The John Upton Charity
The John Upton Charity (registered charity #219182) makes grants to promote charitable purposes for the general benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Gawsworth. Beneficiaries have included the Methodist Chapel, St James Church, the Primary School, the Community Shop, Scouts, Girls Brigade and the Village Hall. The Parish Council is the trustee for the charity, but it is run independently of the council.
Apply for a Grant
The John Upton Charity welcomes applications for grants consistent with its objective. We would also be pleased to hear from you if you have any questions or if you have a suggestion for a grant which would benefit Gawsworth inhabitants.
To apply for a grant, simply download an application form and submit it to johnuptoncharity@gawsworthpc.org.uk
History of the Charity
Records on Gawsworth Charities, issued by the Charity Commissioners in 1837 show that what is now the John Upton Charity once consisted of a number of small charities dating back to the 18th century.
Fitton Gerald’s Charity
The only record of this charity was in a Benefaction table, which records that interest on £15, to which the parish added £5 and its security, is paid to the poor housekeepers resident in Gawsworth Parish each year. The charity is thought to be referred to in the Parliamentary Returns 1786-1788 under the name of the Earl of Macclesfield.
John Swaine Charity
The same table refers to an amount of £23 on which interest was again paid to the poor housekeepers of the parish annually. These charities were referred to under the title of “John Swaine and others”
Hall’s Charity
The only reference to this charity was in a Benefcation table in the church, where reference to the Buxton Turnpike Trust paying interest of £20 to the schoolmaster of Gawsworth for his work and £20 to buy bibles. In 1832, no money had been paid by the Buxton Turnpike Trust since 1819.
Tickell’s Charity
Reverend John Tickell bequeathed £200 to the rector and churchwardens of Gawsworth to be invested and apply the dividends from this to educate the poor children of the parish. According to records, the money was invested on 31st October 1817 in consolidated loans.
Wade Stubb’s Charity
In 1821 Wade Stubbs bequeathed £500 to the acting clergyman and churchwardens of Gawsworth to educate the poor children born in the parish.
At the time of being set up, many of these trusts were administered by the Overseers and Churchwardens and no further records have been found. In 1893 an act of Parliament brought all trusts and charities into the responsibility of local authorities, and the Parish Council administered the charities since then.
By 1963 only three charities remained, the rest having been absorbed into the remaining three. The John Swaine Charity and The Upton Educational Charity were wound up in 2005, as they had no identifiable assets. At this time a new scheme was set up for the John Upton Charity, which consisted of the land and five cottages at Moss Terrace.
On December 4th 2005, on the advice of the Charity Commission, these cottages were sold as they no longer produced an income for the charity. The resulting capital was invested and the interest on these investments is now available for grant purposes with the new scheme.