(one of them after banns published in the parish church), and five subsequent to these by John Clarke : the rest are by strangers. An Act of Parliament

passed, as I am informed, somewhere about this time. (1752), restrained such irregular solemnizations in unconsecrated buildings.

It

Montpelier School was built in 1856 on land given by the minister, which was transferred to trustees. was originally designed for the instruction of about 50 children, but there are now about 100 in regular attendance. During the last two years the apartments built for the mistress have been converted into a school for infants, and new rooms erected above it. The Sunday schools are attended by about 60 children. The school is under Government inspection, and has hitherto received liberal grants made in accordance with the results of the examination held by the inspector.

At the time Ironside wrote there were "no Dissenting or other meeting houses, or any popish chapel in the parish, and but very few of its inhabitants" were" of either persuasion." Lysons mentions the existence of a meeting house belonging to the Methodists in the late Mr. Wesley's connection. This still exists, and bears the date 1800. It is situated in the Grosvenor Road, near the first additional burial-ground, and is still the only nonconformist place of worship in the ecclesiastical district attached to the old parish church.

In the parish of Holy Trinity are a Baptist Chapel, and a Congregational Chapel with schools attached ; they are both of recent erection.

ΙΟ

CHAPTER VIII.

THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.

FORMATION Of the Present Schools-Boys', GIRLS', AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS-VARIOUS BEQUESTS-ERECTION Of Old Schools In SCHOOL ALLEY, 1809-NEW SCHOOLS IN ARRagon Road, 1861 -AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AND NUMBER ON THE BOOKS— FURTHER BENEFACTIONS.

THE present schools have been formed from three distinct schools, of which it will be necessary to speak separately.

First-the Boys' School. In one of the old Parochial vestry books there are traces of the existence of a parochial school as far back as the year 1645, when entries begin to appear concerning the admission of masters to teach in the school-house, which seems to have consisted of apartments in the old parish houses called the church-houses, and to have been kept in repair by the parish and used rent free.

An entry dated July 12th, 1686, ordered that William Laurence should have the privilege of teaching school in the church-house room, but that he should teach three poor parish boys, to be selected by the vestry, gratis. This regulation seems to have been of an earlier date than this first entry concerning it, for a subsequent entry of May 4th, 1691, relating

to the appointment of three boys to be taught to read and write, mentions the fact that the schoolmasters of Twickenham had, by former contracts with the minister and churchwardens, agreed to instruct and teach "three poor inhabitants their children" living in the parish.

The earliest endowment appears to be that by Richard Holman, who gave by will, proved in 1710, towards educating the poor parish boys of Twickenham, 100l., "to be paid to the minister, trustees, and guardians of the said poor boys, they procuring good security by land," the yearly rent of which to be towards the charge for educating from time to time a certain number of the said poor parish boys at the school. Four computed acres of copyhold land held in the Manor of Isleworth Syon were purchased with this legacy. Upon the enclosure of the common lands in 1817, an allotment containing 2 a. 3r. 33p., was made to the trustees of the school in lieu of this land which lay dispersed in the common fields. By this exchange the property was rendered compact and suffered no diminution, as the computed acres in the open fields were generally found not to comprise more than from two-thirds to three-fourths of a measured acre. This parcel of land is in the South Field in the Upper Teddington Road, and has been usually let at a yearly rental of ten guineas.

Robert Moore by his will, proved in 1726, devised "a little house on the common's side (after the death of one Robert Hayworth) to the free school of Twickenham, towards educating the poor children and scholars thereof for ever." The premises which were copyhold

were granted to the late Countess of Dunmore, on lease in 1814, at a yearly rental of six guineas. At that period the house no longer existed, but there was a small building on its site used as a dairy. On the enclosure of the common lands, a small frontage to this piece of land containing twenty-four perches, was allotted to the school. The whole property has since been exchanged with E. H. Donnithorne, Esq., the present owner, for a copyhold house in Syon Manor, in the fifth cross-raod, let upon a long lease at a ground rental of twelve guineas per annum.

At the time of the above-mentioned inclosure an allotment was made in respect of all the charity lands in the parish, the proportion belonging to the schools being 3 r. 20p. (This is the amount in the enclosure award in the tithe award it is said to be I a. or. 3p. which latter is supposed to be correct.) It is a piece of copyhold land in the Manor of Syon, on Whitton Common adjoining the remainder of the parish land; it was let on lease at a yearly rental of 27. 25. to the late Sir William Clay, Bart.

Second-the Girls' School. From an early period. there appears to have been a parochial school for girls, distinct from the boys' school. There are two entries dated 1648, in the old vestry book, of payments for work done at "the maids' school." This school has received the following benefactions :—

An old school account book, dated 1753, records that Lady Blount gave to the girls' charity school a pew in the north gallery and half a pew in the south break, which were let respectively at eight guineas and one guinea per annum. This charity, on account

of its illegality, has been lost to the parish for some years.

In

An annuity of two guineas was bequeathed by the Marchioness of Tweedale: the date is not known. 1815, the then Lord Dysart redeemed this annuity by an investment of 70l. Three per Cent. Consols, in the names of trustees; the first dividends were received in 1817, when two years' dividends were paid together.

Third-the Sunday School. Stafford Briscoe, Esq., who died in 1789, gave to the vicar and churchwardens of the parish 100l. upon trust, for the benefit of the Sunday Schools for children in the parish of Twickenham, which he wished to be as well for boys as for girls; the ground to be purchased with the said 100l. to remain in the names of the vicar and churchwardens of the said parish for ever, and to be transferred into their names as often as there should be a new vicar of the parish. This gift is now represented by 120/. New Three per Cent. Stock. Another trustee has been added the dividends are now paid to the Vicar and expended in accordance with the testator's wishes.

Although an investment was made in accordance with the terms of the will, the very existence of the fund was lost sight of for a period of ten years. In 1800 it was discovered, but its true character not being known, it was re-transferred, and the ten-and-a-half years dividends then due, and all subsequent dividends till 1818, were carried to the general parish account out of which the charitable payments of the vestry were then made. In 1818 the vestry ordered the stock to be sold for repairing the workhouse. Soon after, the terms of the benefaction were fully discovered, and