Records of Lady Frances Winchcombe's Thatcham Foundation

1 - Minutes 2 - Accounts 3 - Schemes, Orders etc. 4 - Property and Investments 5 - Correspondence 6 - Miscellaneous

For more information on the history of the charity and school, see Samuel Barfield, 'Thatcham, Berks, and its Manors', vol. I (Oxford and London, 1891), pp.226-232; and the Endowed Charity reports in the RBA library. Records in other collections: D/P130/25/6 Trustees’ minutes, 1794-1860; D/P130/25/87 Charity Commissioners' typed transcript of 'The School Charity' order of Lady Winchcombe, 1871, and letter to incumbent regarding Thatcham Blue Coat School, 1914-1945; D/P130/25/93 Blue Coat School proposals, 1925; and C/CL/E4/86 Correspondence and papers relating to BCC tenancy of the old school, 1950

Minutes of trustees' meetings, June 1860-November 2009 closed until 2092; accounts, January 1860-September 1997 closed until 2058; Correspondence concerning the selection of beneficiaries, 1960, 1970, 1973-1974 closed until 2050.

The charity was founded by Lady Frances Winchcombe, daughter of the Earl of Berkshire and widow of Sir Henry Winchcombe, by a deed dated 30 June 1707 by which she conveyed an old chapel building in Chapel Street, Thatcham, (originally built in c.1301 but disused since the Reformation) in trust to be converted into a school for 30 poor boys born, or with parents living in, Thatcham, Bucklebury and Little Shefford. A trust fund, charged on the manor, farm and grange of Thornhill, St Mary Westport, Wiltshire, provided for the schoolmaster's salary, apprenticeships for three boys a year, Bibles and other books for the school, repairs, and an annual dinner for the trustees. The schoolmaster and the boys given apprenticeships were chosen by Lady Frances during her lifetime and thereafter by the trustees. The school opened in c.1713, but had a troubled history due to difficulties accessing the trust fund. The original charity was regulated by a Decree in Chancery in 1793. It was to provide education and clothing for up to 30 boys at the Bluecoat School, Thatcham, and apprenticeships for boys leaving the school. The master and beneficiaries were all required to be members of the Church of England and to attend their parish church regularly. By 1891 40 boys were educated. In the late 19th century some boys were apprenticed to the head gardener at Highclere Castle, Hampshire. The rent-charge was redeemed in 1878. During the First World War the premises were taken over by the army and boys educated at the National School. A new Scheme in 1926 discontinued the school and divided the orginal charity into Lady Frances Winchcombe's East Shefford Foundation and Lady Frances Winchcombe's Thatcham Foundation. The Thatcham Foundation benefitted boys from the parishes of Bucklebury, Cold Ash and Thatcham. Trustees were empowered to provide financial help to boys resident in the beneficial area to attend secondary school and university, to apprentice boys to trade and provide them with tools, and to give money for the maintenance and improvement of any local public elementary school not provided by the Local Education Authority and for the promotion of religious education in Sunday Schools. Another Scheme of 1980 allowed girls to benefit from the charity. The former school building was let to Berkshire County Council for use as a Cookery Centre, and then to other tenants. It was sold to Newbury Rural District Council in c.1971.