THE question “What has become of the Charity Lands?” which has been so often asked in other parishes, has been occasionally put to those in authority in this; but so far as I can discover, no satisfactory answer has been returned—unless indeed we may deem it satisfactory to hear “that charity has been so little needed here, that much of that land which was given for this purpose, has been lost.” In the “Abstract of the returns of charitable donations for the benefit of poor persons, made to the House of Commons, by the ministers and churchwardens of the several parishes and townships in England and Wales, 1786 to 1788,” we find the following answers returned by the minister and churchwardens of Paddington: Name of the person who gave the charity? 1—Unknown. 2—Margaret Robinson, and Thomas Johnson. 3—Dr. Henry Compton. When given? 1—Unknown. 2—Unknown. 3—Uncertain. Whether by will or deed? 1—Uncertain. 2—Unknown. 2—Deed. Description of the charity, and for what purpose given? 1—For bread, cheese and beer to the inhabitants. 2—For apprenticing poor children. 3—To the poor. Whether land or money? 1—Land. 2—Ditto. 3—Ditto. In whom now vested? All in the churchwardens. The clear annual produce of that given in land, after deducting the rents issuing thereout? _£_ _s._ _d._ 1 21 „ „ 2 4 10 „ 3 70 „ „ Almost all is “unknown” and “uncertain,” in this Return, and this is the more to be lamented, as it was about the time at which this report was made that the value of land in Paddington began to be known by those who intended to secure the sanction of the legislature to a measure which would enhance its value. Since that time, the “Report of the Commissioners for enquiring concerning Charities,” (1826), has been published, and some little light has been thrown on this subject. This report contains, in fact, almost all that I have been able to discover relative to the Charity Lands; and I cannot do better than reprint it in this place; adding what little information I have been able to obtain. “The parish officers of Paddington were unable to produce any deeds or other original documents relative to the charitable funds of this parish; but they laid before us the minutes of vestry, in which under date the twelfth of April, 1803, is an entry stating that the vestry clerk produced an account of the estates, &c. belonging to the parish, written on vellum; and also several extracts from wills and other documents relative to the titles of the said estates, which were compared and examined with the said account by the vestry; and it appearing that such account was correct, it was resolved that the same be hung up in the vestry-room, and that a copy thereof be entered upon and taken as part of the minutes of the vestry; and which was so entered accordingly.”