Presentation on documents 8-11
8. A detailed scheme for using the Judd Foundation money to set up four schools (including one for girls). Four pages, no date but early 19c. Interesting!
Text of Document 8 at Annex A
Copyist’s hand very neat - spelling occasionally phonetic
I believe this is the David Hart Scheme which was proposed in 1825 and amended in 1844.
See extract from Barry Orchard’s 1990s History of Tonbridge:
As it is just possible that this document could have been the indirect product of the 1867 report by the Endowed Schools Commission (The forerunner of the Charity Commission) into the ancient Endowed Schools - many of which had become moribund - it’s worth adding this possible red herring.
The Commissioners’ comments on the Andrew Judde Foundation had caused much consternation at Skinners Hall in the 1870s. In the same way that the ending of the current leases to tenants of the Sandhill estate had resulted in great shedloads of dosh to the Judde Foundation, so the trust also benefitted even more from the purchase from it of some of the estate primarily needed for the `Construction of St Pancras (opened in 1868. Kings Cross opened in 1852 (Agur town slum previously) Euston had been opened in 1837.
See extract from David Gibbs booklet:
Judd School was founded in 1880. The charity scheme was accepted by the Charity Commissioners 1889.
At the same time the Charity Commissioners approve the scheme for the Skinners Company Middle School in Tunbridge Wells. Inhabitants of Tonbridge had to make do with Judd School only. T-Well an upstart within the Parish of Tonbridge!
1889 The Girls School was built in Stamford `Hill. Commissioners sought another school because the Attwell and Hunt charities were doing so well!
9. 15 June 1815 Committee at Skinners’ Hall re repairs to School house and removal of cow shed and other improvements
Orders from a Hall committee for the Surveyor
That School House to be completed. and secondly that a Cowhouse and shed be relocated over the other side of the wall (The old squash courts by the Lower Hundred I suppose) So the wall giving the Head’s private garden privacy was extended.
10. 10 September 1819 Letter from Thomas Knox referring to (critical) article about Tonbridge School which had appeared in the Morning Chronicle. Local gossip.
Thomas Knox seems to be asking someone of ‘higher status’ not to reveal that he was ‘Z’ who had written to the editor of the Morning Chronicle an anonymous letter published on 9 Sep 1819 Letter to ed of Morning Chronicle
The article in that paper on the 8th of September referred to a piece in the Edinburgh Review suggesting that the foundation monies of a school in Trowbridge were covering the bare essentials for the endowment of the School and that all the money left over was being misappropriated to the foundation’s other needs … perhaps even lubricating the workings of the Company in a general way!± This later Morning Chronicle Article revealed that for Trowbridge readers should insert Tonbridge!!!!
There were many moribund foundations from the Tudor and Stuart age that were similarly being mis appropriated.
11. Undated part of a draft of a letter (by the clerk?) referring to Sir Andrew Judd
(But the Skinners Company finds it right to state)…,. that in the goodwill evinced by Sir Andrew Judd, towards them they would be guilty dereliction of duty towards their successors were they not under any circumstances & in any scheme, which may be submitted to the Master, for the future foundation of the school, desirous of retaining to themselves the nomination and of having always in the School Ten Boys, Sons of Skinners, tho’(non residents of Kent) non residents who shall ?participate in all the benefits of the Foundation Boys …….
I might be wrong, but this looks like a racket to me - Skinners sons not even at the school enjoying Foundationers’ rights!
