Falling down a Charitable Rabbit Hole...
So, this afternoon I wanted to know the registration number of a local charity, and knew the easiest place to find it was our government's very useful online list.
And then, having found what I wanted, I began to peruse the list having vaguely wondered which was the oldest one still registered and active...
The answer to that is the one set up in 1873 for the;
Establishment and maintenance of a House of Industry, Alms House or hospital for elderly, or destitute or partially destitute, persons residing in the Parishes of Andreas, Lezayre, Maughold, Bride, Jurby, Ballaugh and Michael, including Ramsey Town.
A House of Industry was basically a Work House - so you might wonder why is this still an active charity? Because what they actually established was 'An Alms House or hospital' etc. And Grest Home is still a lovely, homely, residential home for around 20 people from those northern parishes, and still run by the same charity.
There were a few others from the early 1900s- some set up to distribute the interest accrued from monies left in people's wills For such charitable purposes in the Isle of Man as the Trustees in their discretion shall think fit, and still being administrated, often by a local advocate whose practice is the descendant of that of the benefactor's original lawyer.
I find myself wondering if anyone ever applies for a grant from them, or whether the administrators donate any income from the trusts to other local charities.
One, set up in 1905 made me smile; Archdeacon More's Fund for The advancement of Students of King William's College.
It says it is to provide financial assistance to enable students of King Williams College to proceed to University where the financial circumstances of such students is such that the Trustees are of the opinion that it would be difficult or impossible for them otherwise to do so.
Why did it make me smile? Because these days King William's College is the island's only fee-paying school and it will cost you around £25,000 per year as a day pupil and £35,000 as a boarder. I really can't imagine any of the current pupils fulfil the criteria. So if the charity still has funds I wonder what they use them for?
I have a favourite one - William Kissack's Charity, set up in 1905. Money is left in his will to be invested and
The income to provide a pair of boots annually at Christmas time for each school child of the labouring classes who resides at Derbyhaven or on Ronaldsway Farm and any balance for children's Christmas tree at Derbyhaven.
Derbyhaven is a hamlet of around 30 houses - and I doubt there can be more than 2 or 3 children there who might be classed as coming, even loosely, from the labouring classes - whilst Ronaldsway Farm was demolished in 1930 to build Ronaldsway Airport which is what we locals still call the Isle-of-Man Airport.
I wonder if anyone gets given boots these days, and whether they still put up a Christmas Tree in the hamlet? I must try to remember to go and look!
And finally I was very taken with the breadth of the remit of Hadrian's Charity, set up much more recently.
To promote the material, mental, physical and social welfare of children and young persons who are, or who have at some time been, normally resident in the Isle of Man, the north east of England, the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the world.
S2C pointed out that this means that even aliens who have, at some, time been normally resident anywhere in the world can apply.
And then, having found what I wanted, I began to peruse the list having vaguely wondered which was the oldest one still registered and active...
The answer to that is the one set up in 1873 for the;
Establishment and maintenance of a House of Industry, Alms House or hospital for elderly, or destitute or partially destitute, persons residing in the Parishes of Andreas, Lezayre, Maughold, Bride, Jurby, Ballaugh and Michael, including Ramsey Town.
A House of Industry was basically a Work House - so you might wonder why is this still an active charity? Because what they actually established was 'An Alms House or hospital' etc. And Grest Home is still a lovely, homely, residential home for around 20 people from those northern parishes, and still run by the same charity.
There were a few others from the early 1900s- some set up to distribute the interest accrued from monies left in people's wills For such charitable purposes in the Isle of Man as the Trustees in their discretion shall think fit, and still being administrated, often by a local advocate whose practice is the descendant of that of the benefactor's original lawyer.
I find myself wondering if anyone ever applies for a grant from them, or whether the administrators donate any income from the trusts to other local charities.
One, set up in 1905 made me smile; Archdeacon More's Fund for The advancement of Students of King William's College.
It says it is to provide financial assistance to enable students of King Williams College to proceed to University where the financial circumstances of such students is such that the Trustees are of the opinion that it would be difficult or impossible for them otherwise to do so.
Why did it make me smile? Because these days King William's College is the island's only fee-paying school and it will cost you around £25,000 per year as a day pupil and £35,000 as a boarder. I really can't imagine any of the current pupils fulfil the criteria. So if the charity still has funds I wonder what they use them for?
I have a favourite one - William Kissack's Charity, set up in 1905. Money is left in his will to be invested and
The income to provide a pair of boots annually at Christmas time for each school child of the labouring classes who resides at Derbyhaven or on Ronaldsway Farm and any balance for children's Christmas tree at Derbyhaven.
Derbyhaven is a hamlet of around 30 houses - and I doubt there can be more than 2 or 3 children there who might be classed as coming, even loosely, from the labouring classes - whilst Ronaldsway Farm was demolished in 1930 to build Ronaldsway Airport which is what we locals still call the Isle-of-Man Airport.
I wonder if anyone gets given boots these days, and whether they still put up a Christmas Tree in the hamlet? I must try to remember to go and look!
And finally I was very taken with the breadth of the remit of Hadrian's Charity, set up much more recently.
To promote the material, mental, physical and social welfare of children and young persons who are, or who have at some time been, normally resident in the Isle of Man, the north east of England, the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the world.
S2C pointed out that this means that even aliens who have, at some, time been normally resident anywhere in the world can apply.