Reference
X277/261
Title
Minute book: folio, 172pp, bound in vellum.
At front: names of boys 'set up or put out' with rent from Edlesborough Farm, 1741-89. p. 30. clause in the will of Mrs. Fra. Ashton relating to this farm:- devising to the trustees of the Charity a farm at Edlesborough, Bucks, occ. Mr. Jane & Mrs. Meade, in trust to allow the minister and churchwardens of Dunstable to receive the rents, and they, together with the trustees of the Charity School and the Master, to place a boy educated at the school apprentice, and to buy him two suits of clothes during his apprenticeship, with the first year's rent, and with the second year's rent to set up one of the Charity School children in trade when he had served out the time of his apprenticeship. And so alternately every year. None of the children can benefit who have not been at the school for 3 years. 30 March, 1727.
Trustees Annual Meetings (place and date) 1739 - 1795. Names of trustees, officers elected, financial statements, lists of boys elected to fill vacancies, appointment of headmasters, rules and orders made by trustees, boys apprenticed (fuller account), management of the Charity estate, tenants' names and rents paid. Conveyances to new Trustees.
Other incidents:-
p. 2-8 Thos. Brotherhood has 'highly misbehaved' and refused to return to his master, Christopher Reed. Tebworth, carpenter.
p. 6-8 Conference with the trustees of Ashton's Charity about the schoolhouse clock and renewing the inscription.
"Enquiry to be made into case of apprentice turned over to another master. 17-20. The master must keep a book of admissions as required by the deed of settlement; has been keeping records on loose sheets of paper. School has 30 boys.
9-15 Death of the master, Moses Gratwick: nominations.
"New rules: The master is to make it his chief business to instruct the children in the principles of the C. of E. as laid down in the catechism. Rev. Thos. Hill elected.
15-17 Resolved that the master may take any number of boarders not exceeding 4, and up to 6 day scholars.
33. Resolved no putting out to be done without a petition from the child - name, age and qualification.
55-7 No boy to be presented to the trustees without a previous application to the master for examination in reading, an production of a certificate of his age.
67- 78. Death of Mr. Hill. Sam. Carte recommends the prohibiting the appointment of an usher without notice to the trustees. Snoxell, candidate for the mastership has been an usher at the school for 5 years. His wife is an anabaptist. Snoxell elected in spite of this.
96. Order: that the master is to take care that the boys join in singing the psalms with the rest of the congregation.
127. Order: no boy to be admitted without producing cert. of age.
136-8. Letter from the Trustees resident in Dunstable about the disrepute the school had fallen into under Snoxell. Resolved: that Snoxell shall be dismissed.
138-40 Copy of the advertisement for the new schoolmaster. list of candidates. Resolved: to add to rule 9 - the master is to observe all rules and orders made by the trustees, and to report all cases of gross misbehaviour among the boys, to the trustees. Election of Mr. Ward. as master.
p 160-3. clothing is costing 22s per. boy. Ward resigns. Jn. Gresham elected as master.
165-7 No boy to wear any part of [school] clothing during leave of absence in time of harvest. Resolved: the boys to have 1 week at Easter and Whitsun, 4 weeks at harvest.
Date free text
1739-1795
Production date
From: 1739 To: 1795
Level of description
item