About us:

Introduction

History:
Origins of the Trust
John Feeney
Chairmen, past &
present

Trustees

Annual Report

Origins of the John Feeney Charitable Trust

John Feeney 1839 - 1907 was a prominent Birmingham citizen and a keen supporter of the Arts. He is best known as the founder of the Birmingham Daily Mail and the proprietor of the Birmingham Daily Post and the Birmingham Weekly Post. 

His collection of Middle and Far Eastern metal objects is now displayed in the Feeney Rooms of the Municipal Art Gallery (the Feeney rooms were built with the assistance of a generous bequest included in his Will).

The Creation of the Feeney Charitable Trust

In his Will were numerous other charitable bequests including the creation of a dedicated Grant making Charitable Trust bearing his name. John Feeney directed that a 9/90th part of his residuary estate was to be held in trust and the income arising used for the charitable purposes he prescribed.

The money was to benefit “any one or more of the public charities in the City of Birmingham, or for the promotion and cultivation of art in the City of Birmingham, or for the acquisition and maintenance of parks recreation grounds and open spaces in or near the City”. 

An express restriction was included that no part of the income should be applied to purposes, “which could possibly be considered as political or denominational”. 

The Feeney Trust has a long history of assisting worthwhile local causes especially within the fields of the arts, heritage and open spaces.

The Feeney Trust has always been a supporter of The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and in the earlier years gave a significant part of its income to assist in the purchase of pictures by Canaletto, Constable, Bellini, Lely, Burne-Jones, Cox and Millais amongst others.

Painting of John Feeney by Lance Calkin
Picture credit Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery