The Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Charity Farm  Station Road [a.k.a. Crowborough Hill]    Crowborough  
Historical records

1746HistoryDavid Dadswell, headmasterCharity FarmFermor School 1744-1994

In 1746, apparently for the full sum of 500 pounds, the Charity Farm was purchased. A brief description of the land indicates a house, and probably other buildings, were already on the site, therefore by implication it was a working farm when bought. The property almost certainly stood on land once belonging to Lord Abergavenny and, indeed, was more than likely tenanted at the time of purchase. It has been considered that the tenant farmer then could well have been the David Dadswell we have mentioned before, whom we now know married the schoolmaster's daughter, Ann, and who together brought up their family at the farm which David managed for the Fermor Trust


1747 to 1803CensusOccupation FarmerDavid Dadswell, headmasterCharity FarmFermor School 1744-1994

1783HistoryDavid Dadswell, headmasterCharity FarmFermor School 1744-1994

By 1783, George, Lord Abergavenny, who was made Earl, remained the sole surviving trustee. David Dadswell was then schoolmaster and tenant of Charity Farm, and no doubt had been part of a committee welcoming John Fermor's son, the Rev John Shirley Fermor, to the Crowborough chapel in 1776.


26th Feb 1839Crowborough Chapel Green, Sussex - 1839John Taylor (occupier) and Charity Land (Crowborough) The gift of Sir Henry Fermor - trustees, Lord Neville Earl Abergavenny, William Neville and Reverend Robert Gream (owner)John Taylor, farmerBarn and Yard, Buildings (0 acres 0 roods 38 perches) plot 2308Rotherfield Tithe Map

26th Feb 1839Crowborough Chapel Green, Sussex - 1839Thomas Luxford (occupier) and Charity Land (Crowborough) The gift of Sir Henry Fermor - trustees, Lord Neville Earl Abergavenny, William Neville and Reverend Robert Gream (owner)Thomas LuxfordCottage and Garden (0 acres 0 roods 27 perches) plot 2309Rotherfield Tithe Map

6th Jun 1841CensusJesse Corke, M, Head, age 45 to 49, born Sussex; occupation: farmerJesse Corke, farmerCharity Farm1841 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
Ann Corke, F, [Wife], age 40 to 44, born SussexAnn Miles [Corke] [Latter]
Frances Corke, F, [Daughter], age 9, born SussexFanny Corke
Sophia Corke, F, [Daughter], age 6, born SussexSophia Corke
William Corke, M, [Son], age 11 months, born SussexMark William Jesse Corke

30th Mar 1851CensusHead; employs 2 people; occupation FarmerSamuel NightingaleCharity Farm1851 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
WifeAnn Nightingale
SonJames W. Nightingale
SonDannel Nightingale

7th Apr 1861CensusJames Card, M, Head, married, age 55, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: farmer of 65 acresJames Card, farm labourerCharity Farm1861 Census
Rotherfield and Crowborough, Sussex
Ann Card, F, Wife, married, age 52, born Buxted, SussexAnn Card
Amelia Card, F, Daughter, single, age 16, born Rotherfield, SussexAmelia Ovenden [Card]
Elizh Card, F, Daughter, age 9, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: scholarElizabeth Eliza Card
Alfred Turk, M, Servant, single, age 18, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: carterAlfred (Harford) Edward Turk, horse feeder
George Pilbeam, M, Servant, single, age 16, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: carterGeorge Pilbeam

2nd Apr 1871CensusJames Card, M, Head, married, age 64, born Rotherfield, Sussex; occupation: farmer of 50 acres employing 1 labourerJames Card, farm labourerCharity Farm1871 Census
Rotherfield and Crowborough, Sussex
Ann Card, F, Wife, married, age 62, born Rotherfield, SussexAnn Card
Elizabeth Card, F, Daughter, single, age 20, born Rotherfield, SussexElizabeth Eliza Card
George Tidey, M, Servant, single, age 17, born Buxted, Sussex; occupation: farm servantGeorge Tidey

1874Directory entryCard James, farmer, Charity farmCharity farmPost Office Directory

c 1875Crowborough Chapel Green, Sussex - c 1875Part of the 6 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1875 by Ordnance SurveyCharity Farm

17th Sep 1880HistoryCharity FarmFermor School 1744-1994

Under the terms of the original Scheme, the Governors of the Sir Henry Fermor's Foundation were to take charge of the old Fermor Trust until, following negotiations with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, a final severence and settlement of the endowment fund was completed. This aspect, the formal separation of the church or chapel from the school, came about on 17 September 1880 - the founding date of All Saints' Church.

Although 23 October 1877 was the date the school could operate as an independent body from the Trust, it was not the date the new school appeared on the Charity Farm site. Construction began in 1878, and completion came near the end of 1880, possibly coinciding with 17 September, the date the old schoolhouse became the property of the Church. Up until that time, the schoolhouse had been in use under the mastership of Mr Jeremiah Davis, who then became the first headmaster of the new Sir Henry Fermor School.


3rd Apr 1881CensusJames Card, M, Head, married, age 73, born Rotherfield, employs 2 men and 6 boys; occupation: farmerJames Card, farm labourerCharity Farm1881 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
Ann Card, F, Wife, married, age 69, born BuxtedAnn Card
Elizabeth E. Card, F, Daughter, single, age 29, born RotherfieldElizabeth Eliza Card
Harry Davis, M, Serv, single, age 21, born Southborough; occupation: farm labourerHarry Davis

1882Directory entryCard James, farmer, Charity farmCharity farmKelly's Directory

5th Apr 1891CensusAnn Card, F, Head, widowed, age 83, born Buxted, Sussex; occupation FarmerAnn CardCharity Farm1891 Census
Rotherfield, Sussex
Elizabeth Card, F, Daughter, single, age 39, born Rotherfield, SussexElizabeth Eliza Card
Richard Baker, M, Servant, single, age 37, born Mayfield, Sussex; occupation: farm labourerRichard Baker

c 1899Crowborough Chapel Green, Sussex - c 1899Part of the 6 inch to 1 mile map of Sussex produced in 1899 by Ordnance SurveyCharity Farm

2nd Apr 1911CensusCharles Paine, M, Head, married, age 30, born Eridge, Sussex; occupation: bricklayer's labourerCharles James Paine, bricklayer's labourerCharity Farm1911 Census
Crowborough, Sussex
Lily Paine, F, Wife, married 1 year, age 26, born Mayfield, SussexLily Paine [Berry]
Charles Paine, M, Son, age 7/12, born Crowborough, SussexCharles Paine

2001TodayFermor School

The Weald is at  Database version 14.05 which has ongoing updates to the 395,000 people; 9,000 places; 613 maps; 3,308 pictures, engravings and photographs; and 248 books loaded in the previous version

ODNB  
British Libarary  
High Weald  
Sussex Record Society  
Sussex Archaeological Society  
Kent Archaeological Society  
Mid Kent Marriages  
Ancestry  
Genes Reunited  
International Genealogical Index  
National Archives  

Top
of the
page