Two hundred years ago the misuse of charity funds caused public concern. The Court of Chancery provided remedies not obtainable in the common-law courts.
“It transpired in the Court of Chancery on Saturday, that there are in the kingdom upwards of 50,000 charities, of the annual value of about two millions, not above one quarter of which is properly applied. The public commissioners for investigating charities have reported upon 20,000, and their expenses already exceed 200,000l. Of these 20,000 charities, two-thirds are awaiting decision, and the law costs exceed 10,000l. In the case of a charity established for the redemption of slaves on the coast of Barbary, an information having been filed, and a poor sailor made a relator, the result has been, that the trustees of the charity have admitted having a sum of 100,000l. in their hands, and now consent to bow to the decision of the court.–It will be remembered that the practical usefulness of the commissioners of charities was dreadfully frittered away by some alarmed persons procuring the investigation to be restricted to charities for which there were not known ‘Visitors.’ It is believed that, had the powers of the commissioners not been so shamefully confined, ten times the amount of benefit would have resulted from their labours, and great and wicked perversions would have been corrected that now stand over for another day of account.”
Stamford Mercury, 2nd April 1830.