said John Slater and Matthew Lent, their executors or administrators, from thenceforth to pay the interest and dividends thereof into the hands of the rector, churchwardens and overseers of the parish of Tottenham High Cross, to be by them laid out in good and wholesome bread, and distributed amongst the several persons who for the time being should dwell in the said alms-houses, in addition to the interest and dividends of £300 stock directed to be paid to them by the said will (251).

THE Sunday School for Girls was established in 1812, and is also supported by voluntary subscriptions and donations. Although this school is yet in its infancy there are fifty girls who attend every Sunday morning and afternoon at the school room, where they are taught to read, and instructed in the Church Catechism, after which they proceed to church. There is a mistress appointed by the subscribers at a salary of £5 10s. per annum. A lady, subscriber, always attends the children at the school room on Sundays.

Since this school has been established there have been admitted 178 girls, who have profited by the instruction given them in the tenets of the established religion. There are no funds.

THE Sunday School for boys, established about the year 1803, is also supported by voluntary subscriptions and donations. There are at this time about fifty boys who attend every Sunday morning and after

(251) See page 210 ante, for another extract of this will as to the £300 reduced Annuities..

noon at the school room over the great porch of the church, where they are taught to read, and are instructed in the principles of the established religion. The master is appointed by the subscribers at a salary of £10 per annum. The school is managed by a committee of annual subscribers. There are no funds.

In addition to these schools, two have recently been established on what is now generally designated the British System. That for the boys was instituted in 1812, and is situated near White Hart Lane; there are usually about 150 scholars, under the care of one master, who has a salary of sixty-five guineas per annum: the other outgoings, including rent, firing, lessons, prizes, &c. amount to about £50 more.

The Girls' School was established in 1815. The premises, consisting of a capital school room, and a dwelling house attached for the mistress, are situate about the centre of Tottenham on the east side of the high road. They were erected at an expence of near £650, which was chiefly raised by loans in £20 shares, bearing interest to liquidate the capital within a given time. There are upwards of 100 scholars. The mistress lives rent free, has £45 per annum, and firing the additional outgoings, including ground rent, &c. average upwards of £50.

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These schools are supported by voluntary contributions, and the payment of one penny per week on the part of the children.

OF THE CHARITY FOR LYING-IN WOMEN THE FEMALE BENEFIT CLUB-AND SAVING BANK.

THE Lying-in Charity was formed by Mrs. Priscilla Wakefield in 1791, and is believed to be the first established on the plan. It is supported by annual subscriptions, which are much increased since its establishment. There are generally about sixty subscribers who pay £1 6s. each, from which 120 persons are upon an average annually relieved, with the use of a bag of linen, and 11s. given in money.

OF THE FEMALE BENEFIT CLUB.

THE Female Benefit Club, and the Saving Bank, at Tottenham, instituted in 1798 and 1804, was first established by Mrs. Priscilla Wakefield. For the advantage of children, a fund for deposits has been annexed to this club ever since its first establishment.

OF THE SAVING BANK.

THE Saving Bank at Tottenham was instituted on the 1st of January, 1804, and was the first distinct bank for savings publicly set on foot for the benefit of the lower classes; the sole and express object of which was the safe custody and accumulation of the savings of the industrious poor.

The Saving Bank is entirely conducted by Mrs. Powell, assisted by a treasurer, and all purchases made into the funds are placed in the names of two trustees; namely, the Rev. Thomas Roberts, vicar, and Edmund Larken, Esq.

The sum now in the Five per Cents. amounts to upwards of £2000, besides a balance in the treasurer's hands. This has been derived principally from servants and poor people who have had small sums left to them. Some servants place in this bank as small a sum as 7s. a quarter. A monthly nurse a short time since placed in the bank £160 of her savings.

The whole of the accounts are under the management of Mrs. Powell, into whose hands the deposits are paid, and who pays the interest the first Monday in every month to such as wish it. These accounts, as well as the treasurer's, are audited once a year by the trustees.

The mothers of some of the children deposit 2s. monthly for each of three or four children. There are about forty names of children on the books; but they are continually changing: they have amounted to some hundreds in number since the first institution of the fund.

The Saving Bank is intended solely for the benefit of those, whose income does not afford them an opportunity of investing it to advantage elsewhere.

Several respectable gentlemen in the parish engage for themselves and their heirs to be answerable for all sums of money deposited in the bank, with Five per Cent. interest upon every 20s. which shall have remained in the Benefit Bank twelve calendar months.

Any sum from 1s. and upwards, is received from servants, labourers, and others, which will be returned on demand, and the interest paid yearly.

The trustees reserve to themselves the liberty of re

fusing to receive any sums from the rich, as by allowing them Five per Cent. interest they might be considerable loosers.

The trustees are, the Rev. Thomas Roberts, Henry Piper Sperling, John Dickinson, Henry Thompson, Edward Rowe Mores, Richard Mountford, Edmund Larken (treasurer), William Wright, and Robert H. Sparks, Esqrs.

THE OFFICERS OF THE PARISH

CONSIST of two churchwardens (the one chosen by the vicar, the other by the inhabitants); four overseers (one for each ward); one vestry clerk; two surveyors of the highways; one sexton (who is a constable); two aleconners; one master and one mistress of the workhouse; a surgeon and apothe cary; four constables (one for each ward); one beadle (who is also a constable); two common drivers; and an engineer.

OF THE CHURCHWARDENS.

THE churchwardens are a corporation, by custom, to sue and be sued for the goods of the church; and they may purchase goods, but not lands (except it be in London, by custom.) They may also purchase

parish, and take money

goods for the use of the or things (by legacy, gift, &c.) for the benefit of the church. They may dispose of the goods of the church with the consent of the parishioners. But the