Walter David Jeremy was DWT's receiver for much of the second half of the nineteenth century. His authority was such that he could successfully challenge the trustees’ decisions. Having achieved legal recognition as Unitarians, the trustees had more confidence in their theology, their social importance, and their charity. Crucially, DWL moved home three times, gaining new readers in the process.

Jeremy and His Duties

Jeremy (1825–93) lived on Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, had chambers at 10 New Square, Lincoln's Inn, and became a DW trustee in 1856. Born in Carmarthenshire, he was the son of Revd John Jeremy of Lampeter and, after attending the Presbyterian College, Carmarthen 1841–5, had held a Dr Williams's scholarship in Glasgow 1845–8, graduating in classics and philosophy. Having ministered at the Unitarian chapel, Northampton, 1851–2, he had studied law, being called to the bar in 1859. He was later an honorary examiner for Dr Williams's scholarships and a member of the Presbyterian Board. He published A History of the Presbyterian Fund and Dr Williams's Trust (London, 1885), which resulted from a series of historical sketches in The Inquirer. Until his death Jeremy's chambers in Lincoln's Inn contained all DWT's current documents.

From New Square he sent out parcels of books, accompanying these with curt, matter-of-fact letters. In June 1862, he told Michael Jones of Bala, ‘You may give the Books to Ministers & Students or others’ but remember ‘that Welsh Books are more useful in the neighbourhood’. In July, William Jones of Amlwch was told that his parcel did not include certain books that he had requested, but that these would be sought out for the next parcel. One tenant in Blackfriars was offered a lease at the ‘yearly rent of £28’, with Jeremy expecting an ‘early answer’. In similar fashion Jeremy reminded DWT's tenants when their rents were due. He asked that they transmit the rent through a banker and inform him when this was done. Suspecting that DWT's tenant at Trevalyn Farm, near Wrexham, intended to leave and strip it of its fixtures, he placed the matter with the solicitor Samuel Cotton, DWT's secretary. In 1862–3 Jeremy acted to prevent Thomas Bridge of Stock, six miles south of Chelmsford, from repeatedly trespassing on trust land ‘in pursuit of game’.