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worship by the calamitous fire which occurred in 1742. The
senior Vestry objected, however, to ambiguity, for they
persistently refused to convene or attend a meeting of the
joint Vestries which their younger neighbours deemed to
be urgently necessary "on matters of great consequence to
both parishes." After repeated efforts to obtain a joint
meeting of the two Vestries had failed, it transpired that
the object of the St. John's Vestry was "to request of St.
Margaret's Vestry to assist them in a subscription to raise
money to repair their church." Still relentless on the
point of the meeting, the older Yestry promised their best
assistance in promoting the object in view, whereby amicable
relations were preserved. The subjoined resolution, passed
by the Vestry of St. John nearly forty years afterwards,
testifies to the continued amity between the two bodies:—
31st May, 1781.—Resolved, that the Thanks of this Vestry be, and
are hereby given, to the Vestry of St. Margaret, for their ready
Assistance in Supporting the Rights of this Parish, against the
Claims set up by the Rector, and that a Copy of this Resolution
be transmitted by the Vestry Clerk of this Parish to the Vestry
Clerk of St Margaret's to be laid before that Vestry at their
next Meeting.
A Parliamentary Grant was obtained for the restoration
of St. John's Church from the disastrous effects of the fire
in 1742:—
Mch 16, 1743—Ordered that the unanimous thanks of this Vestry
be, and the same are hereby given to Sr John Crosse, Bart.,*
and to Sr Robert Grosvenor Bart for their extraordinary regard
shewn this parish, by their great pains taken in obtaining the
sum of Four thousand pounds from Parliament for the re-edifying
the parish church of St. John the Evangelist.
At the meeting of the two Yestries a Committee was
appointed on 24th Oct. 1816 "to conduct the repair of St.
John's Church" at an estimated outlay of £2,000; and a
rate of Eightpence in the £. upon three-fourths of the rack
rent was levied to raise the required amount.
* M.P. for Westminster 1754-1761. Also contributed £l00 towards the cost
of erecting new galleries in the Church, 1757.