Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    R4/608/35
  • Title
    Papers relating to charitable interests
  • Date free text
    1798-1816
  • Production date
    From: 1798 To: 1816
  • Scope and Content
    Includes erection of public weighing machine "attached to the Watchhouse", 1807 - gives list of subscribers; particulars and remarks on Woburn "Associations" - notes of speech by Salmon at a general meeting of all the local schools, clubs and other local institutions, 1817; rules of the "Sick Man's Friend Society", Woburn, instituted, 1804 - subscription 1 penny per week - no relief to be given in a family containing a person over one year old who has not been vaccinated, 1817; Annual report of the Sick Man's Friend, with balance sheet, 1817; Rules of the Union of Mechanics Benefit Society, held at The Old White Lion, Woburn, instituted Jan 1816 - annual feast on Whit-Monday; Rules of the Benevolent Brothers Benefit Society, held at the Old Greyhound, Woburn, instituted Mar 1816 - additional rule added for the introduction of vaccination-annual feast on Whit-Monday - forfeits for using nicknames; local doctor's letter to the Duke - vaccinated 1798 "persons of the poorer class, of which 559 resided in Woburn" - no charge made "upon the labouring Classes" or "the lower order of Mechanics" - states other charges - "prejudice to Vaccination is much diminished", 1817; proposals for establishing a girl's school on the Lancastrian system - Duke to provide school room and apartments for mistress - list of subscribers, 1813; Salmon's notes on the "Considerations on establishing and maintaining a Girls School at Woburn" - notes how girls "at a very early age commonly earn a trifle towards their own support which many parents would not forgo for the sake of their being educated" - six girls "to be entirely maintained in the House and made Monitors" - six others chosen as successors to the above to be "wholly Clothed and Educated - a further six to be "furnished with a Bonnet Gown and Apron Once in the Year" and to be considered successors to the above - "A Moderate part of the Day only to be employed in Education and the remainder in such useful works as can be introduced - probably Knitting - Spinning - Plattwork - Needlework - Netting - Shoemaking - Basket making - Washing & Ironing - Seive and Chair bottoming", the profit from these earning to be divided proportionately amongst the scholars, 1813; "Ladies of the Sunday School Committee" propose to "distribute the Money in Wine", undated; rules for the Woburn Free School "and the Sunday Schools attached thereto" - no child to be admitted unless they have either had the smallpox or been vaccinated - all children to be sent in a decent state "Hair Cut and Combed and Hands and face clean washed" - every boy who has regularly attended "to his Education not less than 3 Years and shall quit the same for such employment as the Committee may approve and having conducted himself to their satisfaction he shall from them secure a Character accordingly and some other token of their approbation" - "On Whit Monday in every Year the Children who behave well shall Break up and parade the Town and secure some refreshment", watermarked 1813; Whit-Monday "Proceedings" - details of the annual parade of the schools and clubs of the town - banners, music, refreshments, etc., with pencil notes "300 Penny Bunns ... 25 Quarts of Ale", 1817; details similar to above "In Parading the Marching and Music should be slow so as by no means to hurry the Children and the Music of the two Clubs should play by turns each a time three or four times over", 1817; occupiers of Woburn almshouses, 1811; applicants for almshouse and examination of one person, 1815; Woburn workhouse inmates with ages, 1816; letter apparently from William Harland regarding the church orchestra - complaints "that the flutes used did not chord well together" despite tuning before Divine Service. Explains "perhaps it is not known that one Flute sometimes takes the tenor part while another plays the canto or treble and consequently strikes a different sound". As they have been ordered not to use the flutes, they are left with a clarionet and a "Base viol" and consider there cannot be "so much harmony". Some suggestion that "Hautboys" might be permitted but as these in time might be rejected they have decided not to put themselves to the expence of purchasing them - they therefore "retire from the Gallery with feelings of pleasure mingled with regret - pleasure for attempting "to secure the approbation of the Community and to increase the attendance of the Public at Church ... many prefer the Wind Instruments &c. to the Organ" and regret "that we have not found in Woburn (tho' inhabited by so respectable a body of Gentlemen) one person to step forward to give us the least Encouragement in ... our laudable undertaking c.1816; Salmon's draft reply to above - the part he has taken [as Churchwarden] "has been by the express command of the Duke of Bedord". "As leader of Your Bass I informed Tomly that Your instruments were considered discordant and disapproved of by His Grace and that ... perhaps a Clarinet with the Base Viol would be sufficient and Less objectionable altho His Graces opinion is that the Instruments are altogether improper". "Having ever been ready to cooperate and contribute towards any measure for the advantage or pleasure of the Inhabitants of Woburn so I especially feel inclined in any matter to render the Church Service attractive and with pleasure regard Your efforts to that end but I have not heard any of the Inhabitants express their preference of Instruments to the Organ", 1816; estimate of repairs to the town fire engine, 1816; William Adam's letter of authorisation of payments to Milton Bryant Club - the Duke's subscription £5, the Duchess, £4, and the Marquis £4 per annum, 1808.
  • Exent
    23 documents
  • Level of description
    item
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