7:00am Tuesday 10th August 2010
By Martin George
For hundreds of years Kingston magistrates have been giving financial support to poorer members of the community who come before them – something that would be stopped if the court closed.
Retiring rooms in the courthouse still house poor boxes, and local magistrates run a registered charity to help people who show “impecunious need”.
Records going back to 1705 list poor parishioners who were helped with monthly sums of four to seven shillings, the equivalent of about £19 today.
Over the years, the charity has made grants to help rehabilitate offenders through the probation and youth offending services, and helped adults, children and families with travel expenses, food, clothing, toiletries and furniture.
Magistrates have also used the fund to help with educational course fees, bereavement counselling and helping victims of crime, such as restitution of savings stolen from an elderly resident.
Since 1995 the fund has spend more than £30,000 helping some of the neediest members of our community, something that would no longer be possible if the Government’s closure plans went ahead.
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