Minutes of the Commissioners: 1721

271. [p. 131] 5 Jan. 1720/21

1. Resumed consideration of the bill for settling a maintenance on ministers, etc. After making some progress, adjourned to next meeting.

272. [p. 132] 11 Jan. 1720/21

1. Board will accept proposals for new church near Hanover Square; and upon condition that suitable workmen will undertake the work at prices commonly allowed by Board, under its direction, and accept in payment tallies on new churches' loan, will put it in hand forthwith. Churches not yet finished to go on hand in hand with that near Hanover Square.

2. Petition of St Mary le Strand churchwardens to be referred to Bishop of London.

3. Surveyors to submit to next meeting estimates of finishing Strand and Deptford churches and covering Spitalfields church, and securing from weather the others still building. Treasurer to submit account of debt.

273. [p. 134] 14 Jan. 1720/21

1. State of debt of the churches submitted.

2. Both Surveyors to provide at next meeting estimate of sums due for work done but not brought to account by March 1719; and of cost of completion of churches nearly finished as well as of St Mary Woolnoth.

3. Treasurer to submit account of balance in his hands at Michaelmas last, and estimate of net produce of the fund applicable to the Board in year to Michaelmas 1721.

4. Barlow stated that ground offered for cemetery for Hanover Square church now disposed of, but another site available; Skeat to report to next meeting.

5. Hawksmoor submitted estimates of finishing Strand and Deptford churches, covering Spitalfields, and securing the others.

274. [p. 136] 19 Jan. 1720/21

1. Skeat reported on cemetery for Hanover Square church.

Treasurer and Surveyors delivered papers required; the fund of £21,000 p.a. will in the year 1726 inclusive bring in £75,000. Present debts for finishing and securing churches amount to £66,685. 5s. 7½d.

2. Memorandum: it is a question whether the [fund for the] year 1725 is not entirely applicable for the maintenance of ministers, according to Act of 1 Geo. I.

Board told Dr Green and others from St Martin's in the Fields that they could not procure tallies for the money to be spent on church near Hanover Square, but must refer that to gentlemen who had encouraged the affair.

N.B. Present yearly sum paid to the Commissioners is £21,000, but out of that they doubt whether they must not pay to Westminster Abbey and Greenwich Hospital £10,000 p.a., or a lesser sum pro rata.

275. [p. 138] 23 Jan. 1720/21

1. Particulars from which general estimate arises (2nd article, 19 Jan. 1720/21) to be entered upon the books. [Marginal note: This order has since been recalled.]

2. Skeat to treat with proprietors of ground proposed for cemetery for Hanover Square church.

3. Resolved that the Commissioners will from time to time apply to Treasury for striking tallies for satisfying workmen engaged on Hanover Square church under Board's order. Copy of this minute and the preceding to Dr Green.

4. The joiners and carvers to submit draught of altar-piece, pulpit and desk of Deptford church, with an estimate, and an account how far they have proceeded; they are to go no further until they receive further directions from the Board.

276. [p. 140] 26 Jan. 1720/21

1. James submitted draught of Deptford altar piece, etc., as designed by Archer, which appears very expensive. James to reduce it to as plain and cheap a form as the work already done will allow. Joiners and carvers to proceed according to the directions of the Surveyors.

277. [p. 141] 6 Feb. 1720/21

1. James submitted modified design for the Deptford altar-piece, etc., which was approved; to be put in hand immediately.

2. Scaffolding and fence on north side of the church in Lombard Street to be removed forthwith; workmen to move their materials into the body of the church or the churchyard.

3. Dunn and Townsend to attend the next meeting.

4. Green submitted copy of minute of Commissioners for building St Martin's church, for lending £2,000 to this Board towards forwarding church near Hanover Square.

5. Read letter from Barlow regarding ground proposed by Sir R. Grosvenor for church yard for that church. Agent and Surveyors to treat with owner.

6. Stephen Whitaker to be employed to dig foundation for the church near Hanover Square and carry off earth etc.; to begin immediately. Digging 6d. a yard solid; carting, 14d. a yard solid; labourer to level the work at 1s. 8d. per day.

7. Geo Whitton to be employed as bricklayer at church near Hanover Square; contract to be made with him immediately.

8. Surveyors to appoint a carpenter to fence in the ground near Hanover Square, at lowest prices, as soon as possible.

9. Foregoing three resolutions to be imparted to Dr Green.

10. Warrant to be prepared for paying officers' salaries to Christmas last.

278. [p. 143] 19 Feb. 1720/21

1. Commissioners made some progress in consideration of bill for settling a maintenance on the ministers.

2. Advertisement ordered for masons' proposals for church near Hanover Square.

3. Notice to be given in next summons that the yearly election of officers will then be held.

279. [p. 144] 26 Feb. 1720/21

1. A debate arising whether all the same officers should be continued, and with the same salaries, and few Commissioners being present, consideration was adjourned; notice to be given in next summons.

280. [p. 145] 2 Mar. 1720/21

Agreed that the same officers shall be continued for one year from 14 Jan., but at reduced salaries (Treasurer £200, Secretary £150, Surveyors £150, Solicitor £60, Agent £60, Messenger £40).

281. [p. 147] 9 Mar. 1720/21

1. Skeat to offer £300 to Sir R. Grosvenor for ground near Oliver's Mount proposed by him for cemetery for Hanover Square church.

2. Skeat to inquire how the ground in Old Street may be turned to best account.

3. Solicitor to attend next meeting with the writings on St George's chapel.

4. Treasurer to prepare application to Treasury for taking in money at six per cent.

5. Joshua Fletcher to be employed as mason at church near Hanover Square.

282. [p. 149] 20 Mar. 1720/21

1. Skeat reported on cemetery for church near Hanover Square. Agreed that £315 (insisted on by Sir R. Grosvenor and Mr Robt Green) be given, provided a good title can be made. Solicitor to apply to Sir R. Grosvenor for the title.

2. Resolved that if trustees of St George's chapel [Ormond Street] advance £1,153. 6s. 7d. upon loan now opened at four per cent, it shall be issued for discharge of the debt remaining due to them.

3. Read petition of Thos Hollins; referred to Surveyors.

283. [p. 151] 30 Mar. 1721

1. Solicitor to engross deed to be executed with trustees of St George's chapel.

2. Surveyors to employ Skeat [smith] to prepare four fanes for pinnacles of St Michael Cornhill.

3. Unless Dunn and Townsend attend next meeting and comply with directions about church in Lombard St (minute 2, 6 Feb. 1720/21), they will forthwith be superseded, and subjected to the penalties in the contract.

284. [p. 153] 3 Apr. 1721

1. Dunn and Townsend attending were ordered to finish the cornice of the north side of St Mary Woolnoth within five weeks, and promised to comply.

285. [p. 154] 17 Apr. 1721

1. Agent submitted proposals for parts of the ground in Old Street from Jas Wilson, bricklayer, and John Wilson.

2. Wilson to be allowed the ground upon which a church is intended to be built, to be cleared and given up at three months' notice.

3. James Wilson to attend next meeting.

4. The plumber at Spitalfields church to attend next meeting.

5. Warrant to be prepared for paying £160. 12s. 1d. to Grove in pursuance of Surveyors' report of 30 Mar. 1720/21 on his account.

286. [p. 156] 27 Apr. 1721

1. John Wilson to attend next meeting.

2. Price of lead having risen since Spitalfields contract was made, 18d. per cent to be allowed beyond the contract, provided it be finished by Michaelmas next.

3. Pridie, painter, to execute gilding of vanes of St Michael Cornhill.

287. [p. 157] 3 May 1721

1. John Wilson attending, the Board refused to let him the ground in Old Street upon which a church is intended to be built unless he consented not to raise it above present level, with which he would not comply.

2. As price of lead is falling, minute 2, 27 Apr. 1721 is set aside. The plumber at Spitalfields church to have such advance above his contract price as agrees with current price of lead when the work is done, provided church be covered before Michaelmas next.

3. Gibbs to be desired to send back model of the church in the Strand.

4. Acts of Parliament about church building to be re-printed (300 copies) with Act of 5 Geo. I for continuing the coal duty, and an abstract of them all at the end. Solicitor to take care of the impression.

5. Appointed committee to prepare bill for maintenance of ministers; to meet at Master of the Temple's house for convenience of having assistance of Mr Ward [counsel]; Deans of Canterbury, Ely, Worcester, Chichester, the Arches and Gloucester; Cannon, Ellis and Philipps, or any other member pleased to come.

288. [p. 159] 26 Oct. 1721

1. Solicitor's bill referred to Meller or Hiccocks to settle and report.

2. James delivered a memorial on the state of the churches; referred to next meeting.

289. [p. 160] 9 Nov. 1721

1. Surveyors to offer Devall 15s. per cent for lead covering of Spitalfields church, provided he puts it in hand immediately; if he refuses, they are empowered to employ any other plumber that will undertake it at this rate. As the boards have long been exposed to weather and may be attacked by worm, Surveyors are to cover them with pitch and tar before lead be laid on.

2. The workmen's petition to be considered at next meeting.

3. Commissioners to be summoned for next Monday to consider bill for the maintenance of ministers.

290. [p. 161] 13 Nov. 1721

1. Perused bill for the maintenance of ministers. Solicitor to consider proviso about continuance of payment of tithe on arable land, etc., and prepare a new clause, obtaining Mr Ward's opinion, to submit to next meeting.

291. [p. 162] 16 Nov. 1721

1. Treasurer to pay executrix of Mr Stanley Smith for goods sold and delivered at St George's chapel, and work done, £8. 10s.

2. Warrants to be prepared for paying Solicitor's bill, settled by Mr Hiccocks, and the above executrix.

3. Perused bill for maintenance of ministers, and made amendment, to be referred to Mr Ward.

292. [p. 163] 20 Nov. 1721

Two copies of the bill to be written out by Solicitor for next meeting.

293. [p. 164] 23 Nov. 1721

1. Surveyors to submit designs of church in Lombard Street to next meeting for reconsideration.

2. Solicitor submitted two copies of the maintenance bill; Secretary to attend Attorney-General with one, Mr Lowndes with the other.

294. [p. 165] 27 Nov. 1721

1. Secretary to acquaint widow of the late Treasurer that she should submit Leacroft's last quietus and all papers relating to his accounts as soon as possible.

2. Secretary reported that he had delivered copies of the bill to AttorneyGeneral and Mr Lowndes.

295. [p. 166] 14 Dec. 1721

Read petition of Jonas Stephenson about Strand church; referred to Surveyors.