in 1768 William Shepherd conveyed the close then denominated the Bailiffs' Moor Hey to Henry Lawson, yeoman, of Kirkham, who in the following year being moved by "divers good causes and considerations" sold to the Rev. Charles Buck, vicar of Kirkham, and twelve others, all of Kirkham, gentlemen, for the sum of five shillings, two plots of land in Kirkham township, one of which, called Moorcroft, contained a rood and four perches, and the other, Swarbreck's Old Earth, comprised an acre and an half. The conditions were that all profits or income accruing from the lands should be used for the relief of the poor of the aforesaid township.[1]
On the 1st of December, 1739, a legacy of £40 was bequeathed to trustees by Elizabeth Brown, to be invested, and the interest applied to the relief of the poor and necessitous widows of Kirkham, or the neighbouring townships, at Michaelmas.
The sum of £140 was received under the will, dated 1767, of William Harrison of Kirkham, to be invested, and the interest to be expended in Common Prayer books, Bibles, etc., two-thirds of which were to be given to the poor of this town, and the remainder to the poor of Little Eccleston and Larbrick.[2]
In 1816 Mrs. Mary Bradkirk placed £320 in the navy, five per cents. in her own name and that of Zachary Langton, esq., of Bedford Row, London; and subsequently trustees of this fund were appointed, whose duty it was to distribute the interest as follows:—
That of £100 amongst five necessitous persons in the township of Kirkham for life, and each vacancy to be filled up immediately after the death of the former recipient.
That of £20 to Joseph Brewer, then parish clerk of Kirkham, for life, and after his demise to the person filling the office of sexton at the same place.
That of £100 to five poor persons of Ribby-with-Wrea, and that of the last £100 to five poor persons of Bryning-with-Kellamergh, the vacancies to be treated as in those of Kirkham.
The only requirement on the part of the pensioners being that they should be members of the Church of England. The income of this charity, which amounts to more than £10 a year, like those of the five preceding it, forms part of the bailiffs' fund.
