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Candidates to succeed the late Dr. Smith as Lecturer to
preach their Probationary Sermons and to inform Mr.
Davies who the Candidates are.
Resolved That the Church Wardens in the event of the Revd.
Mr. Davies consent to the above request have authority to
settle the time and Order of Preaching the Probationary
Sermons and give Notice thereof by Hand Bills to the
Inhabitants.
Wednesday, 27 Jany., 1802.—It was agreed That the following
should be the form of the Notices to the Inhabitants. " Parish
"of Saint Margaret Westminster."—" The Vestry of this
"Parish having resolved it as their Opinion That the Right
"of Election of a Lecturer is in the Inhabitants Men and
"Women rated to the Parochial Rates.—Notice is hereby
"given to such Inhabitants That the Election of a Lecturer
"in the room" of the Revd. Dr. Smith deceased will begin and
"be proceeded upon by Ballot in the Vestry Room of the
"Parish Church on Wednesday the 3d day of February next
"from the hour of ten o'clock in the forenoon untill two in
"afternoon and continued during the same hours on the two
"following days. The Candidates for the Lectureship are the
"Revd. T. A. Attwood, the Revd. W. W. Dakins and the Revd.
"Josiah Pratt."
Thursday, 11 Feb., 1802.—The following account of the proceedings
and result of the Ballot for a Lecturer to succeed the
late Dr Smith was laid before this meeting by Mr Church
Warden Kew and Ordered to be entered on the Minutes of this
day, viz.
"At a Meeting of the Inhabitants Householders held in the
"Vestry Room of the Parish of Saint Margaret, Westr.
"On the 3d day of February, 1802, Mr. Jno. Kew, Senior Ch Wn
"in the Chair. The Ballot for Lecturer Commenced at 10
"O'Clock, and closed at two O'Clock precisely and was
"continued during the same hours on the three following
"days—
1st day
2d day
3d day
Total
"For the Rev. T. A. Atwood
335
204
140
679
" ,, Rev. W. W. Dakins
8
8
7
23
" ,, Rev. Josiah Pratt
85
77
28
190
892
"Whereupon the said Rev. T. A. Atwood was by the Chairman
declared to be duly elected."
Election of ministers by the popular vote was evidently
attended with disorder and inconvenience. On Wednesday,
25 Oct., 1820, six applications for the vacant lecturership