title="Elvaston Parish Council in Derbyshire">


Elvaston Charities

 

 

 

 

Elvaston United Charities
 
When William Piggin died in 1621 he left the sum of £250 to be invested in land and property.  The rents paid by the tenants of these properties was to be paid to the poor people of the rural villages of Thulston, Ambaston and the hamlet of Elvaston where St Bartholomews church is located. Its believed William Piggin was born somewhere close to these villages but no record of his birth has yet been found.

The charity still exists today, and is run by appointed trustees who live locally. Monies are handed out 4 weekly to people who reside in the three villages who have applied and been accepted by the trustees. A larger number of people benifit from the charity at Christmas when a " Christmas Box" is given to people over a certain age. 

Mr Piggin also demonstrated a degree of cunning to match and support his generosity. He also pledged a sum of £10 as a stock to generate interest or rent, to pay for an annual party for the trustees. This will have done much to ensure that the charity did not fall into disuse. It is estimated that at least five shillings would have been available annually for this convivial drink in William's memory: a very generous "shout" at that time. An estimate of the prices in 1625 indicate that ale by the mug in those days cost a halfpenny a quart or a farthing a pint. Five shillings would therefore have bought a quart per head for 120 people, or even more if the ale had been bought for the event wholesale by the barrel!  Sadly for the trustees the drinking fund is now much diminished with only about 20p now being available at each 4 weekly distribution.