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The Act under which the latter appointment was annually made
by the Yestry is repealed by the Public Health (London) Act, 1891
(vide p. 79), so that from the 1st January, 1892, the appointment ceased
so far as the Yestry is concerned.
The Assessment Committee was appointed on April 17th, 1891,
pursuant to the Valuation (Metropolis) Act of 1869, and consisted of
Messrs. Henry Abrahams, William Adams, Frederick Thomas Bailey,
Joseph Harrison Brown, John Thomas Johnson, Samuel Lambert, James
May, William Thomas Niblett, Arthur Rumbelow, William Smith (since
deceased), Joshua Thompson and John Young.
The nomination of Vestrymen and Auditors took place on Monday,
May 25th, 1891. At the polls, which were held on the following day
in Wards 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, about 2,300 persons recorded their votes,
the constituencies being estimated to contain 21,000 persons qualified
to vote. There were 43 vacancies, and these were filled up by the
re-election of 24 of the members who retired by effluxion of time,
and of 3 who had been Vestrymen previously, and by the election of
16 entirely new to office.
At the Poll in St. Peter's Ward, Mr. Churchwarden Watts, the
officiating Chairman, in the exercise of what he no doubt believed to
be a wise discretion, permitted the BallotBox to remain open a few minutes
beyond the statutory hour (8 p.m.) in order to enable all the ratepayers
within the polling station to vote. Mr. G. S. Elliott, one of the defeated
candidates, raised the question of the validity of the election and
obtained a writ of quo icarranto and a judgment of ouster against; the
elected members Messrs. Doherty, Gladman, Kayes and Whetstone, who
immediately resigned their seats. Mr. Elliott subsequently obtained a
mandamus against the Vestry and Churchwardens to take the necessary
steps for a new election. The Vestry accordingly, on November 6th,
1891, fixed Friday, December 4th, as the day for holding the election
in St. Peter's, when Messrs. G. S. Elliott, W. Hirst, T. Osborn and
F. J. Street were elected for the three years ending May, 1894.
On May 29th, 1891, Messrs. John Alfred Grasemann, Matthew