Trust Fund History

The following information on the origin of the trust was gathered from an examination of the deeds and archives retained at Finsbury Central Library, St John Street, EC1.

William Worrall

In his will dated 20 December, 1689 William Worrall bequeathed £2,000 for the Free School which he had founded. He willed "the great room and one pair of stairs in the...House in French Alley wherein I now dwell to be a Free School and the rest of the house to be enjoyed by the Schoolmaster." The £2,000 was to buy land to endow the school.

The master was to be paid £30 per annum and 40 boys were to be taught at no cost to them. The first schoolmaster is recorded as Simon Cooke. The boys who were to benefit from the free education were to be poor and from St Giles Parish, Cripplegate. The boy scholars were to be clothed every other year with "caps, coats, breeches, hose and shoes of orange color".

John Fuller

In his will of May 14, 1723 John Fuller bequeathed land at Waltham Holy Cross for the benefit of boys living in the Lordship of St Giles, Cripplegate. Up to 24 bursaries were to be given for education at St Luke's Parochial Schools or one of the Charity Schools in the Lordship of St Giles, Cripplegate. The boys were to be given schooling, clothing and then put out to apprentice.

Amalgamation of the Trusts

In 1879 J.L. Hammond, Assistant Charity Commissioner, examined a proposal for the amalgamation of Worrall's School and Fuller's charity. Both boys and girls were to benefit from the amalgamation of the trusts which duly went ahead.

Land Disposals

In 1881 the Charity Commission authorised the Trustees of Worrall's Free School, as Lords of the Manor of Morehall in the County of Sussex, to sell various portions of land in the Parish of Ninefield. The Fund still owns Crouch Field at Ninefield, being the last remaining land holding out of the original benefactions.