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15
ing dwellings for the working classes or for the conversion
of same into open spaces. On the 18th September, a reply
was received from the Home Office inviting an offer for
the purchase of both or either of the sites, assuming that
the Vestry have power to make the purchase, as to which
the Home Secretary gave no opinion. After a very full
discussion, the Vestry decided to wait upon the Metropolitan
Board of Works to urge the desirability of that Board
acquiring the site of Coldbath Fields Prison as an open
space, and they also invited the Vestry of St. Pancras and
the Ilolborn District Board of Works to co-operate with
the Vestry in the matter. The Ilolborn Board agreed to
co-operate with the Vestry, but the Vestry of St. Pancras
replied that they were of opinion that the money would be
better spent in acquiring Parliament Fields for the extension
of Hampstead Heath, "which is within a reasonable
distance of Clerkenwell by tramway." The Deputations
attended the Board on the 14th January, and Captain
Penton, M.P , addressed the Board in support of the
Memorials, which were referred to the General Purposes
Committee for consideration and report.
On the 10th February, the Vestry's attention was called
to answers given in the House of Commons on the 8th of
that month by the Home Secretary to questions by Captain
Penton and Mr. J. Rowlands, in which he stated that he
was considering offers for the Coldbath Fields site. Captain
Penton on that occasion also attended the Vestry and gave
further information on the matter.
On the 10th March the Vestry received the following
letter from Captain Penton :—
House of Commons,
March 8th, 1887.
My Dear Sir,
I beg to inform you that on the 24th February I put a question
to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the House of
Commons, in the following terms :—"Whether the Peabody Trustees