Welsh Journals

THE BUTE CHURCH PATRONAGE IN GLAMORGAN an additional note Roger L Brown Since the publication of my article in this Journal (volume 5 [1997] 92-8) the papers of the Welsh Church Commission have been indexed and been made available for researchers by the National Library of Wales. These papers include a substantial file relating to the Marquess of Bute's patronage, for he claimed compensation under the terms of the Welsh Church Act of 1914 for the loss of this patronage. The reference is LP/L 30, 034. These have been checked against the patronage papers of the diocese of Llandaff now held in the National Library (LL/TSF/3-5). The typescript abstract of the marquess's title to this patronage bears out my contention in the above article, namely that a device had been used, of selling the next turn of patronage, in order to circumvent the requirements of the law that the right of presentation to benefices whose patron was a Roman Catholic would lapse (in these cases) to the university of Cambridge. Until the third marquess came of age, his trustees acted for him in matters of patronage. Thus Evan Lewis was nominated to the parish of Aberdare by James Stuart Wortley, P.C., and Colonel Charles Stuart, being the trustees of the second marquess of Bute, "in full right (as was asserted)". On the 1 July 1869 the marquess assigned to Harmon Grisewood, Esq., of Christ Church, Oxford, and the Revd. John David Jenkins, of Jesus College, Oxford, for a consideration and sale of £ 5,900 the right of next presentation during the lifetime of the marquess in his Glamorgan patronage, together with Kirk Newton in the county of Northumberland (which is not mentioned thereafter). As Jenkins was known to be a poor man (his friends subscribed towards the costs of his Oxford D.D.), one suspects some accommodation was made regarding the cost of the sale. In 1871 William Henry Cleaver replaced Grisewood as "trustee", and in 1876 Lewis Jones of Cadoxton-juxta-Neath replaced Jenkins, to be replaced in turn by C A H Green of Aberdare in 1900. The Revd. L Jones mentioned in the 1901 Crockford's as one of the trustees is not recorded in this document. New assignments were made after a presentation had been made by the trustees, such as Aberdare in 1871, St Mary's Cardiff and Roath the following year, Merthyr Tydfil in 1885, and Neath with Llantwit in 1892. In 1872 the cost mentioned was £ 5,692 and in 1885, for Merthyr Tydfil alone, £ 1,750, which