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however, for in 1750 the Vestry resolved to address Parliament
with a view to further restraints being applied:—
5th March, 1750. Resolved That a petition be presented to the
Honourable House of Commons to restrain the excessive use of
Spirituous Liquors and a petition being prepared read and agreed
to was Ordered to be Engrossed and Subscribed to be presented
accordingly, of which petitn the following is a Copy.
To the Honourable the Commons of Great
Britain in Parliament Assembled.
The humble petition of the Minister, Churchwardens,
Vestrymen and Inhabitants of the parish of St.
Margaret Westminster whose Names are hereunto
subscribed on behalf of themselves and other the
Inhabitants of the said parish.
Humbly Sheweth
That your petitioners with the deepest Concern have for some
years past observed the Common Habitual and Excessive Use of
Spirituous Liquors Avhich prevails amongst the lower Rank of
people to the great Scandall and reproach of our Religion and
Civil polity, and to the destruction of the health and strength of those
poor of both Sexes which were they debarrd from such pernicious
Liquors might be Industrious and usefull Subjects: but by the
frequent use of these Intoxicating Spirits their Constitutions are
destroyed and they are disabled from getting an honest Livelyhood
and from thence arises as Your Petitionrs have the strongest reason
to believe those frequent Robberies and Murders which have of
late been so common in and about the Streets,
Your petitrs seeing these Melancholy and deplorable Effects
with numberless other Greivous disorders and apprehending
more fatal Consequences if an immediate stop
is not put to the Common use of these Spirits Humbly
hope that this House will take the Premses into consideration
and do therein as to their great wisdom
shall seem meet.
Hackney
Coaches.
And your Petitioners shall ever pray &c.
The plying of hackney coaches for public hire
was regulated by statute of Charles II (1660)'
whereby Commissioners were to be appointed
under the Great Seal for the purpose of licensing such
carriages, not to exceed four hundred in number. No horse
was to be used for any such conveyance under the size of
fourteen hands, every coach was to bear a distinctive figure
foridentification in case of complaint, and priority was to be
given, in granting licenses, to ancient coachmen or their