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180
It was moved by John Groves Esq and seconded by John Fox Esq,
That a Bounty of Twenty five Guineas be given to any Able
Bodied Man to serve as a Volunteer in the Navy of Great
Britain for these Parishes.
On the question being put by the Chairman there appeared
Ayes ... ... ... 38
Nos' ... ... ... 2
Resolved That Notice be given by Advertisement and Papers
stuck up in the said Parishes signifying the Bounty offered
by these Parishes for the raising the 20 Volunteers. And
that the Church Wardens and Overseers be requested to
meet in St. Margaret's Vestry Room from 9 to 4 o'clock in
the afternoon until the 20 Volunteers are complete.
At first sight the reader of the Vestry minutes
Food Supply.
would be led to enquire why the Vestry should
have concerned themselves about the consumption of bread
or flour or pastry for themselves or the inhabitants, or of
corn for the horses in the parish. Allusion has already
been made to the manner in which the Vestry initiated and
supported repeated appeals to the householders for contributions
towards the national and local defence. No murmur
of complaint or note of dissatisfaction is traceable throughout
all the records. Loud complaint and widespread dissatisfaction,
nevertheless, prevailed not only on account of
the fearful wars and prodigious expenditure into which the
country had been plunged, with their attendant crushing
taxation, but on account of the scarcity and high price of
provisions. Monster meetings of distressed persons had
been held—it is said that 50,000 were present at the gathering
at Copenhagen Fields—at which the predominant cry
was ''Bread!" His Majesty had been greeted on his State
procession to open Parliament with clamorous shouts for
"Peace!" and "Bread!" and, beneath the shadow of the
parish Church of St. Margaret the King had narrowly
escaped the shot of the assassin's gun. With these facts in
their knowledge, the conduct of the Vestry, as shown in the
ensuing extracts, is not surprising:—
Monday 21 st March, 1796. Mr. Church Warden Smith reported
from the Committee who waited on the Rt Honble the Lords
of His Majesty's most Honorable Privy Council at their