PEARSON'S CHARITY, ETC. The founder of this charity for the benefit of the poor of Bishop Auckland, by his will, which bears date April the 16th, 1713, is described as Thomas Pearson, of Coundon, gentleman. He devises all that messuage and farm which he held of the Dean and Chapter of Durham, and all his lands and grounds situate in the township of Westerton, and the benefit of the renewal thereof, unto his father, Thomas Pearson, and his mother, and their assigns, for the pay- ment of his debts, and the surplus thereof, for their lives; and after their deaths unto the vicar or parson of the parish church of St, Andrew's Auckland, and the successive vicars of that parish, in trust for the poor of the said parish for the time being, towards their relief, maintenance, and support; to be distributed and divided among them as equally as he can, with the assistance of the churchwardens for the time being, without giving any preference to any particular person within the said parish. His mind was that the said vicar or parson fpro tern.) should and might, with the rents, issues, and profits, renew and take any new lease of the same of the Dean and Chapter for seven years, subject to the trusts aforesaid. He also appointed his father his executor. The leases of this property so bequeathed by Thomas Pearson have, since the date of his bequest, been regularly renewed, in accordance with the custom of the Dean and Chapter of Durham. In a lease which bears date 28th September, 1826, the Dean and Chapter of Durham demised to the Rev. John Bacon, his executors, &c., a messuage, with a fold-yard thereunto belonging, and one-half of the grass garth, as the same was then divided, containing half an acre, or there- abouts ; a garth called " Homsgarth ;" and a close called " Ox Pasture," containing by estimation twenty-eight acres ; and a close called " Etall," as the same were formerly in the occupation of Thomas Pearson, which premises were situate at Westerton, otherwise West Merrington, for the term of twenty-one years from the 5th of September then last, at the yearly rent of £1 13s. 7d. (all woods, underwoods, mines, and quarries excepted). The lessee covenanted to repair and uphold the house and buildings and fences during the said term, and to deliver them up in good condition at the end thereof. From the accounts of the incumbent of St. Andrew's Auckland (John Bacon), it appears that he paid £140 19a 7d. for the renewal of the lease in 1826. At the date when this lease was so granted, the premises specified in the will of Pearson were let to one Richard Parkin, as yearly tenant, at a rental of £45, but this was subsequently increased to £60. Out of the income derived from the above bequest, and other two charities hereafter mentioned, and the money collected at the sacrament, which generally exceeded altogether £70 a year, the late Rev. John Bacon distributed annually, at Easter, to the poor of Bishop Auckland, in small sums, to the amount of from £20 to £25, and gave from £12 to £l8 to the overseers of other townships in the parish for distribution. The portion allotted to each township varied from 2s. to £2 2s. ; and though the larger sums were given to the more populous places, no certain rule of apportionment seems to have been observed. There was also paid £2 10s. Od. aritiually to the Parish Clerk. This payment was made to him in lieu of the Easter dues to which he was entitled from the poor persons who partook of the money distributed as above mentioned. In the year 1821, the sum of £109 was expended in repains. In 1826, the simi of £140 19s. 7d. paid, as before mentioned, for the renewal of the lease, exceeded the balance in Mr. Bacon's hands ; but previously to his death, in 1827, the money which he advanced for this purpose was repaid, and a balance of £12 Os. lOd. accrued in his hands, which was paid by his executors to his successor, the Rev. George Fielding, who seems to have pursued the same mode of application as his predecessor. At Easter, 1828, he divided about Digitized by Google
