The Church Burgesses, formerly known officially as the Twelve Capital Burgesses and Commonalty of the Town and Parish of Sheffield, are a

charitable organisation A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ...

in the city of

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham. I ...

. In 1297, the Burgery of Sheffield was established in the Charter to the Town of Sheffield. Thomas de Furnival, Lord of the Manor of Sheffield, granted land to the freeholders of Sheffield in return for an annual payment, and a Common Burgery administrated them.Clyde Binfield et al., ''The History of the City of Sheffield 1843-1993: Volume I: Politics'' In 1554, a charter established the Twelve Capital Burgesses, a petition to Mary Tudor, probably supported by the fifth Earl of Shrewsbury, presented by the inhabitants of Sheffield. The lands confiscated by King Edward were returned to the people under the 1554 Charter. The Burgesses were charged with providing

stipend A stipend is a regular fixed sum of money paid for services or to defray expenses, such as for scholarship, internship, or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from an income or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work pe ...

s for three assistant ministers at the church and with the maintenance of the church. They were also given the power to maintain and improve streets and bridges in the environs of the church. In contrast to the Burgery, which was an elective body, the Burgesses were to fill empty positions by co-option. Elsewhere in England, the existence of a church rate proved a source of conflict between members of the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

and nonconformists, and in some cities, church posts became politicised, but the existence of the Burgesses meant that no rate was levied in Sheffield. In order to pay for their works, the Burgesses were endowed with land in the parish. From 1736 to 1829, they leased a large amount of land, second in the town only to the

Duke of Norfolk Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of Norfolk. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The du ...

. By 1833, they owned . They received rental income from the land, and also income from investments. However, by the nineteenth century, this proved insufficient for them to undertake the maintenance and improvement work. In 1805, they convened a public meeting to discuss the formation of an Improvement Commission. Although this idea was initially rejected, the Sheffield Improvement Commission was established by the Sheffield Improvement Act 1818. Relieved of their obligation to maintenance in the town, the Burgesses refocussed on a range of charitable works. Today it splits its income between "ecclesiastical purposes in support of the Church of England... education and for the betterment of the needy and deprived and ... the benefit of the community." In addition to supporting Sheffield Cathedral (the former parish church), it puts money towards the building of churches and payments towards Anglican clergy stipends throughout Sheffield. A separate trust, the Church Burgesses Educational Foundation, administers its educational funds.Sheffield Burgesses
, Sheffield Cathedral

References

3. George Tolley. We, of our Bounty.

External links

* * *{{EW charity , 529357, Church Burgesses Educational Foundation 1554 establishments in England Christianity in Sheffield Charities based in Sheffield