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penalty clause in the contract, which they asked the Vestry not to enforce, as a
portion of the delay was through no fault of theirs; the same was ordered to be
referred to the Law and Parliamentary Committee.
On the 29th October, 1890, the Vestry, on the recommendation of the Law
and Parliamentary Committee, instructed the Solicitor to write to Messrs.
Giles & Co., informing them that the penalties would be strictly enforced.
The Solicitor for the Vestry reported on the 12th November, 1890, that in
accordance with the instructions, he communicated with Messrs. Giles & Co.,
informing them that it was the Vestry's intention to insist on the payment of
the penalty for non-completion of their contract, to which letter they had
replied informing him that they were doing their utmost to finish as speedily
as possible, and that they greatly regretted the inconvenience caused to the
Members and Officers of the Yestry; and on the same date the Architect, on the
recommendation of the Town Hall Committee, was instructed by the Vestry to
arrange with Messrs. Benham & Froud to fix the pendants in the large hall by
the 20th November, and in the event of their being unable to complete them by
that time, to have them fixed as soon after as possible; and that instead of
Messrs. Giles & Co. carrying out the fixing of the gas fittings, Messrs Benham
& Froud be instructed to fix their own fittings.
On the 10th December, 1890, the Yestry accepted the tender of the Excelsior
Window Cleaning Company for cleaning the windows of the Town Hall for one
year, at £2 10s. per month.
On the 14th January, 1891, the Clerk produced the following letter, which he
had received from Messrs. Giles & Co.:—
50 to 56, Kensington High Street,
W. J. H. Denselow, Esq., December 20th, 1890.
Fulham Town Hall.
Dear Sir,
We were much surprised to-day to find that the Architect to the Board
had deducted the sum of £325 (13 weeks' penalty) from our certificate.
W ith reference to this deduction we desire to inform you that, although
the entire contract was not completed in time, yet the Vestry had the use
of the greater portion by the time specified, and the delay of those goods
not delivered was occasioned by our having to make no less than three (3)
different samples for the approval of Mr. Edwards after the contract had
been signed. In addition, up to this date, December 20th, the coil cases
are not complete, i.e., not ready for us to fix in the small Hall. We are
not supplying these, but have to fix them only (which forms a part of our
contract); further, instead of there being 20 as specified, upwards of 50
have been supplied, and we have had to withdraw our men on various occasions
waiting for them—in fact, the iron tops for the cases were only
delivered on the 18th instant.
The last gas brackets (which we did not supply), for which we had to
prepare and make good after, did not arrive until*December 3rd.
We trust the Committee will take this explanation into consideration
and instruct the Architect to add the amount referred to to our next
certificate.
ours obediently,
(Signed) FBANK GILES Co.