OUR HISTORY
Supporting our Community Since 1575
ORIGINS
The Alice Combes Trusts have a long history of supporting those in need and young people's education and training. It all began with a charitable deed set up in 1575 by Susan Mompesson of West Apshill Farm (Chicksgrove).
She left an annual payment of 26 shillings and 8 pence to provide material to make smocks and aprons for the poor of Tisbury. It was distributed by six Trustees after morning prayer on Good Friday at St John's Church. (26 shillings and 8 pence was the equivalent of 44 days pay for a skilled tradesman).
Alice Combes Trusts still has six Trustees today.
1575 - 1703
Susan Mompesson's sister Lady Elizabeth Mervyn in 1581, gave £1 to distribute amongst the poor of the parish, she also provided wheat to make flour. in 1598 Sir Mathew Arundell left £100 , the interest on which was to be distributed amongst the poor of Tisbury. Susan's nephew Sir Giles Mompesson left £5 in his will to support Susan's original gift.
In 1626 a Sir John Davies, born in Tisbury and one time Chief Law Officer for Ireland left £100 to support apprenticeships for Tisbury boys. In 1699 a Matthew Davies left 2 acres of farmland in Motcombe to the poor of Tisbury who benefitted form the annual rent. In 1703 Albinus Davies left £50 to the six oldest and poorest widows living in Tisbury and Chicksgrove.
ALICE COMBES 1740
Alice Combes, who was born in Chicksgrove, left £400 for the poor children of Tisbury and Chicksgrove to be taught to read and The Alice Combes Educational Charity was established. £400 in 1740 would have paid a skilled tradesman wages for 11 years, a significant sum of money.
By 1763 the Trustees of the Alice Combes Educational Trust were managing the funds of all the previous gifts mentioned above. The Assets were combined to purchase an estate, Birdbush, in the parish of Donhead St Mary in 1763. The income from renting the estate was used to fund beneficiaries as each of the original funders intended.
1763 -1907
The income of The Alice Combes Educational Charity received from the Birdbush Estate funded Tisbury's first teachers and from 1840 it helped build Tisbury's National School (Today - The Hinton Hall). National Schools provided elementary education, in accordance with the teaching of the Church of England, to the children of the poor.
In 1851 Charles Nicholson left £1,000 in his will to be used to provide money or clothes to the unrelieved poor of East and West Tisbury.
In 1881 all the separate charities referred to above were consolidated. Income from the Mompessons, Elizabeth Mervyn, Albinus Davies and Charles Nicholson was devoted to relief in need in Tisbury and West Tisbury. Income from the Sir Matthew Arundell, Sir John Davies, Matthew Davies and Alice Combes was devoted to education.
In 1904 two separate charities were created (i) Charities of Susan Mompesson and Others using the Income from the Mompessons, Elizabeth Mervyn, Albinus Davies and Charles Nicholson was devoted to relief in need in Tisbury and West Tisbury and (ii) The Educational Foundation of Alice Combes and others using the income from the Sir Matthew Arundell, Sir John Davies, Matthew Davies and Alice Combes bequests and was devoted to education.
In 1907 William Henry Combes left £1,000 to help the poor of Tisbury.
In 1968 the charities providing relief in need were brought together under one title: Tisbury Relief in Need and in July 1979, William Henry Combes Charity was combined with Tisbury Relief in need.
ALICE COMBES NEWTOWN TRUST 2001
The Trust was created in April 2001as a result of a donation from the Sale of the Newtown Village Hall with its charitable object of providing grants to clubs, societies or community organisations established for charitable purposes who provide for the care, education, recreational or cultural activity for people who live in Tisbury or West Tisbury.
