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incorporating all the more valuable provisions of the repealed
Acts, this new measure regulated the laying of gas
and water pipes, the levels of streets, urinals, sewers,
nuisances, and a variety of other matters not hitherto embraced
in the local acts. Its application was extended over
nearly the whole of the parishes, whereas the preceding
Acts had their operation limited to areas, or to streets and
places specially named. This enactment also declared in
more express terms than had previously been done, that
"the parishes of St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist,
Westminster, shall in all respects be considered as one
parish only." Under this Act, and the General Paving
(Metropolis) Act which it incorporated, very many of the
powers necessarily assumed by the Vestry in former years
were withdrawn, and marked strides towards a more
efficient administration were made, albeit the existence of
several trusts and commissions, created from time to time
for certain specified areas, retarded the approach to uniformity
and solidarity.
Street
Lighting.
With the exception of the ineffective "ordinances"
of the Burgesses adopted in 1585 (see p.
22 ante), the little that was done in the direction
of lighting the public streets dated from 1674 (14 Chas II.),
when Parliament ordained by Statute (cap 2) that each householder
should every night between Michaelmas and Ladyday
set or hang out candles until nine o'clock, under a
penalty of one shilling for every default, the person discovering
the omission to be entitled to half the penalty.
The properties over which the Vestry had control duly
furnished their lights:—
Thursday, 7th October, 1686.—Ordered that the Churchwardens
doe cause a Lamp to be provided to be affixed on the farther
corner of the Engine house for the Convenience of Light for
the Inhabitants in Nights.
Tuesday, 14 Dec., 1686.
Ordered that the Churchwardens doe provide another Light to be
sett in the corner of the Church Yarde next the Old Pallace
Yard.