Minutes of the Commissioners: 1719

221. [p. 41] 29 Jan. 1718/19

1. On petition from St Mary le Strand, Secretary to write to Simmons the joiner to hasten finishing of the pewing.

2. Advertisement ordered for proposals from brick makers for bricks for new church in St Olave's Southwark, to be delivered this day fortnight.

3. John Meard, carpenter, to be employed at Bloomsbury and St Mary Woolnoth as lowest bidder; Solicitor to draw up contract.

4. Smith's final bill of fees laid: £50. 12s. 9d. Allowed except last article of £4. 2s. 7d.

5. Arthur Nash, smith, to be employed to make hinges, locks and keys, Is and Ls for the pews at Deptford and Strand churches; Solicitor to draw contract.

6. Signed warrant for paying £20 to Mrs Clement.

7. George Devall to be employed on plumber's work at Spitalfields church; Solicitor to draw contract.

222. [p. 44] 19 Feb. 1718/19

1. Warrant for £46. 10s. 2d. payable to Henry Smith to be prepared.

2. Advertisement ordered for brick makers to bring proposals for supplying bricks for the new church in St Olave's Southwark on Thursday next.

3. Hawksmoor to report on condition of steeple of St Mary Woolnoth, what inconvenience Mr Dodson may have suffered, and how it may be remedied.

4. Petition of James Wilson about one of the houses to be demolished on Ironmongers' Company's site to be complied with.

5. Chicheley and Wade, carvers, who offered their services for Deptford church to attend on Thurs. next with James, bringing their proposals.

6. Sir John Philipps and William Farrer to be desired to move House of Commons to insert in bill brought in last Thurs. clause to enable Commissioners to build churches of rubble, brick, or brick coined with stone where they shall think proper.

7. Solicitor to draw up such a clause.

[Ten numbers have been omitted in the pagination, which runs from 45 (recto) to 56 (verso)]

223. [p. 57] 26 Feb. 1718/19

1. Smith's warrant signed.

2. Warrants ordered for paying salaries for half year to Christmas last and for house rent.

3. Read petition of John Webster, carver, for employment in Strand or any other church; to bring in his proposals for next meeting.

4. No more new churches to be begun until we find ourselves in condition to discharge contracts for churches already begun.

5. Open committee appointed to meet next Monday to consider how maintenance may be provided out of the duties granted by Act of first of George I for ministers of the new churches.

224. [p. 58] 5 Mar. 1718/19

1. Bishop of Bristol reported that the committee had approved, with amendments, Dean of Canterbury's proposals for providing a maintenance for the ministers and their assistants.

2. Approved the report after some additions and further amendments; to be prepared with duplicates for both Houses of Parliament, to be signed at next meeting.

3. Signed two warrants for salaries and house rent.

4. James reported that the proposals of Wade and Chicheley, carvers, were lower than those of Webster. Wade and Chicheley to be employed at Deptford if James thinks prices as low as those paid at Greenwich.

225. [p. 60] 9 Mar. 1718/19

1. Treasurer's bill of fees allowed; warrant ordered for £85. 5s.

2. Walter Younger's petition referred to James to report what damage he had sustained.

226. [p. 61] 12 Mar. 1718/19

1. Representation to King for providing maintenance for ministers, with duplicates for both Houses of Parliament, read, signed and sealed. Secretary to attend bishops of the Commission for their signatures.

2. Waugh to be asked to request Archbishop of Canterbury to present representation to the King and a duplicate to House of Lords; and Secretary to ask Farrer to present that to House of Commons.

3. Petition from St Giles in the Fields further considered; petitioners told Commissioners not yet ready to answer them, but would have a church rebuilt for them in convenient time as obliged by Act of Parliament.

4. Signed warrant for Treasurer's bill.

5. Satisfied by Hawksmoor's report that Dodson has sustained no damage from steeple of St Mary Woolnoth.

6. Surveyors to measure work already done and make up accounts to Christmas last.

7. Labourer to be employed, at Hawksmoor's request, to secure lead of Spitalfields church.

8. Advertisement ordered for carvers' proposals for ornaments of joiner's work at Strand church.

9. Solicitor presented his bill; to be considered at next meeting.

10. Hawksmoor and James to direct roofing and ceiling of west portico of Deptford church and see it done as soon and cheaply as possible.

11. Surveyors likewise to contract with Grove to finish roof and other carpenter's work still wanting in parsonage house, Deptford.

12. Enclosing ground for minister's house and the churchyard on east and west to be done according to plan now submitted, as cheaply as possible.

13. James reported that Wade and Chicheley's prices for carving at Deptford were cheaper than those for Greenwich. Wade and Chicheley to be employed.

14. On Dr Bennet's request, Surveyors to give orders for clearing ground in order to begin work on church in Old Street. James to prepare a plan and estimate for building in brick.

227. [p. 65] 19 Mar. 1718/19

1. Waugh reported waiting on Archbishop of Canterbury. Secretary reported that archbishop stated he had presented report on ministers' maintenance to the king, and he wished another bishop to lay duplicate before the Lords.

2. Solicitor's bill referred to committee to meet in fortnight's time. Meller and Melmoth desired to attend.

3. James to submit plan for parsonage house for Bow to next meeting.

4. Solicitor ordered to prosecute Peter Patrick and Robt Brumfield, who were reported to have stolen iron and lead from St Mary Woolnoth.

5. Several inhabitants of Stratford le Bow petitioned about difficulties in executing their offices as appointed by this Board, and the uncertainty of the chapel's ever having been consecrated. Bishop of London agreed, to settle matter, to consecrate chapel in a week's time.

6. Parish officers to be appointed at first meeting after consecration.

7. Before Gibbs direct any further carver's or painter's work for finishing Strand church, design and estimate to be laid before Board so that agreements may be made with artificers before they are put in hand. Copy to Gibbs.

228. [p. 68] 2 Apr. 1719

1. Vestrymen and officers appointed for Stratford le Bow and Old Ford: churchwardens: Mr Abraham Wilmer, Mr Wm Fletcher; overseers: Thos Mitchell, Isaac le Hob; surveyors of highways: Wm Van Leut, Rich. Remnant. Vestrymen: Rev. Dr Robt Warren, Ambrose Page, Robt Hardesty, John Mitford, Abr. Wilmer, and Daniel Selman, Esquires; Jonathan Sanford, Hy Tilbury, Nich. Greenslade, Thos Kinnaston, Abr. Kemp, Wm Andrewes, John Warner, and churchwardens.

2. Solicitor to wait on Bishop of London with list of vestry.

229. [p. 70] 23 Apr. 1719

1. Read opinion of counsel on workmen's representation for hastening their payment.

2. Surveyors to measure works and make up accounts from Christmas 1717 to Lady Day 1719 with all possible speed.

3. Read representation of minister and trustees of St George's chapel: consideration deferred.

4. Waddington and Masters to view Mrs Futrel's ground: Surveyors to examine its nature.

230. [p. 71] 30 Apr. 1719

1. Waddington reported that he and Masters thought the ground in St Giles Cripplegate a convenient site for a church.

2. Surveyors to open the ground to see if it will admit good foundation and report to next meeting.

3. Representation of St George's chapel to be considered at next meeting, with all original papers.

4. Warrant to be prepared for £645 for site in Bermondsey.

5. Secretary to write to Surveyors (being absent) to attend next meeting to suggest how grievances complained of by Sir Gilbert Heathcote and Mr Craggs about church in Lombard Street may be removed.

6. Dodson's representation to be considered at next meeting.

231. [p. 73] 6 May 1719

1. Last order (minute 2, 30 Apr. 1719) on opening Futrel's ground to be renewed; Surveyors to employ some other labourer than the person contracted with for digging in that parish.

2. Surveyors to attend Dr Marshall and trustees of St George's chapel to report to next meeting on state of pews.

3. Signed warrant for £645 for Bermondsey site.

4. Surveyors reported that the grievances complained of at St Mary Woolnoth might be removed at little cost; this to be done.

In consideration of Dodson's representation, agreed that the projection of the cornice on west of steeple be made as small as possible.

232. [p. 75] 28 May 1719

1. Waddington reported that he and Masters had viewed Futrel's ground since it was opened in three places; it would not admit of good foundation.

2. Further consideration of repairs of St George's chapel to be deferred until after next sitting of Parliament.

3. Surveyors to adjust workmen's accounts to Lady Day last, entering prices agreeable to contract; those not contracted with to be referred to Commissioners' consideration at next meeting.

4. Surveyors to prepare plan and estimate of church proper to be built in Bermondsey.

4. Instruments of appointment of officers of new parish of Bow to be prepared for next meeting.

233. [p. 77] 5 June 1719

1. Surveyors submitted account of moneys due to workmen to Lady Day last.

2. Treasurer and Secretary to request Archbishop of Canterbury to speak to Lord Sunderland, chief commissioner of the Treasury, about issue of tallies to pay workmen.

3. Signed application to Treasury for issue of tallies for £45,000.

4. Secretary to remind Archer that Commissioners expect answer to their reply to his undertaking to finish Deptford parsonage house for not more than £1,000.

234. [p. 79] 19 Nov. 1719

1. Read petition of the workmen. Treasurer to obtain AttorneyGeneral's opinion on case before him about the tallies of loan to be issued to discharge debts due to workmen; if it is delayed for want of a reference from the Treasury, then he is to desire chancellor of the Exchequer to obtain such an order.

2. Marples to be allowed 10s. 6d. for lead, instead of 11s. charged in his bill.

3. Strong to be allowed 12d. per ton for double hoisting at Limehouse.

4. Solicitor's bill referred to Meller or Hiccocks.

5. Read letter from Dean of Canterbury; Surveyors to take Archer's directions for covering in Deptford parsonage house.

6. Workmen's accounts to be stated at next meeting.

235. [p. 80] 26 Nov. 1719

1. Secretary reported that Attorney-General had promised to give his opinion in two or three days.

2. Examined and signed books of works done from 1 Jan. 1717/18 to 25 Mar. 1719.

3. Secretary to make 10 or 12 fair copies of representation to the King respecting the maintenance of ministers.

4. Read petition of workmen for opening a loan.

5. Further consideration of St George's chapel deferred to next meeting.

236. [p. 82] 3 Dec. 1719

1. Secretary reported that Attorney-General had not yet given his opinion.

2. Secretary submitted 12 copies of representation respecting maintenance of ministers.

3. Secretary to pay five guineas to Lucas Ken, clerk who attended House of Commons committee, for his service in examining the accounts of the churches in last session of Parliament.

4. Secretary to memorialize Treasury to direct Exchequer to take in sum of [blank] on loan on coals.

5. Gilham, joiner at Greenwich church, to finish vestry room and remove his materials; remaining part of the locks to be set on pews where they are wanting.

237. [p. 83] 10 Dec. 1719

1. Signed memorial to Treasury.

2. Solicitor to wait on Bishop of London about constituting Bow vestry.

3. Surveyors to deliver Dr Warren the key of enclosed ground at Bow.

238. [p. 84] 17 Dec. 1719

1. Solicitor to take counsel's advice about constituting Bow vestry.

2. Surveyors to report to next meeting on disposition of scaffolds and fence in Shernburn lane.