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105
the same year improvements were effected in Robert Street,
Church Street and Surrey Row, in connection with the London
Chatham and Dover Railway works. In 1874 the Board
purchased two houses at the north-west corner of Broadwall,
and widened the entrance into Roupell Street. In 1878 the
South Eastern Railway Company promoted a Bill for acquiring
the site of Ewer Street, for the purposes of a goods station;
the Board opposed, but withdrew its opposition on the
Company undertaking to widen Gravel Lane on the east side,
and form a new thoroughfare forty feet wide between the
southern portion of Ewer Street and Southwark Street (then
connected by a narrow court or alley only), so as to afford
direct communication for vehicular as well as pedestriau
traffic between Union Street and Southwark Street via what
is now termed Lavington Street. In connection with the
negotiations for the same, tho Board obtained from the
Company on advantageous terms a lease for twenty-one years
of certain arches in Ewer Street, which, although the lease
has expired, it still retains and uses for the purposes of a
stone-yard and mortuary. Other minor improvements have
been effected in Bear Laue, Park Street, Clink Street and
other places. In 1887 the Ecclesiastical Commissioners by
arrangement with the Board, laid out and formed at their own
expense the street named Lavington Street, connecting Gravel
Lane with Southwark Street, the Board paving the approaches
to the same.
During the Session of Parliament 1864-5, The Loudon,
Chatham & Dover Railway Company introduced a Bill for the
widening and extension of their line, thereby seeking, inter
alia, the entire closing of the entrance into Holland Street
from the Blackfriars Road, and the vesting of the site of a
portion thereof in the company. The Board, foreseeing
the injury and inconvenience which would result from
their so doing, opposed the Bill, and appeared by counsel
before the Select Committee of the House ot Commons, to
which the Bill was referred, but were unsuccessful in their
opposition. Afterwards, in consequence of an urgent requisition
on the part of inhabitants of Christchurch, the Board
opposed the Bill in the House of Lords, the Metropolitan
Board of Works rendering valuable assistance, but the joint
opposition did not avail to prevent the closing ol the thoroughfare,
the House of Lords Committee having come down to
view the premises and been greatly impressed by what they