Custom survived: Signor Pasquale Favale Bequest

I should say just survived as just before the pandemic hit the City of London were proposing re-allocating the moneys to other charitable purposes; however I am unclear whether this has happened…

Calendar customs are not always very evident some are small and rather private affairs; Signor Pasquale Favale bequest is one of these. My attention was first drawn to this by accident reading notices outside of a church and was curious to find out more.  The bequest reading:

“poor, honest, young woman, native of London, aged 16 to 25 who has recently been, or are about to be married”

A marriage made in heaven.

Favale was an Italian married a London girl and was married for many happy years with her in such that when he died in 1882 he stipulated in his Will of the 25th March that 18,000 Italian francs (around £720) should be used to provide a yearly dowry to three girls as his wife ‘was a native of the city’ and that ‘he had many happy years in the city’. Like all such bequests there were stipulations. Firstly that they should be born in the city that they should be born in the City., be poor, honest young women. They should be aged 16-25 and who had recently been, or were about to be, married. Thus be doing so he set up Britain’s most unusual bequest and custom. Thus every July the trustees of the charity decide upon the beneficiaries. Of course finding these beneficiaries is not easy – hence the sign on that church door -doubtlessly multiplied across the city. 

Outside St Botolph Without Bishopgate copyright David Brown via Flickr

18000 Italian francs was around £720 which after expenses needed to set up the foundation he required; the residue was too small for the interest in it to be enough to put the bequest until effect until 1914, but for over a hundred years it has been given.

When the money was left dowries were common practice from the bride’s families to her husband and perhaps he was concerned that many prospective women lost out because of the lack of money or was he bitter that his wife’s family never provided him with one?  

For richer or poorer?

Of course wording of the bequest has been problematic. When the City of London became the trustees the necessity that recipients be born in the City was removed. Very few are more within the square mile of the city, especially since St Barts closed its maternity unit and those that might be are unlikely to be ‘poor’ but I’d hope they were ‘honest’!

Such that since 2000 the bequest states that it should award:

“Marriage Portions to poor honest women who were born within the City of London or have resided therein for the period of at least one year, and who either have been married within the period of twelve calendar months next preceding the date of award or who are about to be married”.

As a report by the City of London states:

“Although the terms might make bestowing the gift difficult – finding a ‘poor’ resident of the City probably poses as much of a challenge as determining whether she is ‘honest’, the tradition continues.”

One of the most recent recipients has been Lorna Emmett a 31-year-old chartered accountant, Lorna Emmett, who married her husband in Hampstead in May. She received the £150 dowry. Another recipient stated:

 “It was actually the concierge at my building who pointed it out. I thought it would be nice to be part of such a romantic tradition and it will also make a small contribution to the wedding expenses!”

Indeed £150 probably does not go far these days and this is what is probably behind the move to consolidate the charity with others and use the moneys elsewhere. Interestingly, there are many poor and honest brides outside of the city boundaries who would no doubt benefit but it does not seem that that method of changing the bequest has been explored!

One do hope that the bequest does not disappear into an amorphous charity pot and that brides still benefit for years to come…despite its rather antiquated idea behind it.

Custom contrived: Broomfield Well dressing, Kent

There are hundreds of wells across the country and a large number of holy wells in the county of Kent – however very few have been as specially treated as the village well of Broomfield in the shadow of Leeds Castle. Locally the well is called St Margaret’s based on an old record which states

‘…to the reparation of St. Margaret’s well, 12d Agnes, Widow of Ricd Caring of Leeds 1507.’

Developing well

It appears that local people believed this to be the specific well and repaired it in 1990. Once repaired a discussion occurred to how to make the well more celebrated. It would appear that the idea of well dressing was decided. It is said that this colourful custom was transported down from Derbyshire by a local man Revd. Bill Withers who was the vicar coming down from a Derbyshire living.

Previous effort have had a religious topic; but since the early 1990s the ideas have diversified. Like those in the Peak District themes have been 2019 First Man of the Moon; 2018 100 Years of the RAF; 2014 WWI and 2000 Battle of Britain. However, uniquely in 2015 the church got a new treble bell and that was celebrated. In a curious twist of irony 1999 celebrated the EU 30 years before we left it! Although to all impressions the style is identical to that of the Peak District; the technique differs utilising plant oasis rather than puddled clay which sounds easier but perhaps more challenging to maintain.

When I attended in 1996 it was the year of the Olympics and as such this was the theme. A large group of people had attended to see the vicar lead the service after starting in the church. The children attending had baskets of flowers which after the prayers are said at the well placed them around the well head. A small ceremony which despite being out of place has developed and so far survived the impact of Covid-19. Indeed if I have read correctly the skills were even transferred north.

“Kent Messenger Maidstone reported 

A well dressed congregation – South Yorkshire 14 Aug 2009 Parishioners enjoyed a service with a difference when the ancient custom of well dressing came to Kent. Well dressing – blessing the water supply – is a feature of the Peak District, South Yorkshire and Staffordshire, and includes decorating the village well. The custom almost died out in the 1950s but has since been revived. Broomfield vicar the Rev Robin Gill led the service there.”

Custom demised: Alnwick Fair Watch

Many people will remember the latest incarnation of Alnwick Fair revived in 1969 to 2007 which is sadly discontinued. However W Davidson the 1822 History of Alnwick tells of another curious custom associated with a more ancient fair he reports:

“On the Sunday evening preceding the fair, the representatives of the adjacent townships that owe suit and service to his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, and the constables of Alnwick, with several of the freeholders and tradesmen, attend at the castle, where they are freely regaled. The steward of the Court, and the bailiff with their attendants, then proceed from the castle to the cross in the market-place, where the bailiff proclaims the fair in the name of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, and calls over the names of the various townships that owe suit and service; viz. the townships of Chatton and Chillingham, four men, Coldmarton and Fowbury, four men; Hetton and Hezebrigge, four men; Fawdon and Clinch, four men; Alnham and Alnham Moor, two men; Tughall and Swinhoe, two men; Longhoughton and Denwick, four men; Lesbury and Bilton, two men; Lyham and Lyham-hall, one man; with the principal inhabitants of the borough of Alnwick. “

The role of these men was made clear that:

“The representatives who attend for the several townships in service are obliged to keep watch at different parts of the town the night before the fair, which has been a custom from time immemorial.”

It is also said that:

“On the fair-day the tenants of the Duke within the barony of Alnwick attend at the castle, when the steward and bailiff proceed from thence to the market, and proclaim the fair as before. They then go to Clayport Street, where the fair is again proclaimed, and from thence to the castle. The above townships, by their attendance, are exempt from paying toll in the borough for twelve months, but if they do not attend, they must pay the same till the next year.”