The Joseph Baker Workman’s Charity is a registered charity (number 203745), originally set up by Joseph Workman, brother of Henry Workman who was a major benefactor to Charlton in the 19th century, with the following main aims and activities:
The provision and maintenance of a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of the parish of Charlton without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for meetings, lectures and classes, and for other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.
On his death, Henry Workman’s will advised of his wishes regarding the safeguarding of his church and schoolroom. He left his properties in Charlton to his brother, Joseph Baker Workman, who had at one time lived at Ryden Farm. These included a number of cottages and the land attached, occupied by tenants, including the bakery then in what is now Bank House, occupied by Mr Jones, the baker, together with the schoolroom. In 1889, in line with his brother’s will, J B Workman transferred these properties to a trust which would use the income from the rented properties to fund repairs and improvements to the church and the schoolroom. Sarah Terry, previously Workman’s housekeeper collected the rents and received a commission for doing so. The first trustees were J B Workman who was Chairman, his son J P Workman, John Faulkner, John Swift, landowner, T J Slatter, bank manager, E G Righton, auctioneer, J Cole, Seedsman, W Smith, Newspaper proprietor and G Hunt, architect. James Faulkner, lord of Charlton manor took over as a trustee from his brother, who had left Charlton, the next year and became chairman in 1899 on the death of J B Workman. George Swift of Cropthorne became chairman in 1924 and remained in that position until 1952 when his son W F Swift took over who in turn, on his death in 1962 was replaced by Ernest Dodd. He retired in 1976 and Mervyn Owen took over until Colin McKnight replaced him in 1991. Since then, the chairmen have been Ron Strachan, Howard Heath, Steve Metcalf and Nigel Cates.
The properties were sold in 1892, the proceeds of the sale were invested and the income from these investments was the principal means of funding the trust for nearly 100 years. Throughout that time there was always ongoing concern about having adequate funds available to meet the costs of maintaining both the church and the schoolroom and to carry out necessary building repairs. The first duty was to maintain the church out of the invested capital while the schoolroom was maintained out of any residue and the income from lettings, donations and grants.
Each year a payment had to be made to the organist, the organ blower, the bell ringer and the clock winder! In 1928 these payments were transferred to the parochial church council but the trust continued to pay a fixed sum of £25 to the PCC until 1963. It was not until the early 1990s that the Charity Commission was involved in the creation of a new Trust Deed and the need to support the church from the 1892 investment was satisfactorily resolved. A new charity was formed, known as Joseph Baker Workman’s Charity, which continues today to manage the Old Schoolroom.