| Administrative History | Several charities in the parishes of Lullington, Netherseal and Overseal were united under one group of trustees in 1969. There were two forms by which the benefits of the charities were to be administered: one was the provision of places in the Almshouses in Netherseal set up by Sir Richard Johnson's Charity; the other was provision of relief by means of money, clothing, food, etc out of the profits and resources of the other charities. These two divisions of administration were known as the Almshouse Branch and the Relief in Need Branch. The Almshouse Branch consisted of the charity set up by Sir Richard Johnson in his will of 16 November 1697 by which he bequeathed £150 to set up almshouses for 6 poor people of Netherseal and lands at Lichfield and Netherseal to pay for the inhabitants' upkeep, including provision of coats and gowns. The Relief in Need Branch used the resources of several other local charities. (i) Sir Thomas Rich's, which used land at Overseal, purchased as a result of his bequest of £200 in his will of 16 May 1666, to buy 4 shillings worth of bread each week to be distributed to the poor. (ii) John and Elizabeth Ramsor's, by which a grant of 10 shillings yearly was to be distributed to the poorest of Netherseal by an indenture of 19 July 1669 and will of 4 September 1675, resulting from land in Netherseal. (iii) Thomas Capenhurst's, following his will of 16 February 1755, by which land at Twycross was to be used to provide 5 shillings yearly for bread to be distributed among the poor not receiving alms or collections from the parish of Netherseal. (iv) Henry Boyleston and others of Lullington, for relief of the poor of Lullington, resulting from financial investments. In 1990 the resources of the Charity of Zachary and Rebecca Johnson were added to the Relief in Need Branch. The charity had been set up by his gift of 1669 and her will of 24 April 1678 to provide £60 to be distributed to poor orphans of Netherseal. The Relief in Need Branch became known as the Lullington, Netherseal and Overseal Relief in Need Charity, and the Almshouse Branch as Almshouses Charity. They were still run by one body of trustees. |
| Custodial History | The records were deposited in June 1970, June 1977, October 1978, February 1984 and December 1993. |