1884-5. THE VESTRY OF THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER, IN THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX. TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT and Account in Abstract of RECEIPTS & EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 25th MARCH, 1885, and SUMMARY STATEMENT OF CONTRACTS; together with REPORTS OF THE SURVEYOR, MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, AND PUBLIC ANALYST. June, 1885. Printed by order of the Vestry, HARRY WILKINS, Vestry Clerk. Wakeham & Son, Printers, 4, Bedford Terrace, Church Street, Kensington, W. CONTENTS. PAGE. Vestrymen, List of 7 Officers of Vestry, List of 9 Guardians, Westminster Union, List of 10 Governors and Directors of the Poor, List of 11 Commissioners of Public Baths and Wash-houses, List of 12 Report of the Vestry:— City and Liberties of Westminster—Introductory :— Burgesses of Westminster 16 First Ordinances of Burgesses 17 Watchmen 24 Leet Jury 25 Annoyance Jury 25 Paving Acts 26 Westminster Sessions 26 Arms of Westminster 27 A Retrospect:— Political condition of England in 1685 27 Legislation in latter half of Seventeenth Century 29 Condition of Prisons 33 Punishments for Crime 33 Banking and Pawnbroking 35 Taxation 37 Revenue of Charles II. 38 Colonial Possessions 39 Early Newspapers 39 Literature 41 Education 41 Amusements 41 Means of Communication 42 State of the Roads 43 Condition of Labouring Classes 45 Condition of the Metropolis 46 The Plague of 1665 48 Bills of Mortality 50 Physicians and Surgeons 53 Public Hospitals 54 Old Bethlehem Hospital 54 Water Supply 55 Fashionable Promenades 55 Public Lighting 57 Conveyances 58 iv CONTENTS. A Retrospect (continued)— Bridges 58 Houses first Numbered 59 Police Force 60 Insurance 61 Fire Brigade 61 Minor Changes 64 Parish of St. James:— Boundary 64 Probable Origin of Name 70 Parish Church :— Wren's Opinion 74 Erection of Steeple 74 The Font 77 The Organ 78 Rectors 78 Endowment 80 Preacher Assistant 81 Early Congregations 81 Dimensions 82 District Churches 82 Other Places of Worship 86 Ancient Government of the Parish:— First Church Officers 89 Overseers' Receipts 90 Relief of the Poor 91 Miscellaneous Duties of the Old Vestry 92 Early Accounts of the Parish :— Streets in first Rate Book 100 Accounts for First Year 101 Remarks on Accounts 101 Collections for the Poor 106 Rateable Value 106 Famous Residents 107 Formation of Regent Street 110 Origin of Names of some Streets 111 Maps facing page 111 Other Particulars relating to the Parish :— Poor Law 111 Population 114 Representation in Parliament 114 School Board 114 Water Supply 114 Gas 116 Coroner 116 Registration of Births and Deaths 116 v contents. Wards 117 St. James's Chapel and Burial Ground 120 Public Baths and Washhouses 123 Tenison's Schools 125 Burlington School 127 Craven Pest-house Charity 128 Newton's Charity 130 Le Quainter's Charity 130 Other Parochial Charities 131 Ancient Charities of St. Martin's 131 Vestry, Functions of 132 Standing Orders 133 Vestrymen, Elections of 135 Vestry and Committee Meetings 135 Churchwardens 136 Sidesmen 136 Overseers of the Poor 137 Governors and Directors of the Poor 137 Metropolitan Board of Works, Representative at 137 Officers of the Vestry 138 Financial 139 Loans 139 Bating of Vacant Property 140 Rateable Value 140 Rates 141 Sums raised in Rates for Metropolitan and County Purposes 143 Vestry Property 145 Other Parish Property 146 Alterations to the Parish Church 146 Scavenging, Dust Removal, & c. 147 Works and Materials, Contracts for 147 Street Lighting 147 Private Lamps 149 Electric Lighting 150 Local Improvements 151 Names of Streets 151 Streets partly situate in other Parishes 152 Paving and Drainage Works 153 Sewers, Ventilation of 154 Refuges 154 Construction of Vaults 155 Sanitary 155 Cowsheds and Slaughter Houses 157 Public Vaccination 157 Hospital Accommodation for Non-pauper cases 159 Cholera 160 vi CONTENTS. Sanitary Regulations for Tenement Houses 161 Artisans' Dwellings 163 Inspection of Bakehouses 165 Discontinuance of Water Supply 166 Sale of Food, &c., Acts 167 Summary Proceedings 169 Disorderly Houses 170 Preacher Assistant 170 Urinals 172 Cab Ranks 173 Pillar Letter Boxes 173 Fixed Points for Police Constables 174 Fire Brigade 174 Music and Dancing Licences 175 Parliamentary Schemes, Session 1885 176 Bills in Parliament 176 London Government Bill 179 Local Government of London 181 Overhead Wires 182 School Board for London 184 Gates and Bars in Streets 187 Discharge of Sewage into the Thames 187 Street Advertising 188 Sunday Trading 188 Dynamite Explosions 188 Majority of Prince Albert Victor 189 Death of the Bishop of London 190 Concluding Remarks 190 Report of Surveyor 191 Auditors' Allowance 201 Accounts of Vestry 202 Appendices 206 Statement of Loan 209 Statement of Assets and Liabilities 210 List of Contracts 211 Accounts of Baths and Washhouses Commissioners 214 Accounts of Governors and Directors of the Poor 216 Accounts of Guardians of the Poor 217 Accounts of Tenison's School 218 Accounts of Burlington School 219 Accounts of Pest-house Charity 220 Accounts of Sundry Parochial Charities 221 List of Endowed Charities 222 Report of Medical Officer of Health 235 Report of Sanitary Work 252 7 A LIST OF THE VESTRYMEN AND AUDITORS OF ACCOUNTS OF THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER, FOR THE YEAR 1884-5. EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS. The Rev. JOHN EDWARD KEMPE, M.A., 197, Piccadilly, Rector. Mr. FREDERICK CRANE - - 55, Regent Street, Mr. WILLIAM COX - - 57, Pall Mall, Churchwardens. ELECTED MEMBERS. PALL MALL WARD. Retiring in 1885. CRESWELL, Mr. CHARLES EDWARD - 11, Duke Street. GRAVES, Mr. HENRY - - 6, Pall Mall. HILLIER, Mr. CHARLES - 9, Cleveland Row. MAXSTED, Mr. WALTER - 7, Carlton Street. Retiring in 1886. CHRISTIE-MILLER, SAMUEL, Esq. - 21, St. James's Place. JENKINS, Mr. FREDERICK - 4 & 5, St. James's Place. ORTNER, Mr. EVAN - 3a, St. James's Street. POOL, Mr. JOSEPH - - - 3, Pall Mall Place. Retiring in 1887. BURGESS, Mr. ROBERT WHATTON - 14, 15 & 16, Opera Arcade. KEEVIL, Mr. EDWARD COLSTON - 113, Regent Street. MALIN, Mr. JAMES - 16 & 17, King Street. MALIN, Mr. JOHN - 117, Jermyn Street. CHURCH WARD. Retiring in 1885. BONTHRON, Mr. JOHN - 106, Regent Street. MARTIN, Mr. WILLIAM HENRY - 64 & 65, Burlington Arcade. MORLE, Mr. SAMUEL - 102, Jermyn Street. STYLES, Mr. JAMES - - 2, Market Street. WIMPERIS, Mr. JOHN THOMAS - 25, Sackville Street. Retiring in 1886. BELLAMY, Mr. THOMAS DASH - 118, Jermyn Street. CARRINGTON, Mr. SAMUEL - - 227, Piccadilly. ELAM, Mr. THOMAS - - 33, Sackville Street. ENGEL, Mr. LEO . - - 42 & 43, Haymarket. JEFFS, Mr. RICHARD - - 244, Regent Street. Retiring in 1887. ABRAMS, Mr. CHARLES - 36, Warwick Street. BINGHAM, Mr. FREDERICK HENRY - 16, Little Windmill Street. DICKINS, Mr. HENRY FRANCIS - 232, Regent Street. GRAY, Mr. PHILIP - -7, Cork Street. SADLER, Mr. JOHN HONROYD - 16, Swallow Street. 8 GOLDEN SQUARE WARD. Retiring in 1885. BREMNER, Mr. THOMAS - 5, Golden Square. JENKINS, Mr. WILLIAM - 3, St. James's Place. SINCLAIR, Mr JAMES SUMMERS 11, Golden Square. Retiring in 1886. CASTLE, Mr. FRANCIS - 7, Sherwood Street. EDWARDS, Mr. JOSEPH HENRY - 10, Carnaby Street. IREDALE, Mr. ROBERT - 3, King Street, Regent Street. Retiring in 1887. ANDREWS, Mr. DEASLEY - 9, Warwick Street. GLOVER, Mr. FREDERICK - 30, Beak Street. PRIYETT, Mr. HARRY - 47, Brewer Street. GREAT MARLBOROUGH WARD. Retiring in 1885. GARRETT, Mr. HENRY BUXTON - 53, Brewer Street. SPRYNG, Mr. ALFRED THOMAS - 20, Little Pulteney Street. YORKE, Mr. WILLIAM - - 102, Berwick Street. WINDER, Mr. WILLIAM CHARLES - 20, Coventry Street. Retiring in 1886. BRITTON, Mr. GEORGE - - 95, Wardour Street. BROWN, Mr. JESSE JOHN - - 187 and 189, Oxford Street TYSALL, Mr. EPHRAIM - - 24, Poland Street. VILLIERS, Mr. ROBERT EDWIN - 226, Piccadilly. Retiring in 1887. LEWIS, Mr. JAMES - - - 34, Great Windmill Street. ROBINSON, Mr. ROBERT - - 37, Berwick Street. RUTHERFORD, Mr. PATRICK - 7, Great Marlborough Street. WINNETT, Mr. WILLIAM - 71 and 73, Wardour Street. AUDITORS OF ACCOUNTS. FOR THE YEAR 1884-1885. BOX, Mr. JOSEPH - 187, Regent-street - for Pall Mall Ward. FROHLICH, Mr. WM. P. - 10, Sackville-street - for Church Ward. LUFKINS, Mr. CHARLES - 79, Beak-street - for Golden-square Ward. REED, Mr. THOMAS - 16, Beak-street - for Great Marlborough Ward. 9 OFFICERS OF THE VESTRY. Treasurer.—GEORGE RICHARD HEMMERDE, London and Westminster Bank, St. James's Square. Vestry Clerk.—HARRY WILKINS, Vestry Hall, Piccadilly. Surveyor.—HENRY MONSON, Vestry Hall, Piccadilly. Medical Officer of Health and Public Analyst.—JAMES EDMUNDS, M.D., Vestry Hall, Piccadilly—attendance at 8, Grafton Street, daily till 1 o'clock. Inspectors of Nuisances. — WILLIAM HILL WATSON and EDWIN BROOKS, Vestry Hall, Piccadilly (attendance daily from 9 till 10). Collectors of Rates.—FREDK. ALEX. ASHMEAD, 34, Warwick Street. JAMES SCOTT, 2, Warwick Street. JOSEPH JOHN JOHNSON, 10, Upper John Street. FREDERICK GREEN, 20, Marshall Street. Hall Keeper and Messenger.—EDWARD WARREN. OFFICES : Vestry Hall, Piccadilly, and Stone Yard, Dufour's Place Broad Street, Golden Square. Where all Inquiries, Complaints, and Notices as to Paving, Watering, Dust Removal, Sewers, Drains, Nuisances, &c., should be made or given between the hours of Nine and Five (Saturday, Nine and Two). B 10 LIST OF GUARDIANS OF THE POOR for the WESTMINSTER UNION, For the Year 1884-5. EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS. All Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex resident within the Union. ELECTED MEMBERS. PARISH OF ST. ANNE. BONSOR, Mr. SAMUEL, Bolham Lodge, Goldhawk-road, Hammersmith. COOPER, Mr. HENRY, 20, Moor-street, Soho. CRIBB, Mr. CHARLES LUSON, Stanley Cottage, Truro-road, Wood-green, Middlesex. FRASER, Mr. WILLIAM JOSEPH, Bedford Lodge, Clapham-road, Surrey, (Chairman). MARSHALL, Mr. FREDERICK, 20, Frith-street, Soho-square. SHAN. Mr. JOHN EDWARD, 4, Sidney-place, Leicester-square. PARISH OF ST. JAMES. ASH, Mr. WILLIAM HENRY 13, St. John's Wood-road. BROADWOOD, Mr. HENRY JOHN ISCHUDI, 37, Ebury-street. D'ALMAINE, Rev. HENRY NORMAN, St. John's Parsonage, Great Marlborough-street. HOPKINSON, Mr. GEORGE HENRY, 3, Regent-street. HUGGINS, Mr. JOHN FREDERICK, 32, Belsize-park. IREDALE, Mr. WILLIAM, 49, Carnaby-street. LEWIS, Mr. JAMES, 34, Great Windmill-street. POLLETT, Mr. JOHN GAYLOR, 229, Piccadilly. PRIVETT, Mr. HARRY, 47, Brewer-street. (Vice-Chairman). SHERINGHAM, Rev. HARRY ALSAGER, 2a, Oxford and Cambridge Mansions, Marylebone-road. WHITE, Mr. WILLIAM, 207, Oxford-street. WILLIAMS, Mr. TERRICK JONES, Oaklands, Lewisham-park. Clerk. Mr. JOSEPH BOND, Union Offices, Poland-street. 11 Parish of St. James, Westminister. LIST OF GOVERNORS AND DIRECTORS OF THE POOR, FOR THE YEAR 1884-5. KEMPE, Rev. JOHN EDWARD, M.A. - 197, Piccadilly. BONTHRON, Mr. JOHN - - 106, Regent-street. HALL, Mr. GEORGE - - - 10 and 11, Archer-street. REED, Mr. ROBERT - - - 5, Great Pulteney-street. SPRYNG, Mr. ALFRED THOMAS - 20, Little Pulteney-street. WINNETT, Mr. WILLIAM - - 71 and 73, Wardour-street. BURGESS, Mr. ROBERT WHATTON - 14, 15, and 16, Opera-arcade VENN, Mr. HENRY - - - 42, Jermyn-street. JEFFS. Mr. RICHARD - - 244, Regent-street. POOL, Mr. JOSEPH - - - 2, Pall Mall-place. MORLE, Mr. SAMUEL - - 102, Jermyn-street. LEWIS, Mr. JAMES - - - 34, Great Windmill-street. WINDER, Mr. WILLIAM CHARLES - 20, Coventry-street. YORKE, Mr. WILLIAM - - 102, Berwick-street. MAXSTED, Mr. WALTER - - 7, Carlton-street. JENKINS, Mr. WILLIAM - - 3, St. James's-place. CASTLE, Mr. FRANCIS - - 7, Sherwood-street. GARRETT, Mr. HENRY BUXTON - 53, Brewer-street. CARRINGTON, Mr. SAMUEL - - 227, Piccadilly. COCKS, Mr. ROBERT - - 35, Somerleyton-road,Brixton. VILLIERS, Mr. ROBERT EDWIN - 226, Piccadilly. Together with the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Parish for the time being. B 2 12 LIST OF COMMISSIONERS FOR PUBLIC BATES AND WASH-HOUSES. BURGESS, Mr. ROBERT WHATTON, 14, 15, and 16, Opera-arcade(Chairman). COX, Mr. WILLIAM, 57, Pall Mall. JEFES, Mr. RICHARD, 244, Regent-street. JENKINS, Mr. WILLIAM, 3, St. James's-place. REES, Mr. JOHN, 24, Little Pulteney-street. VENN, Mr. HENRY, 42, Jermyn-street. WINNETT, Mr. WILLIAM, 71 and 73, Wardour-street. Clerk. Mr. HARRY WILKINS. Superintendent. Mr. EDWARD WHITE. Offices: 16, Marshall-street. 13 REPORT OF THE VESTRY of the Parish of St. James, Westminister. FOR THE YEAR 1884-5. :o: Vestry Hall, Piccadilly, W., June, 1885. The following Report of the proceedings of the Vestry during the year ended the 25th March, 1885, has been prepared pursuant to the 198th section of the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855 ; an account in abstract of Receipts and Expenditure, summary statement of Contracts, the Report of the Surveyor, the Report of the Medical Officer of Health, and particulars of proceedings under the Nuisances Removal Acts are also presented with the Report. As, however, the Parish is just completing its two hundredth anniversary, the Vestry avail themselves of the opportunity of presenting to the parishioners a few particulars relating to its origin and history. 14 THE CITY AND LIBERTIES OF WESTMINSTER,* of which the Parish of St. James forms a part, cover an area of 2,518 statute acres, and date their origin from the seventh century, when (according to tradition) a Monastery or Abbey was founded in 610 by Sebert, King of the East Saxons, and dedicated to St. Peter. The name " Westminster" was probably given some time subsequently to distinguish the Abbey from the Church of St. Paul in the City of London, which had been founded by the same monarch seven years previously. Before the establishment of the Abbey, the land which wasselected as its site comprised a marshy island, separated from the shore by a short branch of the river Thames, long since converted into a sewer. In the year 785 the island had acquired the name of Thorny Island, apparently in consequence of a thick growth of thorns and briers. According to the prevailing custom, the Abbey attracted a small colony of settlers in its immediate locality, partly no doubt for the sake of the protection and security afforded by the growing wealth and power of the religious corporations, as well as for the benefit of spiritual ministrations, and at an early period the houses erected round the Abbey had grown into the "town of Westminster." As time went on, Westminster received many marks of royal favour. One of the most frequently used residences of the Kings was erected in Westminster, and, being naturally followed by the building of houses for occupation by the nobility, had no small share in contributing to the early prosperity and importance of the place. It is, indeed, surmised that the Court party did not regard with unmixed satisfaction * Reprinted, with some alterations, from the Report of the Vestry, for the year 1882-3. 15 the privileges and immunities claimed by the citizens of London, and were, therefore, rather disposed to encourage what might be considered an opposing element. With this object, possibly, the wool staple was established at Westminster by Edward III. in 1353, in preference to London. On the suppression of the religious houses in the year 1539, the Abbey was converted into a college of secular canons, under the government of a Dean, and two years subsequently was formed into a Bishopric, Westminster being thus raised to the dignity of a city, a title which it still retains. Episcopal honours, however, were not long enjoyed, for the first bishop, Thomas Thurleby, was translated by Edward "VI. in 1550 to the See of Norwich. Westminster was then reduced to a Deanery, and, in 1553, Queen Mary restored it to its original monastic character. The accession of Elizabeth, however, brought further changes, and in 1558 the monks were again displaced, and the Abbey once more converted to a Collegiate Church, with a Dean and twelve Canons or Prebendaries, in which form it has continued to the present time. The Dean and Chapter, who are appointed by the Crown, derive their authority and inherit their possessions from the Abbots, the ancient owners of the Manor. The City of Westminster is merely titular, and has no territorial significance. If the bounds of the " City extend beyond the precincts of the Abbey, they at most comprise the two parishes of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, the latter having been constituted a separate parish in 1725. The "Liberties" are two in number, and, it will be seen, of far greater extent than what is commonly called the City, even assuming the City to extend to the two parishes named ; one Liberty includes the parishes of St. Anne (formed 1678), St. George, Hanover Square (formed 1725), St. James (formed 1685, St. Martin-in-the-Fields (formed 1356), and St. Paul, (Jovent Garden (formed 1660) ; the other, known as the 16 Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster, comprises the ancient parishes of St. Clement Danes and St. Mary-le-Strand, and the precincts of the Savoy. The City, however, has no charter of incorporation ; it possesses neither mayor, aldermen, common council, nor freemen ; the burgesses of Westminster are totally distinct, in the nature of their appointment and functions, from the burgesses of a Municipality ; and the City has no Recorder, Common Serjeant, or other judicial officers, nor has it a common seal or corporate funds. The first attempt at local government in Westminster was the granting of a Commission by Henry VI. in 1427, with jurisdiction over the sewerage of Westminster and the surrounding districts. This Commission was continued from time to time by Royal and Parliamentary authority until 1855, when it was superseded by the Boards created by the Metropolis Local Management Act. As regards municipal government, the earliest authority appears to have been created by a statute passed in the 27th year of Queen Elizabeth, which placed the maintenance of law and order in the hands of the Dean and twelve Burgesses, the latter to be appointed annually, and each of them to have the government of a particular ward. The preamble of this Act sets forth that the population of Westminster had greatly increased, and the people being for the most part without trade or mystery had become poor, and many of them wholly given to vice and idleness. This state of affairs was common throughout the kingdom, and was, in a large measure, due to the establishment and subsequent dissolution of wealthy religious corporations. Ordinances were promulgated by authority of the Burgesses in 1585, the same year that the Act was passed, and afford some insight into the mode of life of that period. It is interesting to note that Cecil, Lord Burleigh, was the Steward of the City of Westminster at that time, and although the ordinances are not said to have been 17 framed by him, there can be little doubt that they are the production of that eminent statesman. The following is a copy :— Civitas sxve Burg. Westmr- Anna 1585. CERTAIN ORDERS & ORDINANCES made the xxvijth day of May in the xxvij year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lady Elizabeth By The Right Honorable Sr William Cecill of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Knight & Baron of Burleigh Lord Trear of England & High Steward of the Citty and Burrow of Westmr & The Right Worshipfull Gabriell Goodman Doctor of Divinity Dean of the Collegiate Church of St Peters in Westmrr aforesd with the assents of Thomas Fowler & John Fisher then being Chief Burgesses of the said Citty or Burrow And also with the like assents of the other ten Burgesses vizt. John Colebrand, John Doddington, Richard Garratt, John Jennings, John Savage, David Powell, Christopher Gibson, Thomas Clarke, William Staunton John Collier And also with the assents of their Assistants viz. William Downs, Robert Newall, William Bevin, George Lee, Thomas Peirson, Marmaduke Sarvant, Morris Pickering, Richard Darlow, Robert Carr, John Preist, John Bray, William Cannon according to the Statute lately made & provided for the Government of the said Citty or Burrow of Westmr viz. 1585. Inmates. 1. Item that all & every person & persona weh at this present have dwelling or inhabiting within any his her or their house or houses or in any part or parcell thereof any inmates or undertenants the said inmates or undertenants & every of them shall avoid & quietly depart from every such house or houses at or before the Feast day of St Michael the Archangell next ensuing upon payne that every person & persons that shall keep or suffer any such inmate or undertenant to inhabit or dwell in any his her or their house or houses after the said feast day shall forfeit and pay for every week offending touching the pmisses ten shillings Penaltie. Unlawfull weights and measures. 2. Item if any person or persons useing the trade of buying or selling any victualls or wares by any weights or measures and shall be found to have at any time hereafter either false or unlaw full balance or ffalse or unlawfull weights or measures against the Laws and Statutes of this 18 Realme, the same shall then by the officer finding the same be defaced & the owner thereof shall be committed to prison there to remain by the space of xxiiij houres & to pay for every time so offending one pound. Bakers and Brewers. Amerciamts according to the Citty of London. 3. Item if any baker or brewer shall put to sale any bread beer or ale within the said Citty or Burrow not being lawfull & good or wanting in weight or in the assize contrary to the weight & assize therein comonly used & allowed within the City of London that then every such baker & brewer shall receive & have such condigne punishmt & such fine & amerciament as shall be assessed for every time so offending according to the laws and statutes of this realme & also according to the custome used within the Citty of London in those cases from time to time. Colliers. Punishment is 24 houres imprisonment & his sacks to be burnt. 4. Item if any collier shall put to sale any coales in sacks & the same sack not being lawfull or if his sack or sacks should be found to be lawfull & not being filled with coales accordingly that then every such collier for every time so offending shall be comitted to prison there to remain by the space of xxiiij houres And all his defective and unlawfull sacks shall be burned in the market place and to receive for every time so offending such further punishment as is used within the Citty of London. Woodmonger and bargeman. 5. Item if any woodmonger or bargemen shall put to sale any kind of wood or fuell within the said City or Burrow & the said wood wanting of the assize allowed by the Statute that then every such woodmonger & bargeman shall receive and have such condigne punishment & pay such fine for every time soe offending as by the Statute & the custome of the Citty of London in these cases are lawfully used. According to the custome of London. Burgesses and assistants. 6. Item that the burgesses and their assistants of the City or Burrow & every of them according to their severall divisions shall every Saturday during all the time of the market attend & peruse the same & then & there to take diligent care & heed that the Queens Majties people may well & duely be served of all such victualls as they & every of them shall buy in the said market and if any of the said burgesses & assistants shall make default in not pforming the pauses that then he so offending shall forfeit & pay for every time so offending without just cause or lawful let xijd. Servants testimonial. Warning. 7. Item if any person or persons shall receive & take into his or her service any servant without a lawfull testimoniall in writing or that shall put away any such servant without giving to him or her lawfull warning according to the Statute that then every such person offending herein shall forfeit & pay for every time so offending as by the Statute is provided and 19 also if any servant shall depart from the service of his or her master or miatres without just cause or giveing lawful warning or not haveing a lawfull testimoniall shall then be punished according to the said Statute. Regrators. 8. Item if any person or persons shall at any time hereafter forestall regrate or ingrosse any victualls or any kind of fuell either in the markett or being brought towards the same that then every such offender shall receive & have such condigne punishment as by the Statute in that case is made & provided. Laying of soyle in the common sewer or street. 9. Item if any butcher or any other person or persons shall cast or lay any thing into any common sewer, which may be to the decay or hurt of the same or that shall cast or lay any noisome thing or things into any comon street to the annoyance of any the Queens Majesties people that then every such person for every time offending in any of the pmisses shall be comitted to prison there to remain by the space of xxiiij hours. Cooks. 10. Item that noe person or persons that now keepeth or that hereafter shall keep any cooks shop shall also keep a comon ale house (except every such person shall be lawfully licensed thereunto) upon payne to have & receive such punishment & pay such fine as by the Statute in that case is made & provided. Victuallers 100 and no more. 11. Item it is also ordered that from the Feast of St Michaell the Archangell next ensueing there shall be within the sd Citty or Burrow the number of one hundred comon alehouses & no more at any one time vizt. In the parish of St Margaret sixty in the parish of St Martin in the Fields twenty and in the parish of Saint Clements & Savoy or Strand within the liberties of Westmr twenty. Controversies. 12. Item if any cause of variance shall happen to be mistred between any the neighboures of this Citty or Burrow upon any uncharitable speeches or other annoyances that then the party grieved shall make his or her complaint to the burgess or his assistant of the same ward & not to commence any action or suit in law for any such cause without the lycence or consent of the said burgess and his assistant upon payne of imprisonment. Lanthorn and candle light. 13. Item that every burgess & their assistants, & all & every other person & persons useing any trade of victualling or keeping any comon alehouse shall yearly & every year hereafter from the Feast of All Saints unto the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary find & keep one convenient lanthorn with a candle being light in the same, in the street at every their street doors vizt, from six of the clock in the afternoon untill 20 nine of the clock then next following every night nightly (except those nights as the moon shall then & at that time shine and give light) upon payne to forfeit and pay for every time offending herein iiijd. Lanthorn lights. 14. Item that all other the inhabitants of the sd Citty or Burrow shall find the like lanthorn & candle light in manner & form as aforesd, & as they & every of them from time to time shall be assessed by the burgess & assistant of that ward where any of the said inhabitants shall then dwell, upon payn to forfeit & pay for every time offending therein iiijd. 15. Item that no tavern keeper or innkeeper shall keep any cooks shop upon payn to forfeit & pay for every time offending therein iiijd. Vintner & innkeeper. Offenders punished. 16. Item that if any person or persons after he she or they shall happen to be punished & banished from this Citty or Burrow for any incontinency of life or such like and shall return again to the Citty or Burrow to the intent there to inhabite and dwell that then every such person or persons shall be whipped naked at a carts tayle thro'out the said Citty for every time so offending contrary to this order. Rogues and sturdy beggars. 17. Item If any constable or constables shall willingly permit and suffer any rogue or rogues or sturdy beggar to wander in the streets & do not apprehend them according to the statute that then every such constable shall forfeit and pay vjs. viijd. Tennants to bring testimoniall. 18. Item that no person or persons shall accept or take any tenants into any his or her messuage tenement or cottage within this Citty or Burrow except every such tennant doe ffirst bring with him or her a sufficient & lawfull testimoniall in writing touching every such persons good behaviour & conversation of life from the place of his or her last aboad & the same party shall deliver the said testimoniall to the burgess & assistant of the same ward And also that every such tenant shall live by some lawfull science or manuall occupation And if any person or persons shall accept & take any other tenant contrary to this order that then he or she for every time so offending shall forfeit and pay forty shillings. Keeping clean with water ye streets. 19. Item that the inhabitants of the Citty or Burrow yearly & every year hereafter from the Feast day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary untill the Feast day of St. Michael the Archangell (viz1.) at 6 or 7 of the clock in the forenoon shall either by themselves or some others with clean water wash and sweep the kennells & gutters near unto every of their dwelling house Upon payne to forfeit and pay for every day making default 4d. 21 Laying of soyle. 20. Item that no person or persons shall cast or lay any soyle or things noisome either in the Old Palace or near unto Henry the 7ths Chappell or in any church yard upon payne to forfeit for every time offending in any the premises iiijd. Scavengers. 21. Item that the scavinger or carter shall well and duely make clean & carry away the soyle of the streets upon every such day & in such convenient order as it hath heretofore been lawfull used and accustomed upon payne of imprisonment and there to remain during the space of 24 hoursfor every time offending in this order. Keeping clean the streets. 22. Item that no person or persons upon the same day after that the scavinger or carter shall have made clean any street as aforesd shall cast or lay any soyle or sweeping of any house or other rubbish or make any heaps of such like things in the same street and especially upon any Saturday or Sunday upon payne to pay for every time 4rf. Keeper of the Queen's Bridge Watergate. 23. Item that the gate which leadeth to and from Her Majesty's bridge in Old Palace shall be kept locked dureing the time of Divine Service every Sabboth day and other usuall holy day upon payne that the keeper thereof shall forfeit for every time offending contrary to this order xijd. Hoggs Tuthill. 24. Item If any hogg or hoggs shall at any time be found upon the comon at Tuthill, & not being ringed or pegged or shall be found wandering in any street or church yard that the owner of every such hogg shall forfeit and pay for every such hogg & for every time offending in any of the praises xijd. Soyle. sand, turfes. 25. Item that no person or persons shall cast or lay the soyle of the streets or any other noisome thing or things whatsoever in or upon any part of the comon of Tuthill but onely in such place or places and in such convenient order as from time to time shall be appointed by the two chief burgesses for the time being nor that any person or persons shall digg or take away any sands or turfes of & from the said comon of Tuthill without the lawful licence of the Dean of Westminr or his officer upon payn that every person that shall happen to offend in any of the premisses for every time offending shall be committed to prison & there to remain by the space of xxiiij hours and to pay such fine as shall be assessed by the burgesses. Batchers, poulterers, fishmongers. 26. Item that if any butcher, poulterer, fishmonger, or any other person or persons shall put to sale within this Citty or Burrow any corrupt or 22 unlawfull fflesh or ffishmeat or poultry ware that then the same corrupt and unwholesome meat shall be consumed with fire or otherwise by the discretion of the burgesses & assistants with the consent of the searchers, and the owner thereof shall be comitted to prison and there to remain for the space of twenty four hours for every time so offending, and to pay such fine as shall be assessed by the burgesses. Butchers. 27. Item if any butcher shall put to sale any flesh meat in the market upon any market day & having his shop in King street That then every such butcher shall forfeit and pay for every time so offending iijs: iiijd. Butchers. '28. Item that no butcher or any other person or persons shall put to sale any flesh meat in the market but onely upon Saturday in the forenoon (viz.) untill 12 of the clock at noon according to the custome used within the Citty of London upon payne to forfeit and pay for every time offending iijs.: iiijd. Butchers. 29. Item if any butcher or any other person or persons shall put to sale any veal mutton or lamb wherein shall be used any indirect or deceitfnll dealing contrary to the orders therein taken amongst the butchers of London or that shall put to sale the flesh of any ewe or lamb at any times or seasons contrary to the said orders or that shall kill any kind of flesh meat in any place within this Citty contrary to the said orders and custome of the Citty of London That then every person offending in any of the pmisses shall forfeit and pay for every time offending in this order or any part or parcell thereof iijs: iiijd. Butchers for scalditg hoggs. 30. Item that no butcher or butchers or other persons shall scald any hogg or hoggs in any place contrary to the orders and customes aforesd nor shall put to sale any pork at any time or season contrary to the custome of the said Citty of London upon payne to forfeit & pay for every time offending in any of the premises iijs: iiijd. Butchers, poulterers, fishmongers. 31. Item that no butcher poulterer or fishmonger or any other person or persons useing the trade of selling & uttering of victualls or wares whatsoever shall have his or their shop window or shop windows open upon any Sabbath day or upon any other usuall holy days or that shall make any open shew of any victualls or wares without his or their shop or shops upon any the daies aforesaid or that if any butcher or poulterer shall make open shew of any flesh meat or poultry ware upon any other fasting daies contrary to the custome lawfully used within the Citty of London That then every person offending in any of the pmises shall forfeit and pay for every time offending in any part of this order iijs; iiijd. 23 Searchers and overseers Leet Court. 32. Item to avoid all such abases as may be comitted by the said butchers and others there shall be chosen and sworne at the Leet Court next after Easter yearly and every year hereafter three discreet persons haveing skill and knowledge in the said occupation as shall be called by the name of searchers who upon their oaths shall be authorized to search the butchers meat & poultry wares as well in the butchers and poulterers shops as in the market upon market daies and others bringing any kind of victualla to the said market and that the searchers may do & deal as the searchers in London are authorized touching the pmises And if any person being appointed to the said office of searcher & shall refuse to serve the same by the space of one whole year every such person so refusing shall pay for his time xxs. Plague. 33. Item that no person or persons shall receive or take into his or her house any sick person being infected with the plague without the consent of the burgess and assistant of that ward And if any person or persons shall happen to be sick of the said infirmity that then as well the owner of every such house as his and her household & family shall forbear to come among any other company but to keep themselves within every such house being infected as aforesd by the space of twenty one daies next after the death of any such infected person (except one person to fetch necessary provision for their relief) & not to hang or lay forth any infected cloaths out of any such house dureing the time aforesaid upon payne of open imprisonmt the stockes for the space of xij houres & to receive further punishment by the direccon of the burgesses and assistants. Burgesses and assistants for coming to church. 34. Item the burgesses and assistants shall in convenient order every Sabboth day in the forenoon come to the collegiate church of St Peter in Westmr & there to be prsent all the time of the sermon upon payn every one of them for every time makeing default without just cause shall forfeit and pay iiijd. Burgesses and assistants for keeping their court daies. 35. Item all the said burgesses and their assistants shall repair & come to the court house in Westmr every Tuesday (except the same be a holy day) vizt in the term time at one of the clock in the afternoon and out of the term at eight of the clock in the forenoone & then & there to hear & examine such causes as they by vertue of the said statute be lawfully authorized upon pain that if any the said burgesses or assistants makeing default in not appearing at the houres and places appointed shall forfeit and pay for every time so offending without just cause or lawfull let xijd. and that they nor any of them shall at any time determine anything 24 Dean, Steward, Towne Clarke. without the consent of the Dean of Westmr or the High Steward or his Deputy Steward or the Towne Clarke according to the statute in that case provided. How fines shall be disposed. 36. Item all the said forfeitures shall be to the use of the poor people of this Citty or Burrow and that the same shall be levied by the bailiffs of the liberties of the said Dean & Chapter by way of distress to be taken and justified to the use aforesd (except those said fines which at any time shall happen to be due by any of the said burgesses and their assistants) which said fines shall alwaies be paid to one of the chief burgesses for the time being to the use of the poor as aforesaid And the said two cheif burgesses shall keep a book of all their receipts and the said bailiffes shall likewise keep a book of all his said receipts And the said two cheif burgesses & bayliffe together shall make their severall accounts before the Dean of Weetmr four times in the year (that is to say) at the four quarter daies or usuall days of payment in the year And upon their finishing of their said accounts the said bailiffe shall thereupon deliver all such money as he shall then have remaining in his hands of his said colleccon to the said two cheif burgesses reserving to himself one third part thereof for his paynes & travell & the rest being delivered unto the said two cheif burgesses by the bailiffe as aforesaid the said burgesses in convenient time after by the consent of the said Dean of Westmr shall distribute the same money to & among the poor people within the said Citty & Burrow of Westminster. Two additional burgesses were appointed on the creation of St. James, in 1685, under the Act 1, Jas.II., cap. 22. The above-mentioned ordinances were varied and extended in 1719, when provision was made for the appointment of 155 watchmen, of whom 35 were apportioned to the Parish of St. James. Any of the residents selected as watchmen who desired not to act were at liberty to pay for a substitute to be provided by the burgesses. The watchmen were to be armed and on duty from 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. during the winder, and from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. during the summer months. They were to hold themselves at the disposal of the burgesses, who were to see that the watchmen and constables did their duty. Additional watchmen were appointed in 1720, the number for the parish of St. James being increased to 38, and an 25 evening watch was set for the outlets and entrances to the Liberty from one hour after sunset until the grand watch was set. Halberts and lanterns were to be provided by the inhabitants for the use of the watchmen, and a rate was levied over the whole parish instead of the cost of watching being borne only by those able-bodied residents who desired to be relieved from the obligation of personally performing the duties of watchmen. At the same time the salary of the beadles was fixed at not less than £25, nor more than £45, according to the trouble and attendance required; this salary was a charge on the watching rate. No alteration in the rules of the burgesses appears to have been made since 1720. By an act passed in 1756, a Leet Jury were authorised to appoint eighty constables for the City and Liberties of Westminster, fourteen of them being assigned to the parish of St. James. Persons appointed as constables and refusing to serve were liable to a fine of £8, but the same person was not to be appointed a constable more frequently than once in seven years. A high constable was to be appointed, and for this office an innkeeper or retailer of spirituous liquors was ineligible; no person was to serve for more than three years together, and any person appointed and refusing to act was liable to a fine of £20. The same Act provided for the appointment of an Annoyance Jury, to consist of not more than 48 persons, for the purpose of presenting nuisances, defective pavements, obstructions, unlawful weights, and similar matters. The penalty for refusing to serve on this jury was 40s., and the penalty for possessing unlawful weights was not to exceed the like sum. No person was to be required to serve on the jury more than once in three years. All fines imposed by tho Act were to be applied in aid of the Poor Rate, but amerciaments imposed by the Annoyance Jury were to be divided between the High Bailiff and the Court of Burgesses. c 26 The provisions of this Act relating to the appointment of an Annoyance Jury were, however, repealed by an Act of Parliament, passed in the year 1861 (24 and 25 Vic., cap. 78), mainly owing to the efforts of Mr. Robert Cocks, a parishioner of St. James, and since that time prosecutions in respect of unlawful balances, weights, and measures have been undertaken by an inspector, appointed for the purpose. In 1757, a further advance was made in the local government of Westminster; for an Act passed in that year required all pavements to be repaired by occupants of houses abutting thereon, or by persons disturbing the pavement. Hoardings were not to be erected without the consent of the Court of Burgesses, and weights and measures were to be tested and marked by the proper officer before being recognised as lawful. Persons 63 years of age and upwards were exempted from serving as constables, and 70 years of age and upwards, from serving on Leet or Annoyance Juries. It may be remarked that burgesses are still appointed, although most of their powers and functions have been superseded by subsequent legislation. Some parts of Westminster were placed, for paving purposes, under the control of a Board of Commissioners as early as 1762, and the jurisdiction of the Commissioners was gradually extended until the whole of Westminster was included therein. The only other local statutes relating to Westminster, until recent times, were for regulating the recovery of small debts and such like. From very ancient times, and until 1844, Westminster had a separate Sessions of the Peace, but this privilege was abolished by the Act 7 and 8 Vic., cap. 71, secs. 11 and 13, which practically merged the City and Liberties in the County of Middlesex, the Sessions now held at Westminster beingadjourned sessions for the whole County. Petty sessional divisions still exist; but for criminal business and police 27 functions, Westminster is included in the Metropolitan Police District, which was constituted by Act of Parliament (10 Geo. IV., cap. 44) in 1829, and extended ten years later by the Act 2 and 3 Vic., cap. 47. Arms were granted to Westminster in the year 1601 under both the seals of office of the Kings-at-Arms, William Dethick, Garter Principal King-of-Arms, and William Camden, Clarencieux King-of-Arms: azure, a portcullis or, on a chief of the first, the arms of King Edward the Confessor, a cross patoncee between five martlets, four in the cantons of the cross, and one in base or, between two roses seeded or, barbed vert. Perhaps before proceeding to describe the parish of St. James, a glimpse at the condition of life in England at the period of the formation of the parish may not prove uninteresting or uninstructive. A RETROSPECT * The present mode of life is so entirely different from that which existed in the time of the Stuarts, that no comparison of the two periods will enable us to realise the full extent of the changes which have occurred in the meantime. Speaking of the state of England in 1685, Lord Macaulay remarks:— "Could the England of 1685 be, by some magical process, set before our eyes, we should not know one landscape in a hundred or one building in ten thousand. The country gentleman would not recognise his own fields. The inhabitant of the town would not recognise his own street. Everything has changed but the great features of nature, and a few massive and durable works of human art. . . . Many thousands of square miles which *Among the authorities consulted in the compilation of this chapter may be mentioned Lord Macaulay, Knight's Encyclopædia of London, Allan's History of London, Cunningham's Handbook of London, Statutes at large, Records of the Parish Clerks' Company, Parliamentary Returns, the Early Minute Books and Rate Books of the Parish, and others. c 2 28 are now rich corn land and meadows, intersected by green hedgerows and dotted with villages and pleasant country seats would appear as moors overgrown with furze and fens abandoned to wild ducks. We should see straggling huts built of wood and covered with thatch, where we now see manufacturing towns and seaports renowned to the farthest ends of the world. The capital itself would shrink to dimensions not much exceeding those of its present suburb on the south of the Thames. No less strange to us would be the garb and manners of the people, the furniture and the equipages, the interior of the shops and dwellings." As some very slight confirmation of the foregoing observations it maybe noted that a reference to the boundaries of the Parish of St. James, as described in the Act creating the Parish (page 64) will show that at least some of the landmarks of that period have now passed into entire oblivion. Nor is the change confined to the physical aspect of the country alone. In almost every respect the condition of life is vastly different from what it was two centuries ago. Politically, England was between two crises. The rebellion of 1649 had been followed by the Restoration in 1660, to be succeeded in turn by the revolution of 1688. Within the previous century the religious opinions of the governing class had undergone violent transitions, varying from the extreme Romanism of Philip and Mary to the Puritanism of the Commonwealth, Stimulated by the dispersion of the Armada, and the discoveries of Raleigh and other adventurers, and in spite of the corruption which almost universally prevailed in official circles, the English Navy, both Royal and mercantile, had developed to a marvellous degree, and was already disputing with the Dutch Navy the supremacy of the seas. The troubles through which the nation had passed combined with a natural independence of spirit which led the dominant party, whether King, Barons, or Parliament, to assert freedom from the yoke of Rome, even in pre-reformation times, had created in the English character that power of self-government which has since so pre-eminently 29 distinguished the Anglo-Saxon race. While expenditure for military purposes had already attained large proportions on the Continent, the English Army was only just being formed or rather developed from the body guard, which had hitherto sufficed for the King's requirement. Even in those times the English people were jealous of entrusting their liberties to a military authority, and the defence of the country was still dependent upon the ancient national army, the Militia, a relic of the feudal system, which, however, was passing fast away. Pikes were still used as weapons, although muskets and bayonets—or daggers as they were then called—had already been adopted. The liberty of the subject, although held in theory as a fundamental part of the British Constitution, was not satisfactorily established. Trade customs rendered long terms of servitude necessary by apprentices, and even-handed justice was not invariably dealt out as between master and servant. Besides this, many kinds of tenure of land requiring personal service to the King or in defence of the country, which lapsed into desuetude on the establishment of what is practically a standing army after the Revolution, led to the oppression of certain classes of the community when levies of men were made for continuing foreign wars, although it was left to a later age to develop the system of the pressgang. Considerable restraint, moreover, was placed upon the formation of associations for almost every purpose, political combinations being virtually prohibited. It must, however, be stated that although the public did not possess political freedom, in the sense now understood, they were perfectly able, when occasion demanded, to show the inclination of their opinions, such, for example, as when the seven bishops were committed to the Tower. A few remarks on the legislation of the period may not now be inappropriate. An example of the Sumptuary Laws 30 which found favour with our ancestors is afforded in an Act passed in the year 1677, which provided that no corpse should be buried in any "shirt, shift, sheet, or shroud, or anything whatsoever made or mingled with flax, hemp, silk, hair, gold, or silver, or in any stuff or thing other than what is made of sheep's wool only, or be put in any coffin lined or faced with any sort of cloth, or stuff, or anything whatsoever that is made of any material but sheep's wool only," under a penalty of five pounds. Persons dying from the plague, however, were exempted from the operations of the Act. The intention of the Act, no doubt, was to revive the drooping woollen industry, but it is not clear how the community as a whole would benefit by being compelled, in the interest of a portion of the inhabitants, to use woollen goods, although they might for economical or other reasons prefer linen or some other material. The principles of free trade, however, were then not comprehended, and the whole tendency of legislation was to hedge in manufactures and commerce with artificial restrictions, under a mistaken idea that they were thereby being fostered instead of impeded. Even the rate of interest was prescribed by law, the Act 12, Car. 2, cap. 13 (1660), limiting the rate to six per cent., as some persons were charging eight per cent. This last mentioned Act affords a striking proof of the rapidly increasing wealth of the country, for eighty years previously, ten per cent. was the statutory rate of interest. In the year 1685, the date of the formation of the Parish of St. James, and of the accession of James II., the first statute, after that providing for his Majesty, was to attaint the Duke of Monmouth, a natural son of the late monarch, of high treason. The Duke, it may be remembered, was beheaded on Tower Hill the same year, amid expressions of grief by the citizens. Another statute contained three former Acts of Parliament for the prevention of theft and rapine on the northern borders of England, thus showing that the internal 31 condition of England was not so satisfactory as might be desired. Among other provisions these three Acts authorised the magistrates of Northumberland and Cumberland to levy at the cost of the locality, armed bands for the protection of life and property, and required parishes to keep blood hounds for tracking marauders. Both the shipbuilding and agricultural interests received the attention of Parliament in 1685. An Act to encourage the building of ships in England recites that since the imposition of the coal duty "there hath been observed a more than ordinary decay in building ships in England," and imposes a tax of 5s. per ton on foreign-built ships, the revenue arising therefrom to be applied to the relief of wounded and decayed seamen, their widows, and orphans. The expression "more than ordinary decay" would seem to imply that there were pessimists in the land in that day, and if it were possible for the draftsmen of the Act to once more visit the scenes of their labour, they would probably be astonished to find that the carrying trade of the world is now virtually in the hands of England. The Act relating to agriculture (for the improvement of tillage) explained an Act of his late Majesty "of ever blessed memory," imposing duties on foreign corn and grain, according to the current price of corn. The Act granting customs duties to the King distinguishes between tobacco imported from his Majesty's plantations in America and foreign tobacco, the latter being subject to a duty of sixpence a pound "beyond what it now pays," as compared with an additional tax of threepence on the colonial tobacco. The principal duties were £8 a "ton" on French wine and vinegar, £10 on Spanish wines, and an additional duty of ¼d. a pound on sugar imported from the plantations; ¾d. on common sugar; ½d. on pance sugar; 1¼d. on white powder sugar, and 3d. on loaf sugar. Tea and coffee had been introduced into this country about thirty years previously, 32 and were already subject to taxation, although not in the form of an import duty. A tax of 2d. per gallon was levied on the liquor known as coffee, and of 8d. per gallon on chocolate, sherbet, and tea, this tax being levied on the makers of the beverage. It is not surprising to find that this mode of taxing tea and coffee was troublesome and costly, and in 1688, for that reason, a customs duty was levied on the raw material in lieu of a tax on the beverage. Among the other statutes passed during the reign of James II.—and the Acts of Parliament of this reign number only twenty-two in all—may be mentioned one for continuing a duty of 18d. a chalder, or ton, on "sea coals for completing the new Cathedral of St. Paul; another for perpetuating, with certain alterations, the Acts then existing relating to the distribution of the property of a person dying intestate ; and another to enable the inhabitants of the adjoining parish of St. Anne to raise money for the erection of a Parish Church. The reign of James II. was distinguished from a local government point of view, by many of the boroughs of England being deprived of their privileges, and the arbitrary disposition of the King in comparatively small matters, as well as in high concerns of State, combined with a considerable increase of taxation, was not calculated to render the King more popular. Events moved rapidly, and a glance at the Statutes of a few years later will show how little the House of Stuart seem to have comprehended the spirit of the English. The legislative labours of the Parliament of King James II. were confined to the first year of his reign, their last act being the creation of the Parish of St. James. At the Revolution, however, three years later, the activity of Parliament increased, and the spirit of the Puritans once more asserted itself, although in a much modified form. Some of the earliest Statutes of William III. provided for the removal 33 from the Cities of London and Westminster, and ten miles from the same, of all Papists and reputed Papists refusing to subscribe the declaration ; for disarming Papists and reputed Papists; for tolerating Protestant Dissenters under certain restrictions; and for vesting in the two Universities of Oxford and Cambridge the presentation to benefices belonging to Papists. In spite of the severity of the penal laws, crime abounded, possibly as one result of the judicial system then in force. Prisons were constructed so as to cause innocent prisoners and the most depraved criminals to mix indiscriminately. "I scruple not to affirm," said Howard, the philanthropist, speaking of the condition of the prisons many years later, "that half the robberies committed in and about London are planned in the prisons by that dreadful assemblage of criminals and the number of idle people who visit them." Of discipline there was none. We read that at a little later period, a young offender or innocent prisoner shrinking from the companionship of hardened criminals was frequently subjected to a mock trial, at which the oldest thief would preside as judge, a knotted towel serving for a wig, and other prisoners act as officers of the sham court. Until the present century, prisoners were required to cook their own food, or fast. Two hundred years ago the condition of the prisons was so horrible that gaol fever, now recognised as typhus, claimed its victims by the hundred, spreadingits terrible infection among the jurymen, and the bar, and sometimes attacking the judge himself. Assize Courts were commonly strewn with aromatic herbs, but this precaution frequently proved insufficient, and the court was occasionally brought to a premature close, or removed to another town. A large number of crimes was punishable by death, including minor offences such as petty thefts. Another mode of punishment then in vogue was the barbarous practice of burning the hand. The prevention of crime or the reform 34 of criminals was not attempted, and the administration of justice was not rendered more satisfactory by the encouragement of common informers. Little regard was given to the sanctity of human life; duelling was universally practised; hundreds of lives were sacrificed in useless wars; magistrates were openly engaged in kidnapping persons at the seaports to supply the demand for labour in Virginia and New England; and even Christian people felt no shame in being identified with the holding of slaves, in spite of the horrors inseparable from the traffic in human beings. Human life being thus lightly esteemed, it is not surprising to find that the penal code was not merciful, although it must be added that during the following century the number of crimes punishable with death was largely increased. London Bridge was used for the exhibition of traitor's heads as late as the time of Charles II, the last head so exposed being that of Vennor, a fifth monarchy zealot, and the following entry in Evelyn's diary seems to show that the spectacle he refers to, was regarded by the writer as a commonplace event:— "1652. May 10. Passing by Smitbfield, I saw a miserable creature burning who had murdered her husband." A few years later, the execution of a cartload of unhappy wretches at Tyburn was almost a weekly sight, but the spectacle so far from acting as a deterrent, was, in the opinion of many, a direct incentive to crime. There is, at least, no doubt that juvenile pickpockets increased their dexterity, and reaped a rich harvest in the crowds gathered at the execution of notorious criminals. For certain offences, the stocks, the pillory, and the whipping post were brought into requisition. The pillory was retained as a means of punishment until the year 1831, and the following extract from Fogg's Weekly Journal of May 1, 1731, gives one account of its use— 35 The noted Mother Needham convicted for keeping a disorderly house in Park Place, St. James's, was fined 1s., to stand twice in the pillory, viz.: once in St. James's Street, over against the end of Park Place, and once in the new Palace Yard Westminster, and to find sureties for her good behaviour for three years." Whipping was frequently applied to lewd women, hut other offenders occasionally suffered this punishment, such, for example, as treasonable expressions not deemed worthy of the extreme penalty. For instance, a soldier was whipped in St. James's Park for drinking a health to the Duke of Ormond and Dr. Sacheverel, and saying he hoped soon to wear his right master's cloth. On Court days, Bridewell was frequented by the fashionables of the day, to witness the public flogging of loose women. As regards finances, the only bankers were goldsmiths and such like, and even this description of banking does not date from a period much earlier than the Restoration, if indeed it did not originate in the necessities of the restored monarch. The financial capital of the world up to that time had been in the Netherlands, but Antwerp had been desolated and ruined by the domination of Spain, and now the merchants of Amsterdam were rapidly being supplanted by those of London, and, to a less extent, Bristol. From very early times, Jewish usurers had settled in London, and at the Restoration the needy classes had already found bankers, or rather discounters, trading under the sign of the Arms of Lombardy, when necessity required them to hypothecate articles of wearing apparel or household furniture. The pawnbrokers of that day, however, were not held in high esteem bv the more wealthy traders of the City. Early in the seventeenth century an Act (1 Jac. I., cap. 21) had been passed "against Brokers," which affords both curious and instructive reading. The preamble of the Act is excessively long, and sets forth that the ancient Brokers appointed by virtue of the Statute of 36 the City of London, 13 Edward I., "never of any ancient time used to buy and sell garments, household stuff, or take pawns and bills of sale of garments and apparel and all things that come to hand for money laid out and lent upon usury, or to keep open shops and to make open shows and an open trade as now of late years hath, and is used by a number of citizens assuming unto themselves the name of Brokers and Brokerage, as though the same were an honest and lawful trade, mystery or occupation, terming and naming themselves Brokers, whereas in truth they are not; abusing the true and honest ancient name and trade of Broker or Brokerage." The preamble further sets forth that the number of these men "being friperers and no brokers," had grown of late to many hundreds in and near the City of London, and were likely to increase, because their new occupation was a "more idle and easier" mode of life, besides being more profitable, than the former handicrafts which they had abandoned. Nor was this the greatest objection urged against the pawnbroker, for the preamble of the Act goes on to say that not only Freemen of the City of London, but also inhabitants of Westminster, "where they pretend to have the like overt market as the City of London," under cover of pawnbroking, encourage theft and robbery, because "all kinds of bad and lewd persons," knowing and finding that no sooner true men's goods can be stolen "but that they shall and may presently utter vent, sell and pawn the same to such kind of new upstart brokers for ready money." For remedy thereof, stolen goods did not become the property of the purchaser, and "the upstart broker" was required to disclose to any person who had been robbed what goods had come into his possession and how he came by them. The early pawnbrokers appear to have been largely concerned in that peculiar kind of commercial transactions against which one portion of the Habitual Criminals Act was directed, although probably not with entire success. 37 Sayings Banks and Provident Societies are of comparatively recent origin. The Bank of England was not incorporated until the year 1694, and even then there was practically no National Debt, for this heritage, which now exceeds £700,000,000, and involves an expenditure of something like £30,000,000 a year, amounted to half a million only, and was then known as the King's Debt. This debt dates from 1684, when Charles II., in the last year of his reign, charged his revenues with interest on his borrowed money. Eight years later Parliament authorised the raising of a million of money from natives and foreigners, in contributions of £100 each towards carrying on the war against France, and charged the revenue derived from certain excise duties with the repayment thereof. From such a small beginning did the National Debt of Great Britain spring. The taxes on some commodities were, however, high, perhaps relatively higher than at present; probably it was on account of the pressure of taxation that recourse was had to the system of raising money for state purposes by means of lotteries. The first State lottery in England was authorized by Parliament in the year 1694 (5 William and Mary, cap. 7), and this means of increasing the revenue continued to form intermittently one of the resources of the State, notwithstanding Acts were passed at various periods for the suppression of other descriptions of lotteries until the year 1823, when lotteries were finally abolished by law. The most unpopular tax of the time was the" hearth money," an impost on chimneys, which necessitated those domiciliary visits from the assessors, so opposed to the genius of the English. Another objection to the taxwas that it was farmed and, consequently, harsh measures were not uncommonly resorted to for its enforcement. There was then no Civil List, but tho total revenue was placed almost entirely at the disposal of the monarch for public or private purposes at his discretion. 38 The revenue of Charles II. was about one million three hundred thousand pounds per annum, but this did not suffice to defray the expenses of the Court and Kingdom, and at the death of the King there was an accumulation of deficiencies in the form of a floating debt of about half a million, bearing interest at the rate of from six to eight per cent. Up to that time the burden of taxation was slight compared with that of France and some other continental nations, and had not pressed with any very great hardship upon the people, while the wealth of the country had enormously increased since the Restoration. According to Sir Josiah Child, there were on change more men worth ten thousand pounds in 1688 than there were in 1650 worth one thousand, and at the earlier date gentlewomen considered themselves well clad in a serge gown which a chambermaid forty years later was ashamed to be seen in. Unquestionably the circumstances of the more wealthy classes were becoming more comfortable, for many writers agree that at this period the number of coaches had increased very rapidly. Additional taxation in the year 1685 augmented the revenue to nearly two millions a year, which, calculating the population of the United Kingdom at a little over four millions (though scarcely any data exist for a really accurate estimate) would give an average taxation of something less than ten shillings per head, or considerably less than the taxes now levied. Against the apparent increase since that period, however, must be set the enormous growth of the country, and the improvement which has taken place in the conditions of all classes of the community in the meantime. While, however, taxation was not particularly burdensome, the poor rate throughout the country was already becoming oppressive, and it is estimated that at least twenty (some authorities say twenty-five) per cent. of the entire population of England were in receipt of parochial relief in some form or other. 39 The Colonies were then represented by little more than the New England settlement, or His Majesty's plantations, as it was officially known. The East India Company, which was incorporated in the reign of Elizabeth, had recently received its third charter, but our Indian Empire was still in the future. Even its foundations had not yet been laid, except in so far as an increasing trade with the East Indies was preparing the way for future occupation. Communication with the East was hazardous and infrequent. A sailing vessel round the Cape of Good Hope frequently occupied nearly six months in the voyage to India, and privateering in time of war or piracy in time of peace had to be taken into account by the merchant. What would the ordinary man of business, even in provincial towns, think now if his daily newspaper were not forthcoming at breakfast time? But in the time of the Stuarts the only news medium was the organ of the Government, which is still published and is now known as the London Gazette. Occasional tracts and news letters were published for the diffusion of political views, but the newspaper in anything like its modern form was then almost unknown. The great news medium in London then appears to have been the coffee house, where men gathered to diffuse and discuss the intelligence of the day. Some weekly journals lived a kind of spasmodic existence, but they were dependent on the despatches and other information published in the London Gazette for such foreign news as they gave. Their columns were mainly devoted to details of criminal trials, paragraphs relating to highway robbery, statements of the dowries of recently married brides, society and commercial gossip, and other information of similar interest. It is said that in the earliest of these newspapers no charge was made for advertisements for lost property. It may be remarked that the common belief in the publication of an English 40 paper so early as the reign of Elizabeth is not worthy of credence. It is true that copies of "The English Mer curie" bearing a date a century earlier than the creation of the parish of St. James are extant, but experts have pointed out that the date given does not tally with the date of the manufacture of the paper on which it is printed. The daily newspaper was, in fact, unknown, for the Postboy, which was the earliest paper of the kind, did not appear until the year 1695, and proved unsuccessful, although seven years later, the first number of the Courant was published and met with success. Reports of the debates in Parliament were not permitted, it being then practically, as it is still theoretically, an offence to print the speeches without the permission of the House. It was not until the time of Dr. Johnson that any serious attempt was made to acquaint the public of the progress of business in Parliament, and it may be remembered, that the worthy Doctor did not think it in any way wrong to tinge the reports he published with the colour of his own views, and as one of his biographers has remarked, "always give the Tories the best of the argument." Considering, however, the inordinate length to which Parliamentary debates have been carried since they have been so fully reported in the columns of the daily press, it is questionable whether the price paid for publicity is not in some respects excessive. Not only was the press itself in fetters, but the publication of books and literature of any kind was much restricted until the Revolution. The absence of newspapers was, however, probably not very severely felt by the masses, who had neither the means to purchase the few broad sheets available, nor, with a few exceptions, the ability to read. It may not be out of place to remark here that the English language had but recently assumed a settled form, much as we know it now, in consequence, to a very large extent, of the works of Shakespeare, Spenser, and Milton, and the translation of the Bible 41 into English by the authority of King James I. The fixity of the language was no doubt aided by the increasing use of the art of printing. But in spite of the immortal works of the poets named, the philosophical treatises of Bacon, and the splendid essays of Puritan Divines and Politicians, English literature may be said to have been then in but little more than an elementary stage. The first English novel had yet to be written, and the first English Dictionary still to be compiled. Hitherto our native literature had been mainly confined to ballads, dramatic writings, and poems, and for some years after the Stuart period the general current of writing continued to run in much the same channels. The wonderful development of art as applied to current literature, which may be regarded as one of the features of the present generation, was not then dreamed of. School books were few in number, and practically altogether non-existent for quite elementary instruction, hornbooks and tablets being used for teaching the alphabet. Elementary Education itself was by no means general, although no doubt the foundation of Grammar Schools in various parts of the country, from funds set free at the dissolution of the religious houses at the time of the Reformation, gave an impetus to the cause of popular education, which even yet has probably not reached its final point. Philosophy and the spirit of enquiry received a considerable impetus from the formation of the Royal Society at the Restoration. Bacon had but recently passed away, and Newton was in his prime ; hence, in spite of the backward condition of England with regard to the Fine Arts, as compared with Continental nations, it is not surprising that our country was taking the lead in Philosophy, as it was also doing in Medicine. The amusements of the people were not distinguished by refinement. Besides such pastimes as bowls and morris dancing, D 42 the rougher sports of cock-fighting and bull-baiting were popular, as were also the periodical debaucheries of various fairs. The playhouses had, to quote the strong expression of Burnet in his history, become "nests of prostitution." Skating had but recently been introduced from Holland, and cricket was still to be invented. Horse-racing was already in fashion, although the breeding of racehorses in England had not yet commenced. Steeplechasing was as yet unknown. The means of communication between distant parts of the country were most defective. Neither canals nor Macadam roads had yet been devised, and many modes of conveyance which have long since become obsolete were unused. Until the reign of Elizabeth, coaches were unknown in England, and prior to their introduction in the year 1580, the Queen made her progress through her realm on horseback, riding on her pillion behind her Chamberlain. Since that time, however, together with changes making a greater stir, a quiet revolution had been going on with regard to the mode of travelling, and equestrianism was gradually making way for vehicles. The mails of those times were, indeed, still conveyed on horseback, and the packhorse, in a troop of from forty to fifty, was still to be frequently met with, although the carriers' wagons were beginning to supplant them within a radius of a couple of hundred miles from London. Great personages, on their occasional pilgrimages to the Metropolis, almost resembled a caravan in the number of servants and animals employed on the journey. Public Coaches do not appear to have been used in England to any extent until the Restoration, and their increase was by no means hailed with general satisfaction. "A lover of his country," writing in 1673, deplores the loss which would result from the economies effected by the new mode of travelling, and although he does not so thoroughly object to the long wagon of the carrier, which had been introduced some eighty years, and had 43 become the conveyances of the more humble travellers, he palliates their existence rather on the plea of comparative antiquity than on the ground of convenience. His excuse for them appears somewhat curious in these days of express trains, for he remarks that "they travel not such long journeys, go not out so early in the morning, neither come in so late at night; but stay by the way, travel easily, without jolting men's bodies, or hurrying them along as the running coaches do." Readers of Smollett may remember his description of a journey from York to London by wagon. Roderick Random and his friend Strap overtook, without difficulty, the vehicle which had the start of a quarter of a mile, and climbing up a ladder into the conveyance tumbled into the straw, finding themselves under the darkness of the tilt in the company of two gentlemen and two genteel specimens of the other sex. The journey occupied about twelve days and cost ten shillings. The "running coaches," which so jolted men's bodies, are said to have attained an average speed of rather more than four miles an hour, but the roads as well as the vehicles were to blame for the jolting, and also for an occasional failure to maintain this high average of speed. The increasing nse of vehicles led to an attempt to improve the condition of the roads, and a Turnpike Act was passed with this object in the reign of Charles II.; but as late as 1739 the turnpike road northwards from London did not extend further than Grantham, the journey beyond that point being made upon a narrow causeway, edged with a soft unmade road. Nor did the northern roads enjoy a monopoly of badness, for the Duke of Somerset, as late as the year 1740, was unable to complete the journey from Petworth to London in one day, but was compelled to pass the night at Guildford on account of the state of the roads. On another occasion his Grace directs his keepers and others who know the holes and sloughs D 2 44 to meet him "with lanthorns and long poles" to help him on his way. In fact, the coaches and six, which we, in the present generation, are apt to regard as an ostentatious display, were in reality an absolute necessity for travelling in comparative comfort, so bad was the general condition of the roads. Two days appear to have been regarded as a fair time, at the close of the seventeenth century, for the journey between Oxford and London, and the distance between Nottingham and London was not covered by coach in less than four days during the winter months. Travelling by packhorse was even more tedious, the journey from York to London by that means occupying from fourteen to sixteen days. The conveyance of letters was not much more expeditious, except in special cases, until the close of the eighteenth century, for it was not until the 2nd of August, 1784, that the first mail coach left London for Bristol. Nearly one hundred and twenty years had then elapsed since the passing of the first Turnpike Act, and the means of internal communication in England had consequently much improved. Defective roads, however, were not the only drawback to comfortable travelling, for the highwayman and footpad were factors to be reckoned with. No longer back than 1774, two men were executed at Tyburn for robbing the stage as near London as Knightsbridge. A further illustration of the insecurity of the road, is afforded by the proprietors of Sadler's Wells announcing about the middle of the eighteenth century that on fete nights a horse patrol will be sent in the New Road for the protection of the nobility and gentry who go from the squares and that end of the town, and that the road to the City will be also guarded. Travelling was far too serious an undertaking to justify an annual outing of the citizen, or an annual visit to London by even the wealthier of the country people. Many persons, in the ordinary walk of life, never travelled more than a few miles from home, or 45 made longer journeys of pleasure than could be covered within one day. Before passing to the Metropolis exclusively, a glimpse at the state of the labouring classes may prove neither uninteresting nor uninstructive. The cotton manufacture was in its infancy, the cloth industry of Leeds was scarcely two generations old, and Sheffield had made little progress in the manufacture of steel goods since the time of Chaucer. Scarcely half the land was brought under cultivation, and the mineral wealth of England, which had been known in some degree to the Phoenicians some centuries before the Christian Era, had scarcely been drawn upon, the quantities of coal and iron brought from the mines during the whole of the seventeenth century probably being less than one year's consumption in prosperous times at present. Taking also into account the revolution since accomplished by the general introduction of steam, and the invention of labour-saving machines by the score, it is at once apparent that the working classes are now living under totally different conditions to those of their progenitors two centuries ago. The question naturally arises, how has this change affected them ? Comparing the wages paid then and now, it appears that agricultural labourers generally received from 4s. to 5s. a week, without food, although in times of scarcity as much as 7s. a week was paid in some favoured localities; weavers were paid from 6d. to 1s. a day; bricklayers, masons, and carpenters each 2s. 6d. a day; and plumbers 3s. a day. Speaking broadly, these rates have much more than doubled. The average price of wheat for the first twelve years after the Restoration was 50s. a quarter; it is now about 30 per cent. less. Nor has a reduction in price been confined to breadstuffs. Sugar, salt, coals, candles, soap, and most descriptions of clothing are much cheaper now than then. The staple food of the labourer was rye, barley, and oats, with meat once 46 or twice a week, and wheaten bread rarely, if ever. Thus in two centuries the general prosperity has been such as to allow the wage-earning class to share it, not only in the form of larger wages, but a reduction in price of many commodities of first necessity. And while it is satisfactory to note the material progress of the bulk of the population, it is no less pleasing to find that owing to the spread of education and increased facilities for travelling, the ordinary artisan of to-day is the superior in mental culture of many of the landed gentry of 1685, for it is stated to have been then no uncommon thing for the literary attainments of a Justice of the Peace to be confined to the signing of his name to a mittimus. Turning to the domestic concerns of the Metropolis, it is difficult to imagine the then existing conditions of life. To quote once more from Macaulay, only the nucleus of the capital then existed. The town did not, as now, fade by imperceptible degrees into the country. In the east no part of the immense line of warehouses and artificial lakes which now stretches from the Tower to Blackwall, had even been projected; on the west scarcely one of those stately piles of buildings which are inhabited by the noble and wealthy was in existence; and Chelsea was a quiet country village with about a thousand inhabitants. On the north, cattle fed and sportsmen wandered with dogs and guns over the site of the Borough of Marylebone; and Islington was a solitude. The streets were practically unpaved at the west-end of the town until the passing of the Westminster Paving Act in 1762, unless the inhabitants chose from pride, wealth, or caprice, to pave the space in front of their own door, in which case they were free to indulge their personal tastes without restraint. In a few cases, however, small districts were paved; for example, in the year 1662, an Act of Parliament was passed providing for the paving of Pall Mall, the Hay- 47 market, and St. James's Street. Evelyn, writing in the same year, speaks of the way from St. James's, north, as being quagmire. Macaulay tells us that St. James's Square was a receptacle for all the offal and cinders, for all the dead cats and dead dogs of Westminster; that at one time a cudgelplayer kept a ring there, and at another time a squatter settled and built a shed for rubbish there. It was, indeed, not until the first year of George I. that the inhabitants, apparently driven to desperation, obtained parliamentary authority to enclose the square and plant it with trees. Such being the condition of the wealthiest districts, it may readily be imagined that the poorer localities were even in a worse state. The streets were almost universally very narrow; kerbstones were unknown, and there was no distinction between the carriage-ways and footpaths, except in some of the principal streets, where a line of posts and chains afforded occasional protection. The general condition of the streets is illustrated by a writer in a London Chronicle, who, speaking of the proposed plan of paving the City and Liberties of Westminster in 1762, says "all sorts of dirt and ashes, oyster shells, and the offals of dead poultry and other animals, will no longer be suffered to be thrown into the streets, but must be kept until the dustman comes; nor will the annoyances erected by coachmakers be permitted; and when a house is pulled down, the rubbish must be carried to a proper place and not left in the streets." Bad as this picture of general comfort may be, matters had slightly improved since the creation of the Parish in 1685. Until the year 1670, rain water was generally discharged from the roofs of buildings on to the street below, but the evil had become so intolerable as to lead to the fixing of stackpipes being made compulsory in the City of London, an example which was subsequently followed in Westminster. Nor was rain water the only or the worst nuisance to be encountered. I 48 The polite practice of giving a lady the wall was then a real benefit. Among other evils, Oldham, writing in the time of Charles II., describes the disgusting practice of emptying chamber utensils from bedroom windows, a practice which prevailed at least until the time of Hogarth. And not only so, but the nuisances of a house were frequently deposited in the street for removal by scavengers, and the well which received the house drainage was emptied, when necessary, by the contents being pumped into the street. Before quitting this unsavoury topic, it may be remarked that the Fleet ditch remained an open sewer up to the year 1737. It is difficult to imagine a more unsatisfactory state of affairs, and the marvel is not so much that the Metropolis was frequently subject to the ravages of the plague, as that it was ever free from an epidemic. No means exist of accurately estimating the population of London, for no census was taken until the commencement of the present century, nor was any attempt made at a systematic registration of births and deaths until the present reign, except by the compilation of weekly bills of mortality by the voluntary agency of the parish clerks. Although the Great Plague occurred twenty years previously to the creation of the Parish of St. James, and therefore may be somewhat beside these remarks, yet the figures relating to this calamity are so suggestive as to justify some brief reference to the event, which, from a Metropolitan and domestic point of view, stands out with ghastly prominence as the most frightful visitation of the century. The bills of mortality record no fewer than 97,306 deaths from plague during the visitation of 1665, but this was probably below the actual number, as it can scarcely be conceived that accuracy was observed when deaths were occurring by thousands every week, and sextons and parish clerks were numbered among the dead. Sir William Petty estimated the population of the 49 Metropolis in 1682 at 670,000, but perhaps half a million would be nearer the truth, for the number of inhabitants had only increased to 864,845 in the year 1801. Reckoning the duration of the Plague at ten months, the annual rate of mortality from that cause alone during the terrible year of 1665 exceeded 220 per 1,000, or about ten times the present Metropolitan death-rate from all causes. The actual rate of mortality was, however, probably far higher than even 220, taking into account the vast multitude of people which had already left the City, for some old chroniclers estimate the number of fugitives at 200,000. During the month of September the deaths exceeded 7,000 a week, which, with scarcely any allowance for the exodus from London and the previous heavy mortality, would yield a rate of over 100 per cent., or, in other words, if that rate had continued and there had been perfect immunity from all other kinds of sickness, London would have been left without an inhabitant in less than one year's time. London was providentially purified by fire the following year, and the Plague has not since made its appearance, nor need it now be feared, for not only has medical science made much progress, but the paving, drainage, and sanitary works which have since been carried out in the Metropolis, notably within the last thirty years, have rendered London the healthiest large city in the world. The improvement in the public health thus caused is clearly seen when we reflect that two hundred years ago the death-rate of London was estimated at one death per annum for every 23 persons living, even in ordinarily healthy years, whereas the proportion now is one death for about 45 persons living, the average chance of life having thus almost doubled in a couple of centuries, in spite of the enormous increase of population in the meantime. A glance at the bills of mortality would seem to show that medical science was not in a very advanced state. It must, 50 however, be premised that these bills were voluntary compilations, not based upon medical certificates, but upon such information as the relatives of the deceased were able to supply to the parish clerk at or before the time of interment. It may not be out of place to mention that the London bills of mortality were commenced in 1592, on the occurrence of a Plague, and their publication at weekly intervals in 1603 after another visitation of the Plague. The limits of the bills of mortality at that time comprised the 97 parishes in the City of London, 16 parishes without the walls, and six contiguous out-parishes. It was not until 1626 that Westminster was included within the limits. Information of a death within the limits of the bills of mortality was furnished by the undertaker or a relative of the deceased to a “searcher,” the latter not infrequently being an old woman of far from temperate habits, but it is not quite clear, when, or how, the intermediation of a searcher originated. The particulars being verified in some fashion, for there appears 'to have been absolutely no authentication or guarantee of any description that the information was correct, the burial was entered in the parochial record, from which a weekly abstract was prepared and forwarded to the Company of Parish Clerks, who compiled the return for the area within the bills of mortality. The following copy of the summary of the bills of mortality for the week ending the 26th September, 1665, when the Plague of London was at its height, taken from the official records of the Parish Clerks' Company, by the courtesy of the Master and Wardens of the Company, will probably be read with interest:— Number of Deaths. Abortive 5 Aged 43 Ague 2 Apoplexie 1 Number of Deaths. Bleeding 2 Burnt in his bed by a candle at St. Giles, Ciipplegate 1 Canker 1 51 Number of Deaths—continued. Childbed 42 Chrisomes 18 Consumption 134 Convulsions 64 Cough 2 Dropsie 33 Feaver 309 Flox and Small-pox 5 Frighted 3 Gowt 1 Grief 3 Griping in the Guts 51 Jaundies 5 Imposthume 11 Infants 16 Killed by a fall from the Belfry at Alhallows the Great 1 King's Evil 2 Lethargy 1 Palsie 1 Number of Deaths—continued. Plague 7165 Rickets 17 Rising of the Lights 11 Scouring 5 Scurvy 2 Spleen 1 Spotted Feaver 101 Stilborn 17 Stone 2 Stopping of the Stomach 9- Strangury 1 Suddenly 1 Surfeit 49 Teeth 121 Thrush 5 Timpany 1 Tissick 11 Vomiting 3 Winde 3 Wormes 15 Christened 352 Busied. Males 4095 8297 Females 4202 Increased in burials this week 607 Parishes clear of the Plague 4 Parishes infected 126 The assize of bread set forth by order of the Lord Maior and Court of Aldermen. A penny wheaten loaf to contain nine ounces and a half, and three halfpenny white loaves the like weight. It may be remarked, that the enormous discrepancy between the number of baptisms and burials which at this period is observable throughout the Metropolis, extended to the City and liberties of Westminster, the number of baptisms in Westminster for the week in question being only 23, while the burials numbered 710, of which no less than 613 were 52 referred to the Plague. This is perhaps not very remarkable, as the Plague of 1665 first made its appearance in Long Acre, and extended thence to the City of London. The list of deaths given above contains some entries which convey scarcely any meaning to the present generation, while the most casual observer must be struck with the vagueness of the cause of death in some instances. The large number of deaths attributed to some causes, as, for instance, childbed, dropsy and surfeit, is striking, and it seems somewhat curious to include "stillborn" among the deaths. But a dip into the bills of mortality for other periods reveals still stranger entries. Thus we find deaths attributed at various times to "Mouldfallen," "Livergrown," "Head mould shot,” "Distracted," "Mother,'" "Sore Mouth," and "Cold." Diseases now known under other names, such as "St. Anthonie's Fire,'" "King's Evil," "Bloody Flux," &c., are also to be met with. A little later we find the price of salt, as well as bread, appended to the bills of mortality, although it is not quite apparent why the price of commodities should be attached to a list of deaths. The bills for the week ending; the 31st December, 1700, give the price of salt at 5s. the bushel of 561bs., with an intimation that those who sell at a higher price are to forfeit five pounds for every offence. With regard to bread, both troy weight and common weight are given, the weight of the penny loaf on the 31st December, 1700, being as follows :— Troy Weight. Common Weight. White 8 oz. 8 oz. 12dwt. Wheaten 12 oz. 13 oz. 3 dwt. Household 16 oz. I dwt. 17 oz. 10 dwt. To this intimation a note is appended to the effect that "all bakers and others are to take notice that the assize of all 53 white, wheaten, and household bread from this time forward is to be halfpenny, penny, twopenny, sixpenny, twelvepenny, and eighteenpenny loaves, and the eighteenpenny loaves are to weigh full three times the weight of the sixpenny loaves, and each sort to be marked with their respective prices." Up to the year 1665, the Plague was a frequent visitor. After that perhaps the Small-pox was the most terrible scourge. Almost everybody at some period of his life suffered from its ravages to a greater or less extent, a large number of persons being thus deprived of their sight. Taking the disease was, in fact, regarded almost as a matter of course. What may be called "Preventive Medicine" was then practically unknown. Even inoculation was not practised in this country until the year 1721, when Lady Mary Wortley Montagu introduced it from the East, where it had long been known ; while vaccination, which superseded inoculation, and has so materially reduced Small-pox, and with care might virtually eradicate it from our midst, was not discovered until three-quarters of a century later. Diseases were not classified as now, and many, such as different kinds of fever, had not been diagnosed. Licenses to practise as physicians or surgeons in London, and within a radius of seven miles therefrom, were granted by the Bishop of London or the Dean of St. Paul's, after examination of the candidates by expert persons. The science of physic had recently been placed on a sounder basis by Dr. Sydenham (himself an inhabitant of St. James's), but the professions of barber and surgeon were still one, their corporate title being the Company of Barber-Surgeons. It was not until the year 1745 that the union of the two arts was dissolved, and the surgeons incorporated in a separate Company, which was subsequently, by a charter of the 40th year of King George III., denominated the Royal College of 54 Surgeons in London, and altered in the present reign (1844) to the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Two centuries ago there were but two hospitals in London for the reception of the sick; St. Bartholomew's, founded in 1122, and St. Thomas's, founded in 1213. These were both well endowed; the first institution of the kind supported by voluntary contributions was Westminster Hospital, which was established in the year 1719. With the exception of Bethlehem Hospital, which was originally a priory, but converted into an asylum for lunatics at the dissolution of the religious houses by Henry VIII., there does not appear to have existed any institution for the special treatment of any particular kind of disease. The management of Bethlehem, brutal as it may appear to the present generation, probably but too truly, reflected the general character of the age. Hogarth's well-known picture no doubt is an exact representation of what might be seen any day at Bethlehem in his time, and a Parliamentary Committee reporting as lately as 1814, describes one of the women's galleries as follows:— One of the side rooms contained about ten patients, each chained by one arm or leg to the wall, the chain allowing them merely to stand up by the bench or form fixed to the wall or to sit down again. The nakedness of each patient was covered by a blanket gown only. The blanket gown is a blanket formed something like a dressing gown, with nothing to fasten it in front; this constitutes the whole covering. The feet even are naked. The men's rooms are described as presenting the complete appearance of a dog-kennel, from the nakedness of the unfortunate patients and their mode of confinement. The house surgeon was stated to be subject to frequent fits of insanity, and still more frequent fits of intemperance. For many years the revenues of the hospital were augmented by the payment of one penny by each visitor, whether friends of patients or strangers. Towards the middle of the last century, 55 these pence are said to have amounted to £400 per annum, and a visit was paid to Bethlehem in much the same way as to the lions at the Tower. The lunacy laws and the administration of the hospitals and asylums are not yet perfect, but the unfortunate lunatics are certainly now treated with a humanity which was unthought of two hundred years ago. County Lunatic Asylums, and Poor Law Infirmaries and Dispensaries, are growths of almost the present generation. Closely allied to the public health is the question of the water supply. The only water company then existing was the New River Company, which had completed the grand scheme of Sir Hugh Myddleton in 1613, but was not able to supply private houses more than twice a week as late as 1682. Before Sir Hugh Myddleton's project was carried into effect, the inhabitants received no better supply than could be obtained from a conduit or the River Thames, and for this purpose the apprentices, who then formed a noteworthy, if not an important, portion of the community, were each provided with a tankard for conveying water from one of these sources to their masters' houses. The wells and streams from which the Londoners anciently derived their supply of water are in many instances commemorated in the localities, such as Clerkenwell, Holborn, Tyburn, Marylebone, &c. One of the earliest, if not the first, of the conduits in the City was supplied with water from Tyburn. The fashionable promenades were mainly confined to St. James's Park and Hyde Park. The following extract from "Tom Brown's Amusements of London" (1700) will give some idea of the appearance of St. James's Park at that time. The Green Walk, it may be mentioned, lay between the Mall and the park wal :— The Green Walk afforded a variety of discourses from persons of both sexes. Here walked a beau bareheaded, here a French fop with both his hands in his pockets, carrying all his pleated coat before to shew his silk 56 breeches. There "were a cluster of senators talking of State affairs and the price of corn and cattle, and were disturbed with the noisy milkfolks crying "A can of milk, ladies; a can of red cow's milk, sir." our way to the Horse Guards was nothing worth our observation, unless twas the Birdcage inhabited by wild fowl, the ducks begging charity, and the Blackguard boys robbing their own bellies to relieve them. The principal walks in this park, besides the Green Walk, were the Close Walk at the Rosamond's Pond, and the long Lime Walk, which terminated at a knot of lofty elms. A few years earlier Charles II. might have been frequently seen in St. James's Park, dividing his time, to a large extent, between feeding the ducks in Rosamond's Pond and conversing with Nell Gwynne and other courtesans over the walls which separated the gardens of the houses on the south side of Pall Mall from the Park. Evelyn refers to this in his diary under date March 1, 1671, as follows:— I thence walked with him [the king] through St. James's Park to the garden, where I both saw and heard a very familiar discourse between Mrs. Nellie, as they call an impudent comedian, she looking out of her garden on a terrace at the top of the wall, and [the name is blank in the original] standing on the green walk under it. I was heartily sorry at this scene. Thence the King walked to the Duchess of Cleveland, another lady of pleasure and curse of our nation. According to de Grammont's Chesterfield, however, which refers to the period of Charles II. :— Hyde Park, every one knows, is the promenade of London; nothing was so much in fashion during the fine weather as this promenade, which was the rendezvous of fashion and beauty. Everyone, therefore, who had sparkling eyes or a splendid equipage constantly repaired thither, and the King seemed pleased with the place. Pep^s and other contemporary writers also refer to the gay sight presented in Hyde Park by the number of visitors, particularly on special occasions, such as May-day. 57 For the humbler sightseer, probably, the principal Metropolitan attraction of the time was a visit to the lions at the Tower, which had delighted previous generations from the time of Henry III. downwards. The streets were lighted, when they were lighted at all, by candles. Public lighting was, Jiowever, not undertaken as a municipal duty in the sense now understood, but, if light was not provided voluntarily, householders were required, upon the order of the constituted authority, such as the Alderman in the City Wards or the Burgess in Westminster, to display candles from their premises from sunset till 9 or 10 o'clock. In 1694 glass lanterns for burning oil were introduced, but this luxury was confined for some time to the road leading from Whitehall to Kensington Palace. These lamps, 300 in number, were removed in the spring and carefully preserved in a shed at Kensington until the autumn. An old view of Kensington Palace, in George III.'s Topographical Illustrations, contains the following foot-note:— "The avenue leading from St. James's through Hyde Park is very grand. On each side of it lanthorns are placed at equal distances, which, being lighted in the dark seasons for the conveniency of the courtiers, appear inconceivably magnificent." This inconceivable magnificence of the early part of the eighteenth century, however, is now entirely eclipsed by the more brilliant gas light in even the less important streets in any part of the Metropolis. Oil served as an illuminant until the introduction of gas at the commencement of the present century, the first street lighted with gas being Pall Mall, in the year 1807. It may be remarked in passing that oil was used in the lighting of Grosvenor Square as late as 1842. It can readily be imagined that an occasional candle or oil lantern did not afford an efficient, still less a brilliant, means of street lighting. To remedy this, linkmen were called into e 58 being, who, for a consideration, would walk before or beside the chair of the belated traveller. Links were used until 1807, and a relic of their time may still be seen in the extinguishers attached to the entrances of houses in many of the old London Squares. The character of the lmkman is not described in a very flattering manner by Gay in the following lines:— Though thou art tempted by the linkman's call, Yet trust him not along the lonely wall; In the midway he'll quench the flaming brand, And share the booty with the pilfering band. Public conveyances have gone through many developments. Hackney carriages were in use at an early period, for the first stand was set up in the Strand at the Maypole in 1634, the year in which sedan chairs were introduced. Cabs are a more modern invention, dating only from 1820, while the first omnibus did not appear until 10 years later. In 1694 the number of Hackney carriages in London was limited to 700. There were in 1883 (the latest year for which the return has been published) 6,579 hansom cabs, 3,802 four-wheeled cabs, and 2,223 omnibuses. Two centuries ago there were few vessels for public use on the Thames. The wealthier Corporations and nobility kept their private barges, and the common people had to be content with the heavy, not overluxurious wherry. Passing under London Bridge was attended by so much danger on account of the rapidity of the stream, owing to the extreme narrowness of the arches, that it was seldom attempted, travellers generally preferring to land at the stairs on one side of the bridge and take another boat on the other side. The means of communication between the north and south side of the river were certainly not excessive. London Bridge was the only Metropolitan bridge across the Thames, ferries affoiding the only other means of communication between the 59 two banks of the river. The erection of Westminster Bridge was commenced in 1738. There was but one horse-ferry at or near London, and that was between Millbank and Lambeth ; the tolls belonged to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and are said to have produced a considerable yearly revenue. That extremely simple mode of identifying a house in a street by giving it a number had not yet occurred to the residents in London. Houses of business were usually known by a sign, and the mansions of the gentry received the names of their occupiers, if they had any distinctive appellation at all. The houses of the wealthier of the middle class, then rapidly increasing in number and importance, were simply described, when description was necessary, as being situate on the north, east, west, or south side of the street, square, or place, as the case might be, or by its contiguity' to better known premises. The earlier rate books of St. James's illustrate in a curious manner the comparative difficulty with which this class of property could be then readily identified: thus an entry at the end of Jermyn Street runs, "Turne the corner;" another entry runs "Over the way," and following an unnamed street there appear the words, "Sohoe, west side agen." It may be interesting to residents in St. James's to know that the first street in the Metropolis the houses in which were numbered was New Burlington Street, the date of this innovation being 1764. The houses in Lincoln's Inn Fields were numbered immediately afterwards, and so rapidly did the practice spread, its simplicity and other obvious advantages no doubt commending it to the business men of the town, that two years later house signs were generally taken down. The inconvenience still arising from the frequent repetition of a name in the list of streets in the Metropolis, although the number of repeated names has been much reduced since the regulation of street nomenclature has been e 2 60 placed under the charge of the Metropolitan Board of Works, will give some slight idea of the difficulties which must have been experienced before the introduction of the system of numbering houses, and of the benefit which resulted from the substitution of a number in a street for a sign which might have many a counterpart in the same district, When St. James's was constituted a parish, the offices of constable and watchmen were honorary but compulsory, and it was not until the year 1719 that even substituted service was accepted. In the following year the payment of watchmen was made a charge on the watching rate. The old Saxon practice, as modified by the Normans, of holding the hundred responsible for all delinquencies committed within its limits, was still in vogue, but the growth of population and increase of wealth gradually led to the creation of a new state of affairs. So conservative, however, are the English nation, that it was not until the year 1829 that the foundation was laid of the present Metropolitan Police Force. The "new police," as the constables were called for many years after their re-organization, or "bobbies" and “peelers" as they were more familiarly known, after Sir Robert Peel, the author of the Act of Parliament which created the new body, have passed through the usual stages of ridicule, and now present probably as fine and efficient a body of men for the maintenance of public order as any city in the world possesses. As a matter of information, it may be stated that the cost of the Metropolitan Police Force for the year 1883 amounted to £1,313,981 19s. 7d., of which £639,751 7s. 4d. was defrayed from the rates, £515,233 from the imperial taxation of the country, £137,968 3s. l0d. was received for the protection of public buildings and tor other special services, and the remainder was derived from other sources. The strength of the force at the close of 1883 (the latest year for which the Commissioners Report has been issued) was 25 61 dents, 611 inspectors, 1,036 sergeants, and 10,950 constables, a total of all ranks of 12,622. These figures, both as regards the cost and strength of the force, are exclusive of the City Police Force. The latter costs £105,000 a year, and comprises about 900 men of all ranks. A more complete change than that from the watchmen, frequently feeble old men, to active constables, can scarcely be imagined, and the value of the alteration is well illustrated by comparing the present comparative immunity from street outrages with the danger formerly attending a visit to the suburbs after nightfall, or even (according to Gay) in crossing Lincoln's Inn Fields on a dark night. Lincoln's Inn Fields, it may be mentioned, was then merely a large unenclosed space. "The principle of Insurance, which now forms so important an item in commercial life, was then scarcely known. The first Fire Insurance Office, the Phoenix, was established in 1682, at the Rainbow Coffee-house, Fleet Street, and was followed fourteen years later by the Hand-in-Hand; the latter is the oldest of the existing offices, the office now known as the Phoenix not being the original Society of that name. The first Life Insurance Office was that founded by the Mercers' Company in 1698. In connection with the subject of fire insurance, it seems almost incredible that London remained without a Metropolitan Fire Brigade until the year 1833, when the various Insurance Companies made some kind of provision for united and systematic action on the outbreak of fire. Even then, and for thirty years later, the residents in the Metropolis were mainly dependent on the voluntary efforts of the Fire Insurance Companies for protection from fire. Until 1825 all the companies maintained a separate establishment of fire engines, but in that year, the Sun, the Union, and the Royal Exchange Offices combined their engines 62 under one management, thus laying the foundation of a Metropolitan Brigade. This plan proved so satisfactory that by degrees all the other offices joined in the movement, and in 1833 the London Fire Brigade was formed and placed under the management of a committee, consisting of one representative from each of the associated offices. London was divided into districts, and the firemen were clothed in uniform, some of the men always being on duty. The dress adopted by some of the companies for their firemen in the days of their independence appear to have been more quaint than convenient. It is true that both before 1833 and subsequently, the churchwardens, overseers, or other officers, maintained a parish engine, but the management and apparatus were both frequently so deficient as to render that engine of little service in anything but a very small conflagration. It was not until 1865 that the present Metropolitan Fire Brigade was formed as a municipal institution, and placed under the control of the Metropolitan Board of Works'. The staff of the brigade (exclusive of pilots and coachmen) at present comprises 589 firemen of all ranks; the number of engines is 44 steam fire engines, 124 manual engines, and 3 floatinge ngines; the Brigade has also 44 fire escapes, in addition to tugs and barges for use in connection with the floating engines, and wagons, and other equipments for street stations. The working expenses of the Brigade for the year 1885 are estimated at £121,000. The income of the Brigade is derived from a contribution of £10,000 from the Treasury, a percentage from the Insurance Companies on the value of the property insured, which is estimated to produce the sum of £25,377, watching premises, attending fires outside the Metropolitan area, and penalties £2,985, and a rate of £d. in the pound over the whole Metropolis, which is estimated to 63 realise £73,177. According to the Report of the Chief Officer for the year 1884, there were 2,289 fires in the Metro polis during that period, of which 194 resulted in serious damage, and 2,095 in slight damage, and 42 lives were lost. The number of fires in 1866, the first year of the operations of the present Metropolitan Fire Brigade, was 1,338, of which 326 were serious and 1,012 slight. It will thus be seen that although the total number of fires has largely increased in the interval, the proportion of conflagrations of a serious nature has been reduced from 25 per cent. to 9 per cent. Even in the "good old times" of the Stuarts, there were men who were more anxious to drive a bargain than to observe the strict rules of morality, as the following extract from Pepys' Diary shows:— 4th December, 1608.—Mr. Pickering meets me at Smithfield, and J. and W. Hewer, and a friend of his, a jockey, did go about to see several pairs of horses for my coach; but it was late, and we agreed on none, but left it to another time; but here I do see instances of a piece of craft and cunning that I never dreamed of concerning the buying and choosing of horses. The keen observer of the present day could, no doubt, find, without much difficulty, examples of craft and cunning in horse dealing, and possibly in some other matters of which honest Mr. Pepys never dreamed to the end of his life. One thing is certain, that, notwithstanding (or perhaps in consequence of) the general increase of wealth since that period, there are now, as then, persons who are not over scrupulous in the pursuit of riches, and it may fairly be argued whether we have made such progress towards purity of commercial and social morality as might have been expected from the spread of education, the diffusion of knowledge, the growth of civil and religious liberty, and the increased means of communication between different parts of 64 the United Kingdom and with other countries, which have characterised the intervening years. Something might also be said of the comforts of the present age in minor matters, as well as the more important, compared with two hundred years ago. To take one 01 two examples, our lucifer matches are not only infinitely cheaper, but safer and more comfortable in the using than the old sulphur-dipped splints ignited by smouldering tinder, which in its turn had been fired by the use of flint and steel; while the convenience of gummed envelopes, compared with the folding and sealing of letters in the old style, is exceedingly great. But interesting as it would be to follow up a comparison between the mode of life at the two periods, enough has perhaps been said to indicate the vastly different conditions under which we are now living, and a glimpse of the early history of the parish will not be out of place. THE PARISH OF ST. JAMES, Winch covers an area of 164 acres, was, as already stated, constituted in the year 1685, the boundaries being set forth in the Statute 1 Jas. II., cap. 22, sec. 1, as follows:— All the Houses, Lands, and Grounds comprehended in a Place heretofore called St. James Fields, with certain other Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments in the Confines thereof, beginning at a House situate at the South Side of the East End of a Street called Catherine Street alias Pall Mall Street, in the Tenure or Occupation of John Valentine, Coffeeman, having an Iron Balcony, including the said House, and extending from thence to the middle Denter of the Pavement of the Haymarket Street, over against a House there in the Occupation of one Thomas Batten, a Sadler, taking in the West Side of the said Street from the said middle Denter to the West End of Coventry Street, comprehending the North Side thereof, and from thence inclining Northward by a House in the Occupation of one John Bolton, Carver, by the West Side of a Street called Prince's 65 Street, including the said West Side thereof, and proceeding from hence to the South End of the Place called Sohoe, and passing on the West Side of the said Street or Place called Sohoe, including the said West Side thereof, to a House being the Sign of the Talbot, on the North-East Corner of a Place called Currance-his-Corner, including the said House, and from thence taking in the South Side of the Roadway called Tyburn Road, Westward to a House being the Sign of the Plough at the North-West Corner of a Lane called Marybone Lane, including the said House, and from thence proceeding Southward on the East Side of the said Lane to the North - East Corner of a little Field called Crabtree Field, comprehending the same, and the Ground from thence Westward to the NorthWest Corner of a Field called or known by the name of the Ten Acres Field, in the Tenure and Occupation of Richard, Earl of Burlington, his Assignee or Assigns, including the said Field, and the Highway between the same and the Garden Wall of the said Earl of Burlington to the North-West Corner of the said Garden Wall, including the said Garden and the Mansion House of the said Earl called Burlington House, fronting the Street called Portugal Street, with all the Outhouses, Stables, Yards, and Buildings thereof and thereunto appertaining, and crossing from the SouthWest Corner of the Wall of the said House in the said Portugal Street to the middle Denter thereof, excluding all the North Side of the said Street Westward from the Soufh-West Corner of the said Wall, and proceeding from the said middle Denter Westward on the South Side of the said Portugal Street to Saint James's Street, passing down the middle part or Denter thereof towards Saint James's House to the middle Channel on the South Side of a new Street called Park Place, comprehending all the East Side of Saint James's Street to Saint James's House, and all the West Side thereof, from the said middle Channel downwards as far as the same extends, and including the South Side of the said Park Place to the Garden of Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland, comprehending the same, together with Cleveland House, and all the Yards, Stables, Outhouses, and Buildings thereunto appertaining, and also the Street which leads from the outward Gate of the said House fronting part of Saint James's House to the Gate of the said House, and from thence to the said Pall Mall Street, comprehending all the Houses, Buildings, and Yards, backwards to the Wall which incloses that part of Saint James's Park which hath been lately made into a Garden, extending to a House inhabited by Anthony Yerreo, Painter, lately in the Occupation of one Leonard Girle, Gardener, and from thence to the House and Garden of Thomas, Earl of Sussex, including the same, together with the South Side of a little Street called Warwick Street to an Inn there, being the Sign of the White Hart, excluding the said White Hart Inn. 66 The present Bounds of the Parish may be described in modem language as commencing at a house, formerly No. 125, 1 all Mall, including the site of the said house, which was the last house on the South side of the East end of Pall Mall and had an iron balcony, as described in the Act of Parliament 1st James II., cap. 22. This house was pulled down in the year 1831, together with the house adjoining eastward, No. 13, Cockspur Street (formerly called Powell's Buildings), and rebuilt as one house by Mr. Sharpus, a china dealer. The Boundary line begins at a point on the North front of the said house 9ft. 6in. Eastward from the centre of the western party wall, or 22ft. Westward from the obtuse angle of Cockspur Street, and extends from thence in a Northeastern direction to the middle of the Hay market; then Northward up the centre of the Haymarket; then Eastward to the north of the centre of Coventry Street; then Northward up the centre of Wardour Street to the centre of Oxford Street; then runs Westward along the centre of Oxford Street as far as a house, numbered 255 (formerly 325), at the Eastern corner of Swallow Passage; then turns Southward and runs through the said house, 9ft. 7in. Eastward from the North-west brick-quoin of the said dwelling-house, and continues Southward in the same direction through No. 7, Swallow Place, 6ft. Sin. Eastward of the East side of the Passage on the South front of the said house, to the centre of Swallow Place; then turns in a South-eastern direction to the West front of the "Princess Charlotte" public-house, 19ft. Northward from the South-west quoin, and runs through the same to a point on the South front of 4ft. 8in. Eastward from the said quoin, and continues in the same diagonal direction across Princes Street to the front of No. 22, 32ft. lOin. Westward from line of house in Regent Street, and further in the same line to the Northern wall of Hanover Chapel, to a point 22ft. 7in. Westward from the face of the pilaster of the said 67 chapel, then extends Eastward, Southward, and Westward, on the line of the chapel wall and portico, so as to exclude the said chapel and portico from the Parish of St. James, to a point on the Southern wall of the said chapel, 6ft. 1in. Westward from the pilaster on the Eastern front of the same; then turns in a Southern direction, running 4ft. 6in. Eastward of the front of house, No. 229, Regent Street, at the North-east corner of Hanover Street and 2ft. l½in. of front of house, No. 227, at the South-east corner, and then to a point 76ft. 6in. Northward of Conduit Street, and 7ft. 4in. Eastward of the brick or compo front on the ground storey of No. 211, Regent Street 4ft. Sin. Eastward of the house (upper part), No. 203, Regent Street, at the North-east corner of Conduit Street and 4ft. 3in. Eastward of No. 201, at the Southeast corner, on to a point opposite No. 195, and 6ft Sin. Eastward (measured on line) of the said house; then runs in a West South-westerly direction through the said house, at a distance of 2ft. lin. from the centre of the North party wall on the Eastern front, and 6ft. 2in. from the centre of the South party wall on the back or Western front of the main part of the said house, and continues in the same diagonal direction, on the line of the party wall dividing the houses and the back premises in Conduit Street, which all belongs to the Parish of Saint George, Hanover Square, from the premises in Old Burlington Mews, Savile Passage, Boyle Street, Coach and Horses Yard, and Clifford Street, and continues in the same direction, including Long's Hotel, to the front of the same in Bond Street, then turns at the North-west quoin in a Southern direction on the West front of the said hotel, continuing across the West end ot Clifford Street along the West front of Long's Hotel, including the whole of the same into Cork Street Mews, at the back of the houses in New Bond Street from Nos. 8 to 15 inclusive, 68 excluding the same, then extends still Southward in a stiaight line through Nos. 6 and 7 into New Bond Street at a point on the South front of No. 6, 7ft. 6in. Eastward from the Southwest quoin ; then continues in the same direction to the centre of Burlington Gardens, passing at a distance of 8ft. lin. Westward from the South-west quoin of No. 1, New Bond Street ; then turns Eastward in the centre of Burlington Gardens, as far as the West wall of the Burlington Arcade, then runs Southward along the West face of the Western partywall of the said Arcade (including within the bounds the whole of the buildings in the same) to the centre of Piccadilly, then turns Westward to the centre of St. James's Street, then Southward down the same to the centre of Park Place, then Westward along the centre of Park Place to a passage at the Western end of the same at a distance of 2ft. l^in. from the North-east angle of No. 7 ; then further Westward in the same line through the said passage into a garden next the Green Park ; then turns Southward in a straight line on the fronts of the houses in St. James's Place next the park, so as to include the whole of the said houses within the bounds, except the projecting bows, and continuing in the same Southern direction in a straight line along the terrace belonging to Earl Spencer, the line commencing at the North end, 8ft. Sin. Eastward of the front of the bow to No. 26, St. James's Place, and cuts through the boundary wall at Catherine Wheel Yard, at the South end of the said terrace, 20ft. llin. from Western angle of the bow on the South front of the said house (measuring on the line of wall); the line from thence runs in a South-west direction down Catherine Wheel Yard for the length of 113ft. 6in., at which length it is distant Eastward from the Western garden wall 3ft. 10in., and then in a South-west by South direction down the said yard for the length of lift., at which length it is distant Eastward of the said wall 7ft., and from thence continuing in a straight line till 69 it meets the North front of the late Lord Durham's house (No. 13, Cleveland Row) at a point 1ft. 6in. Westward of a break in the said North front, and continuing from the said point in a straight line Southward into the said house about the length of 35ft., and then turning Eastward runs in a direct line at the back of the houses in Cleveland Row, and extends to a point on the Eastern side of the front court yard, belonging to Marlborough House, and which point is 74ft. Southward of the line of houses in Pall Mall, then turning Southward at right angles, 29ft., then Eastward the length of 158ft., then again turning Southward for the length of 31ft., and then turning Eastward runs in a direct line on the North side of the ancient Park Wall, inclosing the gardens and offices of Marlborough House, and from thence in the same direction at a distance of 39ft. l0in. Southward from the Southern face of the area wall to the Carlton Club House, 40ft. from the Travellers' Club House, 36ft. 5in. from the South front (basement line) of the Athenaeum Club House, 39ft. 6in. from the upper part of the United Service Club House at the South-west quoin, and 39ft. from the South front of the same (plinth line) at a point 62ft. 3in. Westward from the wall dividing off Carlton Mews, at which point it turns at right angles Southward for a distance of 15ft., then again turns Eastward, and runs through Carlton Mews, and the stabling at the East end of the same at a point 17ft. l0in. from the North-west quoin (upper part) on the West front into Red Lion Stable Yard, and continues in the same direction Eastward, at the back of the houses on the South side of Warwick Street, so as to include all the said houses, then turns Northward at the South-east quoin of No. 1, to the North east quoin, then turns in a West NorthWesterly direction in a straight line to the South-east quoin of No. 8, Warwick Street, then runs Northward along the centre of the East party-wall of the said house for a length of 32ft., then turns Eastward for a length of 16ft. across the back 70 building of No. 13, Cockspur Street, formerly No. 125 Pall, Mall, then Northward for a length of 58ft. to a point Eastward of the centre of West party-wall 19ft., and then turns in a North-westerly direction to a point on the North front of the said house 9ft. 6in. Eastward of the centre of the Western party-wall, being the point from whence the description of the Boundary line commenced, and thereby including the former site of No. 125, Pall Mall, formerly the house on the South side at the East end of Pall Mall as described in the said Act of James II. At this distance of time, perhaps, it is impossible to say with certainty why the parish was named "St. James's." The Parish Church was built and consecrated in the reign of Charles II. (1684), and was probably then dedicated to St. James, although, until the creation of the parish in the following year, it was but a Chapel-of-Ease to St. Martin's. The patron saint may have been chosen out of compliment to the Duke of York, the heir apparent to the Throne, who succeeded his brother between the date of the consecration of the church and the creation of the parish, but as this prince was by no means popular, perhaps it may be more fairly conjectured that the parish derived its title from being situate at the Court end of the town, the Court itself being known by the name of St. James from the Royal Palace, once the principal Metropolitan residence of the Sovereign. But, it may be asked, why did the Court or the Palace receive the name? The reply seems to be that the Palace occupies the site of a hospital dedicated to St. James, and founded for fourteen sisters, "maidens that were leprous." It may be remarked, in passing, that Gilbert White, in his ''Natural History of Selborne," ascribes the disappearance of leprosy from the list of diseases in England to the more general cultivation of kitchen gardens, and consequent freer use of vegetables, dating from the fifteenth or sixteenth century. The hospital and curtilages were made a 71 manor by Henry VIII., and by him connected with the royal manor of Whitehall by the formation or extension of the park. The hospital was either altered or rebuilt by the same monarch, for the purposes of a Palace, and served as the only royal residence in London from the burning of Whitehall Palace in the reign of William III. to the occupation of Buckingham Palace by her present Majesty. From the description of the boundaries of the parish contained in the Act of 1685, it will be observed that St. James's was only just emerging from the rural or suburban stage, although it had already become of sufficient importance to receive an independent existence. That the locality was not then fully urban is even more clearly apparent when it is remembered that the most westerly street at the time was Albemarle Street, which was only commenced in 1683. Building operations were, however, then in active progress, and twenty years later the town had reached as far west as Bolton Street. Another proof of the growth of the parish is afforded by a Vestry minute dated the 9th November, 1687, which directs "That the Church Warden doe take some Gent. of the Vestry and put the houses into the Overseers' bookes that have been inhabited since the said bookes were made out." The rapid growth of the Metropolis, and especially its extension westward during the seventeenth century, is probably largely due to the union of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland, and the establishment of the Court of the United Kingdom at St. James's, thus requiring the leading Scottish aristocracy to reside in the southern Metropolis. About this time also a large number of French Protestants, driven from their fatherland by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, and the events following thereon, settled in London, especially strengthening, if they did not create, the silk-spinning industry of Spitalfields, in much the same way as the 72 land Protestants, who, a century earlier, had been compelled to seek shelter in England from the cruelties of their Spanish rulers, introduced worsted weaving in the eastern counties of our land. It does not appear to have occurred to the rulers of those times, either in England, which sent forth the Pilgrim Fathers, or elsewhere, that the men who were ready to endure hardships for conscience sake, did not form the least valuable portion of the community. The bounds of the Parish were first perambulated on St. James's Day, 1685, but no particulars are given thereof. The bounds were again walked on the 5th May, 1687, as appears by the following Minute of the Vestry:— A motion being made for nominating a day for the perambulation or bounds of the Parish to be walked, It was order'd and agreed to be walked on Thursday, the 5th May (viz.) to-morrow come seavennight at 8 in the morning; and that 20 nobles be allowed for the churchwardens to expend on that occasion for the gent. and boys. That notice be given in the Church on Sunday of the said perambulation and that there will be prayers on that day at 7 and 10 in the morning. The twenty nobles (about £7) voted by the Vestry for defraying the expenses of the day were charged upon the Church Rate. In 1689 the bounds were perambulated on Ascension Day, notice being previously given in the Church in the following terms:— I am desired to give notice that the procession or bounds of this Parish will be had and made on Thursday next, being Assention Day, and those Parishioners that shall be pleased to accompany the Rector and the Churchwardens therein, are desired to take some refreshment at the end of the perambulation. But to prevent the unruly concorse of other people thereunto which goe not in the procession, all such are desired to forbeare to be present to prevent any extraordinary expence, which might be otherwise imposed on the Parish by unnecessary intrusion. 73 The expenses of the day for such refreshments, and for bread, cheese, beer, farthings and points for the boys, was limited by order of Vestry to £10. Ancient authorities differ with regard to the origin of parishes generally, and the purpose which the parochial system was intended to serve, some attributing, apparently with good reason, merely a secular origin to the system, and asserting that it was not until later years that the piety and wealth of the people enabled each Parish to maintain its own clergy and place of worship. At present, however, a Parish or ville is distinguished from a hamlet by the possession of a church, and there can be little doubt that at a very early period the Parish Church was the centre of parochial life. This rule may not be generally applicable, and is now somewhat modified in corporate towns and populous places, but whatever may be the case elsewhere, it is clear that the very foundation of the Parish of St. James was due to the erection of a church and the assignment of a district to it. To this building, then, a few remarks will not be inappropriate. THE PARISH CHURCH. The Parish Church of St. James was built from the designs of Sir Christopher Wren, and consecrated by Henry Compton, Bishop of London, on Sunday, the 13th July, 1684. The Act creating the Parish sets forth that the Church was erected at the "charge and credit of Henry, late Earl of Saint Albans, and the inhabitants, owners, and occupiers of the houses, lands, tenements, and hereditaments in the precinct" of St. James's. This Earl of St. Albans, who held a prominent position in society, did not live to see his project completed, but died on the 2nd January, 1684. F 74 Although the Church cannot boast of a handsome exterior, being built merely of dark red brick with stone dressings, without any pretension to ornament, the interior presents a light and elegant appearance, and the altar screen displays some of the finest of Gibbon's carvings. Of all the churches which he designed, Sir Christopher Wren regarded St. James's as his chef d'œuvre, for he remarks:- "I can hardly think it practicable to make a single room so capacious with pews and galleries as to hold above 2,000 persons, and all to hear the service, and both to hear distinctly and see the preacher. I endeavoured to effect this in building the Parish Church of St. James's, Westminster, which I presume is the most capacious with these qualifications that hath yet been built; and yet at a solemn time when the church was much crowded, I could not discern from a gallery that 2,000 persons were present in this church I mention, though very broad and the nave arched up. And yet, as there are no walls of a second order, nor lantern nor buttresses, but the whole roof rests upon the pillars &s do also the galleries, I think it may be found beautiful and convenient, and as such the cheapest form of any I could invent." The foregoing description of St. James's Church seems to be slightly tinged by parental fondness, for it is doubtful whether the Church will seat 2,000 persons, while the pillars supporting the galleries and roof necessarily impede the view of the preacher to some extent. The cost of the Church and steeple, and the wall enclosing the churchyard, is stated in the Act creating the parish at "£7,000 or more part thereof is a debt yet unpaid, and the said steeple is yet unfinished." No detailed records of the erection of the Church itself appear to exist as public documents, but the erection of the steeple is very fully set forth in the minutes of the Vestry. A design was submitted by Wren for the steeple, but evidently did not meet with the approval of the Vestry, for at a meeting held on the 12th August, 1685, it was "Order'd 75 that Mr. Churchwarden Haines be desired to goe to Hasted, in Essex, to survey the steeple there, and to report to this Vestry the fittness and charge of it to doe like here." Whether this visit was ever made does not clearly appear, the next minute, dated the 13th January, 1685/6, being as follows:—"Order'd . . . that the Church "Warden, Mr. Haines, be desired to bring in an estimate of the charge of the spire moddell'd, that the difference between that and Sr. Christopher Wren's designe may be knowne, S Christopher estimating his said design at £800." On the 3rd February, 1685/6 we read that "the severall drafts or designes for the spire to be built on the steple of this Church being produced by the Churchwarden, Mr. Haines, and the workemen, the new draft by Mr. Willcox now brought in was unamously (sic) approved on by this Board, and order'd that an estimate of the same be prepared by the said Churchwarden and workemen against their next meeting." This estimate was accordingly submitted on the 24th February, 1685/6, as follows:— An estimate of the Carpenters, Smiths, and alsoe of the Plummers Workes for the Steeple or Spire agreed to by the bord. The Steeple or Spire the first upright is :32: foote hie and :60: foot girt in the Hants the Plates to be of Oake Timber :9: & :7: inches Upright postes to be :10: & :12: inches the Braces'es and intertises to be :6: & :8: inches Content is :19: Squares & :20: Foote For a firr floare over the bells :18: foot square :1: Sumars to be :9: & :14: inches Joyst to be :9: & :2:½ inches :3:¼ Squares For the Oken floare on the top of the Brickworke is :23: foote square Sumars to be :10: & :14: inches Joyse to be :9: & :2:½ inches, Content 5 Squares :29: foote For the floare at the bottom of the Spire :13: foote square A Diagenall floare timber of Oake :9: inche Square F 2 76 For the Snire to be :85: foote hie to the top of the Astrecall or All the Timber to be of Oake. Necke, and :34: foot girt at the Middle of the said Spire,the Angle peeces or postes to be :7: & :10: Inches at the bottom and :6: & :7: Inches at the Topp the smaller Timber to be framed betweene :4: & :5: Inches to be boarded all over the Timber With good Yallow Dealls Content :29: Squares All which Carpenters Worke com's to 453 12 01 The Plummers Worke 200 00 00 The Smiths Worke 050 00 00 703 12 01 When the steeple was completed, further questions arose, for on the 14th December, 1686, complaint was made to the Vestry, "that the stone cornish on the steeple is covered with lead wch. was suggested to be an unnecessary charge to the Parish," and some gentlemen were named to view the "cornish" and report their opinion thereon at the next meeting. A report was presented to the effect that the defects of the brickwork were found to be very great "proceeding from the insufficiency of the foundation (the workeing men who first wrought in it not following the directions which were given given them as we are credibly inform'd) wch- has caused the said steeple to leane to the West very much and has taken the West end of the Church along wth.0 it, tareing of it oft at the two westerne Windowes as the old cracks make appear, and wee doe farther find that the Mortar used in Building the Steeple is very bad and the workemanshipp very ill performed and farther we doe observe that since the last waite hath been lay'd on the Steeple there doth severall new cracks appeare. Upon our Serious consideration of the aforementioned defects we are of opinion that when the waite of the Lead shall be laid on the spire and waite of the Bells together with the rocking which will be occasioned by strong winds and the Ringing the Bells which may happen 77 together that this Steeple with soe bad a bottome and ill workemanshipp cannot be able long to resist those violent motions, but that there must be a continuall fear and consternation of some great misfortune to be-fall, to remove which wee are of opinion that the spire ought to be taken off and not sett on any more, or that the steeple should be taken downe and rebuilt and then to sett the Spire up againe, and finished—wch. will be a great ornament to the end of the Citty. All which we doe certify to be the true state and condition of the Steeple of St. James Westminster according to the best of our Judgments." At this meeting, Edward Willcox, the carpenter, was directed "to begin to take downe the said spire on Munday morning," to remove it to his yard, and "make a shed over it, and to take care that noe part thereof shall be wanting when it shall be to bee sette up againe." On the 13th April, 1687, Sir Christopher Wren and the Churchwardens reported that there were "new cracks, but very inconsiderable, and that the steeple might stand as it now was without any danger to the church, but that it was convenient to have it covered with deal boards, and to have no bells put into it but the bell now there." The steeple has remained without substantial alteration to the present time. A font and "all things agreeable to the same" were presented to the church by "an unknowne person piously inclin'd" to give them, but after the font had been placed in position, Sir Thomas Clarges, thinking himself "much injured by the top of the font, it being to high and hindred his sight, it was order'd that the churchwardens should advise with Winckles and the other Workemen and alter it to the satisfaction of Sr. Thomas." The old font was presented to St. Anne's Church. The present font is one of the few examples of Gibbons' art in marble, and is said on good authority to be comparable for 78 excellence of execution with the finest works of Greece or Rome. The organ formerly belonged to the Chapel Royal, Whitehall, and was presented to the parish by Queen Mary in 1691. The cost of removing the organ and rebuilding it in St. James's Church was defrayed by voluntary subscription. The following is a copy of the Minute of Vestry, dated the 7th September, 1691, recording the gift:— The Beverend Dr- Tennison Rector of this Parish producing to this Bord an Order from the Lord Chamberlain of their Maties household importing: That the Queen's most Excellent Matie had bin graciously pleased to give the Great Organ in the Chappell at Whitehall which heretofore the Papists possesst unto this Parish Church of St. James to be put up here for the use of the said Church and Parish and the said Order being read, It was desired by the Gentlemen of this Bord that Dr. Tennison would give her Matie their most humble and hearty thankes for this her Matips most noble Gift. On the 22nd March, 169½, the following inscription was ordered to be placed upon the middle panel of the organ loft:— This Organ was given to the Parish by her most Excellent Matie the Queene and erected at the charge of severall of the Inhabitants Anno Dni. 1691. The organ has been subsequently altered and enlarged on more than one occasion. The first Rector was Dr. Thomas Tenison, the then Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. In the quaint language of the Statute nominating him the first Rector, it is said that he "hath since the consecration of the said Church, very well and religiously by and by other pious and learned Ministers by him procured, supplied the same in all Divine Offices for the service of God and the Instruction of the Inhabitants in the true Christian Religion." In addition to the erection of St. James's Church, Dr. Tenison further distinguished himself in the matter of Church extension. It was owing to his 79 ence that a temporary chapel used by King James II. for the celebration of Mass at Hounslow was finally located in Conduit Street; and St. Thomas's Church in King Street, some particulars of which will be found on pages 82 and 125, also owes its origin to his munificence. Bearing in mind, moreover, the endowments given and bequeathed by Dr. Tenison for educational purposes, it may be truly said that he appears to have been an exceptionally able and zealous administrator, the first of a long line of distinguished divines and scholars that have held the Rectory of St. James's. The following; list of Rectors from the creation of the Parish to the present time, with the date of their presentation and the nature of their subsequent preferment, will probably be read with interest:— Thomas Tenison, D.D. 1685 Archbishop of Canterbury. Peter Birch, D.D. 1692 William Wake, D.D. 1693 Archbishop of Canterbury. Charles Trinmell, D.D. 1706 Bishop of Norwich. Samuel Clarke, D.D. 1709 Robert Tyrrwhitt, D.D. 1729 Thomas Secker, D.D. 1733 Bishop of Oxford and Archbishop of Canterbury. Charles Moss, D.D. 1750 Bishop of Bath and Wells. Samuel Nicolls, D.D. 1759 Master of the Temple. William Parker, D.D. 1763 Gerard Andrewes, D.D. 1802 Dean of Carlisle John Giffard Ward, M.A. 1825 Dean of Lincoln. John Jackson, D.D. 1846 Bishop of Lincoln and Bishop of London. John Edward Kempe, M.A. 1853 The Act of Parliament creating the Parish, vested the Patronage, Advowson, Donation, or Presentation of and to the Rectory, after the death of the first Rector, or the avoidance thereof, in the Bishop of London and his successors, and Lord Jermine and his heirs, in the proportion of two presentations by the former to one by the latter. At present 80 however, the patronage of the living is vested in the Crown and the Bishop, although how or when the interest of Lord Jermine's family became transferred to the Crown is not quite clear. The Rector was held to be entitled to similar fees and offerings as were enjoyed by the Vicar of St. Martin's, and the endowment of the newly-formed Parish is described in the Act ot Parliament as follows: A certain Toft, situate on the North Side and East End of the said Churchyard, containing in front towards Piccadilly Street alias Portugal Street Thirty-three Feet of Assize, a little more or less, and in Depth backward Thirty-two feet and Six Inches, and of and in a certain Piece or Parcel of Ground whereon some Stables and Tenements are erected, now or late in the Tenure or Occupation of Sir Thomas Bond of Peckham in the County of Surrey, Baronet, and Thomas Bond Esquire, youngest Son of the said Sir Thomas Bond, their Assign or Assigns, Tenant or Undertenants, containing in front next the said Street Forty Feet, and in Depth backward Seventy-live Feet, a little more or less, abutting on the said Street North, and on the East and South on the said Churchyard, and the Ground now or late of Anthony Hart Bricklayer on the West, and the two Messuages or Tenements fronting the said Street are now or late in the Tenure and Occupation of Richard Hayburne Carpenter, and the other now or late in the Tenure of John Ellison, with all the Bents, Issues, and Profits thereof, after the Expiration of a Term of Years therein granted to the said Sir Thomas Bond and Thomas Bond by One Indenture, bearing Date the Seven-and-twentieth Day of January One thousand six hundred eightyfour; and also of and in Five Houses or Tenements, with the Appurtenances, situate in the said Street called Jermine Street now or late in the Tenure or Occupation of Sir Cæsar Wood alias Cranmer, Knight, his Assign or Assigns, Tenant or Tenants, containing in Front from East to West One Hundred Twenty-six Feet, and in Depth backward Fourscore and three Feet, a little more or less; and of and in the Yearly Rent of Sixty Pounds reserved upon Demise thereof to the said Sir Caesar Wood alias Cranmer, for the Term of Fifty-six Years Five Months and Twenty days, bearing Date the Tenth Day of March One thousand Six hundred Eighty-three, and other the Rents, Issues, and Profits thereof, after the Expiration of the said Term, and the Reversion and Reversions, Remainder and Remainders, of the Premises and every of them; saving unto the said Thomas Tennison all his Right, Title, and Interest in and to the Premises or any of them which he hath or may claim by virtue of One Indenture or Mortgage, bearing Date 81 the Eighteenth Day of May One thousand Six hundred Eighty and four, and to all and every other Person or Persons, other than the King's Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, and other than the Trustees of the said Henry late Earl of Saint Albans, or any other Person or Persons in Trust for him, his Heirs, Executors, Administrators, and Assigns, all their Right, Title, Interest, Claim or Demand to the Premises or any of them. In order to procure the ministrations of a resident clergyman, the Act provided for the appointment of a "Preacher and Assistant to the Rector," by the Rector with the consent of the Vestrymen. This appointment is still made. The Preacher is required to reside in the Parish, and retains his office for life, unless displaced for some offence or misgovernment, or disqualified by non-residence. He receives a sum of £100 a year from the poor rate. That the Church has always attracted an aristocratic congregation is apparent from the old records of social life. Thus we read in Defoe's Journey through England (1722) that "St James's Church is also worth seeing, more especially on a Holiday or Sunday, when the fine assembly of beauties and quality come there. But there is one great fault in the churches here, and that is, that a stranger cannot have a convenient seat without paying for it; and particularly at St. James's, where it costs one almost as dear as to see a play." The dramatists of the eighteenth century also refer to the fashionable character of the congregation of St. James's. For instance, Vanbrugh in "The Relapse, or Virtue in Danger," speaks as follows:— Berenthia.—Pray which church does your lordship most oblige with your presence ? Lord Foppington.—Oh! St. James's, madam—there's much the best company. Amanda.—Is there good preaching, too? Lord Foppington Why faith, madam, I can't tell. A man must have very little to do there that can give an account of the sermon. 82 Among the attendants at St. James's Church in its earliest days was the Princess (afterwards Queen) Anne, who was then living at Berkeley House. It appears to have been the custom for the preacher to lay the text of his sermon upon the Princess's cushion. For the information of those curious in such matters, the dimensions of the church are given as follows:- Length of church, exterior 95ft. „ tower 21ft. „ church in the clear 86ft. Breadth of west front 73ft. 6in. „ church in the clear 67ft. „ chancel 36ft. Height of steeple 149ft. „ church to parapet 40ft. 6in. „ interior to vault of nave 50ft. DISTRICT CHURCHES. The following is a list of the five District Churches in the Parish :— 1.—St. Thomas's, Regent Street.—This church was formerly known as Archbishop Tenison's Chapel, and owes its origin to a bequest by the Rev. Dr. Tenison, the first Rector of St. James's, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. The present building was erected in or about the year 1702. Accommodation is afforded for 850 worshippers, all the seats being entirely free. The Rev. P. T. Bainbrigge, M.A., is the present incumbent of the living. Some particulars of the endowment are given on page 125. 2. St. Philip's, Regent Street.—This chapel was built from the designs of Mr. G. A. Repton, about the year 1815, at a cost of about £15,000. A contribution of £2,000 was 83 given to the building fund by the Commissioners for Building New Churches, and the remainder was raised partly by the sale of seats and partly by an arrangement for leasing the vaults under the chapel. The building will seat about 1,200 people, 300 of the seats being free. The Rev. Paul Wyattr M.A., F.L.S., is the present incumbent, and there is no endowment or parsonage house. Among the better known clergymen who have held the incumbency of St. Philip's may be mentioned Canon Repton, Rev. F. Pigou, D.D., and Rev. Professor Stanley Leathes, D.D. 3.—St. Luke's, Berwick Street.—This church, which had a district assigned to it in the year 1841, occupies the site of an old chapel, and was built in the year 1839, at a cost of about £14,000, of which upwards of £10,000 was raised by voluntary subscriptions from the parishioners of St. James. The church will seat about 700 people, the whole of the seats being free and unappropriated. The Rev. A. V. Oxford, M.A., is the present incumbent. The value of the living is £300 per annum, £200 being derived from endowment and £100 being received from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. During the incumbency of the Rev. Harry Jones the interior of the church was much altered and improved. 4.—St. Peter's, Great Windmill Street.— The foundation stone of this Church was laid by the late Earl of Derby on St. Peter's Day, 1860. The building was erected at a cost of £5,500 from the designs of Mr. Raphael Brandon, and consecrated by the Bishop of London on the 12th of July, 1861. It affords accommodation for 650 worshippers, the whole of the seats being free and unappropriated. The cost of obtaining the site (£6,000) and of erecting the building was defrayed from the St. James's Free Church- accommodation Fund, which was established by the Rev. J.E. Kempe, M.A., Rector of St. James's. A district was assigned 84 to the Church in the year 1861, and there is an endowment of £230 per annum, of which £200 is derived from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and £30 from interest on moneys in the hands of Queen Anne's Bounty; there is no parsonage house. The Church was pronounced by Mr. Beresford Hope, M.P., to be one of the best, if not the best, specimens of modern architecture in London. It is built in the Gothic style, and probably the choir of a well-known continental cathedral has given the idea of the interior forms. The organ is by Gray and Davidson, and the Church owes the possession of this fine instrument to the energy of Mr. Crane, the present churchwarden of St. James's. The following is a list of the incumbents of St. Peter's:— Rev. George Smith, B.D., now Rector of St. Cross, Norfolk. Eev. G. H. Wilkinson, D.D., now Bishop of Truro. Eev. Arthur Mozley, M.A., now Rector of Plymtree, Devon. Eev. H. A. Sheringham, M.A., Present Incumbent and Priest in ordinary to the Queen. St. Peter's District Schools were built as a Memorial to the late Earl of Derby, who died in the year 1869, and were named the "Derby Memorial Schools," as a lasting record of his Lordship's munificence at the time of the erection of St. Peter's Church. They were opened by the Lord Francis Hervey, a very large contributor to the Building Fund, and were enlarged a few years later at his Lordship's sole expense. Accommodation is provided for 750 children, and the building is vested in the Vicar and Churchwardens as Trustees. 5.—St. John the Baptist, Great Marlborough Street. The District of St. John the Baptist was constituted in the year 1865, the first incumbent, the Rev. W. W. Edwards, M.A., conducting Divine Service in a hired room at the 85 back of No. 49, Poland Street. By the liberality of Messrs. W. & A. Gilbey, the conservatory of the Pantheon was used as a temporary Church from the 12th May, 1867, until September, 1869, when a temporary iron building was erected on the yard of one of the two houses (Nos. 49 & 50, Great Marlborough Street), which had been purchased as the site of the future permanent Church. This iron building was enlarged to the extent of covering the yards of both houses, during the incumbency of the Rev. H. N. D'Almaine, M.A., the second and present incumbent. The last service conducted in the iron Church, previous to its removal for the erection of the permanent structure, was held on New Year's Eve, 31st December, 1884, and Divine worship is being held in a Mission Room in Cambridge Street (formerly used as Archbishop Tenison's school) pending the completion of the new Church. The site was purchased in the year 1869 at a cost of £6,100, of which £1,000 was contributed by the Bishop of London's Fund, £2,500 was received from the purchasemoney of St. James's Chapel, Hampstead Road, and £2,600 was raised in voluntary subscriptions by the Rev. Prebendary Kempe, M.A., Rector of St. James's. The Church, now in course of erection, is being built by Mr. John Woodward, from the designs of Mr. A. W. Blomfield, and will cost about .£5,100, of which £4,000 has been given by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues, out of a sum of money placed at their disposal for Church building purposes, by the sale of St. Matthew's Chapel, Spring Gardens. The balance, it is hoped, will be raised by subscriptions in the Parish. The Church will accommodate 450 persons. There is an endowment of £150 per annum, being the interest of the sum of £4,500 in the hands of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. This fund was raised as follows: £1,500 from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, 86 £1,000 from the Bishop of London's Fund, and £2,000 raised by the Rev. Prebendary Kempe. OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP. Western Synagogue, St. Alban's Place.—The Rev. L. Canter, Secretary of the Synagogue, has been good enough to supply the following interesting particulars relating thereto:— The origin of this congregation may be traced to Wolf Liepman, a gentleman of Petersburgh, who came to reside in London in 1768, at the west part of the Metropolis, where he established an assembly for prayers. After his demise, although there were but few families residing in this part of the town, they determined that so laudable an undertaking should be continued, consequently they hired a house in Denmark Court, Strand. The lease having expired, and the community increasing, it was determined to erect a new synagogue, which by the liberality of the members was accomplished, and the sacred edifice was consecrated for Divine Service on the 7th September, 1826. This building is situated in St. Alban's Place, St. James's. The expenses attending the same are defrayed by the rental of the seats and offerings of the members, from which efficient officers are provided. Charity is distributed to the poor according to the means of the synagogue, and in cases of necessity the poor are buried at the cost of the congregation. The burial ground is freehold property, situated at Queen's Elm, Brompton. The same being nearly full, the congregation recently purchased 3½ acres for burial purposes at Edmonton. The accommodation of the synagogue is 300 seats for gentlemen and 150 for ladies in the gallery (the sexes being separated, according to the custom of the Jews). Two services are held daily, morning and evening, conducted by two ministers, assisted by a choir. The Revs. H. Davids and L. Canter are the present ministers of the synagogue. Craven Chapel, Marshall Street.—The site of this chapel is said to have formed a portion of the Pest Field demised by the Earl of Craven for the benefit of sufferers from the Plague. The ground was subsequently occupied by Oarnaby Market, which was established in or about the year 87 1734, and continued until 1820. On the abolition of the market, part of the ground was secured by Mr. Thomas Wilson, of Highbury, for the erection of a chapel thereon. The building was designed by Mr. Abraham, and erected by Mr. Finden, at a cost of more than £12,000. The chapel was opened for Divine Worship on the 11th December, 1822, but it was not until the 16th May, 1831, that the first pastor of the church, the Rev. John Leifchild, of Bristol, was appointed. Up to that time the pulpit had been occupied by various ministers of eminence from all parts of the country. Roman Catholic Chapel, Warwick Street.—Beyond the fact of the [building being wrecked in the Gordon Riots of 1780, no particulars of general interest are known concerning this place of worship. Swallow Street Chapel.—At one time the congregation attending this chapel was connected with the National (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland. Early in this century large and fashionable congregations were attracted by the excellence of the choir, but probably owing to the migration of the wealthier residents of London to the suburbs, the congregation subsequently declined, and the chapel was closed about the year 1880. The building afterwards became the headquarters of the West London (4th Middlesex) Rifle Volunteers, but it has recently been once more opened as a place of worship under the title of the Theistic Church, the Rev. Charles Voysey being the minister. The Welsh Wesleyan Chapel, Portland Street, is the only other Nonconformist place of worship in the Parish, but no particulars of general interest have come to hand concerning it. Spanish Embassy Chapel.—The Roman Catholic Chapel attached to the Spanish Embassy was situate in York Street, 88 St. James's Square. It subsequently passed through many changes, being used at one period of its history by the Unitarians, and at another as a proprietary chapel in connection with the Church of England. It ceased to be used as a place of worship about the year 1869. THE ANCIENT GOVERNMENT OF THE PARISH. It has already been observed that at the time of the separation of St. James's from St. Martin's, the term "Parish" had almost an exclusively ecclesiastical signification, although it is true that a Parish had then had for about a century the duty of maintaining its own poor, and was also responsible in some degree for cleansing its highways, most of which were unpaved. The City and Liberties of Westminster were, as before stated, under the civil government of the Dean and twelve Burgesses and their assistants, and previously to the constitution of the Parish a Commission of Sewers had been appointed. The functions of the Dean and Burgesses, however, were rather legislative and judicial than parochial or municipal, and the sewers were mostly open ditches, either natural streams or artificially constructed, scarcely in any sense corresponding to the term sewer in its modern acceptation. In some instances "houses of office" were erected, overhanging a sewer, but in the majority of cases the system of cesspools was adopted. The duties of the Commissioners of Sewers appear to have principally consisted in maintaining the banks of the Sewers, preserving them from encroachment, and keeping the course clear from carcasses and offal which were cast into the sewer. With reference to the general question of sewers, the minutes of the Vestry, dated the 19 th February, 1686/7, record that the inhabitants of Ayre Street 89 had let their new sewer into the "sewer or drayne" passing through the churchyard, to the possible injury of the church and steeple. This matter was afterwards compromised, but in what manner does not clearly appear. The Parish Officers comprised Churchwardens, Overseers of the Poor, Scavengers, Surveyors of the Highways, Constables, and Beadles, all of whom were to be chosen by the Parishioners according to the custom of St. Martin's, except when otherwise expressly provided by the Act. The first Churchwardens were named in the Act, being Mr. John Haynes, carpenter, and Mr. William Nott, bookbinder. The Parishioners at large had but very little voice in the management of the Parish, the Yestry consisting, with the Rector and Churchwardens, of 34 persons, and being virtually "self-appointed, inasmuch as vacancies arising from death or otherwise, were filled by the remaining Vestrymen. The first meeting of the Vestry was held on the 7th July, 1685, when the. various Church officers were appointed, the principal being the following:— Ordered. That Mr. Robert Rigby is appointed assistant to live wthin this parish, and to observe the Dr. the present Rector in all things according to the contents of the Act of Parliament. That Mr. Hugh Ellis be hereby appointed Clarke of this parish who is in preist's orders, and to live in this parish, and to finde one under him to sett the psalms, to whome he shall allow l011£. ann. and to observe such directions as Dr. Tennison the present Rector or Successrs. shall require of him. That Mr. John Batchelor be hereby appointed Clerke of this Yestry with the writing the books of the parish accounts, and Assessments, and other businesse, during the Vestry's Pleasure and a Sallary of 1011£. ann. to commence from Middsr. last past. That Evan Jones and Robert Roades, be the two sextons, and to waite monthley in their turnes, and in Gownes, & that Evan Jones have the next pew keepers place that fall's, to remove into this parish by Michs next, and to begin his waite ye.10. of August next Roades being now in waiting. G 90 It may be remarked that in the early records of the Parish the term "Reverend" is not applied to the clergy, the prefix "Dr." or "Mr." being alone employed. Among other duties, the Vestry had to take an oversight of persons desiring to effect a settlement in the Parish, as appears by the following minutes, both dated the 17th July, 1685:— "Joseph Bedford, carpenter, late of [blank in the original], came into ye Parish about three monthes agoe, and has now his wife & two children, and to secure the Parish, offers two securityes Stephen Whitehead Brewer in Poultny Street & Jennet Bell Widd. in ye same street, they each in £10 & ye party himselfe £20 & Mr. Batchelor to prepare a bond." "Anne Davies who being with child was brought before the Vestry to secure the Parish, and not being able to doe it, was sent by Warrant back to St. Clement Danes, it appearing she was settled there (vizt.) three monthes." In spite of Acts of Parliament requiring attendance at the Parish Church and forbidding trading on the Lord's Day and the swearing of profane oaths, and in spite also of the recent suppression of fairs at the west end of the town, which had become notorious for lewdness, it is not surprising to find, considering the lax morals of the court, that the precedingextract from the Minutes of the Vestry is typical of a very common state of affairs at the time. Taking the accounts of the Parish for the first three years, we find that the overseers' receipts were derived from the following sources:— 1685 1686 1687 Rates 871 2 7 948 6 3 988 6 7 Collected at the Church doors 65 12 11 55 6 0 37 0 0 For Bastard Children 129 3 0 112 9 6 135 5 0 For Breach of the Sabbath 3 11 9 — — King's Bounty — 50 0 0 — Fine — 12 0 0 — For Pensioners' Goods 4 2 6 7 12 0 80 7 0 Legacy — 2 10 0 — £ 1073 12 9 £1188 3 9 £1240 18 7 91 Thus we find zeal for Sabbath observance combined with disregard of common morality. With respect to the relief of the poor, there were then no workhouses, the first London Workhouse being that erected next to Sir Peter Pindar's, in Bishopsgate Street, in the year 1698. Poor Law Relief was mainly administered by a system of pensions, although rooms were rented for the poor to some small extent, and surgical relief was afforded at the cost of the Parish. At a very early period the Vestry of St. James's appears to have discovered objections to general out-relief, as the following resolutions, dated the 23rd September, 1685, will show:— 1st.—That Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Church Warden Haines and Mr. Church Warden Nott or either of them with Mr. Supples and Mr. Tully be desired to be present with the Overseers at the next day of their payment to examine the Condition of the persons to bee releived and their fitnesse for it and to enquire how long every of them have bin inhabitants of the parish. 2ndly.— That after the next time of theire payment, the Church Wardens and Overseers with the assistance of the Constables and Beadles of the places where the releivable poore inhabit shall repaire thither and take inventories of their goods that they may be reserved for the advantage of the parish after their decease. 3rdly.—That noe person bee hereafter styled a pentioner or bee admitted to receive releife of the Overseers without they bee first approoved on by a Justice of the peace of this parish or the Churchwardens. 4thly.—That noe releife bee given to any Casuall or Contingent poore till two Overseers shall have enquired into their necessitie and shall personally make report thereof to a Justice of peace inhabiting the parish or to the Church Wardens or either of them who thereupon will give them a Tickett importing what releife shall be given them. 5thly.—That an account be monthly given to the Church Wardens of any money received by the Overseers of the poore for Bastard Children. 6thly.—That the Overseers and Church Wardens doe meete every Communion Sunday in the Vestrie after the afternoone Sermon to advise together for the better carrying on of the affaires of the parish in refferrence to the poore. G 2 92 7th.—That the Church Wardens and Overseers have from time to time every one of them a Coppie of these orders. The observance of the sixth rule was, however, attended by some inconvenience for in the Minutes of the 5th October, 1687, the following record appears:— "Upon consideration of the indecency of passing through the Church to the Vestry by the Overseers of the Poore and others in time of prayers, "It is ordered that a doore be forthwith made out of the Vestry into the Churchyard as Mr. Church Warden Combs shall direct." But the duties of the Vestry included other matters also. Thus on the 12th August, 1685, it is recorded that "John Dissell of Portugall Street lets the use of his lower roome and part of his yard to this Parish for £8 per annum for a watch house," and at the same meeting the Churchwardens were desired to "find out a fitt place for an Engine house." Again, on the 5th October following, it was ordered, "That Mr. Church Warden Haines doe forthwith cause a paire of stocke and a whipping post to be erected in some convenient place of the Parish." On the 2nd December in the same year the Yestry ordered "That Mr. Church Warden doe hasten the purchase of the peece of ground from Mr. Pawlett for a burying place," and at that meeting did also order that "a night prison be built forthwith in the yard belonging to the house where the constables now keepe theire watch." The Watch-house was sometimes occupied by undesirable tenants, as appears, for instance, from the following Minute of Yestry dated the 28th September, 1693:— The churchwarden acquainted the bord about Tompson, a maddman, and lately a servant to the Earle of Shrewsbury, who had laine some days in the watch-house during which time the churchwarden had made it his business to know if the said servant had any settlement here which proveing soe he had taken care and put him into Bethlem Hospitall." 93 On the 14th May, 1690, the Vestry agreed with Mr. Meads to keep the highways of the Parish in repair at the rate of £50 per annum for seven years. The Vestry also appear to have exercised a general supervision over the Parish. On the 27th April, 1693, Severall persons came in and complained of the great annoyance occasioned to them by a melting house behind Mrs. Lawson's by danger of Fire and unwholesomeness of the smell and smoke, and desired the bord would signe a Certificate that the same was an annoyance. A request with which the Board complied. Again on the 10th April, 1694, the following entry appears. The Honoble Mr. Henry Boyle came from the Earle Burlington to know what was or might be done about the place behind his Lop house and garden where they shoote the night stuffe and boyle for salt Peter, and Mr. Outing, a member of this bord, being present, and being one of the Grand Jury, promised to have Channell, the nightman, indicted in the said Earle's name. The Vestry Minutes of the 27th October, 1686, contain the following record, which show that even in those days the Vestry had an eye to economy. "Order'd that Mr. Church Warden Nott doe pay the Widd. Dutton 54 for the Glasse Sun Dyall, if he cannot have it cheaper." A later entry (13th April, 1693) manifests the same spirit of economy, and although the minutes do not record the nature of Mr. Paulett's interest in the land, it is clear that even then the value of land in St. James's was rapidly increasing. We learn from the Abstract of Title that Mr. Paulett held the land, together with a further quantity, lor a term of 21½ years, then unexpired, at a ground rent of £20 per annum. This rent was secured by a sublease, and far exceeded the original rent of the several messuages, closes, lands, 94 ments, and hereditaments demised by the original lease granted by Charles II., in the 20th year of his reign, to Sir Wm. Poultney. The land had been subsequently divided, and part of it let on lease, in 1676, at £10 per annum. This latter piece of ground was again divided in 1683, and part of it let on lease to Mr. Paulett, or Pollett, at £,20, and Mr. Paulett's interest in a portion of his ground was now purchased for £80. The entry referred to runs as follows:— Then the Dr. (Dr. Birch, Rector) mentioned Mr. Paulett's ground for a churchyard. Mr. Paulet was called in, the Ground halfe an Acre proposed to have 100l. for it was offered 60l. This offer was declined, and on the 18th April, "Mr. Paulett attending was called in and discoursed about halfe an acre of his ground view'd and measured by the Gent. named last Vestrie and refusing to take fourscore pounds for the same which they had offered him. Sr. Thomas Clarges and other Gent. of the Borde were of opinion to let it alone and buy out Mr. Poultney's time in the said Ground and gett it of the Crowne first. "But Mr. Paulet upon consideration return'd and consented to take the 80l. and to make it a full Halfe Acre and allow passage to it of Twenty foote broad." The King's grant was subsequently made, and the land enclosed with a brick wall. The burial ground was situate to the west of Poland Street, from which street the approach was afforded, and the western boundary of the ground is given as the Pesthouse wall. This new burial ground was not obtained too soon, for nearly two years previously (August 1691), Lady Manchester "and other inhabitants in Jermin Street against the church yard complain'd of the great annoyance they received by the ill scents from the said churchyard," and the ground having been viewed, the gravemaker was ordered "to take all imaginable care to prevent the same by suffering noe grave at any time to ly open." 95 Beadles then formed an important part in the parochial economy. In this Parish they were clad in "blew coats lin'd with blew," for the making of which they received 20s. each. It may be remarked that according to some authorities, blue cloth was a sign of inferiority, and did not receive recognition by the upper classes, for apparel, until the exploits of the navy (for whose uniform the color had been adopted), in later years did so much to raise our country to pre-eminence on the sea. The beadles were required to give on every sacrament day after evening prayer, a true account to the Justices of the Peace and the Churchwardens in the Vestry of all poor people coming to inhabit in any of their wards under pain of dismissal from their office. Two extracts from the Minutes dated respectively the 7th October and the 14th December, 1686, illustrate the manner then adopted for preserving the peace:— "Mr. Burgesse Lawne being call'd in and desir'd to acquaint this board what watches were at present kept in and about this Parish which being not thought strong enough, that care might be taken to have them sufficient, it was proposed that the severall constables of this Parish in their respective wards sho'd try to procure subscriptions for the maintaining a sufficient watch to guard and watch in the great Square and every streete in the Parish from ten at night till five in the morning and to knock every hour at every doore to prevent theft and Robberies and fire and all other nightly disorders." "Order'd that Mr. Burgess Lawne doe advize with the rest of the Burgesses and assistants how there may be four or five waites appointed for the service of this Parish to goe every night from All Saints to Candlemas for the security thereof." If knocking "every houre at every doore" was the best means that could be devised for the prevention of theft, one is almost inclined to doubt whether the remedy is not worse than the disease, for what with the certain disturbance of the watch and the possible danger of theft or fire, the luckless householder stood little chance of obtaining a fair night's rest. 96 The early records of the Vestry incidentally raise questions of historical value. Thus it would be interesting to learn whether the following resolution of the 5th October, 1687, was adopted from motives of economy, or indicated a growing dissatisfaction with the rule of the King:- " Order'd that for the future the expence for a Bonfire on the King's Birthday and all charges relateing to it doe not exceed thirty shillings, and that the same be made in Portugall streete before the Church and have the allowance of a Justice of the Peace for the same, because of the prohibition of Bonfires by proclamation." The inconveniences now likely to arise from a bonfire even of the modest dimensions contemplated by the foregoing resolution are sufficient to prevent any apprehension of the incautious expenditure of funds for any such purpose in Portugall streete, now better known as Piccadilly. Another entry, under date the 20th August, 1686, refers to an event of national importance "Upon complaint made to this Board by Ann Pullen, one of the daughters and orphants of George Pullen, slaine in the rebellion of the late Duke of Monmouth, in the West, that £37 5s. was paid to Ann Pullen, her mother, late of this Parish, it being his majties- Gift for the releife of her and her children, and that she undertooke thereupon to provide for herselfe and them, and became bound wth Robt. Hutton, Victualer, and Joseph Sharp, Glazier, both of this Parish, to Mr. John Haines, the late Churchwarden, in the sum of one hundred pounds, to save the Parish harmlesse from any charge to arise for the maintenance of her and her children, and that her said mother is gone away without making any provision for her, the said Ann Pullen, whereby she is become chargeable to the Parish. It is order'd that the Overseers of the poore doe take care of the said orphant, and if that the persons bound wch. her mother or some of them doe not provide for her and pay the charge of her maintenance, that then the said bond be put in suite against them." The Duke of Monmouth, a natural son of Charles II, lived for some time in Soho Square. Yet another entry, dated the 12th March, 1687/8, has reference to the events following the Revocation of the 97 Edict of Nantes, and reminds us that other countries had also fallen upon troublous times. "Dr. Tennison being ill and not coming to the Vestry, there "was nothing of businesse proceeded in, but the Gent. before mentioned were pleased to disperse themselves into the severall Wards to collect for the poore French Protestants." Turning once more to the domestic affairs of the Parish, we learn that the Vestry, at a very early period of their existence, commenced the erection of the Rectory House, and, judging by the censure passed upon certain of the workmen and the quality of the mortar, exercised more than a formal oversight of the work. The Rector was fortunate enough to obtain a supply of water at a time when that commodity was not invariably laid on to houses, as appears by the following entries in the minute book, dated the 14th and 27th October, 1686. "That in regard the Citty pipes doe ly through the Church Yard and Rector's House, application be made to the Lord Mayor, &c., for the use thereof for the said house." "The Dr. acquainting the board that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen had granted the Citty water to the parsonage house, upon which this board prayed the said Dr. to return their thanks for the said favour to my Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen." Judging from several entries in the Minute Book the ordinary hour of meeting was eight o'clock in the morning, and this hour was also appointed for auditing the Overseers' Accounts. At that period people retired to rest at an early hour, no doubt in consequence of the insecure and dark condition of the streets, the dearness of artificial light, and the scarcity of books or other means of social enjoyment, consequently they commenced the day at a proportionally early hour. The following Minutes of the 1st April, 1686, details the procedure at the first election of Churchwardens: The names of four persons were written in a paper out of which two were by strokes of the Gentlemen of the Vestrie noted to be Churchwardens and 98 the first of those four written in the said paper was according to the custome of St. Martin's the junior Church Warden of the last year, and the greater number of strokes were for Mr. Wm. Nott and Mr. Wm. Hargrove who were the two first in the said paper named to be Church W ardens. The record of the proceedings at the second election of Churchwardens (22 nd March, 1686/7) gives us some idea of the responsibility attaching to the office when the Churchwardens personally were virtually the bankers of the Parish. The following is a copy of the Minutes:— Mr. Church Warden Nott proposed Mr. John Combs, Mr. Thompson, Mason, Mr. Martin Frogg,Inholder, and Mr. William Thompson a Butcher that out of them two might be nominated with consent of the board to be Church Wardens for the ensuing yeare. But Mr. Thomson the Mason haveing never served Overseer for the poore was therefore layd aside and Mr. Frogg excused for age and against Mr. Thompson the Butcher his ability in estate was objected as not to be anwerable for the Trust which would be reposed in him and he was therefore rejected. Mr. Churchwarden Nott certainly appears to have been somewhat unfortunate in his nominations. Until comparatively recent times the duties attaching to the office of Overseer of the Poor were so burdensome to men engaged in business, that persons nominated to serve frequently applied to be relieved, and indeed submitted to the then substantial fine of £12 rather than undertake the duties. The Minutes relating to the first nomination of Overseers, dated the 6th April, 1686, admirably illustrate this aspect of the case. This board proceeded to their choice of fitt persons to serve for Overseers of the poore of this Parish and the first person nominated and called to serve the said office was Mr. James Woodburne of St. James Markett who appeareing and modestly excuseing himself as being really unable to perform the same and refferring himself to this board it was order'd he should be acquitted from the said office and all others except Sydsman and Church Warden he paying the usuall fine of twelve pounds to the present Church Wardens and by them to be paid to the other Overseers now chosen to be applyed to the use of the poore of this Parish. 99 The next in nomination was Mr. John Parsons, of Rupert Street, who appeared and was chosen into the said office in respect to his father, one of the Gent. of this Vestrie. Then Mr. Tho: Ball, of the Hay Markett, but upon his desire hee was sett by to serve next yeare. Then Mr. John Evans, of King Street, neare St. James Square, who appeared and was chosen into the said office. Then Mr. Rowland Reynolds, of Princes Streete, who appeared and was chosen into the said office. Then Mr. John Ryley, of Pickadille, who appeared, and upon his humble desire was sett by to serve next yeare. Then Mr. Andrew Robinson, of the Pall Mall, who appeared and was chosen into the said office. Then Mr. Marsh, of Charles Street, who appeared and was also chosen into the said office. Then Mr. James Thatcher, of Jermine Streete, who appear'd and was likewise chosen into the said office. Then Mr. Tho : Pagett, of St. James Markett, who did not appeare, but had sent a letter to this board, wch being read, this board was pleased to order that the said Tho : Paget shou'd be made a collector of the booke for the Church Buildings for a whole yeare. Then Mr. Humphrey Dudson, of the Pall Mall, who appeared and humbly desireing this board to sett him by for the next yeare this board was pleased to agree thereunto. Then Mr. John Gale, who was the last in the list, now presented to this board he appear'd, but was upon his humble desire set by to serve two yeares hence." With regard to the foregoing nominations, it would be satisfactory to learn whether Mr. Woodburne was mulct in the sum of £12 for his modesty or for his inability or unwillingness to serve, and it would appear to be rather a doubtful compliment to Mr. John Parsons for the Vestry to nominate his son to serve an office from which so many desired to be exempted. Although several of the honorary offices then existing have either been abolished, or relieved of their more arduous duties, it would be surprising if we had not been accustomed to it from early times, to think of the vast amount of public work which is now performed gratuitously by members of various public boards. 100 The ancient records of a Parish afford abundant material for the antiquarian and archaeologist, and those of St. James s, although commencing in comparatively modern times, form no exception to this rule, but the object of the Vestry in presenting the foregoing extracts and comments to the parishioners is not so much to supply antiquarian lore, as to enable the present generation to conceive some idea of the state of affairs during the early infancy of the Parish. THE EARLY ACCOUNTS OF THE PARISH. The date of the making of the first Poor Rate is not given in the copy now extant of the rate book for the year 1685, but otherwise the accounts for that year exist in full detail. The following list of streets, in the order in which they appear in the first rate, may not be uninteresting as illustrating the then extent of the parish:— Pall Mall St. James's Street Stable Yard Park Place Dukes Court Crowne Court Golden Lyon Court King Street in the ffeilds The Court (Angel Court) Duke Street Rider Street Bury Street St. James's Square St. Albans Street St. James's Markett Combe Ally Markett Lane Jermin Street Norris Street Charles Street Pav'd Ally (presumably turning out of Charles Street) Warwick Street Pav'd Ally Hay Markett Windmill Street Conduit Court Pickadille End Coventry Street Phesicc Garden Rupert Street Princes Street Sohoe West Poultny Street Richmond Street Pipe Makers Ally Peters Street Brewer Street Greenes Building Fathers Court Eagle Street Pickadille Portugall Street Sackvill Street Swallow Street Queen Street Sberward Street Shug Lane Mary Bone Street Castle Street Ayre Street Dogg ffeilds Glasshouse Street Warwick Street Leicester Street 101 The Overseers' Accounts are stated as follows:— July the 11th 1686. Wee whose names are subscribed have, according to an order of the Yestrie, audited this account, and doe find it to be as followeth, viz.:— £ s. d. Money received by the bookes 871 02 07 Money collected at the church doores 65 12 11 Money received for severall Bastard children 129 03 00 Money received for goods of poore people that died 04 02 06 Money received for breach of the Sabbath 03 11 09 Money received in all 1073 12 09 Money paid away to Orphants 532 00 00 Money paid away to Pensioners 309 01 00 Money paid away upon the extraordinary 93 17 07 By binding out three apprentices 07 10 00 By other disbursements 129 09 00 Disbursed 1071 17 07 Bests in hand 01 15 02 By more money recd of the Earl of Ossory of the poores book in the late Earle of Devonshire's house 03 00 00 In all in hand 04 15 02 More allowed upon the extraordinary 02 00 00 / Rests in hand 02 15 02 These accounts were signed by Sir Thomas Clarges and three other parishioners. A reference to the details of the " money paid away upon the extraordinary" incidentally throws many a side light on the period, and, in some cases, presents an outline story. As instances of the latter, an entry of 6/- for " Mary William's child ye mother in Bridewell," is sadly suggestive of the mother's lax ideas of morality—Bridewell being the place for the incarceration of lewd women—and of the heritage of shame to which the child was born; these consecutive entries laconically relate a sudden termination of life, being respectively "gave for a cordiall for a sutman 1/6," 102 "gave to a woman to look after him 1/6," "gave for a shroud to wrap him in 1/6;" another pathetic story is told in the following words "Expended about Elizth Green being wth child 3/-; gave Mrs- Moore for delivering of Elizth Green 5/-, gave for a coffin for Elizth Green & child 5/-' A case of apparent death from starvation, possibly, as no name is given, of a provincial who had walked to London and found its streets were not paved with gold, is narrated in an entry, "gave to a coach to carry a poore man that was taken up in Pickadille and died psently afterwards 1/." A very common entry in this account of "extraordinary" expenses, is one relating to midwifery; thus Elizabeth Nash received 2/6 on her lying in, 2/- was paid to a woman to look after her, and 5/- to the midwife; a woman "that fell in labour in Brewer Street" received 5/-, and the comparatively frequent paymentof a like sum under similar circumstances seems to suggest a struggle for existence on the part of poor single women compelled to work for their living almost until seized with the pangs of labour. A few miscellaneous items taken almost at random from the accounts speak of the payment of 1/- for a child " that dyed an orphan," 2/- for a lame woman, 2/- for a "poore woman," while "a very poore woman" had to be content with 1/6, William Simmons and a shroud involved an outlay of 5/6, and a month's lying in for a woman 20/-, the sum of 6/- was paid for " looking to two women," and 2/6 for 11 laying Margaret Storey," 3/6 for nursing Mary Knight, 2/- to a woman in labour, and 2/- for carrying two women to their nurses. Payments for shrouds varied from 1/- to 2/6, a coffin ''for an orphant'' cost 1/-, and 2/- was paid for the keep of "a child yt was found." The sum of 20/- was paid to John Brown, Surgeon, but no particulars are given of the services rendered fur this remuneration. Even allowing for the difference in the cost of living, 21does not seem an extravagant sum to pay for "lodging a 103 man" two weeks, and perhaps the woman that looked after "George Wood, distracted" fully earned the 5/- she received for that duty. We learn from other entries that 15/- were given to two men that "kept the madman in the Hay Markett," that a poor man "yt was hurt wth a coach" received a solatium of 1/6 from the poor rate, and that "goeing into London" cost 1/6, and that two bibles were purchased for 7/-. The Accounts, like the literature of the period, do not give us a very exalted idea of the then condition of public morals, but perhaps such items as the following afford the strongest testimony on this point—" Paid towards the lying in of Mr. Woodburn's Man's—" 14/- (the word given in the original is not now used in polite society, but occurs with tolerable frequency in the early accounts of the parish). A few miscellaneous items from the accounts for subsequent years may be given. In 1686 the sum of 1/6 was paid for a "chaise to carry a sick man into Cock and Swan Ally," 2/- for "nursing the drayman's child," 1/6 for a shroud "for the child taken up in the Pall Mall," and 5/- for poor people in the Watchhouse. This year the Overseers borrowed £100, for which £6 interest was paid, legal expenses for bastardy and settlement cases cost £7 9s. 8d.; a boy was put apprentice to a chimney sweeper with a premium of 10/-; the Churchwarden's expenses one pay-day cost £1 11s., and the Overseers spent£3 "at severall meetings;" two days "rateing the bookes" cost £5 12s. 6d.; and the audit dinner £3, while each of the Churchwardens and Overseers made a charge varying from £2 10s. 6d. to JS4 8s. for "parish business." Judging by the following entries, payments to medical men would almost appear to have been based on the principal of no cure no pay—one "chirurgeon" received £1 for "cureing Godding's knee, a poore woman of this Parish," another £2 for "cureing a poore woman's sore breast," and a third 12/- 104 for "cureing a. poore child's lame hand. ]\lr. Grant, the apothecary, however, was paid £5 6s. for "physick for poore people that were sick," the above-mentioned principle probably not being held to apply with regard to the supply of medicine. It may be remarked that the list of pensioners incidentally bears evidence to the strength of the Puritanic wave which had swept through England, such names as "Grace," "Prudence," and "Faith" being frequently repeated. The condition and sentiments of the poorer classes more truly reflect the national character than is commonly supposed, and the frequency with which Scriptural names and Christian graces occur in these records as names of persons, is probably but a specimen of the general practice then prevailing, and no other cause can be assigned to it than the custom of the Puritans. Thus, in addition to the enduring influence which has been exerted by the Puritans on the literature, especially theological, of the country, and the habits of the people, it is to them we probably owe the introduction of some Christian names which are still in common use. The accounts for 1687, in addition to the usual payments "upon the extraordinary," contain such entries as the following:—For passing a woman and 2 children from the Parish 2/-; for bringing a woman to Justice Lawrence for abuse 2/-; for charges in paying the poor and putting children apprentices £1 0s. 6d.; for bringing 2 before the Sessions 2/6; for christening 4 bastard children 2/-; books for 2 orphans 2/-; charges "about the maid that poison'd herselfe" 8/6; "keeping the boy that was shot in the head " 14/ ; and keeping two children "whose Mrs ran away" 12/. It would appear from the charges for refreshments on pay-days, as well as the items of £10 lor the day the books were rated and £5 for the audit dinners, that a commencement had just been made in St. James s in the practice of feasting at parochial meetings. 105 This practice was then well-nigh universal, and nearly a century afterwards was illustrated in Rowlandson's wellknown satirical sketch of "The Parish Vestry," and half a century later still was remarked upon by the Poor Law Commissioners. That charges of this nature have a tendency to grow is apparent from the limitations put upon expenses of the kind by the following order of Vestry, dated the 6th August, 1688:— There being complaint alsoe made at the same time of many extravagant expenses lately made at the assessing the poores and scavengers bookes and auditing them and other accompts. It is order'd that there bee noe more than the sum of 4li. at any time expended at the assessing of any of those Books nor noe more than 40s. at the auditing of any Bookes of Accompts of the Parish. And that the Churchwardens for the time being doe not disburse more at the publique procession or other publick occasion than what shall be order'd by the Board. In the accounts for 1688, the doors of ''the Tabernacle" as well as of the Church are mentioned as a place of collection. The word "tabernacle" appears to have been the common designation of a temporary place of worship, and the building here referred to is probably Tenison's Chapel, now St. Thomas's Church, Regent Street, Among the receipts for the same year appear £5 for burying in linen, £29 15s. for three fines, £21 for two bonds of bills and leads, £1 11s. from swearers and sabbath breakers, and £1 19s. from ''wagoners going contrary to the statute." The overseers for 1689 paid 2/6 for the release of a— (blank in the original) and children, 5/- to a poor boy "who was turned out of doors to buy him clothes," 7/- to John Tronian "to sett up his forge that he may be no more charge,'' 1/6 for a coffin and shroud, 30/- for expenses at Hick's Hall (Clerkenwell Sessions), 2/6 for a "trusse," and 1/6 for a shroud for "John who was taken off of a dungill and died." The receipts for sabbath breaking only amounted to 3/-, evidencing either the improved observance of the Lord's day, h 106 or as is quite as likely, greater laxity in enforcing the penalties. Collections for the poor, both at the church doors and also from house to house, formed a recognized portion of the revenue of the Parish. On the 24th November, 1693, Mr. Clinch, one of the overseers, desired "that the time of asking for the poore at the church doors on Sacrament Dayes might be in the afternoones," but it was left with the Rector to give such directions in the matter as he thought fit. The winter of 1693-4 was apparently exceptionally severe, for on the 26th December, 1693, the Rector brought under the notice of the Vestry the King and Bishop's letter read in the church on the previous Sunday advising a collection for the relief of the poor " this hard season." A collection was thereupon ordered, several of the vestrymen agreeing to accompany "the Ministers, &c., in makeing the same in the severall wards of this Parish.'' This collection realized the sum of £168, which was ordered to be kept distinct from the money applicable to the relief of the ordinary poor, and disposed of among poor housekeepers and other necessitous people who were not on the pension list, in the following manner:— Halfe a crowne to each person, man or woman, and to each of their children one shilling, and to ancient people and people sick and bedrida five shillings or more as the money will hold out. In bringing these remarks on the early accounts of the Parish to a conclusion, it may be remarked that the total revenue of the overseers for the year 1689 amounted to but £1,290 Is. 9d. In the early rate books there is neither a ''rateable value" nor a pound rate, and the principle upon which the several sums were assessed does not appear on the face of the rate. Probably the general circumstances of the parishioners were 107 taken into account, especially as some houses in the Parish are not assessed, but simply marked "poore." But the principle of a pound rate was adopted at a very early period, for a resolution, dated the 22nd April, 1690, directed that all future rates and assessments should be made at a pound rate, all appeals and complaints of being overcharged being first set right in the books, and shortly afterwards a rental column was introduced. On the 10th April, 1694, it was ordered— That the Poores Bookes be rated at 6d. in the pound. That the Scavengers Bookes be rated at 3d. in the pound. That the Preacher Assistants Bookes be rated at 1d. in the pound. That the High Way Bookes be rated according to the Order of Session. The rateable value is not given, but as the sum of only £100 was required to be raised for the Preacher Assistant, the rateable value of the Parish at that period may be estimated at something like £24,000 or £25,000. It need scarcely be said that a great number of historic names appear in the early rate-books. For instance, in 1685, ''Madam Gwinn" was assessed for her house in Pall Mall in the sum of £4, which was duly paid, while her neighbour, the Countess of Portland, allowed her rates, amounting to £6, to remain in arrear at the end of the year. It may not be out of place to remark here that another residence occupied by Nell Gwynne, in Jermyn Street, still exists in a good state of preservation. Among other names of note appear those of Sir Wm. Temple, Mr. Boyle, Lord Ossulston, the Duchess of Cleveland, Sir Richard Sutton, Sir Thomas Bond, Dr. Sydenham, all in Pall Mall; Sir William Poultney, in St. James Street; Lord Clifford and Lord Burlington in Park Place; Lord Kingssale in Bury Street; Lady Dorchester, Sir Peter Apsley, Earl of Essex, Marquis of Halifax, Lady Yarmouth, the Earl of Devonshire, Duke h 2 108 of Norfolk, Lord Derby, Lord Dowries, the Duke of Ormond, and several others of the nobility, in St. James Square; Monsieur Foubert in Brewer Street; the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Earl of Murray in Duke Street; Sir Cyril Wich, Sir Miles Cooke, and the Earl of Dover in Jermyn Street ; Sir William Petty and Sir Thomas Clargesin or near Sackville Street; and Lord Hunsdon in "Dog Fields" (near where Golden Square now is). To this list may be added a few representative names of subsequent famous residents, such as George III., who was born at Norfolk House, St. James's Square, Mr. Fox, who resided next to Brooks' Club, in 1781, and his political opponent, Pitt, who lived in Savile Row about 1783, the poet Byron, who lived in the Albany; Sir AValter Scott, who had apartments at 25, Pall Mall, and died in Jermyn Street; Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, who lived in the Albany; Macaulay, who wrote his History in the same place; Sir Isaac Newton, who lived in Jermyn Street; Dean Swift, who lived in St. Albans Street (which has been merged in Regent Street and Waterloo Place); Dr. William Hunter, who died in Great Windmill Street; Madame de Stael, who lodged at No. 30, Argyll Street; Addison, Bishop Kennett, and Samuel Rogers, all of whom lived in St. James Place; Sir Joshua Wedgwood, who lived in York Street, and Waller the poet, Gibbon the historian, and Gillray the caricaturist, all of whom lived in St. James' Street. This list might be extended almost indefinitely, but enough has perhaps been said to give some idea of. the number of persons, famous in various respects, who have at different times resided in the Parish of St. James. Some of the wealthy ratepayers resented in a very practical manner the amount at which they were assessed; thus the Earl of Devonshire, who was rated in the sum of £6, paid £1, 10.0 and "would not pay noe more." Part of the balance was, however, subsequently received from the Earl of Ossory, 109 who succeeded the Earl of Devonshire in occupation. In the same manner the Duke of Norfolk ''will not pay noe more" than £3.10.0 for his assessment of £7, and, so far as can be gathered from the accounts, the Parish lost the balance of this sum. Other amounts were discharged from the rates as empty, none such, overrated, poor or gone, or on the ground that the person assessed was Overseer, Constable, or filled some other Parish office, as, for example, George Bishop, of Sohoe West, paid half rates and "woud not pay noe more he being constable." The "aggrieved parishioner" was not unknown, for Mr. Beales is credited with the statement that he "will not pay" the sum of 9/- assessed upon him in respect of four houses in a Court off Duke Street, and apparently his perseverance was rewarded with success and he was left in peace. "The Earl of Dover, again, left his house in Jermyn Street, and his assessment is marked " gone and wont pay." In the course of the next four years, the names of the following additional streets and places had been introduced into the rate-book:— Warwick Street by Sussex House Mr. Storey's Yard Ormond Stable Yard Beals Court Guy of Warwick Court Dolphin Court Little Eider Street New Passage (out of St. James's Street) Little Crowne Court Eussells Court St. James's Place Unicorne Yard Cock Yard Davies Yard Deanes Yard Wells Street Mr. Clisbes Yard Norris Street Parsons Alley Three Kings Court Turners Yard Bouse's Yard Hutton's Yard Burlington Street Beakes Court Mr. Davies Yard Haines Alley Yine Street Little Swallow Street Murrels Yard Naked Boy Alley Angell Yard Rowland's Court Weels Street Francis Street James Street i John Street Golden Square VVhipp and Spur Ally Halls Ally Cock & Swan Ally Jervice Street Edwards Street Berwick Street Warders Street Tyburn Road Polland Street Crosse Street Carnabee Street 110 Salters Court Fleece Yard Church Passage Little Jermine Street Yorke Street Browne's Court Edmunds Court Black Horse Yard Orchad Street or Arch Street Silver Street Little Windmill Street Gravill Pitts Gravill Pitt Lane And several places without a name, besides one designed new street. The Parish had by this time assumed a more completed form, the north-western part, speaking broadly, being the only portion then uncovered, and even that was to a large extent built upon. The early life of the Parish may thus be said to be comprised within the first six years or so of its existence, and to pursue its development further would be rather beyond the scope of the present report. Early this century, however, the appearance of the Parish was materially altered by the formation of Regent Street, under the authority of the Crown. The original or main object appears to have been to effect a direct communication between Carlton House, the residence of the Prince Regent, and another residence of His Royal Highness at Marylebone. This handsome street was designed by Nash, his plans being approved in 1811, and the work commenced two years later. This improvement involved the destruction of a large part ot St. James's Market, which in its earlier days formed no unimportant part of the parish, and has a few historical associations of interest, for Richard Baxter, the eminent Nonconformist, preached in a room over the market house, and the Mitre and One Tun taverns were the resort of wits and litterateurs. The construction of Regent Street also practically obliterated the greater part of Swallow Street, which had previously formed the main connection between Tyburn Road or Oxford Street, and Piccadilly. The southern end of Swallow Street seems to have marked the boundary between Piccadilly and Portugal Street, the former name 1689 20. Simbals Ally 48.1 at All 21. Feathers Ally 47.eard 1 St.MARTIN Ordnance Survey. 1869. 111 distinguishing the eastern and the latter the western portion of the thoroughfare. According to a very common custom still in vogue, the names of many of the streets record contemporary personages. Thus, Catherine Street, the original name of Pall Mall, was so called after the Queen of Charles II., and Portugal Street probably derived its name from her native land. Jermyn Street commemorates the Earl of St. Albans; York Street, the Duke of York: Ormond Yard, the Duke of Ormond; Pulteney Street, Sir William Poultny; Foubert's Place, Monsieur Foubert, a riding master; Boyle Street and Burlington Street, the Earl of Burlington, and so on. Other streets point to a very different condition of affairs to the present, such as the Haymarket, which ceased to be what its name infers no further back than 1831; Windmill Street, a lane leading to the Windmill fields, and Apple Tree Yard, which is said to mark the site of a famous orchard. Other names again recall contemporary historical incidents, such as Blenheim Street, which appropriately leads out of Great Marlborough Street. By the courtesy of Dr. Bond, Librarian of the British Museum, the Vestry are enabled to incorporate with this Report a copy of the earliest known map of the Parish. A comparison of this map with the map of the Ordnance Survey, which is also given, will show the extent of the changes which have taken place in the Parish in the meantime. OTHER PARTICULARS RELATING TO THE PARISH. Poor Law.—The Poor Law was originally administered by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, who were required to perform personally the duties now undertaken by paid officers, such as the rate collectors and relieving officers. 112 It can be readily imagined that that system, however suitable for rural communities, did not adequately meet the requirements of a populous urban parish such as St. James's became at an early period of its existence. We accordingly find that in the year 1761 the parishioners obtained a local Act of Parliament (2 Geo. III, cap. 58.), providing, amongst other matters, for the creation of a Board of twentv-one substantial and discreet persons to be called the Governors and Directors of the Poor, of which Board the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor for the time being Were to be members ex-officio. This Board had entrusted to them the management of the poor but many of their acts required confirmation by the Vestry before being valid. The Board, moreover, had no powers of rating, the making of the rates being transferred from the Churchwardens and Overseers to a meeting of the Rector, Vestrymen, Churchwardens, and Overseers. By the same Act of Parliament the Overseers were relieved of their personal liability in the collection of the rates, by a provision enabling the Vestrymen to appoint and pay collectors, with all the powers of overseers. All the details of poor law relief were, however, administered by the Governors and Directors of the Poor for more than a century, for it was not until the year 1868 that the practice in St. James's was brought into conformity with the custom generally introduced into England upon the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834. In the year 1868 the Parish was combined with the Parish of St. Anne, under the name of the Westminster Union. The Board of Guardians for the Union consists of eighteen members twelve of whom are elected by the ratepayers of St. James's and six by the ratepayers of St. Anne's. In addition to these elected members, all Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, resident within the limits of the Union, are members of the Board ex-officio. 113 The Workhouse is situate in Poland Street, the back buildings being the property of the Parish of St. James, for which rent is paid from the funds of the Union and applied in aid of the Poor Rates of St. James's. The large new building fronting on Poland Street is the property of the Union, and was erected in the year 1872, by Messrs. Hill, Keddell, and Waldram, from the designs of Mr. Wm. Lee, Architect, at a cost (including £6,483 for additional site) of £21,934. To meet this expenditure the sum of £21,733 was borrowed from the London Life Association, at 4i- per cent, interest, repayable by 30 equal annual instalments, including principal and interest. The sum of £18,679 1s. l0d. has been repaid, leaving instalments to the amount of £21,347 10s. 8d. still to be paid. The entire Workhouse building affords accommodation for 677 inmates, in addition to Offices, Dispensary, Store-rooms, &c. The Union Schools are situate at Wandsworth Common, and were erected in the year 1851. The site, which was formerly a part of the Common, originally occupied an area of 20 acres and cost £600. The building was erected bg Mr. B. W. Pearce, under the superintendence of Mr. Charles Lee, the amount of the contract being £4,117. On the amalgamation of the Parish with St. Anne's, the management of the Schools was transferred from the Governors and Directors of the Poor to the Board of Guardians of the Westminster Union. The whole of the ground not being required for the purposes of the School, 14 acres of the land were sold in 1878, and realized the sum of £14,500. An Infirmary has been erected, and some other alterations carried out in the Schools, since the incorporation of the Union, at a cost of £4,500. Accommodation is provided for 197 children, in addition to the usual staff of officers. The Parish forms a part of the Central London Sick Asylum District, and 5 members of the Board of Managers 114 for the District are elected by the guardians of the Westminster Union. Population.—The resident population of the Parish at the last census (April 1881) was ascertained to be 29,865, and the number of occupied houses 3,018. In this enumeration, however, no account is taken of the large number of persons engaged in the Parish during the day only, the sleeping population being alone enumerated in the Census Returns. Representation in Parliament.— The Parish of St. James forms a part of the Parliamentary Borough of the City of Westminster, which returns two members to Parliament, the sitting members being the Rt. Hon. W. H. Smith and Lord Algernon Percy. The Register prepared in 1884 contains the names of 3,610 electors, viz., 4 on the Scot and Lot List, 408 Lodgers and 3,198 possessing other qualifications. There are also 196 registered voters for the County of Middlesex in respect of property situate wholly or in part in the Parish of St. James. By the Elementary Education Act, 1870, the Parish is. included in the Westminster Division of the School Board for London. Five members of the School Board are elected by the ratepayers of the Division. Water Supply.—Until quite recent times the inhabitants were largely independent of the Water Companies, and drew their supply of water from various surface wells. Some of these wells acquired a degree of notoriety for drinking purposes, in consequence of the bright and sparkling appearance of their water; but, unfortunately, as the Cholera epidemic of 1854 but too clearly proved, the appearance of the water formed no criterion of its purity. From the year 1854 to the 115 present time, pumps have been removed, and the wells either filled up or covered in the following localities:— Bridle Lane, by Brewer Street Duke Street, opposite No. 9 Little St. James' Street, south side Piccadilly, opposite the Vestry Hall Rupert Street, near Upper Street Wells filled up. Burlington Gardens, by the London University Broad Street, near No. 41 Charles Street, near Derb House Marlborough Street, by Little Marlborough Street Marlborough Mews, near the Police Station Tichborne Street, opposite the Black Horse Vigo Street, West End Warwick Street, near No. 13 Wells covered but not filled up. The deepest well was that in front of the Vestry Hall, which was 264 feet deep; the other wells averaged from 15 to 25 feet in depth. Four companies now supply the Parish with water, the approximate boundaries of their respective districts being as follow:— 1. Chelsea Water Works Company (Chief Office, 35, Commercial Road, Pimlico). So much of the Parish as lies to the south of the centre of Pall Mall and Cleveland Row. This Company was incorporated by Royal (-barter in the year 1722. 2. New River Company (Chief Office, Clerkenwell, E.C.). So much of the Parish as lies to the east of a line running at the back of the east side of Poland Street, Cambridge Street, Little Windmill Street, Great Windmill Street, and along the centre of the Haymarket. This Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in the year 1619. 3. Grand Junction Waterworks Company (Ohiel Office, 65. South Molton Street). So much of the Parish as lies to 116 the west of the district supplied by the New River Water Company and the north of the centre of Pall Mall. This company was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1811. 4. West Middlesex Waterworks Company (Chief Office, 19, Marylebone Road). So much of Oxford Street as is situate within the Parish. This Company was incorporated by Act of Parliament in the year 1806. The 6harges authorised by the various Acts of Parliament relating to the several above-mentioned Companies are almost identical, the scale being as follows:— Where the annual value of the dwelling-house or other place does not exceed £200, a rate not exceeding 4 per cent. per annum; where such annual value exceeds £200, a rate not exceeding 3 per cent, per annum. An additional charge, varying from 4s. per annum, where the annual value of the house exceeds £30, but is less than £50, to 12s. where the annual value of the house exceeds £300, is permitted for each single water closet, fixed bath, or high service; for each additional water closet, fixed bath, or high service, half these rates are to be charged. High service is defined as a delivery of water at an elevation of more than ten feet above the pavement in front of the dwelling-house or other place supplied. The Companies may supply water for other than domestic purposes, either upon agreed terms or by meter at a specified rate. Gas is supplied to the whole Parish by the Gas Light and Coke Company (Chief Office, Horseferry Road). The Coroner is Mr. Charles St. Clare Bedford, whose jurisdiction extends throughout the City and Liberties of Westminster. For the Registration of Births and Deaths, the Parish is included in the Westminster District. The Sub- 117 Registrar is Mr, Thomas Matthew Crowe, of 31, Wardour Street; and the Superintendent Registrar, Mr. Joseph Bond, Union Offices, Poland Street. WARDS. For the election of Vestrymen and Auditors of Accounts, the Parish has been divided into four Wards, under the provisions of the Metropolis Local Management Act, the boundaries thereof being described in the official division of the Parish into Wards under the said Act, as follows:— Ward No. 1 (Great Marlborough)— All such parts of the Parish of Saint James, Westminster, as lie upon the left-hand side, that is to say, upon the side lying towards the north and north-east of the following boundary line, that is to say, a line commencing upon the western boundary of the said Parish in Swallow Passage, and drawn in an easterly direction immediately at the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the south-west portion of the Regent (Oxford Street) Circus, thence across Regent Street, to and along the southern party-wall of No. 268, Regent Circus, and thence along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the south side of Oxford Street, across Argyll Street to the back of the tenements or premises forming the east side of Argyll Street, then turning south along the backs of the said several tenements or premises forming the east side of Argyll Street, and of the several tenements or premises in Great Marlborough Street forming the east side of the block of buildings between Argyll Piace and Little Marlborough Street, then turning east across Carnaby Street, tc and along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the north side of Tyler's Court and Little Marshall Street, thence turning south along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the east side of Marshall Street, to and turning east along the backs of the several premises forming 118 the south Bide of Broad Strest, to and drawn south along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the west side of Cambridge Street, of Little Windmill Street, and of Great Windmill Street, passing at the backs of the several tenements and premises forming Angel Court, Bull Yard, and Ham Yard respectively, and thence to the parish boundary at the angle thereof at the intersection of Coventry Street and the Haymarket. Ward No. 2 (Pall Mall)— All such parts of the said Parish of Saint James, Westminster, as lie upon the right hand side, that is to say, upon the side lying towards the south of the following boundary line, that is to say, a line commencing on the western boundary of the said parish at the angle thereof immediately to the west of Park Place, and carried thence in an easterly direction along the said boundary and following the same until it arrives in Saint James' Street opposite the middle of Jermyn Street, there quitting the said boundary and drawn in an easterly direction along a part of Jermyn Street, to and along the western party-wall of No. 66, Jermyn Street, to and along the backs of the several tenements and premises forming the south side of a part of Jermyn Street, across Bury Street and Duke Street, to and along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming a portion of the east side of a part of Duke Street, to and along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the north side of Mason's Yard, to and along the middle of Ormond Yard and of Apple Tree Yard to the eastern extremity thereof, thence to and along the middle of the roadway on the west, south, and east sides respectively of Bateman's Mews, thence drawn to and along the backs of the tenements or premises called Nos. 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, and 25, Regent Street, to the middle of Jermyn Street, thence across Regent Street, to and along the backs of the tenements or premises called Nos. 20 and 22, Regent Street, to and along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the south side of that portion of Jermyn Street lying to the east of Regent Street, and thence along the southern and eastern party-wall of No. 133, Jermyn Street to the middle of Jermyn Street, and thence in an easterly direction to the parish boundary i n the Haymarket. 119 Ward No. 3 (Church)— All such parts of the said Parish of Saint James as are not included in Ward No. 2, and lie on the right hand side, that is to say, on the side lying towards the west and south of the following boundary line, that is to say, a line commencing on the western boundary of the said Parish opposite the centre of Maddox Street, and drawn in an easterly direction across Regent Street, to and along the middle of Argyll Place, to and turning towards the south-east, along the middle of a part of King Street, to the northern party-wall of No. 48, King Street, thence carried along the said party-wall, to and along the backs of the several tenements and premises forming the south-west side of the remainder of King Street, and crossing Beak Street, to the northern party-wall of No. 24, Warwick Street, and thence to and along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the east side of Warwick Street, and p assing again to the centre of Warwick Street at its southern end, and thence along the middle of a part of Vine Street till the same arrives opposite the north party-wall of No. 1, Vine Street, thence along the said party-wall to and along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the south side of part of Marylebone Street, and thence along the backs of the several tenements or premises forming the west side of the northern division of Air Street, and passing thence along the southern party-wall of No. 13, Air Street, to the middle of Air Street, thence across the Regent's Quadrant towards the southeast, to and along the middle of the southern division of Air Street, and passing to and round the backs of the several tenements and premises abutting on "the west side of the southern portion of Air Street, to and across the said southern portion of Air Street to the backs of the tenements or premises forming the east side thereof, and turning east along the backs of the several tenements and premises forming the north side of Piccadilly, to and passing south along the several partywalls of the houses forming the north-west division of the Regent (Piccadilly) Circus to the middle of Piccadilly, there turning north-east across the said Regent Circus to and along the north party-wall of No. 42, Regent Circus, to and along the backs of the several tenements and premises forming the north side of Piccadilly to the middle of Tichborne Street, and 120 thence along the middle of Tichborne Street to the angle of the parish boundary at the intersection of Coventry Street and the Haymarket. Ward No. 4 (Golden Square)— All parts of the said Parish of Saint James, Westminster, not included in the Wards hereinbefore particularly described. ST. JAMES'S CHAPEL AND BURIAL GROUND. The Parish churchyard which had been supplemented in 1693, and enlarged in the year 1746, again proving inadequate for the reception of deceased parishioners, a piece of ground, situate in the Hampstead Road, was purchased for burial purposes, about the year 1790, under Parliamentary authority. This ground was originally four acres in extent, and was slightly increased by the renting of additional land (which was afterwards purchased) for the formation of approach roads. The ground was placed under the management of ten trustees, two of whom (the Rector and Senior Churchwarden) were ex officio, and the remainder appointed by ths Vestry. Shortly after the passing of the Metropolitan Burials Act in 1852, an Order in Council was made prohibiting any further interments in the ground, which consequently ceased to be of any use to the Parish. A chapel, however, had been built on a portion of the ground, capable of seating about 800 worshippers, in addition to the school children, for whom accommodation was provided, and on the closing of the burial ground, this chapel, and buildings attached thereto, were let on lease at a rent of £140 per annum, this sum being just sufficient to meet the charges on the land, but leaving no surplus to maintain the ground in proper order. 121 It was subsequently discovered that part of the land had never been consecrated, and that it might consequently be utilised for secular purposes. After much deliberation, it was determined to apply to Parliament for power to sell the Chapel, and the unconsecrated portion of the ground for the benefit of the Parish. This proposal received Parliamentary sanction in 1869, and the Chapel was subsequently sold to the Rey. C. W. Hodson, for £3,000, and the remainder of the available property to the Trustees of the London Temperance Hospital for £6,050; making a total of £9,050. The following statement shows the application of this sum:— £ s. d. Redemption of Rent-charge of £100 a year 3,104 3 4 Invested in Consols for the maintenance of the ground 1,250 0 0 Invested in Consols for school purposes—One moiety for Scholarships in Tenison's Grammar School for boys, and one moiety for the Burlington School for girls 1,000 0 0 Towards building and endowing St. John's Church, Great Marlborough Street 2,500 0 0 Purchase of leasehold interest of part of the Chapel property 125 0 0 Professional charges in connection with the sales of the properties 342 5 2 Cost of obtaining the special Act of Parliament 589 8 11 Balance available for current expenditure 139 2 7 £9,050 0 0 In the year 1883 the London and North-Western Railway Company obtained an Act of Parliament for the enlargement of their terminus at Euston Square, and were authorised by that Act to acquire a portion of the St. James's Burial Ground, part of the land so acquired to be devoted to the I 122 formation of a new street in lieu of a thoroughfare to be closed. The price to be paid by the Company was fixed at £8,000, and so much of the burial ground as was not acquired by the Railway Company was directed to be conveyed, without farther consideration, to the Vestry of St. Pancras, to be laid out and maintained by them for ever as an open space for the use of the public. The purchase money received from the Company was paid into Court as directed by the Act, and is to be applied to such ecclesiastical, parochial, and other purposes for the benefit of the Parish of St. James as the Trustees, with the sanction of the Vestry, may direct. With the approval of the Vestry and the sanction of the Court, one moiety of the purchase money has been applied to ecclesiastical purposes, including the alteration and repair of the Parish Church, and a grant towards the expense of repairing St. Peter's Church, Great Windmill Street. It is proposed to devote the other moiety to the erection of a block of dwellings for the poor, the class which it is proposed to accommodate in the first instance being the female piece workers employed by West End houses. The scheme, however, is not yet sufficiently advanced to admit of the publication of a detailed statement. Provision being made in another Bill of the London and North-Western Railway Company, in the year 1884, for the transfer of the burial ground to the Parish of St. Pancras, the Trustees availed themselves of the opportunity, with the sanction of the Vestry, and by consent of the Company, to petition Parliament for the insertion in the Bill of additional provisions extinguishing the trust, and authorising the application of the funds in hand, including the sum reserved for the maintenance of the ground, in the same manner as the purchase money received under the Act of 1883. The Select Committee dispensed with the Standing Orders of Parliament, 123 and allowed the additional provision to be inserted in the Bill. The Bill containing the provisions has become law, consequently the Trust now exists only for the purpose of applying its surplus funds as directed by the Acts relating thereto. The Vestry have approved of the sum of £ 1,000, the bulk of the surplus funds, being devoted towards the fund for the repair and alteration of the Parish Church. Few persons of note were buried in this ground, the best known, perhaps, being Lord George Gordon, the hero of the No-popery riots of 1780, who died in Newgate in 1793, and George Morland, the painter, who died in 1806. No stone marks the resting-place of the former, but Morland lies in the middle of a small plot on the left side of the path leading to the chapel. With reference to the Gordon riots, it may not be uninteresting to remark that the keys of Newgate were discovered some years afterwards in the garden of St. James's Square, and that the Bavarian Chapel, in Warwick Street, was demolished by the rioters. PUBLIC BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES. The Vestry of St. James's were among the earliest Local Authorities to adopt the Act to encourage the erection of Public Baths and Wash-houses. The Act was passed in 1846, and on the 10th December in the same year it was adopted in this Parish. Seven Commissioners, the maximum number allowed by law, were appointed to carry the Act into execution. Some delay arose in the selection of a site for the Baths and Wash-houses, in consequence of the difficulty of obtaining land, owing to the whole area of the Parish being built upon, and the absence of any compulsory power of purchase of land for such a purpose. Eventually, I 2 124 the Commissioners, with the approval of the Vestry, erected a building on the site of No. 16, Marshall Street, the freehold of which was vested in the Parish, and over a portion of the Stoneyard adjacent. The establishment was opened in the year 1852, and proved so successful as to necessitate, in the course of a few years, an extension of the building. For the purpose of this extension the Commissioners, in the year 1860, absorbed the site of Nos. 17 and 18, Marshall Street, which also belonged to the Parish. The cost of the building, as extended, including fittings, was about £21,000, which sum was borrowed on the security of the Poor Rate. The balance of loan now outstanding amounts to £1,200, which is being reduced at the rate of £200 a year, and will be finally extinguished in 1891. In addition to the necessary offices, store rooms, boiler house, apartments for the superintendent, &c., the building contains a swimming bath, measuring 40ft. by 30ft.; 23 first-class private baths for men, and 13 for women; 44 second-class private baths for men, and 13 for women; 83 washing compartments in the laundry, and facilities for 8 manglers and 10 ironers. Since the adoption of the Act in 1846 to Christmas last, the sum of £32,710 1s. 6d. has been paid from the Poor Rates, and surplus receipts amounting to £9,350 have been applied in aid of the Poor Rates, making a net charge on the rates of £23,360 1s. 6d. As some indication of the usefulness of the establishment, it may be noted that no less than £98,007 7s. 1d. has been received from bathers and washers, from the opening of the building in June, 1852, to Christmas, 1884. In a report presented to the Vestry in January, the Commissioners remark that they think that the poorer classes might use the public laundry to a larger extent than they now do, and thus, at the small outlay of 2d; per hour, which 125 includes hot water and the use of drying apparatus, mangle, &c., avoid the inconveniences inseparable from "washing day" in lodgings. The clergy, district visitors, temperance advocates, and others interested in the social improvement of the poor, might find the facilities and conveniences offered by the public laundry a valuable auxiliary in raising the condition of life among the poorer working classes. A list of Commissioners in whom the establishment is vested is found on page 12. The only change which occurred among the Commissioners during the year arose from the death of Mr. A. T. Spyrng; this vacancy was filled up by the appointment of Mr. W. Jenkins. A statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Commissioners, and of the number of bathers and washers, during the past year is given on page 214. ARCHBISHOP TENISON'S UNITED SCHOOLS, For the Parishes of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and St. James, owe their origin, so far as the latter Parish is concerned, to the gift, in 1700, by Dr. Tenison, the first Rector of St. James's, and also Rector of St. Martin's at the time of the constitution of St. James's Parish, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, of certain property upon trust, among other objects, to provide one schoolmaster or more to teach poor boys, natives and inhabitants of this Parish. The property in question comprises Nos. 172a, 174, and 176, Regent Street, No. 91, King Street, and the vaults under St. Thomas's Church, and the trusts with which the property is charged are as follows:—(i.) To find and provide two able and orthodox ministers of God's Word to be preachers in the chapel; (ii.) To find and provide a reader to say divine service in the chapel daily throughout the 126 year, morning and afternoon; (iii) To find a clerk to officiate in the chapel; (iv.) To find and provide one or more schoolmasters to teach poor boys of St. James's; (v.) To keep the chapel and premises in repair, and to find and provide a ringer, pew-keeper, fire, candles, and other necessaries for the chapel; And (vi.) any surplus to be laid up and deposited by the trustees for repairing the chapel and houses, and discharging other contingent charges about the same, or the execution of the said trust, or any way relating thereto. Nos. 174 and 176 Regent Street, No. 91, King Street, and the vaults under the church are at present held on lease by the Crown, at a ground rent of £72 10s. 0d. per annum. This lease will expire on the 5th January, 1920, when the income of the Charity will be largely increased. The school was originally held in a room over the porch of Archbishop Tenison's Chapel, King Street, and was subsequently transferred to and merged in the Tenison's School for the Parish of St. Martin, which occupied a site now absorbed in the National Gallery. The United Schools were removed to their present building in Leicester Square on the Government acquiring the former property in the year 1867 for enlarging the Gallery. Shortly afterwards, the Charity Commissioners established a scheme varying the mode of administering the charity and placing the School under the management of a mixed body of Trustees, three of whom are elected by the Vestry of this Parish : Mr. Frederick Crane, Mr. Henry Graves, and Mr. William W innett, being thepresent Governors so elected. In addition to these elected representatives, the Rector of St. James's is a Trustee ex-ojficio, and two other Trustees resident in the Parish are elected by the Board. These two co-optative Trustees are, at present, the Rev. H, A. Sherringham, Vicar of St. Peter's, and Mr. Hopkinson, of Regent Street. The present annual income of the charity derived from the endowment is £148, but the 127 schools have also the sum of £2,312 consols as a further endowment. Accommodation is afforded for the education of 278 boys. There are no Foundation scholars, but free scholarships are granted by the Board on the display of individual merit. The Master is Mr. John F. Arnold, who has a staff of seven assistant masters, and visiting masters for French, German, and other subjects. The interest on the sum of £500, part of the purchase money of the land sold by the Trustees of St. James's Chapel and Burial Ground under their Act of 1869 (see page 121), is applicable to Scholarships in this School, for St. James's boys only. A copy of the Accounts of the School for the year 884, will be found on page 218. BURLINGTON SCHOOL. This Institution was established by voluntary contributions in the year 1699, and had for its original object the instruction of 60 poor girls whose parents could not afford to educate them. A site for the School was obtained in 1719 from the Earl of Burlington, and the building was opened for the reception of scholars in 1725, when 35 poor girls were admitted. The property of the charity has since been increased by the gift of a house from an unknown donor, and several pecuniary legacies, the two most important bequests being one of £500 by Priscilla Rolls, and one of £2,000 by Peter le Quainter. A scheme for the management of the School was established by the Charity Commissioners on the 8th July, 1875, and under this Scheme two of the Governors are elected by the Vestry, the present Governors so elected being Mr. Thomas Henry Elam and Mr. William. Cox. 128 The interest on the sum of £500, part of the purchase money of the land sold by the Trustees of St. James s Chapel and Burial Ground under their Act of 1869 (see page 121) is applicable to Scholarships in this School. The present annual income of the Charity derived from the endowment is £495 8s. 8d.; education is provided for 280 girls, all of whom pay fees. A copy of the accounts of the School for the year 1884 will be found on page 219. THE CRAVEN PEST-HOUSE CHARITY Dates from the year 1687, and orginated in the gift by "William, Earl Craven, of certain property demised for the benefit of poor persons parishioners of St. Martin-in-theFields, St. Paul, Covent Garden, and St. James, suffering from the Plague. This Earl of Craven remained in London during the whole period of the Plague of 1665, and displayed much bravery and self-denying zeal in aiding the sufferers. According to Strype, the Pest-houses were situated in a large piece of ground enclosed with a brick wall, and handsomely set with trees. Maitland states that the Pest-field contained a lazaretto, consisting of 36 small houses, for the reception of poor persons afflicted with Plague, and that at the lower end of Marshall Street there was a common cemetery where thousands of Plague-stricken corpses were interred. The Plague-field was subsequently covered with houses, pursuant to an Act of Parliament passed in 1734(17 Geo. II., cap. 2), some property at Paddington being given upon like trusts in exchange for the same. This last-mentioned property, however, has since been built upon, and in order to release the occupiers and owners of the buildings from any 129 liability to receive therein persons suffering from the Plague, in the event of an outbreak, the trusts were varied by the Court of Chancery, and tbe Charity is now administered under a scheme established by the Court in the year 1868. The endowment is described in the Order of the Court as consisting of 13 houses in Craven Hill Gardens, Paddington, and 7 coach-houses in Craven Mews, producing rentals amounting in all to £183 14s. per anuum; the sum of £15,537 in cash being the purchase-money of the premises in that neighbourhood acquired by the Metropolitan Railway Company, and £395 7s. 8d. Bank £.3 per cent. Annuities remaining on the credit of "Attorney-General v. Earl Craven." The net income of the Charity is applied in specific proportions to the funds of King's College Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital, the Governors of the former being required in consideration thereof to set apart 24 beds, and the Governors of the latter 16 beds, for patients sent by the Trustees of the Craven Charity. In addition to reserving this number of beds, the Governors of each of the hospitals named are also required to receive and treat as out-patients all poor persons resident in the parishes benefited by the Charity, who may be sent by the Trustees. Under the above-mentioned scheme, this Parish, as well as the parishes of St. Martin-in-the-Fields; St. George, Hanover Square (which has been formed out of the Parish of St. Martin since 1687); St. Clement Danes; and St. Paul, Covent Garden, participate in the benefits of the Charity. Four of the Trustees are appointed on the nomination of the Vestry; the present Trustees so appointed being Mr. F. Crane, Mr. J. Bonthron, Mr. R. W. Burgess, and Mr W. Winnett. A copy of the Accounts of the Charity for the year 1884 is given on page 220. 130 MRS. ANN NEWTON'S CHARITY. This Charity arises from the bequest, in the year 1811, of the sum of £1,000 by Mrs. Ann Newton, who directed that the same should be invested in the five per cents., and the interest thereof annually applied to apprenticing, or sending to sea, one of the poor boys attending St. James's Chapel (now the Union Schools, Wandsworth Common), and chosen by his fellows for good conduct. On the distribution of Mrs. Newton's effects, it was found that her personal estate was not large enough to admit of payment of the legacy in full, and the will became the subject of a protracted Chancery suit. The Court decided that Mrs. Newton's real property could not be charged with the legacy, and the amount thereof was reduced, after payment of the costs of the proceedings and duty, to £429 19s. 2d. This, however, was supplemented, in the year 1836, by the gift of £600 in Consols, by the Rev. W. Bagshaw, the executor of the will. The property of the Charity is now represented by the sum of £1,169 12s. l1d. Consols, and the income thereof is administered by the Governors and Directors of the Poor. A copy of the accounts of the Charity for the past year will be found on page 223. LE QUAINTER'S CHARITY. The only Charity which is administered by the Vestry is that known as Le Quainter's. It arises from a bequest, in 1782, by Mr. Peter Le Quainter, formerly a resident in Piccadilly, who directed that the income should be "equally distributed at Christmas amongst twenty poor persons who 131 are, or have been, housekeepers in the Parish of St. James, "Westminster, and such as the Rector and Churchwardens, and the other gentlemen for the time being who shall compose the Vestry of the said Parish, shall deem to be proper objects, and the most deserving to partake of the same." The property of the Charity consists of £9,909 2s. 9d. New Three per Cent. Annuities, and a statement of the accounts for the past year is given on page 222. OTHER PAROCHIAL CHARITIES. A list of other endowed Charities in which the Parish is interested is given on pages 226 to 232, and statements of the accounts on pages 221 to 225. ANCIENT CHARITIES OF ST. MARTIN'S. In the month of December a communication was received from the Charity Commissioners, stating that they were considering an application for a new scheme for the future regulation of the parochial Charities of St. Martin-in-theFields, some of which Charities were founded prior to the severance of St. James's, and certain other Parishes, from St. Martin's, and asking for any observations which the Vestry might desire to offer on the subject of the proposed scheme. The Vestry thereupon preferred a claim, on behalf of the Parish, to participate in the benefits of such of the Charities in question as were founded prior to the separation of St. James's from St. Martin s in the year 1685, and appointed a Committee to take steps for watching the interests of the Parish in the matter. The Committee are acting in concert with a Committee ot the Vestry of St. 132 George, Hanover Square, which is another Parish interested in the ancient Charities of St. Martin's, and, at the close of the year, awaited the framing of a scheme by the Charity Commissioners. THE VESTRY Consists of 48 elected and three ex-officio Members, and was constituted by the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855. It superseded an elected Vestry acting under the provisions of the Statute 1 & 2 William IV., cap. 60, which was adopted by the ratepayers of St. James's on the 6th April, 1832. All the powers of the former Vestry and of the Paving Commissioners acting under Local Acts, as well as some of the functions of the Commissioners of Sewers, were transferred to the newly-appointed body. An Act was passed in the year 1858 relative to the main drainage of the Metropolis, by which the Vestry, as the rating authority of the Parish, were required to meet precepts of the Metropolitan Board of Works for a Main Drainage Rate not to exceed 3d. in the pound per annum. In 1862 the powers of the Vestry were enlarged by the Metropolis Local Management Amendment Act, and in the following year turnpike roads in the Metropolis were transferred from Commissioners, who had power to levy tolls upon horses and other animals and vehicles, to the Local Authorities, whose expenses are defrayed from the rates. The Metropolitan Board of Works (Loans) Act, 1869, and Money Acts of the Board, subsequently passed, besides making some alterations in the mode of assessing the expenses of the Board, have afforded increased facilities for the raising of money by Vestries and District Boards, of which, however, the Vestry of St. James have not yet availed themselves. 133 The Vestry have also various powers under the Metropolitan Paving Act, 57 Geo. III., cap. 29, commonly known as Michael Angelo Taylor's Act, the Nuisances Removal Acts, the Metropolitan Building Acts, the Metropolis Gas Act, the Sanitary Act, 1866, the Artizans' and Labourers' Dwellings Act, 1868, better known as Torrens' Act, and other statutes. By the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts of 1875 and 1879. the Vestry are empowered to purchase samples of food and drugs for analysis, to appoint a Public Analyst, and to prosecute vendors of adulterated articles. Proceedings under these Acts during the past year are mentioned on page 167. There has been a growing tendency for some years to include in the local rates various sums for Metropolitan purposes over the expenditure of which local authorities do not possess the slightest control. Thus, since the establishment of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855, the Vestry have at different times been required by Parliament to provide funds for—(a) Main Drainage; (b) Fire Brigade; (c) Elementary Education; (d) Thames Bridges—purchase, maintenance, and rebuilding; (e) Artizans' Dwellings, and other purposes. A statement of moneys raised with the parochial rates for Metropolitan purposes is given on page 143. STANDING ORDERS. Operative Resolutions in the nature of Standing Orders have been passed during the year as follows:— 4th April, 1884.—That it be an instruction to each of the Inspectors of Nuisances to be in attendance at every meeting of the Sanitary Committee, and report their proceedings since the previous meeting (S. 2, p. 154). 134 5th June, 1884.—That cheques drawn for wages and payments in respect thereof be treated as a running account, instead of the balances being paid to the Treasurer fortnightly (F. 6, p. 26). 19th June, 1884.—That a book be kept in the Office, recording rates written off " Excused" or " Irrecoverable," and the reason why the same have not been collected, together with any further information which may be useful for reference in future (F. 6, p. 28). 1st August, 1884.—That the Inspectors of Nuisances be instructed to use Carbolic Acid at their discretion in any premises which they may be of opinion require disinfection by that means (S. 2, p. 186). 8th October, 1884.—That the use of the 15-ton roller be discontinued, and one not exceeding 10 tons used in future (W. 8, p. 191). 23rd October, 1884.-That the accounts of wages paid for Disinfecting, and statement of such work done, be examined by the Sanitary Committee before being submitted to the Finance Committee for approval (F. 6, p. 50). 5th November, 1884.—That the Inspectors of Nuisances be required to be in attendance when the Works Committee meet (W. 8, p. 211). 18th November, 1884.—That ordinary meetings of the Sanitary Committee be held at 11 o'clock on Tuesday mornings for the present (S. 2, p. 205). 4th December, 1884.—That the Surveyor be instructed to see that Contractors' pay-boxes and moveable offices, when placed in public streets, are as far as possible kept within the barriers enclosing the space reserved for the works. (V. 14, p. 360.) 4th February, 1885.—That in future Colza Oil be used for lubricating the Sweeping Machine (W. 8, p. 294). March 12th, 1885.—That in future the recommendations of the Sanitary and Parliamentary Bills Committee relating exclusively to Sanitary matters be considered by the Vestry, prior to the recommendations relating to Parliamentary matters, and that the recommendations of the Committee be arranged on the Vestry Agenda accordingly (V. 14, p. 478). 135 THE ELECTION OF VESTRYMEN AND AUDITORS OF ACCOUNTS Was held on Monday, the 19th day of May, the places appointed for the purpose being—Pall Mall Ward, Willis's Rooms, King Street; Church Ward, Vestry Hall, Piccadilly; Golden Square Ward, National School House, Marshall Street; and Great Marlborough Ward, Board Room, Poland Street. In consequence of Mr. F. EL Bingham having been returned for two wards, and choosing to represent Church Ward, a second election of one member became necessary in Golden Square Ward, resulting in the return of Mr. J. H. Edwards. The total expense of conducting the elections, including the hire of rooms, publication of notices, and taking a poll in Great Marlborough and Golden Square Wards, amounted to £18 19s. 6d., and an order for payment of this sum from the Poor Rate was accordingly made by the Vestry in accordance with the Statute. A list of the Vestrymen and Auditors of Accounts will be found on pages 7 and 8. VESTRY AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS. The following is the number of meetings held during the year Vestry Meetings 37 Finance and House Committee 24 Sanitary, Parliamentary Bills, and General Purposes Committee 20 Carried forward 81 136 Brought forward 81 Works and Improvements Committee 30 Lighting Committee 5 Special and Sub-Committee 24 Total 140 The Vestry usually meet on alternate Thursday mornings, but a special meeting may be convened at any time upon the requisition of five members, and some of the ordinary meetings are suspended at vacation times. Four Standing Committees are appointed annually, in accordance with the bye-laws of the Vestry, and meet as frequently as occasion may require. Special Committees are appointed from time to time to consider subjects not coming within the ordinary duties of either of the Standing Committees. Were elected on the 17th day of April, when Mr. Frederick Crane, of 55, Regent Street, and Mr. William Cox, of 57, Pall Mall, were again unanimously chosen to fill this ancient office. Were elected by the Yestry on the 17 th day of April, the under-mentioned gentlemen being selected to fill the office:— Mr. James Thomas Robertson, 7, St. James's Street. Mr. Samuel Morle, 102, Jermyn Street. Mr. Robert Gurney Barclay, 69, Pall Mall. Mr. James McMillan, 104, Jermyn Street. CHURCHWARDENS SIDESMEN 137 OVERSEERS OF THE POOR. Eight parishioners were nominated by the Vestry on the 17th day of April, 1884, to serve as Overseers of the Poor. The gentlemen chosen from this list, and appointed by the Justices of the Peace at a Petty Sessions held on the same day to act as Overseers for the year 1884-5, were Mr. John Malin, 117, Jermyn Street. Mr. Frederick Jenkins, 4 and 5, St. James's Place. Mr. Henry Venn, 42, Jermyn Street. Mr. William Yorke, 102, Berwick Street. GOVERNORS AND DIRECTORS OF THE POOR. In accordance with the requirements of the Local Act,. 2 Geo. III., cap 58, the Vestry met on the 17th April, 1884, for the purpose of appointing twenty-one "substantial and discreet" persons,either from their own body, or from among the Justices of the Peace for Middlesex or Westminster, or other "creditable inhabitants" of the Parish, such persons, together with the Churchwardens or Overseers of the Poor, to be called Governors and Directors of the Poor. Particulars of the creation of the Board are given on page 112, and a statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Board will be found on page 216. REPRESENTATIVE AT THE METROPOLITAN BOARD OF WORKS. One member of the Metropolitan Board of Works is elected by the Vestry of St. James, under the provisions of the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855. Mr. T. H. K 138 Elam, the present representative of the Parish, was first elected in the year 1877, and has since been from time to time continuously re-elected. OFFICERS OF THE VESTRY. For the third year in succession the Vestry have to record the death of an officer; Mr. J. H York, Rate Collector for the Great Marlborough Ward, having died on the 29th September. Mr. York had held the appointment for many years, and enjoyed the entire confidence of the Vestry and the respect of the ratepayers of his ward. Mr. James Scott, Collector for the Church Ward, was requested to complete the collection of the year's rates in the Great Marlborough Ward, as a temporary measure, and applications were subsequently invited from substantial householders in the Parish desirous of holding the appointment of Collector for the lastmentioned ward. Four applications were received for the appointment; and the choice of the Vestry fell upon Mr. Frederick Green, of 20, Marshall Street, who was accordingly appointed with an allowance of £200 per annum, subject to his giving satisfactory security for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. The practice of specially appointing a Solicitor for transacting legal business as it arose did not prove entirely satisfactory, and on the 27th March, 1884, the Vestry appointed Messrs. Capron, Dalton, Hitchins, and Brabant, of Savile Place, as Standing Solicitors. There is no salary attached to the appointment of Solicitor, payment being made for the business done. The only other change that has occurred in the staff of officers is the appointment of Mr. J. Lund as Stoneyard Clerk, at a salary of £80 per annum, in succession to Mr. Horey, resigned. 139 According to custom, the salaries of the whole of the officers were considered in January, and revised in such manner as the Vestry deemed advisable. It may be mentioned that the cost of administration has of late years been largely reduced, and that, in consequence of a re-organisation, the total charge for salaries of the officers is £150 per annum less than it was three years ago, although the work of the Vestry is constantly increasing. A list of the officers of the Vestry and their respective salaries is given on page 207. FINANCIAL. It will be seen on reference to the accounts given on page 202, that the year commenced with a balance in the Treasurer's hands amounting to £14,606 7s. 6d. The sum of £65,582 8s. 7d. was received during the twelve months, and the expenditure for the same period reached a total of £63,455 16s, 11d., leaving a balance of £16,729 19s. 2d. on the 25th March, 1885. Against this cash balance, however, there were on the lastmentioned date, debts and liabilities properly chargeable to income amounting to £12,133 17s. 3d., with assets (exclusive of cash balance) estimated to realise £914 15s. 9d., leaving a surplus of £5,510 17s. 8d. to be carried to the credit of the present year. LOANS. The only loan now outstanding is the sum of £3,428 l1s. 6d. being the balance of the loan of £8,000 taken up in the year 1880, for wood paving works in Regent Street (Oxtord k2 140 Street to Piccadilly Circus and Picadilly). The loan is secured by mortgage of the General Pates, and the final payment in respect thereof becomes due in 1887. The Vestry have, however, decided to take up another loan of about £10,000 forthe purpose of defraying the cost of paving certain streets with asphalte during the year 1885. HATING OF VACANT PROPERTY. Having received a communication from the Board of Works for the St. Olave District on the subject of existing exemption from local taxation of unoccupied land and buildings, such exemption not infrequently continuing for a long period, the Vestry took the matter into consideration, and passed a resolution thereon as follows:— That the Vestry are of opinion that the period during which land and buildings remain exempt from Local Taxation on account of want of beneficial occupation should be more restrictedly limited than at present, and should never, under any circumstances, exceed two years, unless all reasonable steps have been taken by the parties in possession of any such land or buildings to obtain a tenant at a fair market value. RATEABLE VALUE. The rateable value, according to the last quinquennial revaluation of the whole Parish in 1880, amounted to £666,813. This amount has since been increased by three supplemental aluation lists, and the total rateable value, as amended by the list coming into force on the 6th April, 1885, is 141 ,£687,949. The increase each year since 1885 has been as follows:— Supplemental List, 6th April, 1882 £2,086 „ „ „ 21883 1,359 „ „ „ 1884 10,054 „ „ „ 1885 7,637 £21,136 RATES were made by the Vestry during the year as follows:— Amount in the Pound. s. d. Poor Rate (including, in addition to charges for the Relief of the Poor, Police, County, and Lunatic Rates, contributions to the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund, and other general charges) 1 8 General Rate for the lighting, maintenance, repairing and cleansing of streets, watering carriageways, administration expenses, precepts of the School Board for London, and proportion of the Bridge Expenses of the Metropolitan Board of Works 1 3½ Sewers Rate, for the maintenance, repairing, and cleansing of sewers vested in the Vestry 0 1 Metropolitan Consolidated Rate, for meeting the precept of the Metropolitan Board of Works, so far as relates to the Fire Brigade, Main Drainage, Metropolitan Improvements, and general expenses of the Board 0 6½ Total 3 7 This amount compares favourably with the two previous years, the rates having been 3s. 10d. in the pound for 1883-4, and 3s. 9d. for 1882-3. It will thus be seen that the rates were actually lower last year than for two years previously, 142 in spite of a continuous increase in the demands of the School Board and other central authorities. The following statement shows the amount of the rates, and the collection thereof:— Poor Rate— £ s. d. Amount of rate as levied 56,648 0 0 Arrears of former rates 331 2 0 Rates on property assessed during the year 29 18 3 £57,009 0 3 Collected 54,030 0 5 Loss from empty houses, &c. 2,286 7 3 Arrears at close of year 692 12 7 £57,009 0 3 Other Parochial Rates— Amount of rates as levied 65,145 4 0 Arrears of former rates 387 14 6 Rates on property assessed during the year 34 10 4 £65,567 8 10 Collected 62,154 1 4 Loss from empty houses, &c. 2,633 3 6 Arrears at close of year 780 4 0 £65,567 8 10 Under the provisions of the Local Acts of Parliament relating to the Parish of St. James, the rates are made annually, but are recoverable by four quarterly instalments. For the convenience of Parishioners, however, it has become the practice to collect the rates in two half-yearly sums. In view of the increasing demands by central Authorities over whose expenditure the Vestry do not possess any control, although for economy in collection the funds are raised with 143 the local rates, the following statement will be of interest to ratepayers:— Total amount expended. £129,613 1s. 0d. Under control of Local Authority. Poor Rate:— £ s. d. Expended by Guardians of the Poor in relief, &c. 23,809 7 1 Registration of Voters, Printing, Cost of Collection 1,752 0 2 General and Sewers Rates:— Paving, Scavenging, Cleansing, &c., Local Sewers, and Ad ministration Expenses 22,769 11 2 £48,330 18 5 Not under control of Local Authority. Poor Rate:— £ s. d. Metropolitan Asylums District 11,701 5 8 Central London Sick Asylum 2,329 7 6 Metropolitan Common Poor Fund 8,137 1 4 Police 14,173 3 4 County & Lunatic Asylums Rates 4,251 19 0 General Rate:— Expenses of School Board 22,328 0 2 Metropolitan Consolidated Rate:— Expenses of Metropolitan Board of Works 18,361 5 7 £81,282 2 7 The following is a statement of the sums paid to Metropolitan and County Authorities from the rates of this Parish during each of the two preceding years:— 1882-3. 1883-4. £ s. d. £ s. d. Metropolitan Asylums District 8,900 0 0 8,714 10 7 Central London Sick Asylum 3,550 0 0 3,242 0 0 Metropolitan Common Poor Fund 7,750 0 0 6,891 2 9 Police 13,532 9 10 14,145 4 8 County and Lunatic Asylums Rates 4,168 2 0 4,189 2 2 Expenses of School Board 16,465 16 2 19,074 14 10 Expenses of Metropolitan Board of Works 17,613 17 5 17,583 5 5 £71,980 5 5 £73,840 0 5 144 The payments to Central Authorities last year amounted to £7,446 2s. 2d. more than for the previous year, and it will be seen that of the total sum raised under the name of local rates, a very small proportion is applicable to strictly local expenditure, no less than £81,282 2s. 7d. of the total of £129,613 1s. Od. having been paid over during the year to various Authorities over whose expenditure the Vestry and other Parochial Boards have no control. The efforts of the Vestry to reduce the rates bv an economical administration in */ local affairs are thus to a large extent neutralised by the growing expenditure of Central Authorities. The following statement illustrates the enormous increase in the demands of the Metropolitan Board of Works and the School Board for London during the last ten years:— 1875-6 1876-7 1877-8 1878-9 1879-80 1880-1 1881-2 1882-3 1883-4 1884-5 Metropolitan Board of Works 11,681 10,956 11,442 11,594 14,008 15,357 16,546 17,614 17,583 18,361 School Board for London 6,705 9,374 12.364 12,195 13,115 15,064 15.941 16,466 19,075 22,328 Total 18,386 20,930 23,806 23,789 27,123 30,421 32,437 34,080 36,658 40,689 The total amount raised with the local rates for these two Boards alone, during the ten years, is £288,369, being an average of £28,836 per annum. These precepts, which, in the year 1875-6, represented a rate of 7¾d. in the pound, had increased to a rate of 1s. 2¼d. in the pound in 1884-5, and in actual amount have more than doubled in ten years. The precepts for the year 1885-6 show a further increase of £2,691 in the demand of the Metropolitan Board of Works, and £2,173 in that of the School Board for London. The increase in these two precepts represents an addition of 2d. in the pound to the rates for the year 1885-6. 145 VESTRY PROPERTY. Vestry Hall.—The Hall having been thoroughly renovated in 1883 required no substantial repairs last year. The policy of Fire Insurance having expired, a fresh insurance for an increased amount (£3,500) was effected in the Westminster Fire Office for a term of seven years on payment of the sum of £5 l1s 6d. The insurance of the plate-glass with the National Provincial Plate-Glass Insurance Company has been continued. Two additional hat and umbrella stands have been obtained, at a cost of £17 5s. Stoneyard.—The wall of the stoneyard abutting on the premises of the Westminster Union has been re-built. Disinfector.—The Disinfecting Apparatus which has been in use for many years, having become nearly worn out, the Vestry have decided to purchase a new Disinfector of modern construction, at a cost, including erection, &c., of about £220. Mortuary.— This building has been maintained in good condition and is increasingly used, compared with some former years. The bodies of 43 persons have been received in the Mortuary during the year, and the Disinfecting Chamber has been used on 93 occasions. The Vestry particularly desire that medical men, the clergy, district visitors, and others, who may be brought into contact with the poor, as well as hotel-keepers, &c., should be aware of the provision thus made for the decent reception of bodies removed from overcrowded dwellings, or places where it is impossible or not convenient to retain the remains of the dead until burial. As the main object of 146 providing a Mortuary and Disinfecting Chamber is to protect the parishioners at large against the spread of infectious disease, the buildings may be used without charge. OTHER PARISH PROPERTY. In the year 1819, eleven freehold houses on the east side of Marshall Street were purchased from the Earl of Craven, for the sum of £6,132, for Parochial purposes, but as the transaction does not appear in the Parish Accounts, it is uncertain from what source the funds were derived. Two of the houses are now absorbed into the Workhouse premises, and the site of three others has been utilised for the erection of the Public Baths and Wash-houses. The remaining six houses are let on repairing agreements, and realise a rent of £295 per annum, which, together with the sum receivable from the Westminster Union in respect of that portion of the Workhouse premises belonging to the Parish of St. James, is applied in aid of the Poor Rate. ALTERATIONS TO THE PARISH CHURCH. In the month of June, the Rector and Churchwardens submitted for the approval of the Yestry, plans for certain proposed alterations to the Parish Church, with a view to applying for a faculty to carry on the work. These alterations included the re-seating of the Church, the erection of seats at the east end of the building for the Choir, a rearrangement of the heating apparatus, and the erection of a porch at the north-western entrance. The plans had previously been approved by the Bishop of London, and the Yestry not seeing any objection to the same, sanctioned the application for a faculty. A faculty having been obtained 147 the proposed alterations were made, and the Church reopened for Divine Service on the 19th October. SCAVENGING, DUST REMOVAL, &c. A revision of the conditions of the contract for dust removal and scavenging has led to a considerable reduction in the cost. The number of road sweepers employed by the Vestry is reduced to 18, and the total cost of the work for last year was £4,469 13s. 4d., compared with £5, 498 16s. 8d. for the previous year. Details of the cost will be found on page 206, Appendix B. The following is a statement of the number of loads reported to have been removed from the parish during the Year : — Cart loads. Wagon loads. Dust 4,540 1,689 Slop 1 255 4,796 A revision of the conditions of the contract for Street Watering has also resulted in a large saving, in spite of the exceptional dryness of the season of 1884. The cost last year was £934 9s. 8d., or £197 15s. 2d. less than in 1883-4. CONTRACTS FOR WORKS AND MATERIALS. The contracts entered into last year for a period of three years, terminable at the end of the first or second year at the option of the Vestry, are still in force. STREET LIGHTING. On the 25th March, 1884. there were 745 public lamps in the various thoroughfares of the Parish, 726 oi which were ordinary street lamps (540 burning cannel gas, and 186 148 burning common gas), 4 were urinal lamps, and 15 were larger lamps attached to refuges. On the 25th March, 1885, the number of lamps was 750, showing an increase of 5 in the twelve months; the proportion of different lamps is now 525 cannel gas street lamps, 201 common gas street lamps, 4 urinal lamps, and 20 refuge lamps. The whole of these lamps are lighted, extinguished, cleaned, and maintained by the Gas Company under an arrangement with the Vestry; the agreed sum being £2 11s. 2d. per annum for each ordinary street lamp, whether burning cannel or common gas, ft. of cannel gas being supplied per lamp per hour, and 3 ft. of common gas. As regards the refuge lamps, payment is made according to the consumption of gas as registered by meter. The total cost of street lighting for the past year amounted to £2,295 8s. 8d., exclusive of new lamp-posts, lanterns and fittings, which cost a further sum of £253 11s. 8d. The price of cannel gas for street lighting was reduced from 3s. 4d. to 3s. Id., and of common gas from 2s. 8d. to 2s. 6d. per 1,000 cubic feet on the 1st Januarv last. The following statement will perhaps show the extent of this reduction more clearly :— Consumption per hour. Cannel Gas @ 3/4 per 1,000 feet. Aunual Charge per lamp. (Old Price.) Cannel Gas. @ 3/1 per 1,000 feet. Annual Charge per lamp. (Reduced Price.) Difference per lamp per annum. 2½ feet. £2 13 10 £2 11 2 2/8 less. 4 feet. 3 15 5 3 11 0 4/4 less. 5 feet. 4 9 8 4 4 3 5/5 less. Common Gas. @ 2/8 per 1,000 feet. Common Gas. @ 2/6 per 1,000 feet. 3 feet. 2 13 10 2 11 2 2/8 less. 149 The cost of street lighting shows a diminution of £177 16s. 10d. for the year, as compared with the cost for the previous twelve months, the difference being entirely due to a reduction in the price of gas. Some improved lamps have been fixed at Piccadilly Circus, and the lighting of Pall Mall, near Waterloo Place, has been increased. With a view to still further improving the lighting of the last-mentioned locality, the Yestry suggested to the Commissioners of Works that the heavily metalled lamps at each side of the Guards' Memorial should be removed and replaced by globes of more modern description. The Commissioners, however, stated that they were not prepared to make the suggested alteration, as the lamps were designed in connection with the monument. PRIVATE LAMPS. The Yestry some years since decided not to permit the erection of Private Lamps except upon the following conditions :— 1. That no part of such Lamps shall be less than 10 feet in height from the public footway. 2. That no such Lamps shall in any case project further than the inside of the kerb bounding the footway. 3. That all such Lamps shall be entirely free from writing or any trade devices, except in such cases as Medical Men, Post Office, Sweeps, Fire Engines, or other positions where they would be a public guide in cases of emergency. 4. That no Lamps shall be suspended by ball and socket-joint only. 5. That no Lamps on posts be agreed to unless they are kept lighted the whole night. 6. That a sketch of the proposed Lamps with their dimensions, and of any intended inscription thereon, be submitted with the application to the Vestry for approval. 150 ELECTRIC LIGHTING. The hope of the Vestry that before the publication of this Report some practical steps would have been taken to supply electricity under the Provisional Orders granted in the years 1883 and 1884, has not been realised. Having regard, however, to the experience which is being gained by large private installations, it is not improbable that this delay, although somewhat disappointing, may ultimately prove advantageous to the parishioners. As the Edison Company did not pay or secure the necessary deposit within the stipulated time, their order has lapsed, and as the Sun Company have not proceeded further with their application for a license, there is, at the present time, but one provisional order in force in the Parish, that of the West London Electric Lighting Company. The area of supply of this Company includes so much of the Parish as lies south and west of a line following the boundary of the Parish south of Conduit Street, thence along Regent Street to Air Street, across Piccadilly, down Eagle Place, along Jermyn Street to York Street, down York Street, across St. James's Square and Pall Mall, between the War Office and Carlton Club, to the boundary of the Parish. In the month of November, the Company applied to the Board of Trade for an extension of the time limited for paying or securing the deposit under the order, which would expire on the 3rd January following. It appearing that the Parent Company (the Telegraph Construction Company) had then in hand an extensive installation at Paddington, from which it was anticipated much practical knowledge would be gained with regard to central station lighting, the Yestry did not object to the short delay asked for, and the Board of Trade agreed to extend the time for six months. 151 An application was received for permission to lay an electric main under or over a street for lighting private premises with, electricity, but the Yestry did not feel justified in assenting to the proposal. LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS. Some progress has been made with the Little Pulteney Street and Rupert Street Improvement, but the completion of the work has been delayed by desire of the Crown and of the Vestry to cause as little inconvenience and loss as possible to the tradesmen and others who must necessarily be at least temporarily displaced by the demolition of their premises. A minor improvement proposed by the Trustees of the Sutton Estate for the re-arrangement of the building line in a portion of Smith's Yard has received the approval of the Vestry. NAMES OF STREETS. The only order made by the Metropolitan Board of Works affecting the designation of houses in this Parish during the past year was one for re-numbering some of the houses in St. James's Square. The carrying out oi this order met with some little opposition from certain residents in the Square, but the Board declined to rescind their order. The Metropolitan Board of Works have inquired as to the views of the Yestry respecting the suggested re-naming of certain streets in the Parish, in order to reduce the number oi repetitions of street names in the Metropolis, and the Vestry have expressed an opinion in favour of the suggestion, believing that, after the temporary inconvenience occasioned 152 by the change, the safe delivery of letters, parcels, &c., will be much facilitated. STREETS PARTLY SITUATE IN OTHER PARISHES. An Order was made by the Metropolitan Board of Works on the 6th March, 1857, placing that portion of Oxford Street which is situate in the Parish of St. James under the jurisdiction of the Vestry of St. Marylebone for all the purposes of the Metropolis Local Management Act. The cost of lighting, paving, cleansing, watering, &c., that portion of the thoroughfare is ascertained annually and paid by the Vestry. The annual charge for this work amounts to about £400. By an Order of the Metropolitan Board of Works, dated the 10th August, 1866, specified sections of the following thoroughfares are placed under the exclusive management of the Vestries of St. James and St. George, Hanover Square, respectively, throughout the entire width thereof, instead of according to the actual Parish Boundary, viz.: —Regent Street, Piccadilly, Burlington Gardens, St. James's Street, and Park Place. No payment is made by either Yestry to the other under this Order, the exchange of area being regarded as an equivalent. An Order was made by the Metropolitan Board of Works on the 21st December, 1883, placing so much of the carriageway of Wardour Street as lies south of Meard's Court under the exclusive management of the Vestry for the purposes of cleansing and maintenance, and the remainder of the street under the exclusive management, for the same purposes, of the Strand District Board. An arrangement made some years since with the Vestry of St. Martin-in-the-Fields for the apportionment of Coventry Street as regards the cleansing and paving, in 153 consequence of the boundary line being somewhat irregular is still in force. . PAYING AND DRAINAGE WORKS. The Vestry have given much attention during the year to the maintenance and repair of the streets. The wood pavement which was laid in Argyll Street some years since has been renewed throughout at a cost of £502 11s. lid. The pitching in Wardour Street has been replaced with wood at a cost of £1,039 2s. 6d., and wood has been substituted for Macadam in Argyll Place, and the eastern end of Piccadilly, at a cost of £891 3s. 11d. Asphalte has been laid in Poland Street, Vigo Street, Little St. James's Street, and Crown Court, Pall Mall, at a cost of £1,481 15s. 7d., and Wilkes's “ Eureka" paving has been laid by way of experiment in short lengths of foot-way in different parts of the Parish. The pitched pavement in the carriageway of Bury Street was removed and replaced by a Macadam surface, at a cost of £320 12s. 7d., and it is in contemplation to make a similar alteration in some other streets. Several applications for the substitution of a quieter or cleaner description of paving than that at present existing were received, and each case was carefully considered. In some instances, the Vestry were able to make the desired change, in others a change will be made when the road requires a thorough repair; other applications have been deferred. Particulars of the above-mentioned works, and of the paving repairs carried out during the year, will be found on pages 192 to 196. L 154 The most extensive drainage work carried out during the year was the reconstruction of the sewer in Cambridge Street and Broad Street. Tenders were invited for this work, upon a specification prepared by the Vestry's Surveyor, and the tender of Mr. J. Mears, of Hammersmith, for the sum of £750, was accepted. Some smaller drainage works have also been carried out, and constant attention has been given to the flushing and cleansing of the sewers. The subject of sewer ventilation has occupied much time and attention during the year, and some experiments are now being made in the hope that some practical information may thus be obtained to aid in the solution of this difficult question. With regard to house drainage it may be of interest to householders in the Parish to learn that a Register of new drains, or future alterations made to drains, commencing from the 25th March, 1884, will in future be open to the inspection of persons having any interest in the premises appearing in such Register. It is a matter for regret that this Register will, at first, apply to comparatively few buildings, as most of the house drainage work in this Parish was carried out before the sanction of the Vestry was required to the same. Some further particulars relating to the repair and cleansing of sewers and drains will be found in the Reports of the Surveyor and the Medical Officer of Health, which follow the Vestry's Report. REFUGES. The following is a list of Refuges in the Parish :— Pall Wall, by the United Service Club. ,, „ by the Athenaeum Club. „ „ by St. James's Palace. ,, ,, by the Haymarket. 155 Piccadilly, by St. James's Street. ,, by Burlington House. ,, by the Haymarket. Piccadilly Circus (3 Refuges). Regent Street, by Oxford Circus, „ „ by Argyll Place. „ ,, by Conduit Street. „ „ by Glasshouse Street. „ „ by Air Street. „ „ by the County Fire Office. „ „ by Jermyn Street. ,, by Charles Street. ,, ,, by the Haymarket. St. James's Street, by King Street. „ ,, by Pall Mall. Waterloo Place, between the Athenaeum and United Service Clubs. CONSTRUTION OF VAULTS. The following regulations have been made in regard to the construction of vaults under footways :— 1. That plans and sections of proposed vaults be submitted and deposited with the Vestry. '2. That no deviation from such plan as sanctioned be made during the execution of the work, without the consent of the Vestry. 3. That all walls and arches be at least one brick, or nine inches, thick. 4. That the space from the upper surface of the pavement to the outside of the vault be in no case less than three feet. 5. That no vault be allowed to project beyond the outside line of kerb where the footway is ten feet or more in width, and in no case shall the outside of the brickwork be carried nearer than three feet six inches to the centre line of the carriageway. SANITARY. It will be seen on reference to the Report of the Medical Officer of Health, commencing on page 235, and the L 2 156 appendices thereto, that continuous attention has been paid to the abatement and removal of nuisances. It is impossible, however, to convey any accurate idea of the extent or value of sanitary work by the mere tabulation of figures. The most satisfactory proof of the value of this department of the Vestry's work is afforded by the reduction in the rate of mortality in the Parish since the creation of a sanitary department some thirty years since. Two officers are constantly engaged in the work of inspection with a view to detecting and removing nuisances, but the Vestry are still more anxious to prevent unsanitary conditions which give rise to nuisances. With this object they once more appeal to the parishioners for intelligent co-operation, especially to such as by their avocations are brought into contact with residents in the poorer and more crowded districts. The Vestry have much pleasure in acknowledging the assistance they have received during the year from the Sanitary Aid Committee, the National Health Society, and other voluntary agencies, as well as from officers of public bodies and many individual ratepayers, in questions relating to the public health, and they will be glad at all times to receive early information of any nuisance or supposed nuisance. It is not absolutely necessary that the name and address of the informant should be given in all cases, although it is very desirable that this should be done where possible, in order to save loss of time in fruitless inquiry. Another and most valuable mode of assisting; in maintaining a high degree of public health is for each householder to insist upon scrupulous cleanliness being observed in the premises under his control. Where cisterns are in use they should be Kept covered and be cleansed at sufficiently frequent intervals; if they are used as receptacles for drinking water they should be disconnected from water closets and drains; care should be taken to keep the drains clean and properly 157 trapped; attention should be paid to the ventilation of dwelling rooms; and no foul accumulation should be permitted to remain in the dust bin. Information and advice on all these subjects, and on any other points relating to the public health or sanitary precautions, may be freely obtained at the Yestry Hall. It cannot be too earnestly urged that the neglect of sanitary measures in a small area, perhaps in a single house, may lead to a serious and widespread epidemic. The Vestry have therefore no hesitation in saying that a timely intimation to their Medical Officer of Health may prevent very serious consequences and actual loss of life. COWSHEDS AND SLAUGHTER HOUSES. There are now no cowsheds in the Parish, and only two slaughter houses. The licenses of the latter were renewed in October, the premises having been kept in a satisfactory condition. PUBLIC VACCINATION. The spread of small-pox in some parts of the Metropolis in the early part of the year 1884, naturally brought the subject of Public Vaccination under the notice of the Vestry. It cannot be too widely known that vaccination carefully and efficiently performed in infancy and renewed at the age of adolescence is almost entirely a preventive of small-pox. The statistics of the Metropolitan Asylums Board show that if the disease is contracted at all after vaccination it is usually of a mild type, and that the rate of mortality in such cases is exceedingly low. As the local Sanitary Authority, the Vestry have cast upon them the duty of preventing the outbreak and spread ot 158 epidemic diseases (small-pox included), and are, therefore largely interested in the administration of the law relating to public vaccination. At present both the Vaccination Officer and the officer appointed to see that the law is observed, are employed by the Guardians of the Poor, and although the Vestry fully believe that in the Westminster Union the arrangements for public vaccination are ample and conscientiously carried out, they entertain a very decided opinion that the Vaccination Acts might be administered to greater advantage if the appointment and control of the medical practitioners for vaccinating purposes, and of the officers for enforcing the law, were vested in the local Sanitary Authority instead of the Poor-Law Guardians. The present system would appear to be open to two objections; firstly, some prejudice against vaccination has arisen on account of its association with the Poor Law machinery, and secondly, it has a tendency to familiarise the poor with pauperism. But, in addition to these objections, it seems anomalous to place part of a system for preventing epidemic diseases under the control of the Poor Law Administration while there is a Sanitary Authority in the same district. It is also evident that such a course might endanger the public health or largely increase the cost of administration if these two authorities did not act in harmony. Having regard to these considerations, the Vestry brought the subject under the notice of the Local Government Board, and suggested that at the first convenient opportunity a Bill should be introduced into Parliament for transferring the administration of the law relating to vaccination, so far, at least, as the Metropolis is concerned, from the Poor Law Guardians to the various local Sanitary Authorities. The Vestry sought and received, to some extent, the cooperation of the other Sanitary Authorities of the Metropolis 159 in the matter, but the Government have not yet taken any action. It may be added that the Vaccination Officer of the Guardians and the Sanitary officers of the Vestry act in thorough harmony, the latter supplying early information to the former of houses coming under their notice where cases of small-pox have recently occurred, with a view to the other inmates of the house, or dwellings in the vicinitv thereof, being vaccinated if necessary. HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION FOR NON-PAUPER CASES. Under the provisions of the Sanitary Act, 1866, the Vestry have authority to provide hospital accommodation for non-pauper patients suffering from infectious diseases, and to remove to hospitals any such patients who are without proper lodging or accommodation, or lodged in a room occupied by more than one family. The Vestry have, however, not felt justified in incurring the expense of providing a hospital and maintaining a separate establishment for the treatment of the few cases of infectious disease requiring removal, which occur in this Parish, but have invariably sought the aid of the Officers of the Guardians of the Poor to obtain the admittance of all such cases (except patients able to pay the fees charged at the London Fever Hospital, or the Highgate Small-pox Hospital, as the case may be) to the Hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. In theory, the Hospitals of the Board are intended lor pauper cases only, but in fact they are largely used by Sanitary Authorities, through the intermediation of the Poor Law Officers, for the reception of the class ol persons for whom apparently the Sanitary Act of 1866 (which was 160 passed before the establishment of the Asylums Board) contemplated provision should be made by the Sanitary Authorities. It must, moreover, be borne in mind that if a person dependent upon his daily labour for a livelihood is attacked with serious illness, he practically becomes, in many instances, unable to obtain for himself the treatment which he requires, and his removal to hospital is therefore justifiable on more than sanitary grounds. The practice, however, of limiting admission to the Board's Hospitals to orders signed by Relieving Officers is open to the objection of associating what is frequently a purely sanitary precaution with the machinery employed in the administration of the Poor Law. For this reason, as well as on grounds of economy and protection of the public health, apart from consideration of poverty on the part of the sufferer, the Vestry have for many years held the opinion that the hospitals of the Asylums Board should be open to the reception of all cases of infectious disease, without regard to the status of the sufferer, which cannot be properly isolated and treated at home. It was, therefore, with some degree of satisfaction that the Vestry learned in November last that the Metropolitan Asylums Board contemplated seeking power from the Local Government Board, under the Poor Law Act, 1879, to admit patients to their hospitals by an admission order, signed by the Medical Officers of Health, as well as by the orders of Relieving Officers. The Vestry expressed their approval of this course being adopted, and asked the Asylums Board to proceed in the matter. CHOLERA. In view of a threatened visitation of cholera, the Local Government Board issued a memorandum to the Local 161 Sanitary Authorities of the Metropolis, respecting the precautions to be taken against the spread of the disease, should it unfortunately appear in London. The subject had, however, already received the attention of the Sanitary Committee, who had given special instructions for the maintenance of the streets and public places in a cleanly state, believing that cleanliness is the best preventive, not of Cholera only, but of many other forms of disease. Later in the year, the Metropolitan Asylums Board asked permission to place in such streets as might be agreed upon portable ambulance stations, in order to expedite the removal to hospital of persons attacked by cholera, but believing that the adoption of such a course would probably create a panic and really prove more prejudicial than beneficial to the public health, the Vestry withheld their assent from the proposal. SANITARY REGULATION OF HOUSES LET IN LODGINGS. Under the 35th section of the Sanitary Act, 1866, as extended by the 47th section of the Sanitary Amendment Act, 1874, the Local Government Board may, upon the application of the Nuisance Authority, (i.e., in this Parish, the Vestry,) empower such Authority to make regulations (subject to the confirmation of the Local Government Board) with regard to houses which are let in lodgings, or occupied by more than one family, for the following purposes:— 1. For fixing the number of persons who may occupy a house or part of a house, so let or occupied. 2. For the registration of such houses. 8. For the inspection of such houses and the keeping of the same in a cleanly and wholesome state. 162 1. For enforcing therein the provision of privy accommodation and other appliances and means of cleanliness in proportion to the number of lodgings and occupiers, and the cleansing and ventilation of the common passages and staircases. 5. For the cleansing and limewhiting at stated times of such premises. 6. For the ventilation of rooms. 7. For the paving and drainage of the premises. S. For the separation of the sexes. 9. For notices to be given and precautions to be taken in case of any dangerously infectious or contagious disease, under the powers of the Acts of 1866 and 1874, or of the Acts therein mentioned. Early in 1867 the Vestry adopted the 35th section of the Sanitary Act, 1866. and with the approval of the Home Secretary (then the confirming authority) framed certain regulations for houses of the character contemplated by the section. These regulations were made for a period of one year only, and, not proving altogether satisfactory in operation, they were not renewed. Last year, however, the Local Government Board suggested the advisability of fresh regulations being made, and brought under the notice of the Vestry a code of model regulations which had been prepared for the guidance of Sanitary Authorities. Although little practical difficulty had been experienced in dealing with unsanitary dwellings under the general law, the Vestry recognised the desirability of arming themselves with powers to cope with special offences in a summary manner, and therefore devoted a considerable amount of time to consider the subject. The suggested regulations of the Local Government Board appeared in many respects inapplicable to a Parish like St. James's, and were, therefore, not adopted, although the essence of many of the regulations was incorporated in 163 other forms in the code which was eventually submitted to the Local Government Board for approval. The Local Government Board suggested several amendments in the regulations prepared by the Vestry, and after a short correspondence, it was arranged that representatives of the Local Government Board and of the Vestry should confer on the points in difference, with a view to arriving at some understanding with less delay than would be the case if a long correspondence were to ensue. A meeting was accordingly held at the offices of the Local Government Board on the 28th October, the Board being represented by Mr. Provis, one of their Assistant Secretaries, and Dr. Buchanan, their Medical Officer, and the Vestry by Mr. Bonthron, Chairman of the Sanitary Committee, the Vestry Clerk, and the Medical Officer of Health. The draft regulations and the suggested amendments were then discussed seriatim, and in the result the Board promised further to consider the views of the Vestry and communicate their decision in writing. In the month of December the Local Government Board suggested, as the result of the interview, certain modifica- 7 tions in the draft regulations, and the same having been carefully considered, the Vestry, in the month of March, expressed their willingness to adopt the amendments suggested by the Local Government Board, subject to some small alterations. Thus the matter stood at the close of the year. ARTISANS' DWELLINGS. This subject has continued to receive much attention from the Vestry. A request by the Vestry Tor an opportunity to inspect, and make representations upon, the plans tor the dwellings. 164 proposed to be erected on Crown land on the south side of Little Pulteney Street, before the same were approved, was courteously acceded to by the Hon. Charles Gore, Commissioner of Woods, &c., and a deputation was appointed to attend an interview with Mr. Gore on the subject. The plans were carefully examined, Mr. Cates, Crown Surveyor, being in attendance, and freely furnishing information on various points. The Vestry, on receiving the report of the deputation, made certain suggestions for the modification of the original plans, some of which it appeared Mr. Cates had already required to be carried out. Amended drawings were subsequently submitted, and met the objections of the Vestry to the original plans as far as the exigencies of the site would allow. These drawings have since been approved by the Commissioners, and building operations have been commenced. The Vestry have had under consideration the practicability of acquiring a block of buildings on the north side of Little Pulteney Street, and a committee was appointed to go fully into the subject, but having regard to the difficulties surrounding the question and the probability of early legislation following the report of the Royal Commission on the Housing of the Poor, the Vestry did not see their way to take any active measures in the matter. It may be stated that neither the Vestry, nor the Commissioners which they are empowered to appoint for providing lodgings for the labouring classes, have any power to purchase property by compulsion for the purpose of erecting artisans' dwellings. Assuming that the holder of every interest in a block of property is legally able to sell his interest, the Vestrv, or the Commissioners, would, it they desired to acquire it, be practically compelled to buy it at the vendor s own price. If, however, but one interest, however small, were held by a person under a legal disability, or unwilling to sell the 165 scheme, would necessarily prove abortive. It is probably due to the absence of a compulsory power of purchase beingvested in local Authorities that the Labouring Classes Lodging Houses Acts, the first of which was passed as far back as the year 1851, have not been adopted in a single instance. A proposal to apply one-half the purchase money received for the St. James's Burial Ground, Hampstead Road, to providing dwellings for the poorer working classcs is mentioned on page 122. INSPECTION OF BAKEHOUSES. The Factory and Workshop Act, 1883, having transferred to the Local Sanitary Authorities the duty of inspecting retail bakehouses, the Vestry printed and circulated, for the information of such of the parishioners as might be concerned, an abstract of the requirements of the law with regard to the cleanliness, ventilation, overcrowding, and sanitary condition of retail bakehouses, as follows:— 1. A bakehouse, to be in conformity with the Acts relating to retail bakehouses, is subject to the following requirements :— (a) It must be kept in a cleanly state, and free from effluvia, arising from any drain, privy, or other nuisance. (b) It must not be so overcrowded while work is carried on therein as to be injurious to the health of the persons employed, and shall be ventilated in such a manner as to render harmless, so far as practicable, all the gases, vapours, dust, or other impurities generated in the course of the manufacturing process that may be injurious to health. (c) The ceilings or tops of the bakehouse and all passages and staircases must either be painted with oil, or varnished, or limewashed, or partly painted or varnished, and partly 166 lime,washed. If painted or varnished, the surface must be covered with three coats of paint or varnish, and renewed once at least in every seven years, and washed with hot water and soap once at least in every six months. Limewashing is to be renewed once at least in every six months. No place on the same level with the bakehouse and forming part of the same building may be used as a sleeping place, unless it is effectually separated from the bakehouse by a partition extending from the floor to the ceiling, and has an external glazed window of at least nine superficial feet in area, of which at least four-and-a-half feet are made to open for ventilation. A. bakehouse must not be in such a state as to be on sanitary grounds unfit for use or occupation as a bakehouse. 4. No child, young person, or woman may be employed in a bakehouse contrary to the provisions of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1878. A list of penalties for the infringement of the law was appended, and attention was called to the additional requirements in the case of bakehouses brought into use after the 31st May, 1883. The bakehouses in the Parish (34 in number) are under frequent inspection by the sanitary officers of the Yestry, and it is satisfactory to remark that it has not been found necessary to take proceedings against the occupiers of any premises of that description during the past year. It must, however, be remarked, that two bakehouses, each kept by a foreigner, have required almost constant attention from the Sanitary Officers. DISCONTINUANCE OF WATER SUPPLY. In the month of January, the Vestry received a communication from the Vestry of Kensington, forwarding a copy 167 of a Report by their Medical Officer of Health on the discontinuance of the water supply to a number of dwellings in a mews in consequence of non-payment of the water rental, and suggesting that the power of the Water Companies to cut off the water should be repealed or modified. On taking the matter into consideration, it appeared to the Vestry that the case at Kensington, by which much inconvenience was caused to the tenants in consequence of the landlord refusing to pay the amount claimed by the company, or to exercise his right of obtaining a settlement of the dispute by a summons in the Police Court, might best be met by legally empowering tenants, under such circumstances, to satisfy the demand for rates, and deduct the amount so paid from rent due or becoming due. The Vestry accordingly asked the Local Government Board to introduce legislation with this object, and to make such legislation apply also to parochial and other rates. SALE OF FOOD, &c., ACTS. The result of the analysis of articles of common use under the provisions of these Acts during the past year points to the necessity of the constant vigilance of the Vestry's officers. Particular attention has been paid to milk sold among the poorer parishioners, and it is disappointing to find that numerous instances occurred where so called milk contained more than one-fourth its bulk of water, the percentage in one case being as high as 35. The importance ot maintaining a good standard of quality in an article ot such universal consumption is self evident, especially in the case of the children of the poor, who, to a far greater degree than those of the better-to-do, cannot afford to lose 168 the nutriment of which they are thus defrauded. A less important aspect of the question, but one not to be overlooked, is the pecuniary fraud perpetrated by the adulteration of food. The poor, in fact, frequently pay, bulk for bulk, actuallv a higher price for milk than their richer neighbours. In poor localities “ milk ” offered at 4d. per quart is freely bought, and taking 25 per cent. as not an uncommon proportiou of added water, the price paid for the milk in the mixture (putting the value of the water at nil) exceeds 5d. per quart. Of the 57 samples submitted to the Public Analyst during the year 15 were found to be admixed with foreign ingredients, or to have had a portion of their natural quality abstracted. Prosecutions were instituted in 9 cases, and a cautionary letter was written to each of the vendors of the other samples found to be adulterated. Fines varying from 5s. to £5 were inflicted upon the offenders in 6 cases, and 3 summonses were dismissed. The maximum penalty for selling, to the prejudice of the purchaser, an article of food or drink not of the nature, quality, or substance demanded is £20, and in cases of repeated offence, the Yestry will be compelled, in the interest alike of the purchaser and the honest trader, to ask the magistrate to inflict an exemplary penalty. The following is a list of the articles analysed :— Bread 2 Coffee 19 Milk 27 Mustard 5 Pepper 3 Water 1 57 The cost incurred by the Vestry for the year, in respect of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, is as follows: — 169  £ s. d. Allowance to Analyst 75 0 0 Purchase of samples, &c 13 0 £75 13 0 Fines recovered 8 15 0 Net cost to the Parish £66 18 0 SUMMARY PROCEEDINGS. Summonses have been taken out for the following offences: — Adulteration 9 Unsanitary condition of premises 8 Letting or occupying cellar dwellings 3 Obstructions 15 Erecting hoard without license 1 Non-payment of cost of reinstating pavement, &c. 1 Exposing unsound fruit for sale 2 Defective grating 1 Total 40 Three of the summonses were dismissed; in each of the other cases, fines were inflicted, orders made, or the necessary works carried out before the hearing of the summons. The summonses which were dismissed were all taken out under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act ; in two of these cases the reserved sample was submitted on the application of the defendants to the Analysts of the Inland Revenue Department, who reported that, in their judgment, the samples were free from adulteration ; the defence, in the third case, failing on its merits, rested on the technical liability of the person summoned, and the magistrate decided in favour of the defendant, M 170 ordering him, however, to pay the cost of the second analysis which had been paid at his request. DISORDERLY HOUSES. Several complaints were received of houses alleged to be used for immoral purposes, and inquiries were instituted with a view to proceedings in all cases where the complaint was substantiated by two householders. In most cases a notice by the Vestry of their intention to prosecute rendered further proceedings unnecessary. A Bill passed the House of Lords last session facilitating the suppression of disorderly houses, but unfortunately it failed to pass beyond the preliminary stage in the House of Commons. PREACHER ASSISTANT. Some question having been raised as to the continued liability of the Parish to pay from the Poor Rate the stipend of the Preacher Assistant (see page 81), having regard to the abolition by law of compulsory Church Rates, a Committee was appointed to consider the subject, and as the question may prove of more than passing interest, the following extract from their report is given :— The office of " Treacher and Assistant to the Rector" was created on the erection of the Parish in the year 1685, by the Act 1 Jac. II. cap. 22. The intention was manifestly to secure to the Parish the ministration of a resident clergyman, for the first Hector was Dr. Tenison, the then Vicar of St. Martin s, and in those days, and for very many years subsequently, it was a common practice for clergymen to hold several livings at the same time. The section of the Act (13) relating to the Preacher, provides that the Hector for the time being shall and may by and with the consent of the Vetrymen and Churchwardens, or any six or more of them, whereof one of 171 the Churchwardens to be one, nominate one able Minister in Priest's Orders to reside in the said Parish, to be Preacher and Assistant to the Rector and his successors, in the celebration of the Divine offices of praying and preaching and other duties incident to be performed in the said Church and Parish as the Rector shall require of him, which said Preacher shall continue in his place during his natural life if he shall so long inhabit there, except for some offence or misgovernment by him committed (unless for cause reasonable proved) he shall be displaced by the said Rector for the time being by and with the consent of the said Vestrymen or any six or more of them. The stipend of the Preacher is fixed by the Act (sec. 20) at £100 a year, which was to be raised by a special rate to be collected by the Churchwardens and paid to the Preacher by four quarterly payments. If default was made in any quarterly payment, two Justices were empowered to give relief according to the true intent of the Act, and cause the Churchwarden or Churchwardens offending therein to be imprisoned until payment was made. By a subsequent Act, however (20 Geo. II., cap. 29, see. 7), the stipend was made a charge upon the Poor Eate, instead of being required to be raised by a separate rate, the provision made by the Act of James II., in case of default of payment, being continued. Under the Act of James II., the Preacher was, in the absence of the Rector, a member of the Vestry, and the Act 56 Geo. III., cap. 54, sec. 54, provided that during a vacancy in the Eectory it shall be lawful for the Preacher to preside over any meeting held pursuant to any Act of Parliament requiring the Vestry to be held on a particular day. This enactment does not appear to apply to ordinary meetings of the Vestry as constituted by the Metropolis Local Management Act; section 2 of that Act providing only that the Incumbent and Churchwardens shall constitute a part of the Vestry, although as section 30 contemplates the person authorised by law or custom presiding over Vestry meetings, it may be doubtful to what extent the Preacher could insist upon attending special statutory meetings such as for the ascertaining and making of the rates during a vacancy in the rectory. With regard to the question of the payment of the Preacher's stipend, as affected by the Compulsory Church Eate Abolition Act, 1868 (31 and 32 ic. c. 109), the term " Church Eate " is limited by that Act to any rate raised for ecclesiastical purposes, which purposes are defined as the building, rebuilding, enlargement, and repair of any Church or Chapel, and any purpose to which by common or ecclesiastical law a Church Rate is applicable. As the stipend of a clergyman is not a legal charge on a Church Eate, and the payment to the Preacher is statutory, such payment is clearlv M 2 172 beyond the scope of the Church Rate Abolition Act, and is not in the least affected thereby The only course which appears open for abolishing the office of Preacher and Assistant to the Rector, is to obtain a private Act of Parliament, which, if unopposed, would cost from £500 to £600, and would require full compensation to be made to the present holder of the office, and probably to the Rector and his successors. Your Committee having fully considered the subject, are not prepared to advise the Vestry to take any action in the matter. This report was adopted by the Vestry on the 10th July. The following is a list of public urinals erected and maintained by the Vestry:— Blenheim Street 4 King's Arms Yard 3 Broad Street 8 Mason's Yard 3 Coach and Horses Yard 4 Vine Street 7 Cork Mews 2 Wells Street 5 Ham Yard 3 Having regard to the enormous number of persons passings along the streets of this Parish, the above-mentioned accommodation is manifestly insufficient to meet the needs of the case. Complaints are received from time to time of nuisances being committed in the less frequented thoroughfares and places, and the only real remedy for this state of affairs is a large increase in the number of public conveniences. Unfortunately, however, no sooner is a suitable site selected for an urinal than persons interested in property contiguous theretoobject to the proposal being carried into effect. Two instances of the kind have occurred during the past year, and the Vestry regret that their efforts to improve the condition URINALS. Situation. No. of Com- Situation, partments. No. of Compartments.. 173 of the Parish in this particular are frustrated from what they firmly believe to be mistaken motives. The cost of maintaining the urinals during the year is as follows:— £ s. d. Water for flushing 202 1 8 Wages for cleansing 62 8 0 £264 9 8 CAB RANKS. The following is a list of the Cab Banks in this Parish authorised by the Commissioner of Police:— No. of Places. Broad Street 12 Haymarket, Two Standings 32 Piccadilly 11 Regent Street 3 St. James's Square 10 St. James's Street 15 Waterloo Place 3 The only rank which has a Cabmen's Shelter is that in St. James's Square. The shelter was provided and is maintained at private expense. PILLAR LETTER BOXES. With the assent of the Vestry, pillar letter boxes have been erected by the Postmaster-General in the undermentioned thoroughfares:— Western District. Albany. Burlington Gardens. Coventry Street. Golden Square. Great Marlborough Street. New Burlington Street. 174 Western District—continued. Piccadilly, by the Egyptian Hall. Regent Street, by Piccadilly Circus. Eegent Street, Quadrant. Sackville Street. Silver Street. South-Western District. Haymarket, by Jermyn Street. Jermyn Street, by St. James's Church. Pall Mall, by the War Office. Pall Mall, by Waterloo Place. Park Place. St. James's Square, by Charles Street. One of these pillar boxes (that in Park Place) has been erected during the past year. FIXED POINTS. The following list of fixed points where a constable may be found at all times, is given for the information of Parishioners:— Marlborough House, Pall Mall. Oxford Circus. Piccadilly. Regent Street, by Beak Street. The Yestry have suggested that a constable should be stationed at the south end of St. James's Street to direct the traffic, and the Chief Commissioner of Police has promised to adopt this suggestion so soon as a constable can be spared for the purpose. FIRE BRIGADE. There is only one Fire Brigade Station in the Parish, viz., at 29, King Street, Regent Street (near Argyll Place), but other stations in adjoining Parishes are available in cases of 175 an outbreak of fire. The stations nearest this Parish are situate at No. 171, Great Portland Street, Oxford Street ; 33, King Street, Portman Square ; George Yard, Crown Street, Soho; and 44, Chandos Street, Covent Garden. Fire alarms in telegraphic communication with Fire Brigade Stations, have been erected by the Metropolitan Board of Works in the undermentioned thoroughfares:— Golden Square. Piccadilly, by St. James's Church. Pall Mall, by Marlborough House. Fire Escapes with attendants are nightly stationed in Golden Square and next the Parish Church, Piccadilly. MUSIC AND DANCING LICENSES. In accordance with the Standing Orders of the Court of Quarter Sessions, notices were given to the Vestry in the month of August, by intending applicants for Music and Dancing Licenses, as follows:— Bignell, Robert Richard, The Trocadero, 7 and 8, Great Windmill Street, for Music only. Dancer, John Malsbury, 0, Swallow Street, for Music only. Highton, Theodore Arthur, Piccadilly Art Galleries, for Music and Dancing. Leslie, George, St. James's Hall, Piccadilly and Regent Street, for Music and Dancing. Mitchell, William Stair, The Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, for Music only. Monico, Giacomo and Battista, Cafe Monico, for Music only. Spiers, Felix William, The Criterion, 221, Piccadilly, for Music and Dancing. Villiers, Robert Edwin, The London Pavilion Music Hall, Tichborne Street, for Music only. Willis, Frederick Wilson, and Willis, Edward Avery, Willis's Rooms, 26, King Street, for Music and Dancing. A license was granted by the Court of Quarter Sessions in each case, with the exception of the Cafe Monico, which was refused. 176 PARLIAMENTARY SCHEMES.—SESSION 1885. In accordance with the Standing Orders of Parliament, plans of projected schemes affecting the Parish were deposited with the Yestry Clerk in the month of November. These schemes were two in number. One of them was promoted by the London and North-Western Railway, and had for its object the enabling of the Company to purchase (the vendors being under a disability to sell) the leasehold interest in the premises at the corner of Piccadilly and Regent Circus, known as the Spread Eagle, and already in the occupation of the Company as a receiving office. To this proposal the Vestry did not see any objection, and consequently took no action in the matter. The other scheme, however, was of a very different nature, being a project to form a subway under the centre of Oxford Street. The plans did not show any material difference from schemes for a railway under Oxford Street, which had been promoted in former years, except that on this occasion the subway would be of smaller dimensions than the tunnel of previous schemes. The Yestry strongly dissented from the project, as on former occasions, but active opposition was rendered unnecessary in consequence of the promoters having failed to comply with the Standing Orders of Parliament, which prevented them proceeding with the scheme. BILLS IN PARLIAMENT. Among the Bills that have received attention during the year are the following:— Session 1884. Companies Acts Consolidation. Criminal Law Amendment. 177 Dwelling Houses Inspection. Factory Acts Extension (Shops). Hyde Park Corner Improvements. London Government. Metropolitan Police. Mortmain Law Amendment. Summary Jurisdiction (Repeal, &c.). Smoke Nuisance Abatement (Metropolis). Theatres, &c., Regulation (Metropolis). Waterworks Clauses Act, 18-17, Amendment. Session 1885. Factory Acts (Extension to Shops). Metropolitan Board of Works (Further Powers). Metropolitan Board of Works (Various Powers). Metropolis Management Elections (Ballot). Parliamentary Elections (Redistribution). Waterworks Clauses Act (1847) Amendment. Petitions relating to Bills in Parliament were presented as follows:— In favour of the Criminal Law Amendment Bill, by which it would be practicable to deal in a summary way with keepers of disorderly houses. Ayainst the Dwelling-houses Inspection Bill, the Theatres Regulation Bill, the Factory Acts (Extension to Shops) Bill, Smoke Nuisance Abatement (Metropolis) Bill, and the Metropolis Management Elections (Ballot) Bill. The Vestry also took action upon two other Bills. These were the Parliamentary Elections (Redistribution) Bill, and the Metropolitan Board of Works (Various Powers) Bill. By the former Bill it was proposed to divide the ancient and historic constituency of Westminster into three single-member boroughs, under the names of Westminster (comprising the parishes of St. Margaret and St. John), St. George, Hanover Square, and the Strand (comprising the Parishes of St. James, St. Martin, and the area of the Strand District) 178 respectively. This arrangement did not commend itself to the Vestry, and they united with the Westminster District Board of Works in an endeavour to retain the ancient Borough in its entirety with a representation of four members. Failing the adoption of this course, the Vestry suggested that Westminster should be divided into four divisions with a population of about 50,000 each, this appearing to be the basis upon which representation was granted to urban constituencies throughout the kingdom by the Bill, or that at least the proposed new Borough of Strand should be named St. James's after the Parish which contains the largest population and highest rateable value within its limits, and bears the name of the Court of Great Britain. The co-operation of the members for Westminster was sought to effect some such alteration in the Bill, and wras cordially given. It was with much gratification that the Vestry learned that the Government recognised the justice of the claim of Westminster not only to retain its ancient title, but to additional representation. The Borough of Westminster is consequently to return four members to Parliament in future instead of two as hitherto, and for this purpose to be divided into four divisions, each returning a member. With regard to the Metropolitan Board of Works (Various Powers) Bill, a clause appeared therein which would give the Board power to erect hoardings without obtaining the statutory license from the Local Authorities. The conflict of authority apparently opened up by this clause seemed so objectionable, that the Vestry determined to oppose the provision, a course which was also adopted by many other local authorities. The Board subsequently announced their intention of withdrawing the clause at the proper stage of the Bill in deference to the general objection which had been raised to it. 179 LONDON GOVERNMENT BILL. The Bill introduced by the Government for the creation of a Municipal Corporation for the whole Metropolis (which was not pressed to a second reading) received careful consideration. The Vestry appointed representatives to attend a Conference called by the Metropolitan Board of Works,, and another called by the Yestry of Marylebone. At a special meeting of the Yestry the following resolution was passed:— That whilst admitting the desirability of extending Municipal Government to the Metropolis at large, by a measure that shall .embrace the duties, powers, and privileges of the City Corporation and the Metropolitan Board of Works, this Vestry is of opinion that the London Government Bill now before Parliament is of an unsatisfactory character, inasmuch as it would practically abolish the existing system of local self-government without making proper provision for the administration of purely local affairs by duly elected local councils, and is objectionable in several other respects. The Yestry is further of opinion that any scheme for the Government of London should simplify and unify the system of local management in the various districts, by abolishing obsolete, conflicting, and overlapping bodies, and providing for the administration of local affairs on the same lines throughout the Metropolis, by elected local authorities possessing precisely similar functions within their respective districts. The Yestry subsequently convened a meeting of the ratepayers to consider the Bill, when a resolution in similar terms to the foregoing was adopted. It will be observed that the Yestry approve of the idea of one Authority being created with power to deal with all matters affecting the Metropolis as a whole, such as the supply of gas and water, main drainage, fire brigade, bridges, markets, and the like, but they considered that the Bill would cause an unnecessary disturbance in existing arrangements and lead to a heavy additional expenditure. Another 180 objection to the Bill was that the District Councils which it proposed to create would not possess any originating functions, but be vested with only such powers as might from time to time be delegated to them by the Common Council, thus possibly bringing the Metropolis and localities into conflict. The financial clauses were also objectionable, as the Common Council were to supervise the whole of the local budgets, to do which effectually would absorb such an enormous amount of time as to be practically impossible, while a perfunctory or formal supervision would lead to a divided responsibility and be worse than useless as any efficient check on local extravagance. The Vestry also regarded the proposed system of audit as unsatisfactory, and many other details of the Bill as open to considerable objection. But the principle of the Bill appeared to rest upon an assumption that both Metropolitan and local affairs could best be administered from one common centre, and the Vestry regarded this as so opposed to their own conviction and experience that they decided to petition against the Bill altogether rather than to seek to amend it in detail. The following extract from the petition to Parliament against the Bill will show in what respects the Vestry consider the ratepayers of this Parish in particular would have been prejudicially affected if the Bill had become law:— Firstly. The Overseers, who at present have practically no rating powers, and have no separate office or officers, will be the rating authority, and require a separate establishment. The Overseers are now nominated by the Vestry; but the Bill proposes to alter the mode of appointment, and vest the same in the Justices. The existing rating authority is the Vestry, which is a representative body; but under the Bill, the rating authority would bo non-representative in character, and not appointed (nor even nominated) by, nor responsible to, the ratepayers. Secondly. The Vestry are a corporate body, having a common seal, but the District Council which the Bill proposes to create in the place of the 181 Vestry is not to be incorporated. This provision your petitioners consider objectionable and retrogressive. Thirdly. The Vestry administer an endowed Charity, having an income of about £300 per annum, without cost to the Charity, except for printing. The Bill proposes that such charities should be administered by a separate Trust to be hereafter created. Fourthly. The Vestry at present elect both Churchwardens of the Parish. The Bill proposes to vest this appointment in the Parishioners in Vestry assembled, thus practically placing the election in the hands of a few persons not possessing any representative character, inasmuch as it would be physically impossible for any considerable proportion of the ratepayers to meet in Vestry. The Bill, however, does not relieve the Churchwardens of their common law or secular functions. Your Petitioners would view the return to the system of open Vestries as decidedly retrogressive in character. Fifthly. The remarks contained in the preceding paragraph apply also to the appointment of Governors and Directors of the Poor, of Trustees of the Burial Ground, and of representative Trustees of Educational and other endowed Charities. Sixthly. The Bill proposes to continue for an indefinite period various Local Authorities, who have been relieved of most of their functions, but who, if the Bill becomes law, will have to maintain a separate establishment at an unnecessary cost to the ratepayers. The Vestry are far from saying that the present system of local government in the Metropolis is faultless, but they are of opinion that genuine reform is only to be obtained by a comprehensive measure creating one Municipal body for the administration of Metropolitan matters, and consolidating the various local authorities of each Parish or District into one independent body for such Parish or District. LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF LONDON. Having learned that the Metropolitan Board of Works had appointed a committee to consider the subject of the Local Government of London, the Vestry requested the Board to afford the various Local Authorities an opportunity 182 of considering any scheme for the amendment of the law relating to the subject, before the same was submitted to the Home Secretary, or to Parliament. In reply, the Board stated that in the event of their deciding to lay before Her Majesty's Government any suggestions for the reform of the local government of the Metropolis, they would, doubtless, communicate their suggestions to the Vestries and District Boards. Up to the end of the year, however, the Vestry had not received from the Board any such suggestions. The Vestry have had under consideration a scheme for the amendment of the local government of the Metropolis, prepared by the Vestry of Islington, but have not deemed it expedient to express any opinion thereon. OVERHEAD WIRES. It was stated in the last Annual Report of the Vestry that proceedings had been commenced by the Vestry of St. Marylebone, on behalf of themselves and other local authorities in the Metropolis, against one of the Telephone Companies, with a view to obtain a decision of the Courts upon the present state of the law with respect to the erection and maintenance of overhead wires. Before the action came on for hearing, two judgments were given by the Court of Appeal in proceedings instituted against the United Telephone Company by the Corporation of Bristol and the Wandsworth District Board of Works respectively, to the effect, shortly, that under the existing law, road authorities do not possess any general power of control over the erection of wires for telephones or similar purposes, although they may proceed by injunction, indictment, or otherwise, in the case of trespass, or if any particular wire is in such a condition as to be dangerous to the public. 183 Under these circumstances the Vestry, of St. Marylebone suggested to the Vestries which were co-operating with them that their test action should be abandoned, and that the Government should be reminded of the hope held out by Sir Charles Dilke to the deputation from the Local Authorities of the Metropolis which waited on him in 1883, that if existing legislation were proved to be insufficient the Government would obtain further powers for the Local Authorities. The Vestry fully endorsed these views, and, accordingly, communicated with the Local Government Board on the subject, and received, with some satisfaction, a reply from the Board stating that although it was impossible to deal with the matter by legislation during the then present session, and the Government could not say what Bills they might introduce in the following year, there would probably be an advantage if a Select Committee were appointed to inquire into the subject, and the Board would consider whether steps should be taken early next year with this object. It may be remarked that in January, 1884, the Vestry urged the Government to take the opportunity of a private Bill being deposited by the United Telephone Company, to refer the whole matter to a Select Committee, with a view to the framing of a public Bill, but without success. The Local Government Board having subsequently stated definitely that they intended to take steps for the appointment of a Select Parliamentary Committee to consider the question of controlling the erection and maintenance of overhead wires, the Vestry drew up a series of points to which they considered the opinion of the Select Committee should be directed, and forwarded a copy thereof to the Local Government Board and to the various Vestries and District Boards of the Metropolis. In accordance with the promise of the Local Government Board, a Select Committee was appointed by the House of 184 Commons in the month of March to consider the law relating to the control over telegraph, telephone, and other wires, and the Vestry will continue to give the subject attention. SCHOOL BOARD FOR LONDON. In view of the considerable increase in the expenditure of the School Board, which was shadowed forth in the debates of the Board on the Estimates for the year 1885, as reported in the public press, the "Vestry appointed a Committee on the 12th February, to consider the best means of making the ratepayers acquainted with the subject in its bearing on the rates. The Vestry are at great pains to administer with economy the funds under their control, and it is disheartening to find that while expenditure for strictly local purposes is actually diminishing, the Vestry are compelled to increase the rates to meet the growing demands of central Boards over whose expenditure or administration they possess no control. A statement was prepared by the Committee and circulated among the various rating authorities of the Metropolis, the following extracts from which may prove of special interest to the ratepayers of St. James's:— The total expenditure of the Board, including cost of administration and payment of interest and instalments of principal of loans, but excluding payments in respect of Industrial Schools and charges defrayed from loans, such as purchase of sites and erection of buildings, was £1,070,267 7s. 10d. for the twelve months ended the 25th March, 1884. The number of scholars in average attendance is not given in the accounts subsequently to September, 1883, but, taking the average for the twelve months at 250,000, the gross actual cost per child on this basis would be £4 6s. 1d. per child. This expenditure was met by Government Grants, £166,125 6s. 7d.; School Fees, £109,430 10s. 10d.; Rates, £762,834 17s. 3d.; and from other sources, £4,485 3s. 11d. It will thus be seen that the Eates bore nearly 75 per cent. of the 185 expenditure, and the Taxes (in the form of Government Grants) about 15 per cent., while the scholars contributed only about 10 per cent. The expenditure of the School Board is therefore essentially a question for the ratepayers. The following is a statement of the amount paid to the School Board by the ratepayers of St. James's, Westminster, each year, since the constitution of the Board:— £ 8. d. Precept for the year 1871 1,047 7 10 „ „ 1872 1,945 12 11 „ „1873 1,608 8 0 „ „1874 3,845 1 8 „ „1875 6,705 9 10 „ „1876 9,973 11 1 „ „1877 12,364 7 4 „ „1878 12,195 9 0 „ „1879 13,114 13 2 „ „1880 15,064 2 4 „ „1881 15,941 0 7 „ „1882 16,465 16 2 „ „1883 19,074 14 10 ,, „ 1884 22,328 0 2 Total* £151,673 14 ll The School Board has, up to the 25th March, 1884, provided 354,925 school places, but many of these places are occupied by children who would otherwise have been attending eflicienl Voluntary Schools, under Government inspection, but not maintained from the rates. Thus, in the Parish of St. James, Westminster, one Board School has been erected (Pulteney School), to accommodate 1,000 scholars, at a cost of £33,091 13s. 5d., or more than £33 per seat, but, since the erection of this School, the attendance at the National School, Marshall Street, ancl St. Peter's National School, Great Windmill Street, has largely decreased, there being at the present time room in these schools alone for 611 more scholars than the average attendance. The undermentioned Voluntar'y Schools, which, with the exception of Craven Schools, were under Government inspection, and * The School Board Rate commenced at ½d. in the pound on an assessment of .£19,970,983 and is now 8¾d. on an assessment of £29,025,534. N 186 received a Government Grant as efficient, representing accommodation for 1,100 move scholars, have been closed altogether: Offertory Schools, Swallow Street about 100 places. St. Luke's and Peter Street Schools ,, 500 ,, Wardour Chapel Schools* ,, 200 ,, Craven Schools, not under Government Inspection, but giving education of the same character, and under the management of a body of Trustees ,, 300 ,, Accommodation in closed Schools 1,100 Vacant Seats in Voluntary Schools still carried on 611 Total number of places now vacant, but which might have been utilised 1,711 In the year 1873, the total accommodation for children of parishioners of St. James in certified Public Elementary Schools was about 2,500, or, including Craven Schools, 2,800 school places, the average attendance being slightly above 2,300. The School Board have in the meantime added 1,000 places, but the average attendance in all the Schools had fallen to 2,095 in 1884. The result of the action of the School Board in this Parish has thus proved most unsatisfactory, the number of children educated in Public Elementary Schools being actually less now than (taking the Craven Schools into account, but without reckoning the " Private Venture" Schools, which have been discontinued) before the erection of the Board School at the great cost above stated. It was subsequently arranged to hold a conference of representatives from the various rating authorities with a view to considering whether any united action could be usefully taken, preparatory to the election of members of the Board in November next, but this conference had not been held by the 25th March. * These Schools are not actually in the Parish of St. James, but received many children therefrom. Pulteney School receives children from the adjoining Parish of St. Anne, in which Wardour Chapel Schools are situate. 187 GATES AND BARS IN STREETS. A Conference was held at the St. Pancras Vestry Hall on the 9th April, 1884, to consider what action it might be desirable to take with a view to remove the obstructive gates and bars which exist in various streets in certain parts of the Metropolis. A deputation had previously waited upon the Home Secretary, who intimated that in his opinion the proper course to pursue was for the Metropolitan Board of Works to introduce a Bill dealing with the subject, and that if the Board needed any assistance from the Government in the matter, he would afford them what facilities he could. A resolution was passed at the Conference, asking the Metropolitan Board of Works to take up the matter, and upon this decision being communicated to the Vestry (in common with other local authorities), a resolution was passed expressing concurrence therewith. The Board, however, deferred taking any action in the matter, and a further meeting of the Conference was accordingly held, when a memorial was adopted urging the Board to introduce a Bill for the removal of all gates, bars, and other obstructions in streets where the cost of paving, lighting, maintaining, and sewering such streets is defrayed out of the rates. The Vestry also supported this memorial. The Board have now before Parliament a Bill to enable them, at the joint expense of the Metropolis and the Parish and District affected, to abolish all gates, bars, and similar obstructions in streets which are cleansed, maintained, or lighted at public expense. DISCHARGE OF SEWAGE INTO THE THAMES. Upon the invitation of the Vestry of St. George, Hanover Square, the Vestry appointed five of their members to attend a Conference of Representatives from the various Local Authorities of the Metropolis, to consider the system ot drainage into the River Thames and the alleged silting up of the Upper Reaches caused thereby. N 2 188 The Conference Lad not arrived at any definite conclusionat the end of the year. STREET ADVERTISING. During the past year some instances have occurred of offences against public taste in the matter of perambulatingadvertisements. The Vestry called the attention of the police to the matter with the desired result, but in view of a possible further development of sensational advertising, either the Local Authorities or the Police may be compelled to ask for farther powers from Parliament to enable them to deal in a more summary way than by indictment, with what may become a public scandal. SUNDAY TRADING Representations having been made to the Vestry of the annoyances resulting from the practice of Sunday trading in Berwick Street and the vicinity thereof, a letter was addressed to the tradesmen concerned, appealing to them to close their premises on Sunday mornings by half-past 10' o'clock. Having regard to the want of proper cupboard accommodation in many of the homes of the poorer working classes, it is at present impracticable to put an end entirely to Sunday trading, although for want of a little forethought and consideration for others on the part of many who themselves enjoy a day of rest, and not infrequently the Saturday half-holiday also, the hours of labour on Sundays for shopkeepers and their assistants are unnecessarily extended. A lasting remedy for this evil, however, seems rather to be found in the formation and growth of a sound public opinion' than in repressive action. DYNAMITE EXPLOSIONS. Serious damage having been caused to some of the premises in St James's Square by an explosion on the night of the 30th May, and as other explosions might follow, the 189 Vestry, in order to ascertain the position of the ratepayers in such a case, requested the Members of Parliament for Westminster to ask the Home Secretary what provision the Government intended to make for restoring the property damaged by the explosion, or any property which might; be damaged from any similar cause in future. The Right Hon. W. H. Smith and Lord Percy thereupon had an interview with the Home Secretary on the subject, and subsequently informed the Yestry that it appeared that even if the outrage were proved to be of political origin (of which there could be little doubt, although there is no absolute proof) it would be necessary to obtain a special vole of the House for any payment from the Consolidated Fund ' by way of compensation, and the Government could not, under the circumstances, propose a vote for the purpose. On the '29th January a resolution was unanimously passed by the Yestry, expressing admiration at the courageous conduct of Police-constable Cole, in his unsuccessful effort to remove, at the risk of his life, a parcel of explosives from Westminster Hail on the 24th of that month. A copy of the resolution was forwarded to the Commissioner of Police, and a reply received stating that the Commissioner would have great pleasure in communicating the same to the constable, who was then lying in Westminster Hospital, suffering from the injuries he had received. MAJORITY OF PRINCE ALBERT VICTOR. The Yestry unanimously adopted, on the 15th January, a loyal and dutiful Address to the Queen, congratulating Her Majesty upon the attainment of his majority by Prince Albert Yictor of Wales, and praying that the people of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and all its Colonies and dependencies may long continue united and contented under the beneficent rule ot Her Majesty. 190 A congratulatory address to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on the happy occasion was also adopted at the same meeting of Vestry. An acknowledgment of each Address was received in due course, the Home Secretary stating that Her Majesty had been pleased to receive the Address very graciously, and the private secretary of the Prince of Wales conveying an expression of His Royal Highness's thanks for the good wishes of the Vestry. DEATH OF THE BISHOP OF LONDON. The Vestry learned with great regret the death of Dr. Jackson, Bishop of London, formerly Rector of St. James's,, which occurred on the 6th January, and at a meeting held on the 15th of the same month unanimously passed the following resolution thereon:— That a letter be addressed to the family of the late Bishop of London, expressing the condolence and sympathy of this Vestiy with them in their bereavement, and gratefully acknowledging his services to the Parish during the time he was Rector thereof and Chairman of the Vestry. A communication in reply to this letter was received from the Rev. F. H. Fisher, M.A., Vicar of Fulham, conveying the thanks of the family of the Bishop to the Vestry for the same. CONCLUDING REMARKS. The Vestry have not attempted in the foregoing Report to touch upon mere routine business requiring attention from day to day, but have endeavoured to submit to their fellowparishioners, in as clear and succinct a manner as possible, a statement of the principles which have guided them in the discharge of their trust, and of the present condition of the Parish. By Order, HARRY WILKINS, Vestry Clerk. 191 Supplemental Report of Works EXECUTED BY THE VESTRY OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER, DURING THE YEAR 1884-5. Vestry Hall, Piccadilly, W., Surveyor's Department, June, 1885- To the Vestry of St. James, Westminster : Rev. Sir and Gentlemen, I beg to submit the following statement of Works executed between the 26th March, 1884,and the 25th of March, 1885. ROADS. During the past year 622 tons of granite, supplied by Messrs. J. Mowlem & Co., of Westminster, have been used upon the parish roads. Eleven Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty-two superficial yards of road surface have been rolled and consolidated by the 15-ton and 8 ton steam rollers and the 4-horse roller. Two Thousand Four Hundred and Thirty-nine openings have been made by the Gas and Water Companies and the Post Office. The areas disturbed being: Pitching 1,744 yards super. Macadam 1,580 do. Wood 372 do. Asphalte 78 do. Footway 11,610 feet super. Kerb 186 feet run. These surfaces are made good at the expense of the Companies, the total amount chargeable to them for the year being £1,112 l1s. 8d. 192 REPAIRS TO STREETS. The cost of the general repairs to streets executed by workmen in the employ of your Vestry is as follows:— £ s. d. Air Street 1 1 0 Arundel Street 1 3 5 Argyll Street 94 5 8 Argyll Place 145 16 5 Berwick Street 32 3 1 Brewer Street 37 5 0 Bridle Lane 9 2 7 Broad Street 27 7 0 Burlington Street (New) 5 15 2 Burlington Street (Old) 5 7 3 Burlington Gardens 0 16 3 Cambridge Street 8 17 5 Carlton Street 2 7 0 Carnaby Street.. 7 16 5 Chapel Court 2 10 8 Charles Street 35 10 9 Cleveland Row 9 17 3 Clifford Street 0 6 6 Cork Street 8 10 8 Crown Court (Pall Mall) 1 14 7 Dufours Place 0 18 10 Duke Street 41 7 5½ Fouberts Place.. 6 19 1 Glasshouse Street 3 10 9 Golden Square.. 4 4 2 Ham Yard 0 4 2 Haymarket 227 6 7 Heddon Street 0 5 4½ Hills Place 0 15 10 Ingestre Place 5 18 9½ John Street (Pall Mall) 2 7 8 Jermyn Street 160 6 9 King Street (St. James's) 101 11 8 King Street (Regent's Strtet) 5 6 2 Lowndes Court 2 13 0 Market Street 0 9 0½ Carried forward £1,001 19 5 193 £ s. d. Brought forward £1,001 19 5 Marlborough Street (Great) . 160 1 10 Marlborough Mews 3 4 0 Marlborough Row 0 4 0 Marshall Street 3 19 4 Noe Street 6 19 1 Norris Street 3 0 10£ Pall Mall .. ., 15 17 3 Piccadilly 199 5 Piccadilly Circus 62 14 3 Poland Stieet 82 14 H Portland Street 13 4 5 Pulteney Street (Great) 38 10 8 Pulteney Street (Little) 0 15 10 Regent Street 77 14 5 Rupert Street 46 7 Hi Sackville Street 73 15 H St. James's Place 1 4 6 St. James's Square 17 4 0 St. James's Street 12 12 1 St. James's Street (Little) 41 14 10 Savile Row 0 3 6 Silver Place 5 18 n Swallow Street.. 18 3 5J Tichborne Street 68 9 7 Tyler's Court 3 11 1 Yigo Street 51 18 7 Vine Street 4 1 11 Wardour Street 149 12 7 West Street 0 16 5 Windmill Street (Great) 10 It 9 York Stieet 39 4 6 £2216 1 LICENSES Have been granted for the erection of eighty-two hoardings and scaffolds for the purposes of rebuilding, alterations, &c., and twenty-four licenses have been renewed. Permission has also been given in thirty-one cases to open the roadway 194 to repair water pipes, or for similar purposes. The cost of making good these openings is charged to the person taking out the license. COAL PLATES. During the past twelve months one hundred and twentyone new coal-plates were cut into the paving. WILKES' " EUREKA" PAYING. In the winter the footway in Piccadilly between Albemarle Street and Old Bond Street and the footway by the new buildings at the top of Rupert Street were laid with Wilkes' " Eureka " Paving. BURY STREET. Complaints having been received from the inhabitants of tho rough state of the pitching in Bury Street, your Yestiy decided to alter the paving to Macadam. This work was carried out in September, at a cost of (including relaying the footways) £320 12s. 7d. BLENHEIM STREET. The paving being constantly broken by vans drawing on the footway of the upper part of Blenheim Street, in consequence of the carriage way being so narrow, your Vestry gave instructions for the necessary alterations to be made to allow of the passage of two vans at the same time, and this wasdone accordingly. The cost was £111 3s. 2d. PITCHED CROSSINGS. On an application from the inhabitants, two pitched crossings were put in across Great Marlborough Street and Argyll Place, near the Police Court. LITTLE PULTENEY STREET IMPROVEMENT. By an Agreement with the Crown, Little Pulteney Street is to be widened from Great Windmill Street to Wardour Street, and Rupert Street extended to Little Pulteney Street. The necessary alterations to houses to effect this are being 195 carried out, and one footpath has already been made in Rupert Street and part of Little Pulteney Street. The total expense to your Vestry to the 25th of March being £141 17s. 11d. WOOD PAYING Has been laid in the following streets:— Name of Street. Part of Street Paved. Date when Payed. Area of Wood Paving in yards super. Cost per yard super. Previous Paving. Credit for old Pitching per yard super. Description of Paving and Nameof Contractor. Wardour Street C o v e n t r y Street to Peter Street April 2484 1/9 8/3 Pitching 2/6 6in.yellow deal blocks on Gin. of Portland cement concrete. Messrs. M u 1 d o o n Bros. Argyll Place Whole Aug. 815 6/9 7/9 Macadam Same as above. Messrs. J. Mowlem&Co. Argyll Street Whole Aug. 1301½ 7/- Wood — Same as above. Messrs. Muldoon Bros. Piccadilly P i c c a d illy Circus to Haymarket Sept. 1212 4/6 7/9 Macadam Same as above. Messrs. J. Mowlem &Co. REPAIRS TO WOOD PAYING Laid in the Parish in former years have been carried out as occasion required, and amount to— £ s. d. Charles Street 12 10 0 Little Pulteney Street •j 0 14 8 Pall Mall 68 4 6 Piccadilly 4/ 109 15 0 Regent Street 1,012 6 5 £1.203 10 7 196 ASPHALTE. The undermentioned Streets have been paved with Asphalte during the year:— Name of Street. Part of Street Paved. Date when Paved. Area of Asphalte in yards super. Cost per yard super. Previous Paving. Credit for old Pitching per yard super. Description of Paving and Name of Contractor. Poland Street Whole April 1,722 11/6 Pitching 1/6 2in. of compressed Asphalte,on 6in. of Portland cement concrete. The French Asphalte Company. Vigo Street. Regent Street to Sackville Street Aug. 333 12/- Macadam. Same as above. Little St. James's Street St. James's Street to Wood Paving Aug. 347J 12/- Macadam Same as above. Crown Court, Pall Mall . Whole Dec. 266½ 5/6 York Stone - lin. of compressed Asphalte,on 3in. of Portland cement concrete. The French Asphalte Company. STREET NAMES. The sum of £8 1s. l0d. has been expended in purchasing and fixing street name-plates in various parts of the Parish. LIGHTING. The lighting of Waterloo Place by Pall Mall being thought insufficient, your Vestry decided to erect two large refuge lamps, and this was done accordingly. For similar reasons a large lamp was fixed at the bottom of St. James's Street; 197 the eight disused lamps at Piccadilly Circus were again taken into lighting; and the light in the lamp in Piccadilly, by Piccadilly Place, was increased from 2½ feet to 5 feet per hour. The cost of repairing the refuge lamps, providing and fixing rew lamps and posts, and alterations to old lamps, was £143. SEWERS. In the month of October the 3ft. 9in. by 2ft. 6in. eggshaped brick sewer running along Cambridge Street and the west end of Broad Street was rebuilt under contract by Mr. Joseph Mears, of Hammersmith, at a total cost to your Vestry of £850 0s. 7d. Several of the small subsidiary sewers running under the vaults of the houses in Regent Street have been partially blocked. In each case the stoppage was removed, and where found necessary the old barrel drain destroyed and earthenware pipes substituted. The cost of repairing sewers, bricking up old disused drains, new side entrance covers, &c., has amounted to the sum of £135 10s. 7£d. for the year. GULLIES. Forty-nine gullies have been reconstructed, and seventeen altered, or repaired, as found necessary, at a cost of £1711 15s. 4d. Those reconstructed are situate as follows:— Argyll Place 4 Argyll Street 4 Berwick Street 1 Brewer Street 1 Carlton Street 1 Chapel Court 1 Charles Street 2 Crown Court (Pall Mall) 2 Denman Street 2 George Court (Cross Street) 1 Haymarket 1 Carried forward 198 Brought forward 21 Hopkins Street .. 1 Market Street 1 Pall Mall 1 Piccadilly ^ Russell Yard 1 St. James's Street (Little) 3 Sherwood Place 1 Tichborne Streetr's Court 1 Vigo Street 3 Vine Street 1 Wardonr Street 9 49 CLEANSING SEWERS AND GULLIES. The cost of labour for cleansing the sewers was £119 17s. 3d., and for emptying the gullies £50 11s. 10½d. The accumulation removed from the sewers and gullies being -carted away by the slopping contractor, under his contract, without extra expense. CONNECTIONS TO SEWERS. Thirty-two new connections from houses have been made to the sewers by men in the employ of your Vestry. FLUSHING. In accordance with directions given by your Vestry last summer, an apparatus was purchased and used for flushing out and cleansing the various courts, &c., in the parish during the hot weather. The small sewers were also flushed at such intervals as was found necessary. The apparatus and water cost £62 5s. 4d. and £55 8s. 0d. respectively. DISINFECTING. The gullies and market streets were regularly disinfected during the summer months. The disinfectants used for all purposes amounting to 772 gallons of carbolic acid, and 4½ cwt. of carbolic powder, costing £83 18s. 1d. 199 URINALS. During the year propositions were made to erect three urinals in various parts of the Parish, but in each case they were reluctantly abandoned owing to the opposition of the inhabitants, although in one instance the necessary plans had been prepared. A constant supply of water is now laid on to all the urinals in the Parish except two. The cost of water has been £'279 14s. 8d., and repairs £30 7s. Od. These repairs are principally making good damage caused by persons unknown. MACHINE BROOMS. The machine brooms require re-filling with new bass, on the average, once in seven weeks; this is considerably less frequent than was the case before so much wood and asphalte had been laid. The cost of sundry repairs and re-filling has amounted to the sum of £33 15s. 6d. WATERPROOF CAPS AND CAPES. In the winter your Vestry decided to supply the scavengers with waterproof caps and capes, in addition to the clogs with which they are always provided, and accordingly prices were obtained from several makers for twenty-four of each. Mr. John Unite's tender being accepted. WATERING. The water vans throughout the year were supplied by Mr. William Mead, of Paddington. By the terms of the contract the vans can now be hired for half a day only, so that in the event of rain setting in during the morning the van is sent home, and but half a day paid for instead of a whole day as was formerly the case. As anticipated last year, this has resulted in a considerable saving of money. 200 STAND POSTS. The cost of re-packing the stand posts and executing sundry repairs was £21 2s. Od. DUSTING AND SLOPPING. The contract for dusting and slopping has been carried out by Mr. Henry Covington, of Battersea Park, at a cost of £3,200. Under the slopping contract, Mr. Covington has to remove the sweepings from the streets daily, and the gully slop and sewer deposit as often as required. A record was kept of the time the various streets were swept, and the hour the sweepings were removed, in all cases when left beyond the time allowed by the contract. These occasion & were all regularly reported to your Vestry. I am, Rev. Sir and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, HENRY MONSON, Surveyor to the Vestry. 201 St. James, Westminster. We, the undersigned, being the Auditors appointed by the authority of the Metropolis Local Management Act to Audit the Accounts of the Vestry of the said Parish, having carefully examined the said Accounts from the 25th day of March, 1884, to the 25th day of March, 1885, and the Vouchers in support of the same, and the Books, Papers, and Writings, in the custody or control of the said Vestry, relating thereto, do hereby certify that the said Accounts are, to the best of our belief, true and correct, in token of which our examination we have signed the said Accounts, whereof an Abstract, prepared and signed by us, is annexed hereto, and we make this our allowance of the said Accounts in conformity with the provisions of the said Act. As witness our hands this Fourteenth day of May, One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Five. JOSEPH BOX, WILLIAM P. FEOHLICH Auditors. CHARLES LUFKINS, C THOMAS REED, Excepting the item on the 20th March, 1884, £10 voted by the Vestry to the Metropolitan Association for limiting the expenditure of the School Board for London, which amount we disallow. JOSEPH BOX. WILLIAM P. FROHLICH. CHARLES LUFKINS. THOMAS REED. o 202 203 ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure of the Sewers, Metropolitan Consolidated and General Rates, and of other Moneys applicable to the purposes of the, Metropolis Local Management Acts, from the 25th day of March,1884,to the 25 th day of March,1885. receipts. £ s. d. £ s. d. References see pages Nos. expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance brought forward 14,606 7 6 ,, Sewers Rates of the year 1884-85, made on Parish Poor Rate Rentals of £679,776 at 1d. in the pound 2,832 8 0 a. By Paving 8,155 16 1 b. „ Cleansing 4,469 13 4 ,, Metropolitan Consolidated Rate, ditto at 6½d. in the Pound 18,410 12 0 c. ,, Watering 934 9 8 d. „ Sewers 1,173 16 3 ,, General Rate ditto at 1s. 3½d. in the pound 43,902 4 0 e. „ Lighting 2,551 15 10 ,, Allowance by the Crown in respect of Rates on Rentals of £13,619 at 1s. 11d. in the pound 1,305 3 1 F. „ Vestry Hall 99 0 5 g. ,, Salaries 1,673 6 8 h. ,, Sanitary 167 13 11 ,, Arrears of former Rates, &c. 387 14 6¼ i. ,, Sundries 576 13 9 66,838 1 7¼ „ Guarantee Society premium for fidelity of Stone Yard Clerk i 1 3 6 ,, Arrears carried forward 780 4 0 x (all u vxvlu •• •• • • • • •• ,, St. Marylebone Vestry, per precept for management of south side of Oxford Street for year 1883 626 6 11 ,, Losses by Appeals, Empty ,, Houses, Poor Persons, &c. 2,598 13 1£ 3,378 17 63,459 4 6 ,, Collectors' allowances and expenses on collection of rates 442 6 7 ,, Grant of Scaffold Licences, Deposits on account of Pavement disturbed for Building purposes, Drainage, Paving Accounts, &c 315 2 7 Metropolitan Board of Works, Precept for the year 1884 18,361 5 7 ,, Works done for Gas and Water Companies 1,490 1 2 „ School Board for London, Precept for expenses of the Board for the year ended 25th March, 1885 22,328 0 2 ,, Analyses Fees, Disinfecting Clothing, Fines, &c. 23 12 6 ,, Horses' Expenses 128 2 3 „ Cash, per Vestry Clerk, on Account of Wages 84 17 1 ,, Adam Clark, late Collector of the Parochial Rates for Golden Square Ward, Superannuation Allowance, nine months to Michaelmas, 1884 37 10 0 „ Archbishop Tenison's Chapel (now the Church of St. Thomas), nominal rent of Porches, &c., one year 0 3 0 „ J. H. Morgan, late Sanitary Inspector, Superannuation Allowance, one year to Lady-day, 1885 86 6 8 ,, Commissioners of Income Tax, use of Vestry Hall, &c., one year to Michaelmas, 1884 5 5 0 „ W. Ridley, late Inspector of Nuisances, superannuation Allowance, thirteen months to Lady-day, 1885 37 18 4 ,, Sale of unclaimed furniture, found deposited on pavement in George Place 0 5 0 Interest on daily balances 199 3 0 ,, Vestry Clerk, Cash in hand on account of Wages 84 17 1 Carried forward £80,184 1 4 Carried forward £61,936 3 0 o 2 204 205 receipts—continued. expenditure—continued. £ s. d. £ s. d. Brought forward 80,184 1 4 Brought forward 61,936 3 0 To Cash due to Vestry Clerk, advanced for Wage 4 14 9 By London Life Association, half a year's Interest on balance of Loan of £8,000 (4,571 8s. 6d.) at 4J per cent., less Income Tax, £2 0s. od. 95 2 4 £80,188 16 1 ,, Do. Fourth Annual Instalment off do., due 7th October, 1884 1,142 17 2 ,, Do. half a year's Interest on do., £97 2s. 9d., less Income Tax, £2 0s. 5d 95 2 4 ,, Office Disbursements per Vestry Clerk 49 18 1 ,, Lee and Pemberton, Solicitors 129 14 0 ,, Metropolitan Association, Vote of Vestry towards expenses for the reduction of the expenditure of the School Board for London 10 0 0 ,, Balance in Treasurer's hands 16,719 17 3 ,, Petty Disbursements, Balance in hand 10 1 11 £80,188 16 1 JOSEPH BOX, WILLIAM P. FROHLICH,HARLES LUFKINS, ^uauois. THOMAS REED, R. H. BEACALL, Accountant. Excepting the Item, 20th March, 1884, £10, voted by the Vestry to the Metropolitan Association for limiting the Expenditure of the School Board for London, which we disallow. JOSEPH BOX, WILLIAM P. FROHLICH, CHARLES LUFKINS, THOMAS REED. 206 a. paving. £ s. d. Mowlem & Co., Wood Paving, Lime, Sand, Stone, &c. 2,211 3 7 French Asphalte Company, Wood Paving etc. 1,491 11 7 Muldoon Bros., Wood Paving, &c. 2,303 6 10 Works, Wages 2,149 14 1 £8,155 16 1 B. cleansing. Contractors for carting away Dust, Slop, &c. and for Ballast 3,209 16 7 Repairs to Sweeping Machines, &c. 27 12 6 Sweepers' Clogs 5 3 6 Scavengers' Wages 1,227 0 9 £4,469 13 4 c. watering. Contractor, for Water Carts, Horses, and Men 419 11 0 Water Supply 514 18 8 £934 9 8 d. sewers. Contractor 560 0 8 Gully Gratings, Pipes, &c. 150 14 4 Timber for Shoring 23 19 5 Water to Urinals 202 1 0 Do. Flushing 28 15 2 Carbolic Acid 46 5 1 Sewers' Wages 162 0 7 £1,173 16 a e. lighting. Gas Light and Coke Company 2,295 8 8 Do. Repairing Main 2 15 6 Gasfitters, etc. 253 11 8 £2,551 15 10 207 p. vestry hall. Gas, Water, Rates, Taxes, Coal, &c 89 13 6 Insurance of Plate Glass in Vestry Hall and Offices 2 0 0 Reinstating Plate Glass broken by Workmen 1 15 5 Westminster Fire Office—Insurance of Vestry Hall, &c. 5 11 6 £99 0 5 Ajmiuil Sularie Ladyday, 1885. £ h. sanitary. Hydraulic Engineers 62 5 4 Disinfectants 50 10 6 Fees for Patients to Small-pox Hospital 5 5 0 Registrar's Returns of Births and Deaths 7 0 4 Coal, Bottles, &c. 6 10 6 Disinfecting Wages 36 0 3 £167 13 11 day, G. 1885. £ salaries. 225 Dr. J. Edmunds, Medical Officer of Health and Analyst, one year to Lady-day, 1885 225 0 0 450 H. Wilkins, Vestry Clerk, one year to Lady-day, 1885 412 10 0 180 R. H. Beacall, Accountant, one year to Lady-day, 1885 180 0 0 120 H. T. Brooker, Assistant Clerk, one year to Lady-day, 1885 105 0 0 75 J. M. Crow, Assistant Clerk, one year to Lady-day, 1885 75 0 0 270 H. Monson, Surveyor, one year to Lady-day, 1885 255 0 0 100 E. Brooks, Inspector of Nuisances, one year to Lady-day, 1885 100 16 8 120 W. H. Watson, Inspector of Nuisances, one year to Lady-day, 188o 120 0 0 120 E. Warren, Hall Keeper, one year to Lady-day, 1885 120 0 0 80 J. Lund, Stoneyard Clerk, eleven months 73 6 8 — F. W. Horey, late Stoneyard Clerk, one month 6 13 4 £1,740 £1,673 6 8 208 I SUNDRIES. Stationer, Bookbinder, Printer 205 10 10 Carpenter, Smith, Bricklayer 132 19 11 Wheelwright, and Workmen's Tools 118 7 8 Uniforms for Inspectors of Nuisances 19 3 3 Oilman, &c. 37 12 0 Letters for Street Names 8 19 7 Various Petty Tradesmen's Accounts 54 0 6 £576 13 9 JOSEPH BOX, WILLIAM P. FROHLICH, CHARLES LUFKINS, Auditors. THOMAs REED, R. H. BEACALL, Accountant. 209 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. A Statement of Debt and Liability owing by the Vestry on the Twenty-fifth day of March, 1885. £ s. d Amount borrowed of the Trustees of the London Life Association, on the Mortgage of the Sewers, Metropolitan Consolidated, and General Rates, at 5 percent, per annum, with a proviso that if the Interest, payable on the Principal, be paid half-yearly, as expressed by deed,—That is to say, on the 7th day of April and the 7th day of October, or within thirty days thereafter, then the said Interest to be charged at and after the rate of 4¼ per cent. per annum, and the said Principal to be repaid by seven equal Annual Instalments of £1,142 17s. 2d. the first Instalment becoming payable on the 7th day of October, 1881, and the like sum to be paid in each successive year, until the entire Principal shall have been discharged £ £8,000 0 Amount of Principal repaid 4,571 8 8 Balance owing by the Vestry on the 25th March, 1885 £3,428 11 4 E AC ALL, Accountant. JOSEPH BOX, CHARLES LUFKINS, WILLIAM P. FROHLICH, Auditors THOMAS REED, J 210 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. Outstanding Assets and Liabilities on the 25th day of March, 1885. Assets. £ s. d. Liabilities. £ s. #] Balance in Treasurer's hands 16,719 17 3 Cash advanced for wages, per Vestry Clerk 4 14 9 Do. in hands of Vestry Clerk on account of petty disbursements 10 1 11 School Board for London, per precept for year ending 25th March, 1886 (24,501 13s. 7d.), due 25tli March, 1885 ... 6,125 8 4 Arrears of Rates 780 4 0 Works done for Gas and Water Companies 127 3 1 St. Marylebone Vestry—Management of South side of Oxford Street, cost for year ended Christmas, 1884, as per precept 585 18 8 Grant of Scaffold Licenses, Paving Deposits, &c. 5 6 8 Nominal Rent—-Sutton Estate 2 2 0 Contractors (Mowlem & Co.), Wood Paving, Repairs, Materials, &c. 2,306 12 11 Do. (Covington) Dusting and Slopping 1,066 13 4 Do. do. for Ballast, &c. 60 12 9 Do. (J. Mears) Sewers 560 0 0 Do. (W. Mead) Watering 22 13 0 Bookbinder, Statione r, Printer, &c 78 2 5 Gas Lamps, Gas Fitters, &c. 744 7 0 Repairs to Cart, Truck, &c. 22 6 6 Gully Grates, Lamp Posts, &c. 61 17 5 Timber for Shoreing purposes, Old Oak for Gullies, Sew^r Pipes, &c. 38 8 10 Repairs to Harness, Horse Fodder, Veterinary Surgeon, &c. 30 19 6 Repairs to Sweeping Machines 10 0 0 Ironmonger, Plumber, etc. 9 18 9 Carbolic Acid 16 8 6 Sewers' Clothing, Oilman, Coal, Coke, Gas, etc. 35 10 10 Water to Urinals, &c. 46 11 4 Capes and Hats ... 22 9 0 Builder 15 0 0 Workmen's Tools, Sharpening Picks, &c. 41 8 8 Second Moiety of Allowance to Collectors for Collecting Sewers, Metropolitan Consolidated and General Rates of the Year 1884-5 200 0 0 Expenses on Collection of do. 27 14 9 12,13.1 17 3 Excess of Assets over Liabilities 5,510 17 8 £17,644 14 11 £17,644 14 11 oV x I ,U11 JOSEPH BOX. CHARLES LUF KINS, Alitor, 1tttt t t » n r r» ni-t /-\ t> J ~r_d_* " ^ " 211 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. AN ACCOUNT OF ALL CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO OR CONTINUED BY THE VESTRY DURING THE YEAR ENDED THE 25th MARCH, 1885. Date of Contracts. Name of Company, or Party, with whom Contract was made. Nature of Works to be performed or Materials to be used or supplied. Amount or Price. 16th August, 1884 Societe Francaise des Asphaltes, 27, Cornhill, E.C. Asphalting Carriageways of Vigo Street, and Little St. James's Street 12s. per yard. 28th August, 1884 Mowlem &Co.,Grosvenor Wharf, Millbank,S.W. Laying Wood Pavement in Piccadilly and Argyll Place 7s. 9d. per yard. 13th March, 1884 II. Covington, 8, Cleaverton St., Pimlico, S.W. Slopping and Dusting the Parish for the sum of £8,200 per annum for three years from Lady Day £8,200.—This Contract is terminable, at the option of the Vestry, at the end of the first or second year. 18th March, 1884 W. Mead, the Wharves, Paddington To supply Horses, Watercarts, and Vans with Carters for a period of three years from Lady Day, 1884 At Schedule of Prices. 18th March, 1884 Mowlem & Co., Grosvenor Wharf, Westminster Masons' Works, for a period of three years from Lady Day, 1884 Do, 212 Date of Contracts. Name of Company, or Party, with whom Contract was made. Nature of Works to be performed, or Materials to be used or supplied. Amount or Price. loth March, 1881 H. Covington, 3, Cleaverton St., Pimlico, S.W. For the supply of Hoggin and Ballast for a period of three years from Lady Day, 1884 At Schedule of Prices. 13th March, 1884 Mowlem & Co ,Grosvenor Wharf, Westminster Paviors' Works, and Materials (except Hoggin and Ballast), for a period of three years from Lady Day, 1884 Do. 13th March, 1884 Hutchings & Crowsley, 123, Fulham Road, S.W. Such Printing as may be required At Schedule of Prices. This Contract is a renewal of former Contract, from 25th March, 1884, to 25th March, 1885. 13th March, 1884 Societe Francaise des Asphaltes, 27, Cornhill, E.C. To pave the Carriageway of Poland Street with Asphalte, according to Specification 11s. 6d. per yard. Credit of 1s. 6d. per yard allowed for pitching. 13th March, 1884 Muldoon, Brothers, 33, Roman Road, Barnsbury, N. To pave the Carriageway of the Southern end of Wardour Street with Wood, according to specification 8s. 3d. per yard super. 2s. 6d. per yard super. Credit for pitching removed. 213 Date of Contracts. Name of Company, or Party, with whom Contract was made. Nature of Works to be performed, or Materials to be used or supplied. Amount or Price. August, 1884 Muldoon, Brothers, 33, Roman Road, Barnsbury, N. To pave the Carriageway of Argyll Street 7s. per yard super. August, 1884 J. Mears, Queen Street, Hammersmith To re-construct Sewer in Cambridge Street, and part of Broad Street £750. R. H. BEACALL, Accountant, JOSEPH BOX, CHARLES LUFKINS, WILLIAM P. FROHLICH, Auditors THOMAS REED, 214 215 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. Statement of Accounts of the Commissioners for Public Baths and Wash-houses during the year ended 31st December, 1884. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. £ s. d. Jan. 1. To balance at Bank on current account 594 1 6 Dec. 31. By Salaries and Wages 1,225 7 11 ,, Coals 665 15 2 ,, balance at Bank on deposit 500 0 0 ,, Water 150 0 0 1,094 1 6 ,, Gas 152 19 11 Dec. 31. ,, Receipts from Bathers and Washers during the year : ,, Repairs to Building 161 6 4 ,, Repairs to Boilers, and works in connection therewith 373 1 0 Bathers 1,475 5 8 Washers 1,791 17 6 Bath Soap 74 17 8 ,, Printing and Stationery 54 3 6 Laundry Soap,Material, and Requisites 52 7 3 ,, Rates, Taxes and Insurance 55 18 4 ,, Soap, Soda and Oilman's Goods 149 12 4 3,394 8 1 ,, Received from Poor Rate for payment of interest and instalments of loan 423 8 9 ,, Lead, Jute, &c., for Repairs 197 15 4 ,, Rent of No. 21, Marshall Street 36 0 0 ,, Sundry small payments 61 4 4 ,, Rent of No. 21, Marshall Street 16 15 0 ,, Loan :— Instalment of Principal 200 0 0 ,, Interest, &c. 17 19 4 Interest 66 1 11 266 1 11 3,549 6 1 ,, Balance at Bank, current account 889 5 2 ,, Balance at Bank on deposit 500 0 0 ,, ,, in hands of Supt. (wages account) 0 12 8 ,, Balance of Laundry receipts in hand 7 8 9 xxx ilulilvi • • • ••• ••• 1,397 6 7 £4,946 12 8 £4,946 12 8 Number of Bathers:— First Class, Men, 25,828; Women, 5,178; Total 30,506 Number of Washers: — Second Class, Men, 46,933; Women, 16,423; Total 63,356 Tickets issued 48,787 ; number of Hours 215,025 Swimming, First Class, 2,172, Second, 21,848; Total 24,020 117,882 Note.—These Accounts are audited half-yearly by the Metropolis Local Auditors elected by the Ratepayers under the provisions of the Management Act. 216 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER, Statement of Accounts of the Governors Directors of the Poor, for the year ended 25th March, 1885. receipts. expenditure. 1884. March 25. £ s. d. 1885. £ s. d. To Balance in hands of Treasurer 630 3 11 March 25. By Guardians, Westminster Union 41,564 4 2 1885. March 25. „ Police Rate 14,173 3 4 ,, Collection of Poor Bates during the year 54,030 0 5 ,, County and Lunatic Asylum Rates 4,251 19 0 ,, Registration of Voters 155 12 2 ,, Contribution in lieu of Rates on Government Property 1,134 18 4 ,, Preparation of Jury List 34 10 0 ,, Election of Vestrymen 18 19 6 ,, Rent of Parish property 1,495 3 0 ,, Precepts of Commissioners for Public Baths 084 17 4 ,, Sale of Voters'Lists 1 15 6 ,, Balance due to Treasurer 4,449 5 6 ,, Salaries and Superannuation Allowance 135 13 6 ,, Preacher, Assistant 100 0 0 ,, Printing, Stationery, and Stamps 14 1 1 ,, Building Repairs to Marshall Street premises... 283 12 0 ,, Sundry Incidental Expenses 24 14 7 £61,741 6 8 £61,741 6 8 Note.— These Accounts are audited half-yearly by an Auditor appointed by the Local Government Board. Previous public notice is given of the time and place of each audit, 217 WESTMINSTER UNION. Statement of Accounts of the Guardians of the Poor for the Tear ended Lady-day, 1885. receipts. £ s. d. expenditure. £ s. d. To balance in hands of Treasurer at commencement of year 8,140 3 3 By Maintenance of Paupers, Workhouse, and Schools Cost of Provisions, Clothing, Necessaries, Furniture, Building Repairs, and Establishment Charges 11,066 4 2 ,, Parish of St. James— From Poor Rates for General purposes 41,564 4 2 Ditto County Rates 4,251 19 0 ,, Maintenance of Lunatics in Asylums 3,575 15 4 „ Parish of St. Anne— ,, Relief to Out-door Paupers 1,274 10 11 From Poor Rates for general purposes 7,035 15 10 ,, Salaries, Superannuations and Rations 4,835 9 11 Ditto County Rates 719 14 10 ,, Instalment of Workhouse Loan and Interest 1,334 4 5 „ Receipts from other sources— „ Rents and Rates 1,519 14 0 Proceeds from Sale of Firewood 246 15 8 ,, County and Lunatics Act Rates 4,971 14 0 From Relatives and Friends of Paupers, on account of Maintenance in Workhouse ... 640 9 2 ,, Contributions to Central London Sick Asylum District 2,878 0 0 Dividends on amount invested in Consols ... 432 10 11 ,, Contributions to Metropolitan Asylum District 14,340 18 10 H.M. Treasury—Parliamentary grant in aid of Salaries and Maintenance of Lunatics in Asylums 1,680 a 3 ,, Contribution to Metropolitan Common Poor Fund 9,920 1 5 ,, Sundry other Expenditure 1,248 11 6 ,, Balance in favour of the Guardians at end of year 8,743 13 5 From other Unions and Parishes, for the Maintenance of Paupers in the Workhouse 882 2 9 Sundry other receipts 114 19 1 £ 65,708 17 11 -65,708 17 11 Note.—These Accounts are audited half-yearly by an Auditor appointed by the Local Government Board. Previous public notice is given of the time and place of audit. 218 ARCHBISHOP TENISONS SCHOOL. Statement of Accounts for the year ending 31st December, 1884. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. £ s. d. payments. 1884. £ s. d. £ s. d. To Balance at Bankers, January, 1884 602 10 6 By Masters' Salaries 1,139 13 10 ,, ,, in hand (Petty Cash) 40 0 0 ,, Apparatus, Books, and Stationery 152 0 1 642 10 6 ,, Prizes 16 8 0 ,, One-fourth Net Income of Tenison's Chapel 142 8 5 ,, Printing 18 0 3 ,, Stamps and Advertisements 21 4 11 ,, One Year's Dividend on Stock 69 7 4 ,, Examiners' Fees 21 5 0 „ „ „ (St. James's Scholarship Fund) 15 7 2 ,, Fuel 10 5 0 ,, Gas 14 6 0 ,, Interest on £500 on Deposit at Bankers 9 7 11 ,, Rates and Taxes 43 2 6 236 10 10 ,, Caretaker 60 3 0 ,, Rent of Cellars, to September 29th 50 0 0 ,, Tradesmen's Bills (School) 56 9 2 ,, School Fees 1,415 10 4 ,, Donation to Library 10 0 0 ,, ,, Cricket Club 2 2 0 ., Sundries 3 9 8 1,568 9 5 ,, Tradesmen's Bills (Building) 10 12 4 ,, Surveyor 2 2 0 ,, Insurance 3 3 0 15 17 4 ,, Petty Cash in hand... 30 0 0 ,, Balance at Bankers on Deposit Account 1500 0 0 ,, ,, ,, Current Account 1230 4 11 760 4 11 £2,344 11 8 Examined with Vouchers and found correct, L. DAVIDSON, M.A. JAS. M. ANDREW. February 27th, 1885. 219 BURLINGTON SCHOOL. Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31st December, 1884. RECEIPTS. 1884. £ s. d. PAYMENTS. 1884. £ t. d. Balance from 1883 739 1 4 Management expenses 38 4 8 From Endowment: Expenses of property, including repairs, rates, taxes, and insurance 132 14 11 Dividends on Stock (including St. James's Scholarship Fund and Rickards' bequest) 417 2 0 School expenses, including salaries, pension, books, apparatus, &c. 1,113 0 11 Rent of House, Berwick-street 78 6 8 495 8 8 Exhibitions and scholarships 54 19 10 School Fees 1,302 9 114 Rickards' bequest 36 3 0 Sale of Books, &c. 111 13 2 Library 12 8 6 Boarders, &c. 272 8 2 Household expenses 740 7 1 Miscellaneous 41 9 0 Incidental expenses 8 2 0 Balance at close of account 826 8 9 £2.962 9 8 • £2,962 9 8 p 2 220 CRAVEN PEST HOUSE CHARITY. Statement of Accounts for the year 1884. £ s. d. £ s. d. To Balance from last year's account 144 7 4 By Cash, King's College Hospital 360 0 0 ,, Dividends on £395 7s. 8d 11 17 2 Do. Charing Cross Hospital 240 0 0 ,, Ditto on £16,639 7s. 2d. 488 15 8 Do. Clerk and Receiver's Salary 30 0 0 ,, Ground Rents 179 17 2 Do. Printing and Management 13 9 0 £824 17 4 Do. Balance at Bankers 181 8 4 £824 17 4 221 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER Statement of Accounts of sundry Parochial Charities, for the year 1884. OFFERTORY SCHOOL FUND. 1884. £ s. d. 1884. £ s. d. December 31st—Income— December 31st—Deficit from the year 1883 7 5 10 One Year's Dividends on .£'2,028 12s. l0d. Consols 60 17 2 Ground Rent, Kates, Taxes, and Insurance 20 16 2 Kent of Leasehold Premises 113 0 0 Repairs 8 0 0 Proportionate part of Knightsbridge, Allen, and others' Bequests 14 0 0 Gas 6 2 0 Secretary and Surveyor 8 10 0 Grants for Educational purposes, St. Peter's National School, Great Windmill Street £55 0 0 Boys' National School, Marshall Street 60 0 0 Boys' Sunday School, Marshall Street 10 0 0 125 0 0 Balance at close of Account 12 3 2 £187 17 2 £187 17 2 222 KNIGHTSBRIDGE AND OTHERS' CHARITY. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. December 31st—Income for the year (Dividends on £'2,063 0s. 9d. New £3 per cents.) 61 17 8 December 31st—Distributed by the Rector during the year, through the Sick and Visiting Fund for the Poor 17 2 10 Ditto, ditto in Coals. 3 2 10 Distributed by the Churchwardens during the year 27 12 0 Paid to Offertory School Fund 14 0 0 £61 17 8 £61 17 8 Note.—The above-mentioned sum of £27 l2s. was supplemented by a sum from the Sacramental Alms Fund of the Church, and distributed in the form of tickets for Bread and Coals, by Members of the Vestry, on behalf of the Churchwardens. LE QUAINTER'S CHARITY. 1884. receipts. £ s d. 1884. payments. £ s #] December 31st—Income for the Year (Dividends or £9,969 2s. 9d. New £3 per cents.) l 299 1 6 December 18th—Paid to 20 poor persons, the sum of 14 15s. 11d. each 295 18 4 Interest on dividends placed on deposit 1 16 4 Cost of Printing Forms of Petition and Lists of Applicants 4 19 6 £300 17 10 £300 17 10 223 NEWTON AND BAGSHAW'S CHARITY. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. January 1st—Balance in hand December 31st—Income for the Year (Dividends on 30 18 10 September 23rd—Paid Balance of Premium with Henry Nichols, apprenticed to Mr. Willmott, Cabinet Maker 10 0 0 £1,169 12s. lid. Consols) 34 14 5 Income Tax deducted from Dividends, repaid by Income Tax Commissioners 2 0 8 October 28th—Paid Balance of Premium with Dennis Murray, apprenticed to Mr. Barnard, Saddler 10 0 0 Interest on Savings'Bank Account 1 0 0 December 31st—Balance at close of account.. 49 1 11 Fees for Inspection of Rate Books 0 2 0 £69 1 11 £69 1 11 BRODER'S PORTEUS', AND ANDREWES' CHARITY. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. January 1st—Balance in hand 9 18 0 December 31st—Given to the Poor by the Rector during the year 27 4 8 December 31st—Income for the Year (Dividends on £774 11s. Consols) 23 4 8 Balance in hand 5 18 0 £33 2 8 £33 2 8 224 JACKSON'S CHARITY. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. Jan. 1. Balance in hand 104 14 9 Dec. 31. Paid for Letters of Admission to Convalescent Homes Dec. 31. Income for the year (dividends on £2,600 new £3 per cents.) 78 0 0 Bexhill (20) 31 10 0 Walton-on-Thames (40) 42 0 0 Secretary's Salary 4 4 0 Balance at close of Account 105 0 9 £182 14 9 £182 14 9 FORSTER'S BEQUESTS. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. January 1st-Balance in hand 13 3 6 December 31st—Given to the Poor by the Rector during the year 19 10 0 December 31st—Income for the year (Dividends on £444 8s. 11d. Consols) 13 6 8 Balance in hand 7 0 2 £26 10 2 £26 10 2 225 ATKINSON MORLEY'S WIDOWS' FUND 1884. receipts. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. Jan. 1. Balance in hand 0 15 0 May 19. Paid ten Widows the sum of £8 6 10 each 83 8 4 Dec. 31. Income for the year (dividends on £8,065 2 8 new £3 per cents) 82 8 2 Interest on Savings Bank Account 0 5 2 £83 8 4 £83 8 4 PAYLER'S CHARITY. 1884. receipts. £ s. d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. Jan. 1. Balance in hand 5 9 6 Dec. 31. Paid to poor persons during the year 10 0 Dec. 31. Income for the year (dividends on £1,017 16 2 Consols) 30 10 8 By the Rector 19 By the Churchwardens 15 5 4 Balance at close of Account 1 4 10 £36 0 2 £36 0 2 SMITH'S CHARITY. 1881. receipts. £ s d. 1884. payments. £ s. d. Income for the Year (Dividends on £96 15 3 Consols) 2 18 0 Paid to Sick and Visiting Fund 2 18 0 226 LIST OF THE PAROCHIAL CHARITIES, &c. Benefactor. OBJECT. By whom Administered. Annual Income. SOURCE OF INCOME. £ s. d. 1 Earl Craven. 1687. Under an Order of the Court of Chancery, the income of the Charity is applied as follows:— Three-fifths (not exceeding £600) of the net annual income to be paid to the Treasurer of King's College Hospital, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, and twofifths (not exceeding £400) to be paid to the Treasurer of Charing Cross Hospital, Agar Street, Strand. The Governors of King's College Hospital to set apart 24 beds; and the Governors of Charing Cross Hospital 16 beds for the reception of patients suffering from infectious, contagious, or other diseases (small-pox excepted) to be admitted by orders from the Trustees, from the Parishes of St. Martin-in-the Fields, St. George, Hanover Square, St. Clement Danes, St. James, Westminster, and St. Paul, Covent Garden, provided there are vacancies. The Governors to receive and supply with advice and medicines, as out-patients, all poor Persons resident in the said Parishes, who shall be sent by the Trustees with out-patient orders. Trustees, viz: the Incumbent of the said Parishes, and four resident Householders for the Parishes of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and St. George, Hanover Square; and four resident Householders for each of the Parishes of St. Clement Danes, St. James, Westminster, and St. Paul's, Covent Garden; one Trustee from each parish to go out of office by rotation every fourth year, but to be eligible for re-election. Acting Trustee for St. James's (to whom application for admission to the hospitals is to be made), Mr. F. Crane, 55, Regent Street. 694 14 9 £16,639 7s. 2d. Three per Cent. Consols. £365 7s. 8d. Three per Cent. Consols. Rent of Ground, houses, and coachhouses at Craven Hill, Paddington. £183 14s. 227  Benefactor. OBJECT. By whom Administered. Annual Income SOURCE OK INCOME. £ s. d. 2 Burlington School, Boyle Street, Founded 1699. To provide for and advance the education of Girls. Five nominated, and Seven cooptative Governors, viz: Nominated— Rev. J. E. Kempe, Mr. Elam, Mr. Cox, Mr. C. S. Miller, Rev. H. N. D'Almaine. Co-optative — Rev. J. W. Ayre, Mr. Birch, Mr. Drake, Rev. E. Capel Cure, Mr. Hird, Mr. Hulke, Mr. Pym. 497 0 0 £4,574 4s. 2d. Consols. £4,108 7s. 2d. New £3 per Cents. £4,023 17s. 10d. Reduced £3 per Cents. £903 17s. 4d. India £4 per Cents. Rent of house, No. 15, Berwick Street, £80 per annum. About £6,000 was expended in alterations to the schools in the year 1876; this sum was realized by the sale of funded property to that amount, the funded endowment in 1876 being £18,819 9s. 11d. Consols. approximate, and fees from Pupils. 228  Benefactor. OBJECT. By whom administered. Annual Income SOURCE OF INCOME. £ s. d. 3 Offertory Schools. Swallow Street. Beginning of the year 1700. For the advancement of the education of Boys at any Public Elementary School or Schools in the Parish, by means of Prizes and Exhibitions. Two ex-officio Governors: Two representative Governors; Three co-optative Governors, viz.: Rector, Rev. H. A. Sheringham, Sir W. R. Farquhar, Lord F. Hervey, Lord Egerton of Tatton, Mr. Crane, Mr. Cox. 60 17 2 Formerly £2,705 10s. 8d. Consols (the accumulation of Communion alms during the Rectorship of Dean Andrews) now £2,028 12s. 10d. Consols. also £14 from the Knightsbridge Charity. 4 Thomas Tenison, D.D., Archbishop of Canterbury. 1725. To provide one or more Schoolmasters to teach Poor Boys, natives and inhabitants of the Parish. The Rector and the Senior Churchwarden for the time being, and Three Trustees for each of the Parishes of St. Martin and St. James, viz:—Vicar of St. Martin, Rector of St. James, Lord Kinnaird, Colonel Sir Robert Loyd Lindsay, M.P., Mr. John Scott, Rev. H. A Sheringham, Mr. F. Crane, Mr. Hy. Graves, Mr. G. H. Hopkinson, and Mr. William Winnett. £ s d. One-fourth of Rent of house, No. 172a. Regent Street, and of Ground Rent paid by the Commissioners of Woods & Forests. Stock, £2,312 Consols. 148 0 0 Rent, and £68 7 4 Dividends. 229  Benefactor. OBJECT. By whom Administered. Annual Income. AMOUNT OK BEQUEST. £ s. d. 5 Alice Knightsbridge. 1765. To be laid out in bread, to be distributed at St. Thomas's Church at Christmas and Whitsuntide yearly, among Poor Housekeepers of the Parish. Rector and Churchwardens for the time being. 61 17 10 £200 (Dividends on £2,063 9 0 100 Dickens. For Coals for the Poor. New £3 per cents.) Brown For Coals for the Poor. 60 Hillier John Allen. For the Offertory School. 100 Elizabeth 70 Lancaster. 1728. To buy Books for the Offertory Boys, John Barnes. 1727. For the Charity Girls. 10 Richard Marsh. 1700. For the Charity Girls. 50 Margaret Haddle. 1727. For the Poor, at the discretion of the" Rector and Churchwardens. 100 James Dodsley. 1774. For the Poor, at the discretion of the Rector and Churchwardens. 200 6 Peter LeQuainter 1782 To be equally distributed at Christmas amongst twenty Poor Persons who are, or have been, housekeepers in the Parish. Rector, Churchwardens, and the other Gentlemen, for the time being, who shall compose the Vestry. 299 1 5 £9,969 2s. 9d. Three per Cent. Bank Annuities. 7 Newton and Bagshaw. 1811. To apprentice one Boy, belonging to the Parish, annually, to be elected from the Union School, St. James's Road, Tooting, formerly from the Workhouse School in Poland Street. Churchwardens, Overseers, and Governors and Directors of the Poor for the time being. 34 4 2 £1,169 125. 11d. Three per Cent. Consols. 230  Benefactor. OBJECT. By whom Administered. Annual Income SOURCE OF INCOME. 8 Ann Border. Bishop Porteus. Dean Andrewes For the relief of Poor Housekeepers and others. Rector for the time being. £ s. d. £774 11s. New Three per Cents. 23 4 8 9 Samuel Jackson. 1823. To pay 1s a piece to 20 Poor Men and 20 Poor Women in the Workhouse, who shall have lived most respectably in the world, and shall constantly attend Divine worship at the Chapel in the Infirmary, or who shall give good cause for nonattendance. The amount was last reduced to 9d. in consequence of an alteration in the Stock. Rector, Churchwardens, and Overseers for the time being. Distributed weekly, after Chapel service on Sunday Morning, by the Master of the Workhouse. £ s. d. £2,600 Four per Cent. Bank Annuities Afterwards changed to 3½ and subsequently to New 3 per Cent. 78 0 0 1881. The original trust becoming inapplicable on the formation of the Westminster Union, the income arising from this bequest was, by a scheme of the Charity Commissioners, dated 28th September, 1881, directed to be applied by the Trustees in contributing to the funds of any Convalescent Hospital for the reception, treatment, and maintenance of deserving poor persons of either sex, who shall have partially recovered from, but shall be still incapacitated to some extent by the effects of accident, injury, or sickness, with the object of promoting their complete restoration to health. By same Trustees. (Applications for letters of admission to be made any week-day morning to Mr. Redman, at the Parish Church Vestry.) Now standing in the names of the Official Trustees of Charitable Funds. 231  Benefactor. OBJECT. By whom Administered. Annual Income SOURCE OF INCOME. 10 Mrs. Elizabeth Dennis Denver. 1824. To be divided into seven equal parts to be allotted to seven poor Spinsters, not under 60 years of age at the time, of general good character, constant, when able in their attendance at some place of public worship, and who have never been beggars. The several said persons when so selected to receive, the said bequests during their natural lives. The Parishioners of St. Luke, Chelsea, St. Pancras, St. James, Westminster, and Christ Church, Newgate Street, to have precedence, provided the applicant is equally deserving. The distribution is made by the Rector and Churchwardens of St. Luke, Chelsea, and the Trustees, of whom the Rector for the time being is one, in the Vestry Room of St. Luke's Church, on one of the first six days of the month of January in each year, and Notice of the day appointed is to be placed on the church doors one month previously, and printed forms may be obtained at St. Luke's Vestry Room, on any day after notice has been given between 10 and 12 o'clock. £ s. d. £6,989 17s. 8d. Three per Cent. Consols. 119 0 0 11 Ann Margaret Forster. 1836. To repair vault-tomb and railing in the burial ground of St. James' Chapel in the Hampstead Road, and to paint the railing enclosing the same, annually—the remainder to be distributed on the 25th March, in each year, amongst six poor deserving Women. The Rector for the time being. £ s. d. £444 8s. 11d. Consols. 13 6 8 232  Benefactor. OBJECT. By whom Administered. Annual Income. SOURCE OP INCOME. 12 Atkinson Morley. 1850. To be divided yearly, in equal shares and proportions, between 10 Widows of Tradesmen, who at their respective deaths were Parishioners of the Parish, and had been respectively rated to the Poor at not less than £20 per annum. The Rector for the time being; the Trustees of the Will; and Six Inhabitants of the Parish. £ s. d. £2,746 19s. 2d. New Three per Cents. The amount of the legacy was £3,000; it was reduced by payment of duty to £2,700. 82 8 2 13 James Pavler. 1853. To be divided equally between 20 poor deserving Persons resident in the Parish. The Rector and Churchwardens for the time being. £ s. d. £1,017 16s. 2d. Three per Cent. Consols. 30 10 8 14 Charles Smith, 1869. To be divided annually at Christmas, amongst the Poor of the Parish. • Rector for the time being. £ s. d. £96 15s. 3d. Three per Cent. Consols. 2 18 0 15 St. James' Scholarship Fund. To be divided equally between the Tenison and Burlington Schools. Rector and Churchwardens. £ s d. £1,045 15s. 0d. Consols. 31 7 5 REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1884, # made to the Vertry of St. James, WESTMINSTER, by JAMES EDMUNDS, M.D., Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Loudon ; Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society ; Fellow of the Chemical Society ; &c. &c. &c. MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH AND PUBLIC ANALYST FOR ST. JAMES'S, WESTMINSTER. L 234 CONTENTS. I.—PUBLIC HEALTH. page General Report for the year 1884 235 Appendix of Tables. 1. Causes of Death 241 2. Cases of Fever, Small Pox, and Diphtheria 245 3. Sanitary Inspector's Work 252 4. Summary of Inspectors' Work 255 5. Underground Rooms cleared of Occupants 256 II.—PUBLIC ANALYSIS. 1. Report upon Articles Analysed during year 1884 257 2. List of Articles obtained for Analysis 259 235 TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS of the VESTRY OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. Reverend Sir and Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit the following Report upon the Public Health of the Parish of St. James, Westminster, for the year 1884. The census of 1881 gives the District of the Parish of Sr. James as covering an area of 162 acres, and containing a population of 29,865. The Golden Square Sub-District appears as covering an area of 54 acres, and containing a population of 11,585. The Berwick Street Sub-District appears as covering an area of 108 acres, and containing a population of 18,280. Taking these data from the census, the mean density of the population of the whole district appears as 184 per acre : while the density of the population in the Golden Square Sub-District appears as 215 persons per acre, and that of the Berwick Street Sub-District as 169 persons per acre. 236 The division of the District into two Sub-Districts was abolished by the Registrar-General on April 1st, 1884. The net mortality for the year 1884 was 476 deaths. Taking the population at 29,865—476 deaths gives a deathrate of 15.94 per 1,000. The mortality from Zymotic diseases during the year has been 18, and there have been, in addition, 16 other deaths among Zymotic cases removed from the Parish to extraParochial Hospitals. Vide Table II., page 245. Of Fever, Small Pox, and Diphtheria, 104 cases came under notice during the year ; but many cases may not have been known, there being as yet no law requiring that notice of such cases be given to the Sanitary Authority. Of these 104 cases, 21 were of Small Pox, 1 of Enteric or Typhoid Fever, 79 of Scarlet Fever, and 1 of Diphtheria. Eightyeight cases—19 of Small Pox, t)8 of Scarlet Fever, and 1 of Typhoid—were removed to extra-Parochial Hospitals. During the year 1884, 39 bodies were removed into the Mortuary. In 14 cases bodies were removed from the presence of families generally living in a single room, and where, but for the public Mortuary, the family would have lived and slept in the presence of a decomposing corpse, upon which, possibly, a post-mortem examination would have to be made before interment could take place. In 11 cases the bodies have been removed from hotels or lodging-houses. Twenty- one Inquests have been held upon bodies lying in the Mortuary, and 15 post-mortem examinations for judicial purposes have been made in the Examination Room which adjoins the Mortuary. 237 The following number of Deaths were registered as having occurred in St. James's during the year 1884:— First Quarter 131 Second Quarter 127 Third Quarter 119 Fourth Quarter 109 Gross mortality for year 1884 486 Deduct Deaths of Non-Parishioners:— Dying in the Workhouse 22 Dying in the Throat Hospital 4 26 460 Add Deaths among Zymotic cases removed to extra-Parochial Hospitals 16 Net mortality for the year 1884 476 476 deaths in a population of 29,865 is a death-rate of 15.94 per thousand. The deaths occurring in St. James s during the last ten vp;irs have been as follows:— Gross Mortality. Net Mortality. Year 1875 Deaths 686 621 „ 1876 „ 621 573 „ 1877 „ 554 517 „ 1878 „ 693 647 „ 1879 „ 608 568 „ 1880 „ 623 589 „ 1881 „ 569 545 „ 1882 „ 538 505 „ 1883 „ 527 501 „ 1884 „ 486 476 238 The following Table of gross Mortality shows the periods of life in which the deaths have occurred in the last Seven years respectively. Under 1 Tear of Age. Above 1 and under 5. Above 5 and under 20. Above 20 and under 40. Above 40 and under 60. Above 60 and under 80. Above 80. Total. 1878 First Quarter 35 32 6 18 36 52 8 187 Second Quarter 37 30 9 12 24 26 5 143 Third Quarter 63 31 6 13 27 22 9 171 Fourth Quarter 37 26 13 24 34 50 8 192 Total 172 119 34 67 121 150 30 693 1879 First Quarter 34 18 4 14 35 54 14 173 Second Quarter 35 14 10 21 39 38 15 172 Third Quarter 22 8 6 8 16 20 1 81 Fourth Quarter 50 22 3 17 33 45 12 182 Total 141 62 23 60 123 157 42 608 1880 First Quarter 34 29 7 18 36 43 13 179 Second Quarter 39 39 7 10 22 35 6 158 Third Quarter 45 33 5 12 20 26 4 145 Fourth Quarter 21 32 12 15 23 29 9 141 Total 139 133 31 55 101 133 32 623 1881 First Quarter 30 17 3 13 41 37 7 148 Second Quarter 30 23 3 3 13 33 37 132 Third Quarter 42 20 6 24 23 29 3 147 Fourth Quarter 20 20 13 18 26 33 6 142 Total 128 80 25 58 103 122 53 569 1882 First Quarter 21 24 6 15 30 39 10 145 Second Quarter 16 19 7 12 26 25 9 114 Third Quarter 32 24 10 11 18 29 7 131 Fourth Quarter 24 39 6 12 21 35 11 148 Total 93 106 29 50 95 128 37 538 1883 First Quarter 19 18 1 17 29 42 12 138 Second Quarter 24 19 3 14 30 44 13 147 Third Quarter 43 10 2 10 22 18 10 115 Fourth Quarter 21 16 2 20 31 31 6 127 Total 107 63 8 61 111 135 41 527 1884 First Quarter 26 6 5 11 26 47 10 131 Second Quarter 20 34 1 6 17 36 13 127 Third Quarter 41 13 8 16 14 22 5 119 Fourth Quarter 21 10 4 15 25 26 8 109 Total 108 63 18 48 82 031 36 486 239 TABLE OF ZYMOTIC DEATHS FOR THE 25 YEARS—1860-84. 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 Small Pox 4 1 1 21 .. 2 1 .. 2 .. 3 18 6 1 .. .. 1 3 1 • • .. 3 .. .. .. Measles 8 17 9 24 29 17 19 17 11 14 13 6 24 20 1 4 21 8 19 6 26 10 17 2 10 Scarlet Fever Diphtheria 16 32 66 31 13 20 30 9 31 39 75 14 6 • • 13 19 14 7 20 15 20 10 11 3 7 Whpng. Cough 34 47 33 22 29 17 21 34 21 43 12 19 30 18 14 28 14 7 19 14 18 8 12 • • 1 Diarrhœa 5 10 13 20 15 15 19 18 17 13 26 28 28 29 11 21 19 13 21 9 23 15 12 12 16 Typhus and Typhoid Fever 13 2 13 8 14 10 7 7 6 10 7 4 8 9 6 3 7 12 9 4 6 5 5 1 4 Cholera .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Total 80 109 135 126 100 81 105 88 88 119 136 90 102 77 45 75 76 50 89 48 93 51 57 18 38 During the 24 years, 1859—1882 inclusive, the deaths from Zymotics were 2,019, being an average yearly mortality of 80.76. The Zymotic deaths registered in the Parish during the year 1884 were 38. The Table on page 240 shows the Zymotic and some other deaths in each quarter of the year 1884. 240 Table showing the Names and number of Zymotic and certain other deaths which occurred in each Quarter during the Year 1884. First Quarter. Second Quarter. Third Quarter. Fourth Quarter. Whole year. Small Pox .. .. .. .. .. Measles 1 8 1 .. 10 Scarlet Fever .. 2 2 2 6 Diphtheria .. 1 .. .. 1 Whooping Cough 1 .. .. .. 1 Typhus Fever .. .. .. .. .. Typhoid Fever .. 1 2 1 4 Diarrhoea .. 1 13 2 16 Total 2 13 18 5 38 Continued Fever .. .. .. .. .. Erysipelas 1 .. 1 .. 2 Puerperal Fever .. .. .. .. .. Rheumatism 1 .. 3 3 7 Syphilis .. .. .. .. .. Croup .. 1 .. .. 1 Total 2 1 4 3 10 Tables of the causes of death and other data for the year 1884 are appended. I have the honour to remain, Rev. Sir and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, JAMES EDMUNDS. 8, Grafton Street, Piccadilly. 241 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table 1.—Causes of Death during Quarter ending Mar. 31st, 1884. CAUSES OF DEATH. Golden Square. Berwick Street. Workhouse. Under 1 Year of Age. Above 1 and under 5. Above 6 and under 20. Above 20 and under 40. Above 40 and under 60. Above 60 and under 80. 80 and upwards. All Ages. I.—Zymotic Diseases Measles .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 Whooping Cough .. 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Erysipelas .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Rheumatism .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 II.—Constitutional Diseases. Cancer 1 2 .. .. .. .. .. 1 2 .. 3 Phthisis or Consmptn. 4 5 2 1 .. 2 3 5 .. .. 11 Tabes Mesenterica .. 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Apoplexy 2 .. 4 .. .. .. .. 2 4 , , 6 Paralysis 1 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 1 3 Convulsions 3 4 .. 5 2 .. .. .. .. .. 7 III—Local Diseases. Meningitis 2 1 .. 2 .. .. 1 .. .. .. 3 Brain Disease '?, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. 2 Heart Disease 1 3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 .. 5 Bronchitis 17 9 9 8 3 .. 1 11 11 .. 35 Catarrh 1 1 .. 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. 2 Pneumonia 3 9. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 1 .. 5 Liver Disease 1 3 .. .. .. .. .. 1 3 .. 4 Lung Disease 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 Stomach Disease 1 9, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. 2 Hemorrhage 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 Diabetes 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 Premature of Birth .. 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 IV.—Developmental Diseases. Old Age 3 2 8 .. .. .. .. .. 6 7 13 Childbirth 1 .. 1 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. 2 Marasmus .. .. 1 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Other Diseases .. 10 1 1 .. .. .. 1 8 1 11 V.— Violent Deaths Fractures & Contns .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Suffocation .. 2 .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Gunshot Wound 1 1 .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. .. 2 Syncope 2 .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. .. 2 50 54 27 | 20 6 5 11 26 47 10 131 242 PARISH OP ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table I.—Causes of Death during Quarter ending June 30th, 1884 CAUSES OF DEATHS. St. James. Westminster. Workhouse. Under 1 Year of Age. Above 1 and under 5. 1 Above fi and under 20. Above 20 and under 40 Above 40 and under 60. Above 60 and under 80. 80 and upwards. All Ages. I.—Zymotic Diseases. Scarlet Fever 2 .. .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. 2 Typhoid Fever 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 Measles 8 .. 2 6 .. .. .. .. .. 8 Diphtheria 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 Croup 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 Diarrhoea 1 1 .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. 2 II.—Constitutional Diseases Phthisis or Consumption 7 1 .. 2 .. 4 9. .. .. 8 Tabes Mesenterica 5 4 .. .. .. 1 .. .. 5 Apoplexy 3 1 .. .. .. .. 1 3 .. 4 Paralysis 2 3 .. .. .. .. 3 2 .. 5 Convulsions 10 1 3 8 .. .. .. .. .. 11 III.—Local Diseases. Meningitis 2 .. 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. 2 Heart Disease 2 1 .. .. .. 1 .. 9 .. a Lung Disease 3 .. .. 1 .. .. 9 .. .. 3 Liver Disease 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 Kidney Disease 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Bronchitis 25 6 5 6 .. .. 9, 14 4 31 Pneumonia 9 2 1 fi 1 .. 2 1 1 11 Bright's Disease 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Diabetes 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Catarrh 1 • • .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 IV.—Developmental Diseases. Old Age 4 11 .. .. .. .. .. 7 8 15 Premature Birth 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Atrophy and Debility 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Marasmus 1 .. 9 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Other Diseases 1 1 .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. 2 Suicide ] 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 Syncope 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 .. 2 98 29 20 34 1 6 17 36 13 127 243 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table I.—Causes of Death during the Quarter ending Sept. 29,1884 cause of death. St. James, Westminster. Workhouse. Under 1 Year of Age. Above 1 and under 5. Above 5 and under 20. 1 Above 20 and under 40. Above 40 and under 60. Above GO and under 80. 80 and upward All Ages. I.—Zymotic Diseases. Scarlet Fever 2 .. 1 1 .. .. .. .. .. 9 Typhoid Fever 2 .. .. .. .. 2 .. .. .. 2 Measles 1 • • .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 Erysipelas 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Diarrhoea 13 3 9 4 .. .. .. 2 1 16 Rheumatism 3 .. .. .. 1 2 .. .. .. 3 II.—Constitutional Diseases. Cancer 2 .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. .. 2 Phthisis or Consumption 14 • • 1 .. 1 6 6 .. .. 14 Tabes Mesenterica 4 1 4 1 .. .. .. .. .. 5 Apoplexy 1 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Paralysis 1 1 .. .. .. .. 2 .. .. 2 Convulsions 7 1 8 .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 Gout 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 • • .. 1 III.—Local Diseases. Meningitis 2 .. .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. 2 Heart Disease 8 .. .. .. 1 2 .. 5 .. 8 Lung Disease 1 • • . . 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 Kidney Disease 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 • • .. 1 Liver Disease 2 .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. .. 2 Bronchitis 8 2 2 1 1 1 .. 5 .. 10 Pneumonia 5 .. .. 1 3 .. 1 .. .. 5 Throat Disease 1 .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 IV.—Developmental Diseases. Old Age 5 3 .. .. .. .. • • 4 4 8 Atrophy and Debility 5 2 1 " * 7 Inanition 2 .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Marasmus 3 . . 2 1 .. .. .. .. .. 3 Teething 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Premature of Birth 4 • • 4 .. .. .. .. .. .. -ft Other Diseases 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 • • 1 V.—Violent Deaths. Suffocation 2 • • 1 .. .. .. 1 • • .. 2 Gunshot 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1 104 15 41 13 8 16 .. 22 5 no 244 PARISH OP ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table I.—Games of Death during the Quarter ending Dec. 29th, 1884 CAUSES OP DEATH. Pt. James, W estminster. W orkhouse. Under 1 Year of Ape. Above 1 and under 5. Above 5 and under 20. Above 20 and under 40. Above 40 and under co Above 60 and under 80. 80 and upwards. All Ages. I.—Zymotic Diseases. 2 .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. .. 2 Scarlet Fever 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. 1 Typhoid Fever .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Measles 2 .. 1 .. .. .. .. I .. 2 Diarrhoea 3 .. .. .. .. 2 1 .. .. 3 Rheumatism II.—Constitutional Diseaset. 2 1 .. .. .. .. 1 2 .. 3 Cancer 13 .. 1 2 1 4 5 .. .. 13 Phthisis or Consumption.. 2 .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 Tabes Mesenterica 2 .. .. .. .. 1 1 .. .. 2 Apoplexy .. 5 .. .. .. .. 1 3 1 5 Paralysis 7 .. 3 4 .. .. .. .. .. 7 Convulsions 1 .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 Epilepsy III.—Local Diseases. Brain Disease 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 Heart Disease 6 2 .. .. .. .. 4 3 1 8 Liver Disease 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 Bronchitis 17 6 4 3 .. .. 4 11 1 23 Pneumonia 3 1 .. .. 1 1 .. .. 3 Throat Disease 3 .. .. .. .. 3 .. .. .. 3 Other Diseases 6 1 1 .. 1 1 3 1 • • 7 IV.—Developmental Diseases. Old Age 4 5 .. .. .. .. .. 4 5 9 Atrophy and Debility 3 .. 2 .. 1 .. .. .. .. 3 Inanition 4 .. 4 .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 Marasmus 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Teething 1 .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 V.—Violent Deaths. Fractures and Contns. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 Suffocation 1 .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 Suicide 1 .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 Gunshot 1 .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 89 20 21 10 4 15 25 26 8 109 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table II.—Cases of Fever, Small Pox, and Diphtheria, coming under the notice of the Sanitary Inspectors during the gear 1884. Date. Name. Address. No of Case Sex. Age. Disease. Supposed Cause. 1 removed. To where. Result. Remarks. 1884. Jan.22 W. M. 16, New Burlington street 1 Male 12 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 30 T. M. 24, Little Pulteney street 2 Male 6 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered Mar. -1 A. E. M. 24, Little Pulteney street 3 Female 5 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 19 M. C. C 18, Little Windmill street 4 Female 4 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 25 E. B. 14, Wellington mews 5 Female 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Recovered A Private case April 12 T. L. Westminster Union, Poland street 6 Male 2 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 17 E. T. 89, Wardour street 7 Male 10 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Recovered A private case 21 M. M. 1, Elkingtons buildings 8 Female 6 years • Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Recovered A private case 26 B. M. 1, Elkingtons buildings 9 Female 4 years Scarlet Fever Taken from Sister Not Removed ... Recovered A private case 28 W. W. 10, Fouberts place 10 Male 2½ years Diphtheria Unknown Not Removed ... Death A private ease May 8 M. C. 9, Little Pulteney street 11 Female 9 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 8 G. C. 9, Little Pulteney street 12 Male 4 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell, Hospital Recovered 8 T. C. 9, Little Pulteney street 13 Male 2 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 10 M. C. 30, Wellington mews 14 Female 4½ years Scarlet Fever Unkuown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 17 M. A.C. i 18, Little Windmill street 15 Female 7 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 246 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, Table II.— Cases of Fever, Small Pox, and Diphtheria, coming under the notice of the Sanitary Inspectors during the year 1884. Date. Name. Address. No.of Case. Sex. Age. Disease. Supposed Cause. If Removed. To where. Result. Remarks. 1884. May 19 W. H. . 4, Berwick street 16 Male 1 year Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Death A private case 19 M. B. 3, Dufours place 17 Female 8 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 22 L. C. J. 43, Ingestre buildings 18 Female 9 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 28 R.H. 4, Tyler's court, Berwick street 19 Female 5 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 29 J. McC. 16, King street, VV. 20 Male 3£ years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 30 H. G. 3, Tyler's court, Berwick street 21 Male 8 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 80 A. Cx. 3, Tyler's court, Berwick street 22 Male 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 31 M. A. B. 2, Harris's place 23 Female 33 years Small pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered June 2 J. H. 4, Tyler's court 24 Male 3 years Scarlet Fever Takenfrom sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 3 E. K. 53, Beak street 25 Female 10 years Scarlet Fever Taken at school Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 3 A. K. 53, Beak street „ 26 Female 7 years Scarlet Fever Taken at school Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 4 E. C. B. 2, Harris's place 27 Male 4 years Small pox Takenfrom mother Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 7 J. H. 6, Berwick street 28 Female 5 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 10 A. B. 7, Green's court 29 Female 33 years Small pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 13 A. F. 35, Carnaby street 30 Female 9 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 247 APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table II.—Cases of Fever, Small Pox, and Diphtheria, coming under the notice of the Sanitary Inspectors during the year 1884. Date. Name. Address. No.of Case. Sex. Age. Disease. Supposed Cause. If Removed. To Where. Result. Remarks. 1384. I June 24 H. U. 57, Beak street 31 Female 3½ years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell j Hospital Death July 1 A. G. 07, King street, W. 32 Female 28 years Small pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 1 R. G. 67, King street, W. 33 Female 14 days Small pox Takenfrom mother Removed Stockwell Hospital Death July 2 E. R. 6, South row 34 Female 53 years Small pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 2 J.R. 6, South row 35 Female 23 years Small pox Takenfrom mother Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 2 P. R. 6, South row 36 Male 14 years Small pox Takenfrom mother Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered s J. B 22, Fouberts place 37 Male 10 years Small pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered i 4 H. R. 6, South row 38 Male 25 years Small pox Takenfrom mother Removed Ship Atlas, Purfleet Recovered 5 E. A. 27, Portland street 39 Female 4 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Recovered A private case 6 M. P. 46, Beak street 40 Female 23 years Small pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 13 E. P. 83, Berwick street 41 Male 13 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 25 A. M. 16, King street, W. 42 Female 14 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 25 A.M. 16, King street, W. 43 Female 8 years Scarlet Fever Takenfrom sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 26 H. L. 52, Berwick Btreet 44 Male 9 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 2H a. w. 28, Portland street 45 Female 0 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 248 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table II.—Gases of Fever, Small Pox, and Diphtheria, coming under the notice of the Sanitary Inspectors during the year 1884. Date. Name. Address No.ot Case. Sex. Age. Disease. Supposed Cause. If Removed. To where. Result. Remarks. 1884. July 28 W. J. M. 16, King street, W. 46 Male 5 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Bemoved Stockwell Hospital Recovered 29 J. H. C. 48, Berwick street 47 Male 1 year Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removtd Death A private case 30 G. H. M. 16, King street, W. 48 Male 10 years Scarlet Fever Takenfrom sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 30 B. M. 16, King street, W. 49 Female 2 years Scarlet Fever Takenfrom sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Kecovered 30 E.E. 12, Swallow street 50 Female 14 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 31 E. P. 44, Ingestre buildings 51 Female 17 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered Aug. 1 S. L. 43, Ingestre buildings 52 Female 34 years Scarlet Fever Unknown , Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 1 E. T. 17, Broad street 53 Female 7 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 1 L. S. 54, Poland street 54 Male 21 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 4 E. J. C. 48, Berwick street 55 Female 21 years Scarlet Fever Takenfrom her son Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 10 M. A. D. 20, King street, W. 56 Female 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 10 H. P. 21, Broad street 57 Male 17 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 11 V. G. 28, King street, W. 58 Male 4½ years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 12 T. A. E. 12, Swallow street 59 Male 9 years Scarlet Fever Takenfrom sister Removed ! Stockwell 1 Hospital Recovered 12 A. E. 12, Swallow street 60 Male 1 year Scarlet Fever Takenfrom sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 249 Date. Name. Address. No. of Case. Sex. Age. Disease. Supposed Cause. If Removed. To where. Result. Remarks. 1884. Aug. 13 W. G. 28, King street, W. 61 Male 9 years Scarlet Fever Taken from brother Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 14 J. G. 28, King street, W. 62 Male 6 years Scarlet Fever Taken from brother Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 14 M. P. 69, Berwick street 63 Female 7 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 18 T. M. 11, William and Mary yard 64 Male 13 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 18 E. B. 47a, Carnaby street 65 Female 2 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 23 K. B. 13, Noel street 66 Female 7 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 25 E. L. 16, Noel street 67 Female 6 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death Sept. 8 W. J. 32, Peter street 68 Male 23 years Typhoid Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Death A private case 12 F.G. H. 2, Wells street 69 Male 32 years Typhoid Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Death A private case 15 S. B. 13, Noel street 70 Female 12 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 22 E. M. T. 9, Smiths cour 71 Female 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 29 M. A. B. 60, Poland street 72 Female 6 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered Oct. 1 V.P. B. 60, Poland street 73 Male 4 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 2 M. W. 9, Smiths Court 74 Female 7 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 3 W. J. C. 4, Great Vine street 75 Male 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Recovered A private case 250 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table II.—Cases of Fever, Small Pox. and Diphtheria, coming under the notice of the Sanitary Inspectors during the year 1884. Date. Name. Address. No. of Case. sex. Age. Disease. Supposed Cause. If Removed. To where. Result. Remarks. Oct. 4 A. D. 20, Wellington mews 76 Female 5 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 4 M. A. S. 8, Angel court, W. 77 Female 22 years Small Pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 5 R. S. 7, Wellington mews 78 Female 5 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 6 A. B. 7, Noel street 79 Male 11 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 6 C. W. 9, Smiths court 80 Male 5 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 6 F. W. 9, Smiths court 81 Female 9 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 6 E. W. 9, Smiths court 82 Female 3 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 7 T. D. 20, Wellington mews 83 Male 13 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 7 G. D. 20, Wellingtun mews 81 Male 3 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 7 W. D. 20, Wellington mews 85 Male 8 years Scarlet Fever Taken from sister Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 19 J. M. 89, Berwick street 86 Female 21 years Small Pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 26 A. L. 10, Bentinck street 87 Female 11 years Small Pox Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 27 L. G. 1, Poland street 88 Female 15 years Small Pox Unknown Removed Fulham Hospital Recovered A private case 27 H. C. 50, Haymarket 89 Male 52 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Death 28 E. R. 1, Poland street 90 Female 26 years Small Pox Taken from No. 88 case Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 251 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Table II.—Cases of Fever, Small Pox, and Diphtheria, coming under the notice of the Sanitary Inspectors (hiring the year 1884. Date. Name. Address. No. of Case. Sex. Age. Disease. Supposed Cause. If Removed. To where. Result. Remarks. Nov. 3 J.T.N. 8, Regent street 91 Male 35 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Death A private case 9 J. L. 10, Bentinck street 92 Male 17 years Small Pox Taken from sister Removed Ship Atlas, Purfleet Recovered 11 K. C. 6, Archer street 93 Female 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 25 F. A. 21, Foubert's place 94 Female 18 years Small Pox Unknown Not Removed ... Recovered A private case 28 M. C. 10, Bentinck street 95 Female 45 years Small Pox Taken from No. 92 case Not Removed ... Recovered A private case 28 F. P. St. James's square 96 Male 14 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Islington Hospital Recovered Dec. 1 A. E. B. 60, Poland street 97 Female 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Fulham Hospital Recovered 5 J. H. 12, Broad street 98 Female 3 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Fulham Hospital Recovered 8 E. H. 65, Poland street 99 Female 8 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Fulham Hospital Recovered 12 W. G. 3, Little Marlboro' street 100 Male 31 years Typhoid Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Death 21 E. K. Piccadilly 101 Female 8 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Not Removed ... Recovered 22 G. R. D. 32, Brewer street 102 Male 18 years Scarlet Fever Unknown Removed Stockwell Hospital Recovered 22 A. B. 1, Cambridge street 103 Male 15 years Small Pox Unknown Removed Fulham Hospital Recovered 23 A. O. 103, Pall Mall 104 Male 15 years Small Pox Unknown Removed Highgate Hospital Recovered 252 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. TABLE III.—INSPECTORS' WORK DURING THE YEAR 1884. NUISANCES REMOVED OR ABATED. First Quarter. Second Quarter Third Quarter. Fourth Quarter For the whole year. Animals, Nuisance from, abated 2 1 ... ... 3 Areas, limewhited 10 35 24 20 89 ,, paving of cleansed 4 2 6 3 15 „ ,, repaired 4 2 6 2 14 Basements, whitewashed or limewhited 2 6 10 7 25 Beds disinfected 15 31 40 44 130 Bedclothes disinfected 54 160 262 276 758 Cisterns cleansed 5 10 20 15 50 ,, new ones furnished 1 2 4 2 9 ,, covers furnished to 2 6 4 9 21 „ apparatus repaired 1 2 4 4 11 ,, furnished with warning pipe 1 2 4 4 11 Drains reconstructed with glazed pipe 3 6 8 4 21 „ unstopped, cleansed, and repaired 6 10 9 6 31 ,, traps furnished to 13 22 5 35 75 Dustbins cleansed 208 161 79 280 728 ,, new ones furnished 2 4 10 4 20 ,, repaired with doors and coverings 10 18 7 8 43 Foul matter deodorised and removed 3 4 6 5 18 Fruit and Fish destroyed ... 2 4 ... 6 Gutters cleansed 8 2 3 11 24 ,, repaired 2 1 3 1 7 Houses furnished with a water supply 3 1 2 1 7 Kitchens whitewashed or limewhited 22 36 24 9 91 ,, occupied contrary to law, cleared 2 5 ... 6 13 Lead flats cleansed and repaired 1 ... 3 5 9 Lumber or rubbish removed 4 ... 2 1 7 Mattresses disinfected 10 68 84 64 226 Meat unfit for food of man, destroyed ... ... ... ... ... Miscellaneous articles disinfected 36 318 284 244 862 Pillows disinfected 24 87 134 126 371 Passages, entrance whitewashed and cleansed 20 33 25 18 96 „ „ floors of, washed 4 6 14 3 27 „ ,, floors of, repaired 4 ... 8 3 15 Rain-water pipes, new ones furnished 2 ... 3 2 7 „ „ „ unstopped, cleansed, and repaired 1 3 12 4 20 „ „ „ disconnected from drains 2 ... 4 2 8 Rooms, whitewashed and cleansed 20 97 78 68 260 253 PARISH OP ST. JAMBS, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. TABLE OF INSPECTORS' WORK—continued. NUISANCES REMOVED OR ABATED. First Quarter. Second Quarter. Third Quarter. Fourth Quarter. For the whole Year. Rooms disinfected with sulphur 7 31 40 44 122 ,, overcrowded, abated 2 4 7 ... 13 Rubbish, foul, removed 2 5 6 15 28 Shops whitewashed and cleansed ... 5 4 3 12 Service pipes, new ones furnished ... ... 2 ... 2 ,, repaired 1 1 4 ... 6 Sink stones, traps furnished to 1 3 6 4 14 ,, waste pipes disconnected from drains 1 1 2 1 5 ,, furnished with new pipes and syphon 1 1 2 1 5 Stairs, main, walls and ceilings whitewashed 20 38 21 26 105 ,, steps of washed 4 7 7 6 24 „ steps of repaired 4 1 4 6 15 Urinals, private ones, cleansed 1 ... 1 ... 2 ,, ,, furnished with water supply 1 ... 1 ... 2 ,, ,, limewhited 1 ... 1 ... 2 Vaults, limewhited 6 10 18 11 45 Wash-houses, limewhited ... 1 10 6 17 Water-closets, limewhited 20 41 22 26 109 ,, furnished with a water supply 15 26 10 12 63 ,, ,, with apparatus new 3 14 12 8 37 ,, apparatus repaired 12 20 3 14 49 ,, pans, new ones furnished 2 5 2 3 12 ,, pans, unstopped and cleansed 10 21 14 5 50 ,, traps, furnished to 1 3 3 4 11 ,, seats, new ones furnished to 1 2 4 2 9 ,. „ repaired ... 1 5 8 14 ,, raisers, new ones furnished to 1 2 6 2 11 ,, ,, repaired ... ... 4 2 6 ,, floors, new ones furuished to 2 1 2 3 8 ,, ,, repaired ... 1 ... ... 1 ,, repaired generally ... ... ... ... ... ,, soil pipes, new ones furnished ... ... 3 2 5 „ „ repaired ... 2 2 5 9 ,, ,, ventilated ... 1 ... ... 1 ,, light and ventilation improved in 1 1 2 1 6 Water stopped from running as a nuisance ... 1 2 ... 3 Wearing apparel, disinfected 28 245 293 415 981 Yards, wall of, limewhited 20 25 20 29 94 ,, paving of, repaired 5 7 8 2 22 ,, ,, cleansed 10 6 6 8 30 Total 694 1682 1754 1981 6911 254 PARISH OP ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. TABLE OF INSPECTORS' WORK—continued. NUISANCES REMOVED OR ABATED. First Quarter. Second Quarter Third Quarter. Fourth Quarter For the whole year. STABLES. Manure, removed from, in lots of 35 22 40 15 102 BAKEHOUSES. Bakehouses, walls and ceilings whitewashed ... 10 ... 16 26 ,, storerooms ,, ,, ... 14 ... 12 26 ,, staircases ,, ,, ... 7 ... 6 13 „ passages „ „ ... 5 ... 6 11 „ vaults ,, „ ... 6 ... 4 10 „ areas „ ... 6 ... 10 16 ,, bedrooms ,, ... ... ... 2 2 „ water-closets ,, ... 7 ... 10 17 „ ,, furnished with a water supply ... 1 ... 2 3 „ ,, apparatus repaired ... 1 ... 2 3 „ ,, abolished ... 1 ... ... 1 ,, yards whitewashed ... 5 ... 10 15 ,, ,, paving repaired ... 2 ... 2 4 „ dustbin, new, furnished ... 3 ... 2 5 Total ... 68 ... 84 152 255 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. SUMMARY OF WORK BY INSPECTORS OF NUISANCES DURING THE YEAR 1884. NUISANCES REMOVED OR ABATED. First Quarter. Second Quarter. Third Quarter. Fourth Quarter. for the whole year. Number of Nuisances removed 694 1682 1954 1981 6911 ,, complaints 25 18 30 15 88 „ notices served 116 135 127 172 550 ,, smallpox cases visited ... 3 8 10 21 ,, scarlet fever ,, 5 22 29 24 80 „ typhoid „ „ ... ... ... 3 3 ,, diphtheria „ ... 1 ... ... 1 ,. beds disinfected 15 31 40 44 130 ,, bedclothing disinfected 54 166 262 276 758 ,, miscellaneous apparel disinfected 36 318 284 244 882 ,, wearing apparel ,, 28 245 298 415 981 „ mattresses ,, 10 68 84 64 226 ,, pillows ,, 24 87 134 126 371 ,, rooms ,, 7 31 40 44 122 ,, articles obtained for analysis 20 16 ... 35 80 ,, bodies received into mortuary 8 8 5 18 39 ,, underground rooms reported to district surveyor 2 5 ... 6 13 WILLIAM HILL WATSON and EDWIN BROOKS, Inspectors of JS uisances. Vestry Hall, Piccadilly, AY. 256 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Underground Rooms or Cellars cleared of Occupants, under the 103rd Section of the Act 18 and 19 Victoria, cap. 120. 4 Archer street 1 Marlborough row, two rooms 15 „ „ 2 ,, ,, ,, 1 Angel court, Gt. Windmill street 3 „ „ „ 4 Angel court, Gt. Windmill street, 4 ,, ,, two rooms 5 ,, „ 5 Angel court, Gt. Windmill street 6 ,, „ 6 „ „ 7 „ „ 8 ,, ,, „ 9 „ „ 7 Bentinck street 10 ,, ,, ,, 10 „ „ 10 Marshall street 16 Berwick street 11 „ „ 18 „ „ 25 „ ,, 26 „ „ 29 „ „ 28 „ „ 44 „ „ 29 „ „ 47 „ „ 30 „ „ 8 Marylebone street 36 „ „ 2 Noel street 39 „ „ 5 ,, „ 43 ,, „ 18 New street 45 „ „ 11 Peter street 49 „ „ 20 ,, ,, two rooms 50 ,, ,, 21 „ „ 56 „ „ 22 „ „ 58 „ „ 26 „ „ 66A ,, „ 11 Portland street 89 „ „ 15 „ „ 95 ,, ,, 4 Queen's Head court 60 Brewer street 5 „ „ 4 Broad street 15 Queen street, Gt. Windmill street 12 „ „ 31 Rupert street 31 „ „ 2 Rupert street, Upper 1 Cambridge street 7 „ „ „ 6 Carnaby street 1 Smith's court 27 „ „ 2 „ „ 5 Cross street 3 ,, ,, 6 ,, front 6 South row 3 Crown court, Great 7 „ „ 6 ,, ,, 7 Sherwood street 3 Cross street 16 ,, ,, 1 Dufours place 3 Silver place 9 „ ,, 8 Windmill street, Little, two rooms 3 Edward street 9 „ „ „ „ 6 Francis street 10 ,, ,, ,, „ 7 Green's court 11 „ „ „ „ 3 Heddon court 14 „ „ „ „ 6 „ „ 22 ,, ,, ,, ,, 7 ,, ,, 23 ,, ,, ,, „ 8 „ „ 24 „ „ „ „ 10 Heddon street 28 „ „ „ „ 1 Hopkins street, front 29 „ „ „ „ 9 ,, ,, two rooms 32 ,, ,, ,, ,, 10 „ „ „ 31 „ „ „ „ 11 „ „ „ 24 Windmill street, Great 1 Kemp's court 18 ,, ,, ,, 2 „ „ 30 ,, ,, ,, 4 ,, „ 41 ,, ,, front 7 King street, Golden square 6 West street 8 „ „ „ „ 12 „ „ 20 King street, Golden sq., two rooms 14 „ „ 21 King street, Golden square 15 „ „ 26 „ „ EDWIN BROOKS and Inspectors of Nuisances, Vestuy Hall, Piccadilly. WILLIAM HILL WATSON,) 257 FOOD ANALYSIS. SALE OP FOOD AND DRUGS ACT, 1875. REPORT UPON ARTICLES ANALYSED DURING THE YEAR 1884, made to the Vestry of St. James's, Westminster, by JAS. EDMUNDS, M.D., M.R.C.P. Lond., F.H.M.S., F.C.S., Medical Officer of Health and Public Analyst for St. James's, Westminster. Rev. Sir and Gentlemen, During the year 1884, under the provisions of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875, 81 samples were examined, all being procured for examination by the Vestry Officers. In the course of the year 49 specimens of milk have been examined. Eight of the vendors were prosecuted, and fined sums varying from five shillings to five pounds and costs. Five were warned for the sale of milk adulterated with water to a smaller extent. In one case, where the milk was adulterated with 35% of water, the defendant first appealed to Somerset House, and then, when the analysis was confirmed, escaped on the ground that he was the manager and not the real owner. It was then too late to institute proceedings against the person who appeared as owner. 258 In one case where "mustard" was adulterated with 30% of potato starch, the vendor was fined ten shillings and costs, and in another case where "coffee" was adulterated with 25% of chicory, a fine of five shillings and costs was inflicted. Four persons were "warned" for selling "coffee" adulterated with chicory to a smaller extent. In none of the samples was any poisonous ingredient discovered. No money or consideration other than the stipend from the Vestry has been received by me in connection with these analyses. I have the honour to remain, Rev. Sir and Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, JAMBS EDMUNDS. 8, Grafton Street, Piccadilly, 1885. 259 PARISH OF ST. JAMES, WESTMINSTER. APPENDIX TO REPORT OF PUBLIC ANALYST SHOWING THE NAMES AND NUMBER OF ARTICLES OBTAINED FOR ANALYSIS DURING THE YEAR 1884. Number of articles obtained. First Quarter. Second Quarter. Third Quarter. Fourth Quarter. For the whole year. Mustard 4 5 .. .. 9 Pepper .. 3 .. .. 3 Bread .. 2 .. .. 2 Coffee 3 .. .. 14 17 Milk 22 6 .. 21 49 Water ... 1 .. .. 1 Totals 29 17 .. 35 81 EDWIN BROOKS and Inspectors of Nuisances. WILLIAM HILL WATSON, ERRATA. Page 10, line 18, for "Slum"' read " Shand." „ 79, „ 25, Tor "Carlisle" read ''Canterbury." „ 103, ,, 18, for "Chaise" read "Cliaire."