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92
the 7th July, 1780, and the last in the year 1856. The
proceedings of the Christchurch Commission are recorded in
four volumes, commencing on the 21st May, 1811, and
terminating at the end of the year 1855, when their several
powers and duties were transferred to the District Hoard of
Works. The minutes of the Borough Pavements Commissioners
are not in the custody of the Board ; those of the
western division were, I believe, entrusted to the Vestry of
St. George-the-Martyr as being the largest parish within the
area of that division. A great many of the entries in the two first
named relate to the appointment, management, and control
—not to add delinquences—of the watchmen or "Charlies,"
as they were familiarly termed, who, together with the
"patroles," who were armed with pistols and cutlasses, did
duty before the Metropolitan Police Force was established ;
most of the other entries relate to paving works, the cleansing
of the streets (a), and the maintenance of the oil lamps (b)
with which the streets were lighted before the advent of gas ;
these, as well as the watchmen (c), seem to have been a
(a.) In 1786 it was ordered by the Clink Commissioners that the principal
streets be cleansed once in every fortnight, and the others when necessary.
A contrast to the practice at the present day when the principal streets are
cleansed daily and sometimes more frequently.
(b.) It may be interesting to record that the contract price for furnishing,
lighting and keeping in repair oil lamps in the year 1815, just prior to the
adoption of gas for street lighting ("globe lamps with two-spout tin
burners ") was 28s. per lamp per annum.
(c.) It was continually reported that watchmen had been absent from
their beat, or asleep in their watch-boxes, or drunk, and for these offences
they were brought before the Commissioners and cautioned, suspended or
discharged as the case might be. Nevertheless, the Commissioners appear to
have been averse to any change, and, after the Metropolitan Police Act had
been passed, those for Christchurch applied to the Home Secretary for permission
to continue their watchmen, a request which Mr. Secretary Peel
informed the Commissioners he had no power to grant. The following is a
curious entry appearing on the minutes of the Clink Commission, dated
June, 1787, entitled :—
"ORDERS TO WATCHMEN.
You are to be subject to the Beadles and obey their orders and
directions. You are to be at the watchhouse punctually at such hour as
as shall be appointed by the Beadle every night, each having a Lanthorn,
Candle and Long Staff, and to proceed to such Place or Stand as shall be
appointed by the Beadle, to beat your Bounds every halt hour, proclaiming
the time of the Night or Morning, and not to depart from your Post until the
time appointed by the Beadle, and then you are to repair to the Watchhouse
and there to remain till discharged by the Beadle, and with him to leave
your Key and Rattle; and if you are prevented by Sickness or other unavoidable
Accident you are to send Notice to the Watchhouse or to the
Beadle on or before the hour of Meeting that Night.