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say more, and that the difficulty which the Council
bad had was somewhat increased by a communication
made to the late Postmaster-General* by
Captain Penton, M.P., apparently at the Vestry's
instance, in which Captain Penton pressed Mr.
Raikes to pay the Council the sum of £10,000
rather than sell a portion of the site.
At the Vestry Meeting on the 10th December,
the following letter was received:—
General Post Office, London,
Sir, December 3rd, 1891.
With reference to the communications which passed in
1889-90 with reference to the proposed widening of Farringdon Road
along the eastern side of the site of the disused prison at Coldbath
Fields now occupied by this department—a matter which has been
allowed to stand over pending a settlement of the question whether
a portion of the site was to be sold to the Council for an open space
or to be retained for Post Office purposes—I am directed to inform
you that it having now been settled that the department is to keep
the land, the Postmaster-General would be prepared to remove the
old prison wall and to substitute iron railings, from the corner of
Calthorpe Street to Oldham Gardens, setting them back so as to
increase the width of the street uniformly to 60 feet on the following
conditions:—
As this will involve giving up to the public about 440 square
yards of land, worth at least £1,000, the Postmaster General, before
giving directions in the matter, will be glad to learn that the Parish
Authorities will undertake to reset the paving and remake the road.
Also, inasmuch as the iron railings will be continued along the Calthorpe
Street frontage, I am to suggest that under these circumstances,
the public urinal on the pavement, which will be just under
the windows of the new Post Office buildings, should be removed at
least to the centre of the street.
On hearing that the Vestry accept these conditions instructions
will be given for the removal of the wall.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant
Robert Paget, Fsq., Vestry Clerk. G. W. SMYTH.
The Vestry accepted the offer of the PostmasterGeneral,
and, at the same time, directed that a
further communication be addressed to the County
*Mr. Raikes had died in the meantime.