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proposed new vestry Hall— continued.
prepare the preliminary plans required by the Board, and on the
2nd August Mr. Walker was appointed the Architect. On the 14th
June, it was determined to offer the land not required by the Vestry
(being portions of the sites of Nos. 113, 114, and 115, St. Martin's
Lane) to the Commissioners of Public Libraries, &c. On the 26th July,
1888, a letter was submitted from the Metropolitan Board of Works,
agreeing to advance a sum of £40,000 for the purpose of defraying the
cost of the site, being £20,500 payable to the Marquis of Salisbury and£19,500
to the Board for their respective interests. On the 9th
August it was determined to sell the land above mentioned to the
Free Library Commissioners for £8,000, and, on the 4th October, the
acceptance of the offer by the Commissioners was submitted to the
Vestry. On the 9th August, 1888, the offer of the Metropolitan
Board to contribute £1,500, being one half of the cost (estimated at
£3,000) of setting back Nos. 113, 114, and 115, St. Martin's Lane,
was submitted. On the 18th October, 1888, the amended plans and
elevation of the building were submitted by Mr. Walker, and
approved, and he was instructed to prepare and submit detail and
working drawings to the Board for their approval. On the 1st
November a letter was submitted from the Free Library Commissioners,
stating that the proposed new plan took away land first
offered, which they were unwilling to relinquish; and instructions
were then given to the Architect so to amend the Plans as to give to
the Commissioners the same area of land as that originally offered,
and to forward the amended drawings to the Board. On the
7th February, 1889, it was resolved to offer a sum of £l ,000 to Messrs.
Holt and Bates for the possession of their premises (No. 11-1,
St. Martin's Lane) and to request the Metropolitan Board to advance
the sum of £25,000 for the building; and instructions were then
given to the Architect forthwith to submit plans to the Board for
their approval. On the 7th March, 1889, the Architect reported that
he had supplied the Board with all the information they required.
On the 21st March, 1889, the Clerk reported that the Metropolitan
Board were prepared to advance the sum of £25,000 required on
certain conditions then enumerated, and that he had approved the
draft of the necessary Mortgage Deed for that purpose. The Clerk's
proceedings, as reported, were duly approved and adopted. Cn the
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