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letters, &c., is forthcoming whenever required, and one person (Mr. Kilmer) is made
responsible for all tho stamps required by the different departments.
A Deed Register Book is also now kept in which is being recorded short
particulars of all deeds and important documents belonging to the Vestry, which
are properly indexed up. An entry is also made of the person to whom any deed
may be handed over, with the dates of the transaction and of the return of the
deed. The absence of such a book in the office caused me much loss of time and
difficuties when deeds had to be referred to.
RED LION STONE YARD.
(HOXTON STREET DEPOT.)
For many years there had been little or no use for this yard, and as a rent of
£60 per annum had to be paid for it the Vestry had on several occasions endeavoured
to give it up, but certain legal difficulties existed which made it difficult to do so.
At the request of the Paving Committee I made enquiries into the history of tho
yard which was a curious and interesting one. It appears that about thirty years
ago the yard was found to be unoccupied, and no owner of it being ascertainable the
Vestry entered into occupation of it for highway purposes and held it for so many
years that it is difficult to understand why they did not obtain a good possessory
title at law to the land. Some years ago, however, the trustees of some neighbouring
property (one of whom was a solicitor), laid claim to the land and took
proceedings in Chancery for its recovery. The Vestry appear not to have defended
the action, leaving it to the claimant to show his title to the satisfaction of the Court
In the absence of opposition this was easily done, and the trustees got a decree in
their favour, and the Vestry consequently had to pay £60 per annum rent for the
yard. I entered into negotiations with the solicitors for the landlords, with the
result that the legal difficulties as to Red Lion Passage were overcome, and I
advised the Vestry that they might safely give notice to deliver up possession of the
yard. This was done at Michaelmas, 1891, and the notice expired on Lady-day,
1892, without any difficulties being raised, and the Vestry will in future be relieved
of this useless expense.
WORSHIP STREET BRIDGE.
On the 9th June, 1891, tho Surveyor made a report on the construction of this
bridge by the Great Eastern Railway Company, pointing out that the level of
Worship Street was not remaining unaltered as originally provided in the plans
deposited with the Company's Bill, and that to obviate tho increased decline into
High Street the Company had only laid throe inches of concrete under the paving
stones instead of nine inches as required by him.