In 1820, the Charity Commissioners, investigating the often-dodgy state of charities throughout the country, produced their report on Cumberland. Here is their information on Eskdale parish:
FOR THE POOR
A Table of Benefactions in Eskdale Chapel, contains the following Charities, for the use of the Poor:
Edward Stanley, Esq. in 1715, left to the poor of Eskdale and Birker, £40; the yearly interest to be distributed in bread on Easter Even
John Hartley, of Church-house, in 1733, to the poor of Eskdale- £10
- Tidy, prior to 1735, left to the poor of Birker £7/10/0
Edward Hartley, of Spout-house, in 1752, left to the poor of Eskdale and Birker £20
Some person or persons unknown left to the poor of Eskdale and Birker £20
In 1795, the trustees deducted from the interest to increase the principal £2/10/-
Thirty pounds, part of this sum, are in the hands of John Vickers of How-how, whose father gave a note for the amount in 1783
Twenty pounds are in the hands of William Vickers, who has given a note for the same.
Twenty pounds are in the hands of John Hartley, who has given a note for the amount.
The remaining sum of £30 is secured by a promissory note from John Turner and George Tyson.
Four per cent interest is paid regularly for each of these sums.
Half of the interest is given away the first Sunday after Easter by the minister and chapelwardens of Eskdale and Birker, amongst poor householders of Eskdale, and the other half amongst poor householders of Birker and Austhwaite. The money is not given to any persons who have received parochial relief in the course of the year.
It is inscribed on the table of benefactions above mentioned, that Edmund Wilson, of Gillbank, prior to 1723, left by will to Eskdale School, £100.
Edward Hartley, of Spout-house, in 1752 left to the said school, £30, the yearly interest thereof "for the use of the schoolmaster in Eskdale, who should teach poor children within Eskdale free."
The sums of £7 and £1, arising from savings during a vacancy in the school, have been added to the principal.
Ninety pounds are in the hands of Mr John Vickers of How-how, who, together with Mr William Porter, has given a note for the payment of the same, with 10d in the pound interest.
Forty-seven pounds are in the hands of Mr William Porter, who has given a joint note with John Vickers for the amount, at the same rate of interest;
and the remaining £1 is in the hands of Mr John Vickers, of Gillbank, for which he pays 10d yearly.
The interest of these sums is regularly paid to the minister of Eskdale, who teaches in the school, which was built or rebuilt there by subscription previous to 1770. For the last three years, since the incumbency of the present minister, the children have been taught free; but before that time the practice was to charge a certain quarterage for all the poor children who offered. If the interest of the school money was sufficient to pay that charge, nothing was taken from the parents; but if the interest was not sufficient, the parents of each child paid a proportion of the deficiency. When the minister of the chapel has taught school, it has been the practice to teach the poor children free. There are only three taught free at present, but there have been eight at one time within the last three years. There are more children who might receive the benefit of this charity if their parents chose to send them, but they reside at a distance of near three miles from this school, which, though in the centre of the division, is not in the most populous part of it.
There is another school built within five or six years at the lower end of the chapelry, to which some of the children might go more conveniently.
