an inmate, independently of poor-law relief. Candidates attend at a meeting of the committee, and if they appear to possess the necessary qualifications, a member of the committee is deputed to make further inquiry, and if the result is satisfactory the applicant is accepted as an approved candidate, and may commence to canvass for the votes of subscribers. Elections are held twice a year, and the votes of unsuccessful candidates are carried forward to the next election. The qualifications prescribed by the rules are strictly observed. The Charity does not provide the almspeople with stipends, but in addition to the room, each inmate receives coals, medical attendance, and medicine, and a gratuity of 5s. at Christmas. The coals and medicine are provided by a coal fund and sick fund, which are supported by voluntary contributions. None of the present inmates are in receipt of poor-law relief, but the receipt of such relief does not appear to have been treated as a disqualification in the past. There is a matron receiving a salary of 15s. a week with rooms, who looks after the almspeople generally, and a married couple receiving 188. a week with rooms, who act as porter and nurse. A printed report and statement of accounts is issued annually to subscribers, and copies are sold at 6d. each for the benefit of the Charity. The accounts of the almshouses for the year 1900 have not yet been made up, but those for the year 1899 as published in the report for that year are given below. The dividends therein mentioned accrued on a temporary investment in India Stock, which has since been realised. RETURN to an Order of the Honourable The House of Commons, RETURN "comprising (1) THE REPORTS made to the Charity Commissioners, in the result of an Inquiry held in every Parish wholly or partly within the Administrative County of London into Endowments, subject to the provisions of the Charitable Trusts Acts, 1853 to 1891, and appropriated in whole or in part for the benefit of that County, or of any part thereof, together with the Reports on those Endowments of the Commissioners for inquiring concerning Charities, 1818 to 1837; and “(2) A DIGEST showing in the case of each such Parish whether any, and, if any, what such Endowments are recorded in the books of the Charity Commissioners in the Parish." The CUMBERLAND BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION, including the Bequests of George Moore and William Moore Bell. And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from E. PONSONBY, 116, GRAFTON STREET, Dublin. 1901. COUNTY OF LONDON, The Cumberland Benevolent Institution, including the Bequests of George Moore and William Moore Bell. The Inquiry into this Charity was held on the 19th February 1901, at the offices of There is a reference to this Charity in the Charity Commissioners' Register of The above-mentioned institution appears to have had its origin in a society formed about the year 1734, called the Cumberland Society, consisting of an association of gentlemen from that county residing in London, who met together periodically. In 1812 it was suggested at a meeting of the society that an institution should be formed for the relief of distressed persons who were natives of the county and their families resident in the metropolis, and in the following year it was resolved that a charitable society should be formed for the relief of persons, natives of the county, and their widows, residing within the limits of 12 miles of London, in distress, old age, sickness, or infirmity. A president, vice-president, and a committee were subsequently elected; and in May 1814 a permanent fund was established. In 1822, in addition to granting casual relief, the benefits were extended to the education and clothing of children, but some years later, in preference to the earlier modes of applying the income, the society adopted the system of granting pensions, at first of 20s. and afterwards of 30s. each per month, and this system has continued. The institution is governed by rules confirmed at a general meeting of subscribers held on the 2nd March 1875, and modified in some respects at subsequent meetings. The rules provide that the society is to be called the Cumberland Benevolent Institution, and its object is to be to alleviate in old age, by monthly relief or by grants of money, the condition of persons who being natives of the county or their widows and residing for not less than five years in the metropolis, or within 12 miles of St. Paul's Cathedral, and being over 60 years of age or totally incapable of earning a livelihood, have fallen from prosperous or comfortable circumstances; but the funds of the institution are not to be applied for the benefit of those who are fit objects for parochial relief, or so as to relieve parishes of their legal responsibilities. The management is vested in a president, vice-presidents, and a committee consisting of not less than 15 and not more than 29 subscribers or donors, including the trustees, treasurer, auditors, and honorary secretary as ex-officio members. Provision is made for an annual general meeting of subscribers and donors for the purpose of electing officers and receiving the annual report of the committee, with an audited statement of accounts. Every annual subscription of 10s. 6d., or donation of 5l. 5s., is to entitle to one vote at elections of pensioners, and persons subscribing 21. 28. annually for 6 years, or 1l. 1s. annually for 15 years, are to be life governors. The committee is to meet quarterly, and five members are to form a quorum. Persons desiring to obtain the benefits of the Charity are to apply by petition, and are not to be admitted as candidates until declared eligible by the committee. The votes in favour of unsuccessful candidates are to be carried to their credit at the two next succeeding elections. The pensioners are to receive 30s. per month each. Direction is given for the investment of surplus funds, and all legacies are to be invested so as to form a permanent fund. The Cumberland Benevolent Institution. |