View report page

16
Your Memorialists are of opinion that the land offered for
Recreation Grounds is admirably adapted for the purpose, and
they submit that the efforts which are thus being locally made for
the establishment of a great public benefit are entitled to, and they
are confident will, receive the countenance and co-opcration of
your Honourable Board.
Your Memorialists therefore request that your Honourable
Board will take into consideration the proposal for establishig
Recreation Grounds for Lewisham, Ladywell, Catford, and the
neighbourhood, and that you will contribute one-half of the purchase-money
of the same; or, if your Honourable Board consider
it more desirable, that you will take the necessary steps for acquiring
such lands as Metropolitan Open Spaces or Pleasure Grounds.
And your Memorialists will ever pray, &c.
Lord Lewisham and the Rev. II. Rhodes Bristow having
addressed the Board in support of the memorial, the same was
referred to the Works and General Purposes Committee of
that Board.
On reading the above memorial it will be observed that
the Metropolitan Board were asked to contribute one-half of
the cost, it being the intention of the promotors of the scheme
to raise the remainder by public subscription. Accordingly,
at a Meeting of the Trustees of the Lewisham Parochial
Charities, Mr. Williams submitted a proposal that the
Trustees should contribute the sum of £4,500 from the
Herbage Rent Fund in their hands towards the cost of the
purchase, and this was agreed to by the Trustees, subject to
the approval of the Charity Commissioners.
Donations also were freely promised in other quarters,
and there is little doubt that had the necessity arisen the
requisite sum would have been forthcoming within a very
short time. It will be seen, however, in the light of subsequent
events, that any such demand upon the public purse
was unnecessary.
On the loth October, the Ravensbourne site and the
Lewisham Park site were viewed by the Works Committee
of the Metropolitan Board, who were conducted over
the ground by Members of the Lewisham Board, and the