View report page

97
Howe (formerly a Clink Commissioner and afterwards Surveyor
to the Commission) Surveyor, Mr. Robert Bianchi, M.R.C.S.,
Medical Officer of Health, and Mr. John Errington (formerly
Street Keeper to the Clink Commission) Inspector of Nuisances
for the district.
On the 23rd December, 1855, Mr. John Thwaites was
elected by the Metropolitan Board of Works to be its Chairman.
Mr. Thwaites had been a member of the old Metropolitan
Sewers Commission, and by his writings and platform
addresses had taken a prominent part in advocating a system
of main drainage for London; it was probably largely due
to his popularity on that account that he was chosen by his
colleagues to fill the high and much-coveted post of chairman
of the central body. In the year 1865, on the completion of
the main drainage of London, and as a mark ot Her Majesty's
appreciation of the importance of those works, the honour of
knighthood was conferred upon him. He continued to be
Chairman of the Metropolitan Board until his death, which
occurred on 5th August, 1870. At a much later period of its
existence, another member of the district board, Mr. (afterwards
Alderman) A. H. Haggis, a representative of Christchurch,
who, in 1888, had been returned by the ratepayers as
one of tho members of tho London County Council for West
Southwark, was elected by tho Council to be its DeputyChairman
in succession to the late Mr. Firth. Mr. Haggis,
unfortunately, did not live long to enjoy his appointment, his
death occurring in November, 1891—but this is anticipating.
It is worthy of note, however, and is in no small degree
creditable to St. Saviour's, that the chairman and deputychairman
of the two great central bodies governing London
should have been chosen by those bodies out of the St.
Saviour's district.
On the retirement from the district board of Mr. John
Thwaites in January, 1856, occasioned by his election to the
chairmanship of the Metropolitan Board, Mr. Charles Harris,
a much respected member for St. Saviour's, was elected by the
district board to be its representative on tho Metropolitan
Board, and continued to act in that capacity until the year
1886, when, owing to severe illness, he was compelled to
resign, and Mr. Thomas Francis Rider, then a member of the
district board, was elected in his stead. Mr. Charles Harris
died soon afterwards.
7