The Foster, Poor Close and Poor's Allotment Charity

A recent NCHT Journal article on the the Foster, Poor Close, Poor’s Allotment charity set up to support the poor of the Ancient Parish of Giggleswick noted the legacy of Thomas Foster of Slaidburn of £100 to purchase a rent charge of £5 on a property called Blackhouse in ‘Essington in Bolland’. In his will of 1692 Thomas bequeathes household items to his niece Ann Wiglesworth. (Slater, M., 2010. ‘The changing fortunes of charities in the ancient parish of Giggleswick’, NCHT Journal, p3-6.)

In 2013 I acquired a document which is a receipt for one of the annual payments of £5 out of this £100 legacy. It notes that £5 has been given to the Church Wardens and Overseers of the Poor of Giggleswick Parish by Mrs Ann Wiglesworth. There are ten witnesses including the vicar (clerk) of Giggleswick Church, Richard Ellershaw. Richard was vicar in 1686 (BA 1682, MA 1688).

		Thomas Armitstead
Rec(eive)d by us		Jeremy Lawson Christopher
Metcalfe Thomas		Wilson & Roger Armitstead
Robert		Fawcett

Church wardens & Overseers of the poore for the parish of Gigleswicke in the County of Yorke for the time being the Sume of Five pounds of Lawfull English money of & from the hands of Mrs Ann Wiglesworth adm(inistratrix) of the goods & Chattells of Mr Henry Wiglesworth her late husband deceased which saide Sume of Five pounds is in full Consideration of A Legacy of One hundred pounds Given by Thomas Foster of Slaidborne in the County aforesaid Gent(leman) late deceased to the poore people of the said parish of Gigleswicke for this present yeare due this Twenty first day of December As Witnesse our hands this Twenty first day of December Anno Dom(ini) 1696

Witnesses
           Jere[my] Lawson
           Richard Ellershaw Clerk
           Thomas Armitstead
           Charles Nowell
           Chris:Metcalfe
           Antho. Foster
           Roger Armitstead
           John Waidson
           Tho: Willson
           J : Lawson

On other side The Church wardens & Overseers for the poore of the Parish of Gigleswicke receipt for 5li for the yeare 1696