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misinformed upon the matter, and that there was
no danger of the £10,000 being applied to any other
constituency, and that he had seen the Chairman of
the Council, Sir John Lubbock, and Mr. Haggis,
the Deputy Chairman, who both laughed to scorn
any suggestion that the amount should be applied
to another constituency.
A deputation of the Vestry attended the Parks
and Open Spaces Committee of the Council on the
29th May, and urged that the amount should be
expended in Clerkenwell, and the view put forward
appeared to meet with a favourable reception.
On the 2nd August the following question and
answer in the House of Commons appeared in The
Times:—
"Captain Penton urged the Postmaster General to give effect
to the recommendation of the Select Committee which required him,
in the event of the Coldbath Fields Prison Site being used exclusively
for Post Office purposes, to band over to the County Council the sum
of £10,000, wherewith they might in the same locality purchase
land for an open space. The Treasury, he was informed, were quite
willing to hand over the money, and he hoped the right hon. gentlemen
would consent and not drive such a hard bargain with the
County Council as to compel them to make an offer of a site which
was unsuitable as an open space.
Mr. Raikes said that reference had been made to the land connected
with Coldbath Fields Prison. He was sorry that any ground for
complaint had arisen, but he could not find it in his heart to take
£10,000 and present it to any district in London."
The matter being brought to the notice of the
Vestry, they directed the Clerk to write to the
London County Council and the Secretary of the
Post Office, asking for an explanation as to the
position of the matter.
The Clerk of the Council replied that the Committee
of the Council, which had charge of the
matter, was still in correspondence with the Post
Office on the subject, and was not in a position to