Wilkes Almshouses June 2008

The Wilkes Charity was established in 1630 by Edward Wilkes, who gave ten almshouses for the occupation of ten poor widows. Later family members increased the endowment. A peculiar custom relating to the almshouses was that on Rogation Monday, 26th April, the charity trustees, accompanied by the town crier and ten boys from each church choir in the parish (which included Stanbridge, Heath and Reach, Billington and Eggington before the mid 19th century) visited each major property of the charity. At the boundary of each property one of the boys stood on his head whilst the clerk to the trustees read the extract relating to that particular request.

Robert Richmond in his book Leighton Buzzard and its Hamlets published in 1928 included a section on the Wilkes family, having done considerable research on the subject [see the references below]. He stated that the family went to Leighton Buzzard around 1575 from either Hodnell in Warwickshire or Hadnall in Shropshire. The donors to the Wilkes Charity were all descendents of John Wilkes and Margaret Beard, who were buried in the chancel of All Saints (though no monument survives). They had four sons and four daughters and the Edward who established the almshouses was one of their sons. He died in 1646 and was buried, with his wife, in All Saints chancel. He left closes in Leck End for gowns and caps for the almshouses' inhabitants and ten shillings a year for a sermon to be preached on the day of his burial (24th March). He also willed that the inhabitants of the almshouses: "constantly repair to the Church on Sundays, and also on the days when sermons are preached wherein, if they fail, it shall be lawful for my said feoffees to take part of my gift from her and give it those who better deserve it".

Matthew Wilkes increased the endowment for the almshouses in 1692 and the eventual endowment was: the Three Horse Shoes public house and a fifty acre farm in Long Stowe [Cambridgeshire]; Charity Wharf, a house and five acres of land in Linslade; a twenty acre farm at Bragenham, Soulbury [Buckinghamshire]; fifteen acres in North End and Leck End, Leighton Buzzard and nearly five acres in Billington. The Victoria County History for Bedfordshire noted that in 1907 this produced an income of £245. The net income was applied in weekly cash payments to the almshouses' inhabitants amounting to £130/10/- with allowances for clothing, shoes and fuel. Money was also spent on dinners for the trustees and almswomen and the ten shillings for the vicar's sermon on 24th March. A further £4 was paid every two years for the education of two boys but this was determined by the Charity Commissioners in 1903 following the introduction of compulsory free education by the 1902 Education Act.

Benjamin Bevan published a map of Leighton Buzzard in 1819; two years later a reference book was published giving owners and occupiers of every property shown on his map. Sadly the reference book just states that the properties were almshouses without naming individuals.

Under the terms of the Rating and Valuation Act 1925 every piece of land and building in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on them. Leighton Buzzard was assessed in 1927 and the valuer visiting the almshouses [DV1/R74/35] noted that their ownership by the trustees of the Wilkes Charity and listed the occupiers as follows:

• 33 - Mrs. A. Stevens;
• 35 - Mrs. K. Yirrell;
• 37 - Mrs. H. Woodward;
• 39 - Mrs. S. Pusey;
• 41 - vacant;
• 43 - Mrs. H. Pratt;
• 45 - Mrs. M. Wilson;
• 47 - Mrs. J. Walduck;
• 49 - Mrs. M. Parsons;
• 51 - Mrs. M. Baynes.

Each house was occupied rent free and comprised a living room and scullery downstairs with two bedrooms above. A W. C. stood outside. In his Buildings of England series volume for Bedfordshire, Sir Nikolaus Pevsner summed up the almshouses as: "1857 and 1873, yellow brick with gables; modest Jacobean". The almshouses were listed by the former Department of Environment in 1975 as Grade II, of special interest. The department noted that the houses were originally built in 1630 and rebuilt in 1857 as described on the surviving stone panel. They were extended in 1873, hence Pevsner's second date.

Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service is lucky to have quite a good archive for the Wilkes Charity of Leighton Buzzard, largely split between three collections: X174 deposited by the charity trustees themselves, RI, the Richmond archive and the All Saints parish collection (P91). The following list is a summary of sources:

• RI2/1: feoffment of three acres from John Wilkes to trustees: 1611;
• X174/129: memorandum of scheme for almshouses by Matthew Wilkes: c. 1630;
• RI2/2: surrender of land near Leck Bridge by William Wood to Edward Wilcks: 1641;
• RI2/3: surrender of land by Edward Wilcks to his son Matthew: 1641;
• RI35-36: final concord settling a house and 18 acres at Long Stowe [Cambridgeshire] on Edward Wilkes: 1642;
• RI2/10: assignment by Matthew Wilks to Mark Wilks of Bullocks Breade Close in Southcott: 1668;
• RI47: feoffment of Bullocks Breade in Southcott: 1668;
• RI48: lease of Hartwells Grove in Leighton Buzzard from Matthew Wilkes to George Collett: 1673;
• RI55-56: letters and bills of Matthew Wilkes: 1676-1687;
• RI49: lease of Stone Pits Close in the North End of Leighton Buzzard from Matthew Wilkes to Thomas Walker: 1686;
• P91/25/27 copy of the will of Matthew Wilks: made 1691, proved 1695;
• X174/173-174: purchase of property in Bragenham, Soulbury: 1696;
• X174/130: rental and terrier of charity lands: c. 1700;
• X174/154-155: admission to charity land in Billington: 1714;
• X174/4-16: charity accounts: 1737-1908;
• X174/1-3: charity minute books: 1754-1899;
• RI57: charity accounts: 17th century-1764;
• RI50: admission of charity trustees to land in Leighton Buzzard: 1702;
• RI37-40: leases of fifty acres by Wilkes' trustees in Long Stowe: 1705-1722;
• RI51: lease of thirteen acres in Soulbury [Buckinghamshire] by the charity trustees to Henry and Thomas Stevens: 1729;
• X174/83: lease of charity closes in Leck End: 1736;
• X174/89: lease of charity lands in North End: 1736;
• X174/131-232: feoffment of charity trustees with lands in Leighton Buzzard, Linslade, Soulbury, Billington and Long Stowe: 1753;
• X174/136: admission to charity property in Leck End: 1754;
• RI52: agreement by charity trustees to lease meadows in Linslade to Robert Nash: 1764;
• RI58-59: charity vouchers: 1797-1815;
• X174/123: draft charity minutes and papers: c. 1800-1820;
• RI42: annual reports to trustees of the charity on Long Stowe land: 1802-1916;
• RI60: charity accounts: 1802-1814;
• X174/92: lease of Charity Wharf and Bullocks Brade, Linslade: 1805;
• X174/124-127: charity vouchers: 1805-1906;
• X174/113-120: papers involving dispute Trustees versus Grant and Gilbert: 1807-1814;
• X174/137: admission to charity property in Leck End: 1807;
• X174/94-99: lease of Charity Wharf and Bullocks Brade, Linslade: 1814;
• P91/25/33: three bills concerning food and clothing for the almswomen and charity boys: 1816-1835;
• X174/93: lease of Charity Wharf and Bullocks Brade, Linslade: 1816;
• X174/100-101: lease of Charity Wharf and Bullocks Brade, Linslade: 1820;
• X174/82: conveyance of charity property in Leighton Buzzard, Long Stowe, Linslade and Soulbury to trustees: 1821;
• X174/138: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1821;
• X174/121-122: Charity Commissioners' request for information about failure to properly employ money: 1822-1823;
• X174/102-104: lease of Charity Wharf and Bullocks Brade, Linslade: 1832;
• X174/18-81: individual apprenticeship indentures: 1837-1897;
• X174/105-106: lease of Camps Close, Linslade: 1839;
• X174/107: lease of Bragenham in Soulbury: 1839;
• X174/17: charity apprenticeship book: 1839-1903;
• X174/84-85: draft lease of charity property in Leck End: 1839;
• X174/90-91: lease of charity lands at North End: 1839;
• X174/166: lease of charity property in Linslade: 1839;
• X174/109: lease of horse Shoe Inn and land in Long Stowe: 1840
• X174/134: feoffment of charity trustees with lands in Leighton Buzzard, Linslade, Soulbury, Billington and Long Stowe: 1847;
• X174/164: purchase of property for the charity in Linslade: 1847;
• X174/139-140: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1847;
• X174/88: lease of charity land at Lords Hedge and Lower Hoo: 1848;
• X174/165: merging tithes on charity property in Linslade: 1850;
• RI84: correspondence with Charity Commissioners about illegal accounting: 1855-1856;
• RI85: correspondence with the Charity Commissioners about the erection of the new almshouses: 1857;
• X174/179: Charity Commissioners' Order regarding erection of new almshouses: 1857;
• X174/156: admission to charity land in Billington: 1859;
• P91/25/44: receipts and expenditure and balance sheet of the charity: 1866;
• X147/86: lease of charity land at Leck End: 1868;
• X147/87: lease of charity closes at Hartwell Grove: 1868
• RI2/4: apprenticeship indenture of Frank Painter: 1869;
• X174/110: lease of Three Horse Shoes, Long Stowe: 1869;
• P91/25/23: apprenticeship indenture of James George Buckmaster: 1870;
• X174/141-142: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1871-1872;
• X174/175: lease of charity property in Bragenham: 1872;
• X174/135: feoffment of charity trustees with lands in Leighton Buzzard, Linslade, Soulbury, Billington and Long Stowe: 1873;
• X174/157: admission to charity land in Billington: 1873;
• X174/167: lease of charity property in Linslade: 1873;
• X174/148: admission to charity land in Leighton Buzzard: 1873;
• X174/149: admission to charity land in Leighton Buzzard: 1874;
• X174/143: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1875
• X174/152: admission to charity land in Leighton Buzzard: 1875;
• P91/25/24-25: apprenticeship indentures of Jesse James: 1877;
• P91/25/26: apprenticeship indenture of Frank Hedges: 1877;
• RI86-89: correspondence with the Charity Commissioners: 1880-1908;
• X174/168: lease of charity property in Linslade: 1880;
• X174/128: apprenticeship indenture of Walter Seabrook: 1881;
• RI92: correspondence regarding nuisances, windows etc. regarding charity property: 1882-1900;
• X174/144: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1882;
• X174/153: admission to charity land in Leighton Buzzard: 1882;
• P91/25/35: lists, schedules and copy schedule of deeds, books and documents of the trustees; c. 1884- c. 1905;
• X174/158: admission to charity land in Billington: 1884;
• X174/145: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1885;
• X174/150: admission to charity land in Leighton Buzzard: 1885;
• X174/169: lease of charity property in Linslade: 1885;
• X174/159: admission to charity land in Billington: 1886;
• X174/176: lease of charity property in Long Stowe: 1886;
• X174/180: Charity Commissioners' Order regarding enfranchisement of charity copyhold land: 1886;
• RI91: foul ditch on charity land at Linslade: 1887;
• X174/146: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1887;
• RI90: Correspondence regarding Charity Wharf in Linslade: 1892-1903;
• X174/147: admission to charity land in Leck End: 1893;
• X174/160: admission to charity land in Billington: 1893;
• X174/170: lease of charity property in Linslade: 1893;
• X174/171: lease of charity property in Linslade: 1893;
• X174/151: admission to charity land in Leighton Buzzard: 1893;
• X174/177: lease of charity land in Long Stowe: 1893;
• P91/25/28: photograph of Wilkes Charity Rogation Monday ceremony involving standing a choirboy on his head: 1897;
• P91/25/39: photograph of off-licence at Long Stowe owned by the charity: 1898;
• P91/25/36a-b: extracts and photographs of tablets concerning the charity from All Saints church: 20th century;
• P91/25/29: photograph of Wilkes Charity Rogation Monday ceremony involving standing a choirboy on his head: c. 1900;
• P91/25/30-31: collections of notes, cuttings and pictures concerning the Wilkes Charity and family made by Robert Richmond for his book of 1928: 20th century;
• P91/25/41: manuscript notes by Robert Richmond on the Wilkes family and charity: 20th century;
• P91/25/37: photographs of Wilkes Charity Rogation Monday ceremony involving standing a choirboy on his head: c. 1900-1910;
• P91/25/40: bundle of correspondence between Robert Richmond and members of the Wilkes family: 1914-1926;
• P91/25/38: photograph of Wilkes Charity Rogation Monday ceremony involving standing a choirboy on his head: 1960s.