This painted wooden figure in a Yorkshire church wears a label round his neck saying ‘Pray Remember the Poor’ and holds the parish alms box, dated 1701 and still in use today.

Church records show that he is named after John Tristram who was in receipt of poor relief in 1700. A record of repairs to the figure in 1815 makes delightful reading:

Repairing Tristram, painting etc: piercing his nose and making a new underlip; one thumb from the first joint, and a pair of upper leathers to his shoes, painting his face; combing his beard, and a pair of new black breeches; with new coat of fashionable brown, white stockings; touching up the poor box, and writing petition to feeling hearts.