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led " A Bill for the Redistribution of Seats at Parliamentary
Elections and for other purposes."
By this Bill it was provided that the Parish of
Camberwell should be constituted into a Parliamentary
Borough, returning three members,—one for each
Division. The passing of this Bill is one of the
most important epochs in the history of the Parish
of Camberwell, and as the proceedings adopted by
the Commissioners, and by the Vestry, may be
read with interest in years to come, it is considered
of so much importance as to justify a full and detailed
chronicle of the different schemes for the division
of the Parish into three Parliamentary Districts. To
carry the Bill into effect, the Right Honorable Sir
Charles Dilke, as President of the Local Government
Board, appointed Boundary Commissioners, and
issued " Instructions " to them, "that they should inquire
as to the Division of the several Counties and
Divisions of the Borough to be constituted or affected
by the Bill." The Commissioners were directed that
in every case where boundaries of the Borough were
proposed to be altered, the alterations should if possible,
be consistent with well-established limits, such
as parochial or other similar boundaries; that all
Boroughs shall be proximately equalised, and in the
arrangement of the divisions special regard should be
paid to the pursuits of the population, and that before
the divisions of the Borough have been finally determined,
the Commissioners shall advertise the scheme
in the local newspaper, and, on a day appointed,
hear objections to such scheme.
It need hardly be said that this important Bill received
the careful attention of the Vestry, and a Special
Committee was appointed, consisting of the following