By indenture, dated 31st March 1744, and enrolled in Chancery 4th April in the same year, George Goward, of Lakenheath, in the County of Suffolk, conveyed to Thomas Stuart and 17 others therein named, and their heirs, 18 acres of land, in Soham, called the Coat Piece, upon trust, in the first place, out of the rents and profits, to pay to the Minister, Churchwardens, and Overseers of the Parish of Soham the yearly sum of £6., in manner following; that is to say, the sum of 10s. on the first Sunday in every Month throughout the year, to be by them applied in the purchase of 20 sixpenny loaves, of good and wholesome wheat bread, according to the price and assize of bread for the time being, to be by them distributed on every such first Sunday in every Month, in the Parish of Soham, immediately after divine service, to and among 20 poor persons of the said Parish then and there present, and to be nominated and appointed by the Minister, Churchwardens, and Overseers, so as such poor persons should frequent the Church of England, and not dissent therefrom, and be of honest characters and proper objects of Charity; and that when any of them should happen to die or come to better estate, so that they should not have need thereof, then that the Minister, Churchwardens, and Overseers, should choose out and appoint other like objects in their place.
The Donor then directed that a similar payment of £6 should be made to the Parish of Lakenheath in Suffolk, and gave the residue of the rents and profits for the endowment of a School there; and further directed that, in case of neglect of the Minister, Churchwardens, and Overseers, the trustees for the time being should make out a list or schedule of the names of such persons, of the two Parishes, and of such poor Boys of the Parish of Lakenheath, as they should think proper to elect and approve of for taking the benefit of the said Charities; and that after such list should have been duly signed by them, or the major part of them, testifying their approbation thereof, it should be lawful for them, or the major part of them, to apply the several and respective sums before mentioned for the benefit of the said poor persons, and for educating and schooling the said poor Boys.
The deed contained a provision, that when the trustees should be reduced to three, the survivors, at the reasonable request of the inhabitants and owners of lands in Soham and Lakenheath, or any six of them, and upon payment of the full costs, should convey the premises to the use of themselves and so many other respectable persons, inhabitants, or owners of lands in the said Parishes, or living in or near the same, as should make up and complete their number to 10 persons at the least, and their heirs, upon the same trusts.
The Coat Piece, at Soham, upon which the annuities are charged, still retains that name.
The payment to Soham is regularly made, and the money distributed in conformity with the directions of the Will.