Sir William Stede

Sir William Stede (known as Stedes Charity)
Charity Commission No. 307755

It is to be distinguished from Sir William Stedes Charity, Charity Commission No.307754,which is a different charity.

Sir William Stede (Charity) was set up, according to a board in Tonge Church, in 1620 when Sir William Stede bestowed £10 in land for the apprenticeship of poor children of the parishes of Harrietsham, Milton and Tong.

This was added to in 1779 when William Housson bequeathed £200 to be applied to the education of poor children in the parishes of Tong, Murston and Bapchild.
See below the transcript of the board in Tonge Church.

BENEFACTIONS.
TO THE PARISH OF TONG
Sir William Stede KNt by his will bearing
date the 21 st January 1620. Directed his
Executors £10 a year in Land, to
be settled for ever, so that the Owner of
STEDE HILL HOUSE, in the parish of
HARRIETSHAM, wherein he then dwelt
should have the power to bestow the
said £10 A a year on binding apprentice
poor Children of the parishes of
HARRIETSHAM, MILTON next SITTINGBOURNE
and TONG; the children to be chosen yearly
out of which ever of the said parishes
such Owner should think fittest. The land
is situated in the parish of SANDHURST.
County of Kent
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WILLIAM HOUSSON, gent. by his will dated
the 31 st of December 1779, bequeathed the
sum of TWO HUNDRED POUNDS, the
interest thereof for ever to be applied to the
Education of poor Children of the parishes
of TONG, MURSTON and BAPCHILD,
at the discretion of the Ministers and
Churchwardens of the said parishes and
did also provide that the poor Children
of the parish of Tong should have the
preference. The money to be invested in
4 per Cents and produce annually
the Sum of £ ? 10.12.6
ROBERT JONES MORTON, Vicar
WILLIAM ELEY, Churchwarden.
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Tonge Parish Councillors have traditionally been the trustees of the Sir William Stede which is registered with the Charity Commission.

Meetings of the trustees are held four times a year usually after the Tonge Parish Council meeting.
Agendas for the meetings are placed in Tonge noticeboards and on Tonge Parish Council website in
advance. The public are welcome to attend these meetings.

Each year the charity donates money to benefit the children of Tonge. This is usually for projects at
local schools, nurseries and organisations that are attended by children of Tonge.

In the past five years donations have been made to:

Towards a projector at Messy Church based at Bapchild and Tonge Primary School.
Towards play equipment for the Nursery at Bapchild and Tonge Primary School
‘Elevate’ after school club which focuses on performance and a youth club for 11-18s based at
Bapchild and Tonge School.
Towards an outdoor learning environment at Landsdowne School.
Towards an outdoor reading area at Sunnybank School.

For further information please contact the clerk at Tonge Parish Council

Click below to view meetings