Charitable Trusts Act 1853

Anno Regni VICTORI, Britanniarum Regin,Decimo Sexto & Decimo Septimo. An Act for the better Administration of Charitable Trusts.

(16 & 17 Vict.) C A P. CXXXVII.

[20th August 1853]

'WHEREAS it is expedient to provide Means for securing the due Administration of Charitable Trusts, and for the more beneficial Application of Charitable Funds in certain Cases:' Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the some, as follows:

S-I Her Majesty empowered to appoint Charity Commissioners, Secretary, and Inspectors.

I Her Majesty empowered to appoint Charity Commissioners, Secretary, and Inspectors.

I. It shall be lawful for Her Majesty and Her Successors, by Warrant under the Royal Sign Manual, to appoint Four Commissioners, and also One Secretary and Two Inspectors for the Purposes of this Act, and up any Vacancy by the Death, Resignation, or Removal of any Commissioner, Secretary, or Inspector under this Act, from Time to Time in like Manner to appoint another Person to succeed to such Vacancy, and until a fresh Appointment shall be made it shall be lawful for the surviving or continuing Commissioners, in case of any Vacancy, to act as if no such Vacancy had occurred; and Three of the said Commissioners shall hold Office during good Behaviour; and the Fourth, and every Secretary and Inspector to be appointed under this Act, shall hold Office during the Pleasure of Her Majesty.

S-II Qualification of Commissioners.

II Qualification of Commissioners.

II. The said Three Commissioners so holding Office during good Behaviour shall be paid as hereinafter mentioned, and Two at least of the said paid Commissioners for the Time being shall be Barristers-at-Law of not less than Twelve Years standing at the Time of their respective Appointments, and One of such Barristers shall be the Chief Commissioner, and shall be so called and distinguished in his Appointment.

S-III Officers of the Board.

III Officers of the Board.

III. The said Commissioners, with the Sanction of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, shall from Time to Time appoint such Clerks and Messengers as the said Commissioners may think fit, and all Persons appointed under this Provision shall hold their Offices during the Pleasure of the said Commissioners.

S-IV Salaries.

IV Salaries.

IV. There shall be paid to the said paid Commissioners, and to the said Secretary, Inspectors, Clerk, and Messengers, such Salaries not exceeding for the Chief Commissioner the annual Sum of One thousand five hundred Pounds, and for each of the other paid Commissioners the annual Sum of One thousand two hundred Pounds, and for the said Secretary the annual Sum of Six hundred Pounds, and for each of the said Inspectors the annual Sum of Eight hundred Pounds, as shall be from Time to Time allowed by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, who may also allow to every Commissioner, Inspector, and other Person appointed for the Purposes of this Act such reasonable Travelling and other Expenses as may be incurred by him in the Execution of his Office, and the said Salaries and Expenses, and the incidental Expenses of the said Board, shall be paid out of any Monies which may be from Time to Time provided by Parliament for that Purpose: Provided always, that after the Thirty-first day ofMarch in the Year One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, the said annual Salary shall be paid to One only of the said Commissioners besides the said Chief Commissioner.

S-V No paid Commissioner, &c, to sit in House of Commons.

V No paid Commissioner, &c, to sit in House of Commons.

V. No paid Commissioner, Secretary, or Inspector to be appointed under this Act shall be capable of sitting in the House of Commons during the Tenure of his Office.

S-VI Style of Commissioners, who may sit as a Board.

VI Style of Commissioners, who may sit as a Board.

VI. The said Commissioners to be appointed under this Act shall be styled ‘The Charity Commissioners forEngland and Wales ,’ and may have and use a Seal for authenticating Documents, and such Commissioners shall sit from Time to Time as a Board for carrying this Act into execution; and any Two of such Commissioners may form a Board, and may exercise all or any of the Powers conferred on the Commissioners or the Board by this Act.

S-VII Board to frame General Minutes.

VII Board to frame General Minutes.

VII. The said Board shall, by General Minutes, from Time to Time prescribe Regulations for their Proceedings, and the Proceedings of their Inspectors, and concerning the Form and Manner of Applications to the said Board, and the Conditions to be performed by Applicants, and for the Guidance of Applicants in relation thereto, and all such General Minutes shall be signed by Three of the said Commissioners at the least; and Copies of all such General Minutes shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament within Fourteen Days after the making thereof if Parliament be sitting, or if Parliament be not sitting, then within Fourteen Days after the next Meeting thereof.

S-VIII Minutes of Proceedings and Orders, &c. to be entered, and Copies of Entries signed by the Secretary to be received in Evidence.

VIII Minutes of Proceedings and Orders, &c. to be entered, and Copies of Entries signed by the Secretary to be received in Evidence.

VIII. The said Board shall cause Minutes of their Proceedings, and all Orders, Certificates, and Schemes, made or approved by them under this Act, to be entered in Books to be provided and kept for such Purpose, and all such Entries shall be signed by their Secretary, and all Copies purporting to be extracted from the Books of the said Board, and to be certified by their Secretary, of any such Minutes, Orders, Certificates, and Schemes entered as aforesaid, shall be received as Evidence of the Proceedings to which such Minutes shall relate, and of such Orders, Certificates, or Schemes and of the making or Approval thereof (as the Case may require) by the said Board, without further Proof thereof.

S-IX Board to inquire into Condition and Management of Charities.

IX Board to inquire into Condition and Management of Charities.

IX. It shall be lawful for the said Board from Time to Time, as they in their Discretion may see fit, to examine and inquire into all or any Charities inEngland or Wales , and the Nature and Objects, Administration, Management, and Results thereof, and the Value, Condition, Management, and Application of the Estates, Funds, Property, and Income belonging thereto; and the said Board may cause Examinations and Inquiries in relation to the Matters aforesaid to be made and prosecuted by their Inspectors, acting together or separately, in such Cases and at such Times as the said Board may think fit; and all such Inspectors shall from Time to Time report their Proceedings to the said Board.

S-X Power to require Accounts and Statements.

X Power to require Accounts and Statements.

X. The said Board may require all Trustees or Persons acting or having any Concern in the Management or Administration of any Charity, or the Estates, Funds, or Property thereof, to render to the said Board, or to their Inspectors, or either of them, Accounts and Statements in Writing in relation to such Charity, or the Funds, Estates, Property, Income, or Monies thereof, or the Administration, Management, and Application thereof, and may also require such Trustees and Persons to return Answers in Writing to any Questions or Inquiries addressed to them by the Direction of the said Board relating to the Matters aforesaid.

S-XI Officers having Custody of Records to furnish Copies and Extracts, if required by Board.

XI Officers having Custody of Records to furnish Copies and Extracts, if required by Board.

XI. All Officers having the Custody of Enrolments, Decrees, Reports, Records, and other Documents relating to or concerning any Charity shall furnish such Copies or Extracts as shall be required by the said Board; and every Inspector, Secretary, and other Officer of the said Board for the Time being employed for the Purposes of this Act shall be at liberty, by the Authority and under the Directions of the Board, and subject to such Regulations as the Board may make in that Behalf, to examine and search the Register and Records of every Court of Law and Equity, and every Ecclesiastical Court, and every public Registry and Office of Records, and to take Copies of and Extracts from any Decree or Document recorded or registered or deposited therein respectively, for any Purpose contemplated by this Act, without Fee or other Payment in respect thereof.

S-XII Inspector may examine Witnesses on Oath.

XII Inspector may examine Witnesses on Oath.

XII. Any Inspector acting under the Authority of the said Board may, by Precept under his Hand, subject to such Regulations as the said Board may make in that Behalf, require any Person, being a Trustee of any Charity or otherwise acting or having any Concern in the Management or Administration of any Charity, or of the Estates, Funds, or Property thereof, or in the Receipt or Payment of the Income or Monies thereof, or deriving any Income or Stipend therefrom, to attend before such Inspector for the Purpose of being examined by him touching or relating to such Charity, or the Estates, Funds, Property, or Income thereof, at any Time and Place mentioned or appointed by such Precept, and to bring and produce any Deed, Paper, Writing, Instrument, or other Document, being in the Custody, Possession, or Power of such Person, and relating to such Charity, or the Estates, Funds, Property, or Income thereof, and may examine upon Oath all Persons attending in pursuance of such Precept, and all Persons voluntarily attending before him, and may administer such Oath: Provided always, that no Person shall be obliged to travel in obedience to any such Precept more than Ten...

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