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55
The distress was first to be levied upon the goods and
chattels of the party interred contrary to the Act, and in
default upon those of "any who had a hand in the putting
such person into such shift, sheet, or coffin or did order or
dispose the doing thereof." The only exemption was in
cases of death from the plague. That the poor-rate derived
considerable benefit is shown by the Churchwardens'
Accounts for upwards of forty years, in which numerous
receipts from this source are entered; and that a vigilant
eye was kept by the Vestry on the matter, the following
minute will suffice to evince :—
Sunday, 16th Mch., 1689-90.—Ordered that the Parish Clerk bring
in an account of all persons who have not certified ye Burying
of People in Linnen in due time on every Munday morning to
the Overseers of the poor for the time to come.
Such negligence by the sextons or beadles had taken
place as to admit of the desecration of the churchyard by
its use for carpet beating and for the feeding of pigs, to
remedy which the Vestry relied upon inanimate "notice
boards" preventing that which the officers had failed to
do:—
Friday, 7th June, 1776. Resolved that two Inscription Boards be
placed up in the Church Yard under the direction of the Church
wardens, offering a reward for any Persons giving Notice of
any Persons hanging Lines about the Trees in the Church
Yard to beat Carpets on, or of the owners of Swine suffering
them to run and strole in the Church Yard.
Even the patriotism of the parishioners did not prevail
with the Vestry over their regard for the churchyard and
the venerable buildings contiguous to it:—
Friday, 16th Sept., 1803. An application was made from the St.
Margts and St. John's Volunteers for leave to erect a depot for
their ammunition in St. Margaret's Church Yard adjoining the
Watchouse.
It was resolved That this Vestry will be happy at all times to
concur in any measure that may be serviceable to the St.
Margt and St. John's Volunteers consistent with their duty.
But as the place pointed out for the Depot in question is in
the neighbourhood of Buildings which might be materially
injured in the event of an explosion, they feel it necessary to
decline giving their sanction to the measure.