sent Churchwarden (in 1820) has exerted himself successfully in discovering and obtaining the arrears of several, which had been long unclaimed, but others, until assisted by this Inquiry, he had been unable to trace to the persons now responsible for them, from the length of time which had elapsed since they had been received, and from the inaccuracy of the notices handed down by his Predecessors.3

PRIVATE SECURITY.

Much mischief has been found by The Commissioners to result from the practice of placing money destined to Charitable uses, upon Private Security, and still more from leaving it in Private hands at interest, without any Security. By referring to the Cases which are reported, numerous instances will be seen of Charitable Funds that are lost by these means,—and it pears to them, much to be wished that

ap

some power should exist, under due modifications, of enforcing the investment of such Funds, upon proper Security.*

PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES.

Losses have likewise occurred in a peculiar manner.

The Commissioners have not ascertained whether there is any Personal Representative of The Rev. JOHN OSBORNE now living,—and considering the length of time elapsed since the Testator's death (in 1774), and since any payments were made under the directions contained in his Will, they think there is no probability that further inquiry upon this subject, would be attended with any benefit.5

The Legacy of Lady KILDARE was laid out in the purchase of Old South Sea Annuities, which is now standing in the names of Lord CADOGAN and Lady Frances Co

Introduct. Report, vol. iii. p. 4.

5 Rep. I. p. 440.

NINGSBY,—no Interest has been received on this Stock since 1807, both the persons in whose names it was invested being dead, and the Representative of the survivor not being yet ascertained. A Gentleman of Caversham has used great diligence to discover the proper parties, to grant a power of Attorney for the receipt of the Dividends, but hitherto without success. He is still persevering in his inquiries.

It is to be regretted, that this Stock was not invested in the names of some persons resident near Caversham, whose Personal Representative might always have been easily discovered."

DEEDS.

Considerable difficulty in obtaining correct views of the intentions of some of the Donors, has arisen from peculiar causes. Several of the Deeds belonging to the Corporation of Sandwich, are not now to be found, and an account was given to Rep. IV. p. 200.

The Commissioners by one of the Witnesses, of the burning of some papers, by order of a Gentleman long deceased."

A Deed of Sir JOHN GORE's is not now to be found, and is supposed to have been lost, together with many other Parish documents of The Holy Trinity the Less, in London, through the indiscretion of one of the Churchwardens, who removed the box containing them out of the Vestryroom.8 And from want of due care in the preservation of The Corporation papers of Plymouth, several of them are stated to have been lost."

The deficiency of Evidence, respecting the charities in Wolverhampton, is remarkable. Not a single document relating to them exists in the possession of the parish, except the Benefaction Table and the Dole Book, and two or three notices in the Churchwardens' book,and although the Dole Books appear to have been kept at least from an early

period in the last century, none are now to be found prior to the year 1808. In a Benefaction Table in the Church, which bears date in 1703, it is stated that the Deeds and several Specialties for the sums mentioned, were in the Treasury over the South Porch. This old room remains, but there are now no Papers in it. There is a report in the Town, that they were all burnt, more than a century ago, but under what circumstances is not said,and this was the only explanation which The Commissioners could obtain of their disappearance. 10

In like manner, the documents relative to the foundation of the free Grammar School of Dilhorne are, somewhat unaccountably, not now to be found.11

The chest for writings, directed by the Rules of The School and Hospital of Tadcaster to be preserved, has long ceased to exist, the last notice of it being found in a Memorandum, in the custody of The Archbishop of York, under date of 1762, 10 Rep. IV. p. 366. 11 Rep. XIII. p. 362.