Mr ROBERT MATTHEWMAN being Curat of Baslow 1660 gave 10 Pound to poor within this Chapelry the interest thereof to be distributed upon the 24 of December by the curat and the trustees of Humphrey Chapman for ever

SAMUEL WHITE senior and SAMUEL WHITE junior gave 3 Pound the interest to be given to the poor of Baslow and Bubnell yearly for ever upon the 24 of December and the said Samuel White junior gave to the school of Baslow 2 Pound 10 Shil the interest to be paid to the Schoolmaster for the education of some poor child in Baslow and Bubnell for ever

WILLIAM BANES gave 5 Pound the interest thereof to be given to the poor in Baslow on the 24 of December for ever.

GEORGE WHITE of Bubnell gave by his will 3 Pound a year in land lying in Pilsley, the rent thereof to be paid viz: 10 Shil to the curate 10 Shil to the schoolmaster and 10 Shil to the poor of Baslow and Bubnell at White-Suntide and 10 Shil to the Curat 10 Shil to the Schoolmaster and 10 Shil to the said poor on the 5 of November for ever

MARGARET WHITE gave by her Will 20 Pound the Interest to be paid on the 24 December 10 Shil to the Curat and 10 Shil to the poor of Baslow and Bubnell for ever

ROBERT MATLEY of Baslow gave by his will 5 Pound the interest thereof to be given on 2 February to the poor of Baslow and Bubnell for ever

HUMPHREY CHAPMAN of Baslow gave by his will all his copyhold land in Heathcott within the Manor or Hartington the rents thereof to be viz: to the curat for Preaching the anniversary Sermon on the 5 day of November 10 shil and to the schoolmaster 20 shil and to the poor in Baslow and Bubnell 10 shil and to the poor in Calver Corbar and Froggott 10 shil on the said day by his Trustees for ever

ROBERT GREGORY of Baslow gave by his will 2 Pound the interest to be given to the poor of Baslow on the 24 of December for ever

JAMES EASTWOOD of Baslow gave by his will 10 Pound the interest to be given to the poor of Baslow and Bubnell for ever.

ANTHONY HALLAM of Baslow gave by his will 10 Pound the Interest to be given to the poor of Baslow on the 25th of January for ever.

GEORGE BOOTH of Corbar gave by his will 20 Pound the interest to be paid viz: 10 Shill to the Curate for preaching a Sermon on the 2 of February or the Sunday after and qo Shill to the poor of Corbar at the same time for ever

Mr. William Elliot of Curbar who died 26th March 1806, left by Will the Interest of One hundred pounds, on security in the Road leading from Sheffield to Grindleford Bridge, to be paid on St. Thomas's day annually to the Poor of Curbar for ever

In the year 1818 Revd. Francis Gisborne M.A. Rector of Staveley, gave the sum of £5 10. to be paid annually for ever in Novr. for the purchase of coarse cloth or flannel for poor of this chapelry to be distributed at the discretion of the Minister. In the year 1828, £1 15 per annum was added to the above Charity

In the year 1830 William Milnes Esq. of Hassop left £50. ~ to the Minister and Churchwardens of Baslow in trust, that they should distribute the interest thereof annually to the Poor of Baslow for ever.

Some of these Charities can be traced over the years to present day Baslow Charities.

Let me (David) trace details of the Chapman Charity which is on Board B.

In the 1920s Mr Alcock the Baslow Schoolmaster, made a note that he had found a bundle of papers in the Parish Chest including a leaf torn from the 1693 Register relating to this bequest. Subsequently there are various references to it in the Parish Register. e.g. in 1777 Henry Froggatt surrendered the land to John Barker and others at a court in Hartington. Various field names were noted, including Bassley's Pingle, Half Acres and Randle Doors.

In 1827 the division of rent remained 10/- to the Minister of Baslow for preaching the anniversary sermon on Nov 5th; 20/- to the Schoolmaster of Stanton Ford, 10/- to the poor of Baslow and 10/- to the poorest people and the greatest objects of charity within Curbar Calver and Froggatt. A further note in 1827 commented that no sermon was preached. In a Parliamentary Return of 1867 the acreage is noted as 4a 1r 15p with a total rent of £6.

In 1889, the charity School at Stanton Ford finally closed. The Charities Commissioners reorganised a group of similar Charities as “The Baslow Charities”, with money due to “The Schoolmaster” being divided between Baslow and Curbar Schools.

In 1930 the land was sold for £64-6-0 and invested by the Charity Commissioners in 3½% conversion stock worth £81-1-3. The interest, then only £1.70 annually, continued to be carefully divided in the correct proportions, though the 57d due to Curbar etc was raised to £1 and nicknamed “Curbar Bread”: this latter payment ceased 20 years ago.

In 1998 the Bonds held by the Charities Commissioners for “The Baslow Charities” were sold and the funds reorganised and reinvested in Charities Official Investment Funds. Payments (from all the charities) continue to be made to the Schools, the Poor and The Vicar, in the proportions laid down in the individual Charities, some over 300 years ago.

In June 2003, the capital from the Chapman Charity was £51.84 and the interest last year was £2.14. The Vicar's share was 42p. No wonder he does not preach a sermon!

The above information was contributed by David Dalrymple-Smith in June 2004.