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16
Lammas Rights Committee appointed Mr. Francis Toovey, Chairman of the
Committee, and Mr. Peter Lawson, Vice-Chairman of the Committee; they
also instructed the Clerk—(1). To apply to the Hackney Vestry for any
papers and information with reference to the Hackney Lammas Lands.
(2). To have 500 copies of map, showing the supposed Lammas Lands,
lithographed. (3). To make application to the London County Council to
receive a deputation from this Vestry with reference to Lammas Rights, and
(4). To send to the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association several copies
of Mr. Birkett's report, pointing out the doubt as to how far the Vestry
have any power to expend money in the matter, and asking whether,—if
they think the case a good one,- they would be prepared to make a grant
to assist in the commencement of the necessary litigation ; all of which
instructions were confirmed by the Vestry on the 12th June, 1889. On the
5th July, 1889, the deputation appointed by the Vestry waited on the
London County Council, and presented the memorial from the Vestry
praying the Council to take the necessary steps to carry out and assert the
Lammas Rights. At the meeting of the Vestry held on the 7th August,
1889, the Clerk was instructed to write the Ecclesiastical Commissioners
asking them to give facilities to the Vestry to obtain a list of the copyholders
of this parish, and the Surveyor was instructed to inform the Tenant of the
Laundry, by Miss Sulivan's, that the strip of land in front of the Laundry
adjoining the footpath belongs to the Vestry, and that he (the Surveyor)
call upon such Tenant to pay Is. per year as a quit rent, he to hold the
land during the pleasure of the Vestry. At the same meeting the Clerk
was instructed to write to the Metropolitan Asylums Board asking if they
would kindly inform the Committee if the Board bought the land at the
West Wharf, Town Mead Road, subject to Lammas Rights; and a motion
"that the Vestry's horses parade on Lammas day, and be taken over the
" the Lammas Lands,'' was put, and lost, on a division, 9 voting for, and 25
against. The Lammas Rights Committee reported, on the 2nd October,
1889, that they had instructed the Acting Clerk to write to the Metropolitan
Public Gardens Association, thanking them for their offer of a grant of £200
towards the cost of trying the Lammas Rights, provided the Vestry took
the matter up within one year from the date of their letter, and, in reply,
to inform them that the Vestry have petitioned the London County Council
on the matter ; also to write to the Solicitor to the Metropolitan Asylums
Board forwarding copy of the letter from Messrs. Robinson and Hilder,
dated 7th December, 1875, to Mr. R. H. Lukin, late Vestry Clerk, re
Lammas Rights; and that affidavits had been filed in the High Court of
Justice, between Messrs. Tod Heatley, Lowenfeld, and others, Plaintiffs,
and Messrs. Richard Bull, William Russell, John Coxall, and others (copies
of which have been seen by the Committee), by which both parties have
been restrained from further action until after trial of case, and that the
Committee highly commend the conduct of the Defendants for their
valuable and important service to the Parish.