History and description of the public charities in the town of Frome.

  • Frome
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History and description of the public charities in the town of Frome. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    143/160 (page 113)
    bought by the late Mr. Pocock. There were once two old globes, but they had become worthless; and were not used during the time the Rev. Mr. Pocock was master of the school. However, there certainly were some books ; of which, it is feared, due care was not taken by Mr. Pocock—the boys of the school having very improperly been allowed access to them after the library was added to the north end of the school room, in order to accommodate the increased number of his pupils. The present master of the Grammar School, the Rev. W. M. H. Williams, A.M. (who was elected to the mastership in 1819) on his ap- pointment to the school, found remaining, of the supposed former school library, only three old worm-eaten books, of very little value; but as about sixteen years elapsed between the death of the Rev. J. Pocock and the appointment of the Rev. W. M. H. Williams, during which period the school room was occupied by other persons, it is very possible that many of the books may have been lost or destroyed during the interval of so many years. The annual sum paid out of the treasury is £5. 2s. 10|r/. No payments have been made to the present master out of any of the estates, supposed to be chargeable with them. It is hoped that this compilation will contribute to prevent similar inattention to the property and interests of the Frome Charities in future. A Map of all the Lands belonging to the Blue School and Alms-house, in the parishes of Frome and Nunney, is now in the custody of Mr. Wickham. Mr. John Stevens, in addition to his other gifts, gave in his life-time to the Vicar and Trustees of the Charity School the sum of four hundred pounds, four per Cent., for lighting the Church at the Evening Service. This sum is now in the three-and-half per Cents, in the names of James Anthony Wickham, George Sheppard, and James Whalley Dawe Thomas Wickham; and the annual Dividends are paid by them to the Churchwardens.