The trust was later at the centre of a 12-year legal suit in the nineteenth century, noted in Unitarian history, and turning on the current beliefs of ministers who were supported by its funds. While the legal judgement went against the Unitarians, the introduction of the Dissenters' Chapels Act 1844, which followed on the case, improved their position.
Sarah Wolrych was born in 1627 and she had money from her mother before she married John Hewley. As his widow, Sarah spent large sums in works of charity.[2] In 1700 she built Lady Hewley's Almshouses and funded charity schools founded at York by Archbishop John Sharp. In 1705 she created the Hewley Trust. She died in 1710. Portraits of Sir John Hewley and his wife are preserved in the vestry of St. Saviourgate Chapel. [2]
The Trustedit
On 13 January 1704–5 Sarah, Lady Hewley conveyed to trustees a landed estate, of which the income was, after her death, to be devoted to benevolent objects, including the support of ‘poor and godly preachers for the time being of Christ's holy gospel.’ The benefactions were increased by a further deed (26 April 1707) and by her will (9 July 1707, codicil 21 August 1710). The will was contested without result. Though the trustees were all Presbyterian, grants were made to ministers of the ‘three denominations;’ in other words Congregationalists and Baptists were included.[2]
Unitarian influenceedit
By the end of the eighteenth century all the trustees and a majority of the Presbyterian recipients were Unitarian.[2]Independents from Manchester objected to this controlling influence, and they brought a lawsuit concerned with the enforcement of the terms of Lady Hewley's will in 1830;[3] one of the topics in contention was the funding of Manchester Academy.[4] The initial legal ruling sustained the view that a Trinitarian commitment was necessary, from those with benefits from the endowments. This judgment was then twice appealed, but was upheld by the Lord Chancellor in 1836; and again by the House of Lords in 1842.[3]
The outcome was that by a judgment of the House of Lords (5 August 1842) three Congregationalists, three orthodox Presbyterians, and one Baptist were appointed trustees. The income of the trust was then £2,830.[2]
An Act for the Regulation of Suits relating to Meeting Houses and other Property held for religious Purposes by Persons dissenting from the United Church of England and Ireland.
As a direct consequence of the legal ruling, a group including Edwin Wilkins Field pressed for legislation. The immediate purpose was to have a retrospective element attached to the date (1813) on which Unitarianism obtained legal tolerance as a belief. (See Doctrine of the Trinity Act 1813.) This aim was achieved through Parliament, rather than the courts, with the Dissenters’ Chapels Act 1844.[5] The government supported legislation, which did not reverse the original decision, in order to head off a predicted rush of litigation in hundreds of cases affected by the precedent. A figure of 25 years was established, after which the right of possession of a chapel could not be challenged on doctrinal grounds. Baron Cottenham added a clause to protect two chapels in Dublin over which litigation was already active. Despite extensive opposition from religious groups the bill passed.[6]
Notesedit
^. The Association of Charity Officers. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
^ abOwen Chadwick, The Victorian Church I: 1829-1859 (1971), p. 393.
^A History of the County of York: the City of York. Victoria County History, London. 1961. Schools and colleges.
^Pease-Watkin, Catherine. "Field, Edwin Wilkins". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9382. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Thomas Smith James (1867), The History of the Litigation and Legislation Respecting Presbyterian Chapels and Charities in England and Ireland between 1816 and 1849, from p. 120. Google Books
Richard Potts (2005), Dame Sarah's Legacy: A History of the Lady Hewley Trust. Chester: Lady Hewley Trust
May 08, 2024
lady, hewley, trust, charity, began, sarah, lady, hewley, charity, support, english, presbyterian, congregationalist, baptist, ministers, beginning, eighteenth, century, trust, later, centre, year, legal, suit, nineteenth, century, noted, unitarian, history, t. The Lady Hewley Trust now a charity 1 began as Sarah Lady Hewley s charity to support English Presbyterian Congregationalist and Baptist ministers at the beginning of the eighteenth century 2 The trust was later at the centre of a 12 year legal suit in the nineteenth century noted in Unitarian history and turning on the current beliefs of ministers who were supported by its funds While the legal judgement went against the Unitarians the introduction of the Dissenters Chapels Act 1844 which followed on the case improved their position Contents 1 Sarah Lady Hewley 2 The Trust 3 Unitarian influence 4 Dissenters Chapels Act 1844 5 Notes 6 Further readingSarah Lady Hewley editMain article Sarah Hewley nbsp Sarah Hewley Sarah Wolrych was born in 1627 and she had money from her mother before she married John Hewley As his widow Sarah spent large sums in works of charity 2 In 1700 she built Lady Hewley s Almshouses and funded charity schools founded at York by Archbishop John Sharp In 1705 she created the Hewley Trust She died in 1710 Portraits of Sir John Hewley and his wife are preserved in the vestry of St Saviourgate Chapel 2 The Trust editOn 13 January 1704 5 Sarah Lady Hewley conveyed to trustees a landed estate of which the income was after her death to be devoted to benevolent objects including the support of poor and godly preachers for the time being of Christ s holy gospel The benefactions were increased by a further deed 26 April 1707 and by her will 9 July 1707 codicil 21 August 1710 The will was contested without result Though the trustees were all Presbyterian grants were made to ministers of the three denominations in other words Congregationalists and Baptists were included 2 Unitarian influence editBy the end of the eighteenth century all the trustees and a majority of the Presbyterian recipients were Unitarian 2 Independents from Manchester objected to this controlling influence and they brought a lawsuit concerned with the enforcement of the terms of Lady Hewley s will in 1830 3 one of the topics in contention was the funding of Manchester Academy 4 The initial legal ruling sustained the view that a Trinitarian commitment was necessary from those with benefits from the endowments This judgment was then twice appealed but was upheld by the Lord Chancellor in 1836 and again by the House of Lords in 1842 3 The outcome was that by a judgment of the House of Lords 5 August 1842 three Congregationalists three orthodox Presbyterians and one Baptist were appointed trustees The income of the trust was then 2 830 2 Dissenters Chapels Act 1844 editNonconformists Chapels Act 1844Act of Parliament nbsp Parliament of the United KingdomLong titleAn Act for the Regulation of Suits relating to Meeting Houses and other Property held for religious Purposes by Persons dissenting from the United Church of England and Ireland Citation7 amp 8 Vict c 45DatesRoyal assent19 July 1844 As a direct consequence of the legal ruling a group including Edwin Wilkins Field pressed for legislation The immediate purpose was to have a retrospective element attached to the date 1813 on which Unitarianism obtained legal tolerance as a belief See Doctrine of the Trinity Act 1813 This aim was achieved through Parliament rather than the courts with the Dissenters Chapels Act 1844 5 The government supported legislation which did not reverse the original decision in order to head off a predicted rush of litigation in hundreds of cases affected by the precedent A figure of 25 years was established after which the right of possession of a chapel could not be challenged on doctrinal grounds Baron Cottenham added a clause to protect two chapels in Dublin over which litigation was already active Despite extensive opposition from religious groups the bill passed 6 Notes edit Lady Hewley Trust The Association of Charity Officers Archived from the original on 24 July 2011 a b c d e f Stephen Leslie Lee Sidney eds 1891 Hewley Sarah Dictionary of National Biography Vol 26 London Smith Elder amp Co a b Owen Chadwick The Victorian Church I 1829 1859 1971 p 393 A History of the County of York the City of York Victoria County History London 1961 Schools and colleges Pease Watkin Catherine Field Edwin Wilkins Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 9382 Subscription or UK public library membership required Chadwick p 394 Further reading editThomas Smith James 1867 The History of the Litigation and Legislation Respecting Presbyterian Chapels and Charities in England and Ireland between 1816 and 1849 from p 120 Google Books Richard Potts 2005 Dame Sarah s Legacy A History of the Lady Hewley Trust Chester Lady Hewley Trust Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lady Hewley Trust amp oldid 1159023557, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
