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37
That your Petitioners have for a long time past been conscious
of the fact that the trades of the Parish have been in a very
depressed state, and that the alteration in the social status of the
inhabitants which has been going on has tended to increase this
depression, and they are convinced that the parishioners could ill
afford to lose the custom and support of the great number of
warders who were employed in Coldbath Fields Prison and the
House of Detention, but who left the Parish when these prisons
were closed, while in addition the rates suffered considerably by
the loss of the Government contribution in aid, which ceased also
when the Prison was closed.
That your Petitioners therefore in the proposal of the Govern
ment see the prospect of the restoration of a portion of this loss
by the immigration of a large number of Post Office employes
and the erection of Government Property, on which contributions
in aid of the rates would be paid.
That your Petitioners are aware that it is being urged that the
site should be set apart as an open space for the benefit of the
inhabitants, but your Petitioners desire to point out that there
already exist in close proximity to the prison site eight squares
and open spaces, viz.:—Claremont, Wilmington, Holford, Lloyd,
Myddelton and Northampton Squares, Green Terrace and Percy
Circus, Clerkenwell Green, and open spaces and playgrounds of
the various Industrial Dwellings' blocks, besides the large open
area of the New River Company's premises, the Board School
playgrounds and Spa Fields Burial Ground, and your Petitioners
very humbly submit that in proportion to its area the Parish of
Clerkenwell is very fairly supplied with open spaces.
Your Petitioners therefore very humbly but very earnestly pray
that your Honorable House will allow the said Bill to pass into
law.
And Your Petitioners will ever pray.
Sealed with the Common Seal of the Vestry, by Order of the
Vestry, this 4th day of July, 1889.
ROBERT PAGET, Vestry Clerk.
Captain Penton, M.P., attended the Yestry on
the 18th July, and stated that, in taking the course
he had in endeavouring to secure the site as an
open space, he imagined that he was acting as the
Yestry would desire, seeing that on February 14th,
1887, he headed a Deputation of the Vestry to the
Metropolitan Board of Works, which had for its
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