Records relating to Lord Warrington's Charity

The subfonds EGR9 principally comprises annual bundles of accounts, invoices and receipts for the Earl of Warrington's Charity in the years 1786-1816 and 1862-1916. The vouchers detail expenditure on the schooling, boarding and clothing of poor boys at Carrington School and Seamon's Moss School; donations to coal clubs in Dunham Massey, Bowdon and Altrincham; donations to local hospitals; the dispensing of medicines to the poor and the payment of their medical expenses; the provision of clothing and bedding for the poor; and the distribution of money and gifts to the poor.

In his will George Booth (1675-1758), 2nd Earl of Warrington, left £5,000 in debts, rent arrears, ready money and Government securities in trust to his executors, to be invested for charitable purposes (see EGR1/8/12/3). The interest was to be used for placing poor children of Bowdon parish in apprenticeships, for schooling and clothing poor children, and for clothing and relieving the aged and infirm poor of Bowdon parish.

After the death of George Booth the sum of £5,610 2s was invested in reduced 3% bank annuities, yielding an annual dividend income of £168 6s. The Earl of Warrington's Charity paid the school fees and cost of board, clothing and pocket money for six children of poor families from Bowdon parish who attended Carrington School. Mary Countess of Stamford was a trustee of the charity; upon her death George Harry Grey (1737-1819), 5th Earl of Stamford, became a trustee, followed by his son George Harry Grey (1765-1845), 6th Earl of Stamford. In 1995 the Earl of Warrington's Charity was still administered from the Stamford Estate Office in Altrincham. Administration of the charity subsequently transferred to Messrs Meller Braggins of Rostherne.

The subfonds EGR9 consists of three series:

• EGR9/1: Bundles of vouchers, 1786-1816
• EGR9/2: Bundles of vouchers, 1862-1916
• EGR9/3: Other papers, including papers relating to Carrington School, 1768-1928

The items in EGR9 were transferred on deposit by the National Trust from Dunham Massey Hall to the John Rylands University Library in two accessions, on 12 September 1978 and on 23 November 1994. The records in the latter accession (EGR9/2 and EGR9/3/8) had previously been stored in the cellars at the Stamford Estate Office in Altrincham where in December 1993 they were subject to flooding. They were subsequently removed to Dunham Massey Hall for cleaning.

Among the items within EGR9 was found a note written in the hand of the 10th Earl of Stamford: "These papers relating to the Earl of Warrington's Charity & Little Heath School, were given to me by Mr H.G. Hall [agent at the Ashton under Lyne Estate Office] in June 1922. They are my own personal property and do not form part of the family papers handed over to me on loan by the trustees. Stamford." Their custodial history prior to 1922 is not known.