Formerly the Feoffees of the City lands. "Feoffee" is an archaic
term meaning 'trustee', and today would be rendered more clearly as
"Charity Trustee". The Peterborough Feoffees had many
responsibilities not only for the administration of the parish
charities, but also for some aspects of local government.
They lost some of their responsibility for maintaining the poor
when the Board of Guardians was created in 1837, but the Feoffees
retained ownership of the parish workhouses in Westgate and
Cumbergate, and these they converted into almshouses.
The Feoffees gradually reduced their other local government
responsibilities by a Charity Commission Scheme of 18, October 1907
and re-established as the Trustees of the Peterborough United
Charities, who first met in January 1908. By a further Scheme of
1974 the charity was renamed The Peterborough Almshouse and Relief
in Need Charity (and by a later change in 2001, is currently known
as the Peterborough Almshouse Trust).
The following records are known to exist:
- Peterborough Feoffees Minutes and Accounts Book -
1613-1674.
Held at Peterborough Archives Service (Ref: PAS/ALM/1).
Transcribed and published in Peterborough Local
Administration: Feoffees' Accounts 1614-1674 edited by W T
Mellows (Northants Record Society Volume X).
- Peterborough Charity Feoffees (National Register of Archives)
-1611-1907: records.
Held at Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery.
- Peterborough Town Charities (National Register of Archives) -
1893: accounts (Reference: 1955/27).
Held at Northamptonshire Record Office.
- Peterborough United Charities (National Register of Archives) -
1572-1967: records (Reference: 3901).
Held at Huntingdon Record Office.
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