I now come to the only remaining charity of which I propose to treat, which is that now representing the old Parish Free Schools, viz., the well known schools in Church Court, adjoining the parish church of S. Mary Abbots, now called the National and Infant Schools. The first endowment to this charity dates from so long ago as 1645, when Roger Pimble gave by will two houses in High Street, Kensington, held under a lease from Brazenose College, Oxford, for “a salary for the maintenance of a free school in Kensington for poor men’s children in the said town to be taught.” In 1652 the parish purchased the leases of the “Catherine Wheel” public house and a small plot of land adjoining, which were accordingly conveyed to the Churchwardens and Overseers, and other parishioners, for the use of the parish; and in 1664 the freehold of these premises was granted by the Lady of the Manor of Abbots, Kensington, to Christopher Batt and others in trust “for the perpetual habitation of a schoolmaster; for the education, teaching and instruction of poor boys and youths of the parish of Kensington in the same messuage;” and the said schoolmaster was to be chosen by the parishioners and inhabitants, or the majority of them. Catherine Dickens by will made in 1702 gave £50 to the Vicar and Churchwardens, the income thereof to be applied for ever “for the further maintenance of a schoolmaster belonging to the said parish, for teaching such poor children to write and cast accounts, whose parents being inhabitants of this parish were not able to pay for the same.” In 1705 Mary Carnaby, as I have already mentioned, left £40 for the use of the poor. And in 1707 the Parish Officers, with £80 made up of Mr. Dicken’s £50 and £30 out of Mary Carnaby’s £40, purchased the freehold of the “Goat” public house in High Street, which was accordingly conveyed to trustees on trust as to fire-eighths of the rent for the further and better maintenance of the said schoolmaster, and as to three-eighths “to be distributed among the poor.” With these endowments a school was established; there was a building in which instruction was given and a salary provided to pay a schoolmaster by whom the instruction was to be given. The history of the charity thus just established now becomes very intricate, and it would exhaust your patience still more, without serving any countervailing useful purpose, were I to attempt to follow the whole matter in detail. I will therefore spare you all this, and content myself, and I hope my hearers, by calling your attention to the more important events.