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19
BILLS IN PARLIAMENT.
A Bill introduced by the Great Eastern Railway Company, proposed
to enable the Company to widen their line from Betlmal Green Junction
Station up to the old Station in Bishopsgate Street, and to widen their
main line from the Junction to and beyond the Eastern boundary of
the Parish. Also to authorise the construction of a Tramway to cross
Wheeler Street under the railway arch at a level.
A Bill introduced by the East London Railway Company proposed
to enable the Company to construct a line from their underground
Railway at Whitechapel to a spot near the Bethnal Green Junction
Station of the Great Eastern Railway. Petitions were presented against
both Bills, and the Bills were referred to the Works' Committee, with
power to communicate with the respective promoters.
With regard to the first-mentioned Bill the Vestry felt the proposal '
to have a Tramway crossing Wheeler Street was objectionable. They
also objected to the proposal that the widening of the line at Essex
Street and Grove Road should be effected by bridges joining the
existing very objectionable arches crossing those thoroughfares without
converting the arches into girder bridges, and making throughout
bridges of uniform span.
The East London Railway Bill proposed permanently to stop up
without providing any substitute, Temple Terrace, Somerford Street,
and Trafalgar Place, and to cross Essex, Suffolk, Cudworth, and
Collingwood Streets by arches, varying from 10 ft. to 12 ft. 6 in.
It also proposed to stop up Thomas Passage, on the boundary of this
parish and Whitechapel; also to stop up Bath Street in Whitechapel.
The proposals of the Company, if carried out, would have effected almost
a severance of the parts of the Parish lying east and west of the
proposed line, causing great damage to property, and most serious
inconvenience not only to persons carrying on large businesses but
to the great number of small tradesmen and manufacturers, and the
dense population of the district. The Bill appeared so highly objectionable
that it was determined to oppose the preamble. Large
posters, drawing the attention of the inhabitants and owners of
property to the nature and effect of the proposals, were put up through
the neighbourhood. By the posters persons were invited to sign the
;
petition against the Bill, which the Vestry had prepared, and were in
B 2