I have long been interested in the old charitable institutions of Brighton, probably after I discovered a male benefactor with the unbelievable name of Swan Downer, whose charity has been one of the most benevolent, enabling scores of poor young girls to be well clothed and educated from 1816 to 1939.

Their third and final school was in North Street and it is probably the best recorded of the charities.

Some of the charities were listed in town directories but not until October 1894 did we get a complete list. Then the Charity Commissioners held an Inquiry into all the charities that were still going and were for the benefit of the Parish of Brighton. They were seeking to amalgamate all those set up by public subscriptions but not those specifically endowed. Mr Tillstone, the Town Clerk, opposed those, such as the Preston, Queens and Blakers Parks, the Booth Museum, Race Ground, etc, which he claimed were now considered Corporation properties and not charities. We learn that Downer’s charity was set up with £9,078 in Indian Stock, to clothe and educate about 27 girls to the age of 12 but he set up a second one with £7,100 to provide 25 men and 25 women with a full set of clothing each Christmas. A separate fund of £100 had been set up to provide the girls with a summer treat. The Commissioners were satisfied that the recipients were not selling on their new clothing.

Considerable time was taken over the County Hospital which over the years had been endowed with £74,000 and more for the Convalescent Home and other purposes. This was put in abeyance for the Commissioners to discuss privately. Amazingly, the Wooler’s Charity, dating back to 1617, was still operating but regrettably the details of the fund were not recorded. One pound per year was paid by Merchant Taylors to the churchwardens of St Nicholas church and 10 poor widows were each paid 2 shillings each at Christmas. The Inquiry into 65 charities took 2 days and we will look at more interesting ones next week.

Laurie Keen