Minutes of the Commissioners: 1726

428. [p. 360] 7 Jan. 1725/26

1. Agent reported attending vestry of St Margaret Westminster: Sir Thos Crosse in the chair desired Board would direct Agent by a minute to apply to the trustees for their consent to dispose of the ground; so ordered.

2. Peck reported that he had seen Heath about purchasing house and garden at Limehouse for minister; he demands £550, which James thinks not too dear.

3. Heath to lay title deeds before Solicitor to consult counsel, Commissioners agreeing to pay £550.

4. Secretary to pay Agent £3. 1s. 6d., being overpayment to late Agent's widow.

5. Treasurer reported he had laid memorial for a loan before Lords of the Treasury, who had ordered a warrant for a loan to be made at Exchequer accordingly.

6. Signed warrants for paying half-year's salary due at Christmas to officers and half-year's rent for office.

7. Signed warrant for paying £600 to Jas Lesley and others.

8. Treasurer to examine books of works so that they may be signed at next meeting.

429. [p. 363] 28 Jan. 1725/26

1. Agent delivered resolution of trustees of the Military Ground in St Margaret Westminster, with plan annexed, to part with one acre. Surveyors to estimate cost of walling in.

3. Marshall delivered a report how the money for buying pews in Ormond chapel has been laid out; referred to Deans of Chichester and the Arches, to report as soon as convenient.

3. Agent to inquire whether there is any other ground for a churchyard for Millbank, because of doubt whether Military Ground can be made to answer the purpose.

4. Meard having complained of a mistake in his proposal for church in Hanover Square, Surveyors to report.

5. Surveyors to report on petition of Sam Newsham, watchman.

6. Read petition of minister and churchwardens of Aldgate that site proposed by them may be bought for a church; Surveyors to view and report.

7. Petition of officers for an allowance for extra services last year referred to committee of Dean of the Arches, Philipps and Ellis, to report to next meeting.

8. The same officers elected 30 April 1724 to be continued to first meeting after New Year's Day next.

9. Petition of Devall and others, inhabitants of St Margaret Westminster, that there is no room to make a sewer to carry waste water from their houses because of drain made for Millbank church referred to Surveyors.

430. [p. 365] 4 Feb. 1725/26

1. Solicitor to deliver all papers about pew money for St George the Martyr to Deans of Chichester and the Arches.

2. Agent reported he could find no land proper for a churchyard for Millbank.

3. Surveyors reported estimate for walling Military Ground. Trustees to be asked whether they are willing to part with residue to south (about one and a half acres) on condition Commissioners wall in the whole and make posts and rails as required in their proposal.

4. Surveyors reported on Meard's complaint; his proposal included 25s. per square for ground flooring—at least 10s. per square less than ever has been offered. They think this was mistaken, because materials therein amount to upward of 25s., besides workmanship. Agreed that he be paid 35s. per square.

5. Petition of Devall and others to be complied with provided they bring waste water into the Commissioners' drain under Surveyors' direction.

6. Treasurer to pay £10 to Newsham, watchman at Hanover Square church.

7. Books of works done at the churches having been signed at last meeting, and that for Hanover Square church not then ready, it was now signed for 1724.

8. Solicitor to give Farrer the bill he prepared for enabling Commissioners to build in brick as well as stone, for purchasing chapels erected since the 9th of Anne, and for making clerks of new parishes, members of the Corporation of Parish Clerks, with copies to Speaker and some other MPs.

9. Lucas to be employed to finish brickwork of minister's house, Bow, vice Hester, deceased.

431. [p. 367] 11 Feb. 1725/26

Surveyors to report on house in Charles Street Comon [sic] Garden proposed for a minister's house for St Mary le Strand for £1,100.

2. Read petition for Hall, watchman, Spitalfields church. Treasurer to pay him by imprest £20, and £4 to Jonathan Durden, watchman at Wapping church.

3. Agree to accept proposal of trustees of Military Ground to convey one and a half acres for remainder of their lease if Commissioners can agree with Dean and Chapter of Westminster for freehold. Solicitor to attend Dean and Chapter and ask their terms.

432. [p. 369] 25 Feb. 1725/26

1. James submitted plan of another site for a churchyard for Millbank, proposed by Dean and Chapter of Westminster.

2. Read petition from Sir Fisher Tench; called in and told Board could come to no resolution until contract made with Johnson about site could be consulted, and Johnson discoursed with.

3. Hawksmoor submitted plan of house in Charles Street. Agreed that £1,100 be given for it on seller making good title; to lay title deeds before Solicitor.

4. On petition of White about executors of Edward Boswell, one of bricklayers for Bloomsbury church, ordered Treasurer not to pay Ford, the surviving contractor, without first acquainting Board.

5. Treasurer to pay £10 to Nich. Walker, watchman at Limehouse church.

6. Warrant to be prepared for paying Appleby, joiner for Spitalfields and Woolwich [Woolnoth] churches, as much as will make up £1,000 together with his imprest money, £75, already paid, and what is entered in the books of 1724 and not yet paid.

7. Surveyors to give directions for building vestry room for St Mary Woolnoth, near place old one stood.

8. Read minute of 27 Nov. 1724 concerning purchase of a site at Bethnal Green; resolved that six months notice be given White before foundation of a new church be begun.

433. [p. 371] 4 Mar. 1725/26

1. Treasurer to pay Solicitor £100 towards expenses of bill in parliament for providing maintenance for minister for Strand church.

2. Read petition from churchwardens, etc, of Spitalfields offering to pay £200 p.a. towards minister's maintenance; called in and told that their church should be finished speedily, and their parish probably included with other new Stepney parishes in an endowment bill.

3. Officers who applied for an extraordinary allowance to lay a specific account before committee; Secretary to attend with minute books.

4. Read petition from churchwardens of Limehouse offering £50 p.a. towards a maintenance for their minister; approved.

5. Dean of the Arches submitted report, signed also by Dean of Chichester, on transaction with trustees of St George the Martyr. Referred to next meeting.

6. Bishop of Rochester reported that Dean and Chaper of Westminster had decided a price for Millbank churchyard and were notifying Solicitor for Board's information.

7. Appleby to finish joiner's work at Spitalfields church with all possible speed.

8. Stonehouse to be employed to solicit bill for building churches with brick, and for other objects.

9. Zacharius Hamlyn to be employed to solicit bill for settling a maintenance on minister of Strand church.

10. Considering circumstances of new parish of St Mary le Strand, £2,500 a proper sum to be allowed out of moneys appropriated [for endowment] in act of the 5th of the King.

434. [p. 373] 11 Mar. 1725/26

1. Churchwardens, etc., of Wapping willing to settle £120 p.a. to maintain minister as an inducement to Commissioners to be at the charge of a bill for endowing church.

2. Petition of Geo. Crochly complaining of damage to his schoolroom by building Bloomsbury church referred to Surveyors.

3. Solicitor to prepare a bill for endowing the five new churches in Stepney with all possible speed.

4. Churchwardens, etc., of Stratford Bow willing to settle £45 p.a. to maintain minister.

5. Signed warrant for paying Appleby £392. 19s. 10d. by imprest.

6. Signed memorial to Treasury that fictitious tallies may be struck at four per cent for what remains of the loan of £40,000 for discharging debts to the workmen.

435. [p. 375] 17 Mar. 1725/26

1. Good reason to apprehend that upon an application to parliament by Dean and Chapter of Westminster there is a design to take some part of the fund appropriated to use of the Commissioners, to employ it on Westminster Abbey. There are several large parishes in Winchester diocese and within the bills of mortality which greatly need additional churches, and have petitioned, which cannot be so well accommodated if such diminution be made. Notice to be given to Bishop of Winchester of the application, and to Dean and Chapter of St Paul's, there being need of two churches in Cripplegate parish under the jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter, building of which Commissioners may not be able to effect if diminution made.

A true state of this case to be drawn up, Bishop of Carlisle and Chichester and Dean of the Arches making a draft for next meeting.

2. Solicitor and Treasurer to attend this committee. Treasurer to apply to Jodrell, Clerk of House of Commons, for a copy of first application to parliament of Dean and Chapter of Westminster for money to repair Abbey.

Treasurer to apply at Exchequer for an account of annual produce of coal duty from 14 May 1716 to Lady Day 1719.

3. Treasurer to apply to Treasury for copy of last application of Dean and Chapter of Westminster for money for repair of the abbey.

4. Allowed Secretary's bill of incidents; warrant to be prepared.

5. Application to Treasury signed at last meeting cancelled for some mistake therein, and another signed desiring the striking of fictitious tallies for £20,000 at four per cent on the loan for £40,000.

436. [p. 377] 25 Mar. 1726/27

1. Read petition from rectors of St Dunstan's Stepney; told them that it should be considered when endowment bill shall be brought in.

2. Bishop of Carlisle and Dean of the Arches delivered report, signed also by Bishop of Chichester, on application of Dean and Chapter of Westminster that either their proportion of the £360,000 may be allotted them, or that the £4,000 p.a. may be continued to them out of the fund of £21,000 p.a. for 32 years from Lady Day 1719.

The committee think themselves concerned only with former part of petition, this Board having nothing to do with the surplus of fund. Dean and chapter have no claim to further share of the £360,000, having received all that was intended them by acts of 9th Anne and 5th Geo. I. Greenwich Hospital likewise having received full allotment, remainder is wholly appropriated to the Commission's uses. Expense of building with stone, and purchasing sites is so great, and so far exceeds calculations formerly made, that it will be utterly impracticable to build half the churches first purposed, even employing whole sum as it now stands. Necessity of having many additional churches about London still continues: several parishes containing 30,000 or 40,000 souls, many at too great a distance from the parish church and having no place to attend divine service, as appears by their repeated applications. Lastly, taking away any part of what remains of the £360,000 will defeat pious intentions of late Queen and present King, and parliament's principal design, tending to benefit of the Church of England and advancement of religion, and will deprive many thousands of convenience of worship and disappoint their just expectations of relief, to which they have so largely contributed in coal duty since 14 May 1716.

Committee submit that Board ought therefore to give utmost opposition to do so unreasonable an application.

Referred to same committee to frame a report with representation to be made as soon as there is occasion.

3. Petition from minister and churchwardens of St Olave's praying for a church to be built on site bought; shall be considered in proper time.

437. [p. 380] 28 Mar. 1726

1. Thanks of the Board to committee of Bishops of Carlisle and Chichester and Dean of the Arches for drawing up representation, which is forthwith to be printed.

2. Read petition of Lloyd, watchman at Bloomsbury church, complaining of disturbance to himself and workmen. Surveyors to report.

438. [p. 381] 1 Apr. 1726

1. Hawksmoor reported on petition of Griffith Lloyd. Solicitor to support Lloyd in name of Board, he having acted in discharge of his office.

2. Minister's house to be built at Bloomsbury according to plan delivered by Hawksmoor at cost not exceeding £1,000.

439. [p. 382] 13 Apr. 1726

1. Considered report of Deans of Chichester and the Arches on pew money for St George the Martyr: trustees acknowledge on the balance of their last account £722. 9s. 9d. of moneys appropriated for purchasing pews remaining in their hands; and that £45 craved to be allowed to Moody and £6. 0s. 6d. charges at Doctors Commons ought not to be allowed by Commissioners but be added to account, making £773. 10s. 3d.

Treasurer to demand this sum from the trustees in order to purchase pews, and to acquaint them that the 13 pews purchased by them since 13 May last be forthwith placed in Commissioners' hands for use of parishioners.

2. Secretary to acquaint Marshall and trustees that they make take a copy of report if they wish.

440. [p. 383] 22 Apr. 1726

1. Hawksmoor submitted plan of site for a church in parish of St Botolph Aldgate, in Butcher Row, East Smithfield, for £2,300.

2. Cotes, agent for proprietor, to submit rent-roll of houses on the ground.

3. Read letter from Mrs Fewtrell to know if Board adhere to resolution of purchasing her ground in St Giles Cripplegate. Board do so adhere; warrant to be prepared for paying her £350.

4. Counsel signifying that conveyance of the ground from vicar etc. of St Giles Cripplegate may be accepted, agreed that conveyance be forthwith executed.

5. Warrant to be prepared for £1,100 for house in Charles Street, Convent Garden.

6. Instrument for investing patronage of St George Hanover Square in Bishop of London to be engrossed, executed and enrolled.

441. [p. 385] 29 Apr. 1726

1. Surveyors to view houses on Aldgate site, acquainting Rev. Dr Bray of the time.

2. Signed warrant for paying Mrs Catherine Fewtrell £350.

3. Read petition from Ety, complaining of damage to his house by building of Bloomsbury church; Surveyors to report.

4. Surveyors to deliver plan of Mrs Fewtrell's ground to Solicitor to annex to conveyance.

5. Solicitor reported Dean and Chapter of Westminster would sell site in St Margaret Westminster for £120. Agreed. Solicitors to apply to Chancery for confirming the contract, according to the act.

442. [p. 386] 6 May 1726

1. Signed warrant for paying £1,100 to Edward Hamstead, poulterer, for house in Charles Street, Covent Garden, for minister of St Mary le Strand.

2. Hawksmoor delivered plan of Mrs Fewtrell's ground to be annexed to conveyance.

3. On Hawksmoor's report, ordered that £5 be paid Ety for damage to his house in building Bloomsbury church.

4. Surveyors to prepare plans for enclosing churchyards, together with the height and breadth of walls and depth of foundations, and also plans of ministers' houses to be built in Spitalfields, Wapping, Bloomsbury and Westminster, and bring estimates and proposals from workmen.

443. [p. 387] 23 May 1726

1. Minister's house to be built for Spitalfields according to plan submitted by Hawksmoor for not more than £1,000.

2. Surveyors to direct workmen to proceed to build parsonage houses on foot of contract made for that at Bow; and for walling in of churchyards on same foot.

3. Particulars of damage to Crochly's house and school to be referred to Surveyors.

4. Committee appointed to consider officers' application for a gratuity reported: Truth of petitions' allegations fully made out; work officers have had to do for two or three years past has far exceeded that of former years, and has required much more attendance than at first foundation of the churches when work was chiefly confined to masons, bricklayers and carpenters, but is now spread among all the artificers, carrying much more trouble in measuring works, drawing plans for new parishes, making up and examining the books and paying numerous artificers.

The original salaries, compared with what is allowed for like services in other places, are much lower, especially if it is considered that they are debarred of perquisites that persons in similar offices conceive themselves entitled to.

The Board some time since reduced certain salaries because of an intermission of business, but it has now increased more than ever. Committee consider that officers should be restored to original salaries.

5. Board agree with committee: officers entitled to their full salaries, to continue until Board direct to the contrary.

444. [p. 390] 18 July 1726

1. Signed warrants for paying officers a half-year's salary, £560, and gratuity from 14 Jan. 1725 to 14 Jan. 1726, £330; half-year's house rent £37. 10s.; to executors of Edw. Tufnell, mason, £350; to workmen from Lady Day 1724 to Lady Day 1725, £19,972. 6s. 8d.

2. Treasurer to pay workmen in tallies and orders with interest incurred between the date of order and time of issuing them, as in like case upon application to Treasury by order of 8 April 1723, as appears by minute of 24 May 1723.

3. Treasurer to pay Mrs Moor 50s. for last year's extraordinary services in cleaning Commissioners' rooms.

4. Signed warrant for laying out £2,500 in South Sea Annuities for rector of St Mary le Strand.

445. [p. 391] 11 Nov. 1726

1. Solicitor submitted his bill from 9 April 1725 to 1 Oct. 1726 of £289. 7s. 6d. Referred to Dean of the Arches, Melmoth and Ellis or any two of them.

2. Solicitor to prepare draft of bill for settling a maintenance for the five new churches in St Dunstan Stepney.

3. Turner's bill and petition referred to Surveyors.

4. Surveyors to prepare design for minister's house at Westminster suitable to ground purchased, with estimate.

5. Agent to inquire into state of houses on ground purchased of Fewtrell and report to next meeting.

6. Solicitor to procure enfranchisement of house and ground purchased of Heath on the best terms he can.

7. Treasurer delivered two receipts dated 18 Aug. 1726 for £2,500 laid out in South Sea annuities for endowment of St Mary le Strand.

446. [p. 393] 2 Dec. 1726

1. Hawksmoor to report on Cleave's petition.

2. The books of works from Lady Day 1725 to Michaelmas 1726 being prepared by Surveyors, resolved that Sir J. Philipps, Dean of the Arches, Ellis and Peck examine them.

3. Considered petitions of Durden, Walker, Newsham and Hall, watchmen; Secretary to pay each £3.

4. Treasurer to imprest £10 to Turner on account of his bill for £21. 7s. 6d.

5. Workmen's petition for interest on their tallies to be considered when a warrant is signed for works done between Lady Day 1725 and Michaelmas 1726.

447. [p. 394] 19 Dec. 1726

1. Secretary to allow Cleave to inspect the books concerning smith's work done by him at several churches, to enable him to show Board what works were done by other smiths that should have been done by virtue of his contract.

2. Read Agent's report on houses on Fewtrell's ground. Agent and James to sell materials of the houses to highest bidder for pulling them down.

3. Secretary to pay £4 to Durden, watchman at Wapping church.