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40
The Committee accordingly arranged with Mr. Barry for the commencement
of the work on the 1st May, 1892, and the Vestry authorised him to appoint a
Clerk of Works at £3 3s. Od. per week, when his services become necessary.
Mr. Barry was also authorised to appoint Messrs. Ruault & Young, of 17,
Southampton Street, Holborn, as his surveyors for the preparation of quantities,
and Mr. Barry's plans having been finally approved by the Council, and some of
their requirements withdrawn, tenders were advertised for in the public press and
nine tenders were received. The tender of Messrs. Houghton & Co. for £4,973
was accepted in the first instance, but as they had made a mistake in the amount,
they were allowed to withdraw it, and the tender of Mr. James Steed was accepted
for £5,426.
Application was then made to the Council for their consent to a loan of
£5,500 for carrying out the works, but to the surprise of the Vestry the following
letter was received from the Solicitor to the London County Council.
London County Council,
Conveyancing Department,
Spring Gardens, S.W.,
10tli May, 1892.
SHOREDITCH VESTRY, LOAN OF £5,500.
Dear Sir,
The Council can only sanction the cost of such additions and
alterations to the offices of the Vestry as are required to meet the
reasonable office necessities of the Vestry when acting under the Metropolis
Management Acts.
Any requirements of the Theatres Committee of the Council do not
appear to be within this limitation. I shall be pleased to see you if you
can do anything to remove this initial difficulty.
Yours faithfullv,
•/ *
GEO. JACKSON,
Assistant Solicitor.
In view of this letter it became impossible for the Vestry to proceed with the
work, and I accordingly wrote to the Clerk of the Council on the 21st May, 1892,
pointing out that the Vestry had been relying on the fact that the Metropolitan
Board of Works expressly sanctioned a loan for building the Town Hall which
must have been illegal if the Council's view was the right one, and that the
Council themselves had recently sanctioned a loan to the Kensington Vestry for
alterations to their Town Hall under precisely similar circumstances, and the
Vestry anticipated that this practice would be followed in their case. As the