Minutes of the Commissioners: 1722

296. [p. 167] 1 Feb. 1721/22

1. Notice to be given in next summons for electing officers and settling their salaries.

2. Nathaniel Blackerby Esq. presented a commission from the King dated 10 Jan. 1721/2, appointing him Treasurer.

3. Surveyors to view parsonage house of St Michael Cornhill, which has suffered damage from building the tower, that reparation may be made.

4. Late Treasurer having advanced £333. 18s. 1d. to John Gilham, joiner, for work at Deptford and Greenwich churches, John Granger, Esq., to be repaid from first imprest money issued to Commissioners the same sum, advanced by him at their request to enable Leacroft's administrix to pass her accounts with Auditor of the Imprest.

5. The several sums of £200, being a year's salary due to Leacroft at Christmas last, and £75, due then for rent of this house, and £54. 4s. 6d. paid for fees at Treasury and Exchequer, to be allowed to Mrs Leacroft upon account. Certificate that Blackerby has given security in the Court of Exchequer for due execution of his office as Treasurer to the Commission.

297. [p. 169] 8 Feb. 1721/22

1. Agreed that the same officers and salaries shall be continued for a year from 14 Jan. last.

2. Treasurer to prepare memorial to Treasury for remainder of the £28,000 formerly applied for by memorial dated 20 July 1720; and to wait on bishops for their signatures.

3. Warrant to be prepared for paying Solicitor's bill of £98. 17s. 9d.

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

5. The fifth order of 1 Feb. to be signed by five or more Commissioners.

6. The several officers to have a copy of last print of book of Acts of Parliament relating to this Commission.

298. [p. 171] 8 Mar. 1721/22

1. Treasurer stated that Treasury had ordered the striking of fictitious tallies for £2,000 only. A new memorial to be drawn by the Treasurer with the assistance of the Secretary, Solicitor and Surveyors, representing the very great difficulty of disposing that sum until the whole amount applied for be granted.

2. Surveyors reported that damage to parsonage house at St Michael's Cornhill may be repaired for about £25. Strong, the mason, to attend the next meeting.

299. [p. 172] 15 Mar. 1721/22

1. Read Treasurer's memorial to Treasury; recommitted to Treasurer to perfect and send to Commissioners to sign.

2. Read petition from St Michael's Cornhill. Surveyors to submit account of money already spent on finishing tower according to the model, and of what remains to be done, with an estimate.

300. [p. 173] 22 Mar. 1721/22

1. Workmen employed on tower of St Michael's Cornhill to deliver their bills forthwith, to be settled by this day fortnight, and Surveyors then to submit report.

301. [p. 174] 5 Apr. 1722

1. Mrs Leacroft submitted 12 books of works done at the churches between 1 Jan. 1717/18 and 25 Mar. 1719/20.

2. Treasurer reported that Treasury had advanced him a further £1,563. 7s. 6d. in money and tallies. Surveyors to measure the work done at the new churches and make up the accounts from 1719 to 25 Mar. 1721/2 by this day fortnight.

3. Surveyors to lay before next meeting an estimate of necessary expenses of finishing Strand and Deptford churches.

4. Warrant to be prepared for paying £1,127. 6s. 7d. to trustees of St George's chapel, residue of purchase money, after £26 deducted, expended by Hawksmoor and Skeat. Another warrant to be prepared for paying Hawksmoor and Skeat £26 for work done.

5. Groves's memorial referred to Surveyors for report.

302. [p. 175] 12 Apr. 1722

1. Signed warrants for £1,127. 6s. 7d. and £26.

303. [p. 176] 19 Apr. 1722

1. Surveyors submitted estimate of expenses for finishing Strand and Deptford churches.

2. Surveyors to agree on lowest possible terms with Townsend, mason, for paving in Strand church, so that it be finished out of hand.

3. Josh. Fletcher, mason at church near Hanover Square, petitioned for an allowance for being obliged for want of room on site to lay his stone and work in Hanover Square at a distance from the work. To deliver his estimate of the charge to next meeting.

304. [p. 177] 26 Apr. 1722

Adjourned.

305. [p. 177a] 8 June 1722

1. Warrants to be prepared for paying £6,850 due to artificers up to 25 Mar. 1719, and £2,000 for work at church near Hanover Square.

306. [p. 178] 15 June 1722

1. Read petition from some inhabitants of Wapping. They were told their church would be finished with all convenient speed.

2. A review by the Surveyors of account due to the contractors showing that £849. 19s. 11d. ought to be added to the £6,850. 0s. 10d. [sic], abovestated, a warrant was signed for £7,699. 19s. 11d. instead.

3. Warrant to be prepared for paying £54 to Mr Basket for printing the Acts of Parliament.

307. [p. 179] 11 July 1722

1. Warrants signed for paying John Basket £54, the officers' salaries to Midsummer last, £405, and a half-year's house-rent to Mrs Leacroft, £37. 10s.

2. Mrs Leacroft was called in and desired to give a positive answer by next meeting whether she will surrender the lease of this house taken by Leacroft for the use of this Board.

3. Signed memorial to Treasury for £10,000 in money and tallies.

308. [p. 180] 25 July 1722

1. Mrs Leacroft after much debate declared that having a right to this house by virtue of the lease, as her late husband's administrix, she could not leave it without great inconvenience, but that if the Commissioners would think fit to leave it, she must submit.

2. Signed memorial to Treasury for issue of £1,301. 18s. 8d., the balance of Leacroft's account.

309. [p. 181] 8 Aug. 1722

1. Whereas Mrs Leacroft refuses to leave this house and deliver up the lease, Agent to look out for a convenient room for the Commissioners' meetings in Lincoln's Inn or thereabouts.

2. Agent to report what sites purchased and not yet made use of.

3. Examined, allowed and signed the books of works for 1719.

310. [p. 182] 24 Oct. 1722

1. Allowed and signed the books of works for 1720.

2. Signed warrant for payment of £6,028. 13s. 7d.

3. Read petition from inhabitants of St Clement Danes and St Mary le Strand; referred to another meeting.

4. Read petition from Sam. Preedy, painter, for painting the stone work over altar in Strand church; work to be done on the foot of former contract.

5. Warrant to be prepared for paying John Gilham £333. 18s. 1d.

311. [p. 183] 1 Nov. 1722

1. Having considered petition from St Clement Danes and St Mary le Strand about a watch house, and Sir J. Philipps having been desired to speak to Jennings and Hoare, he reported that they could recollect no promise ever made by the Board about building a watch house.

2. Secretary to desire Farrer to make further inquiry of Annesley; and Gibbs to attend next meeting.

3. Signed warrant for paying £333. 18s. 1d. to Gilham.

4. Surveyors to report to next meeting on delays and obstruction of the building of St Mary Woolnoth and Hanover Square churches.

5. Next meeting to consider bill for maintenance of ministers; notice to be given on the summons.

6. Read petition from John Foltrop, Jas Groves and Ezekiel Cook. Treasurer to stop payments to John Grove till further notice.

7. Next meeting to consider Marshall's request that Commissioners apply to Bishop of London to consecrate St George's chapel according to precedent of application for consecrating church yard.

312. [p. 185] 8 Nov. 1722

1. Signed application to Bishop of London to consecrate St George's chapel; copy to be entered into the books.

2. Dean of Canterbury to have leave to place a stable and coach house on ground appointed for a church yard at Deptford till Commissioners want it for use of minister.

3. Considered the bill for maintenance of ministers.

4. Surveyors submitted memorial regarding St Mary Woolnoth and Hanover Square churches.

5. Books and state of accounts to be considered at next meeting.

6. Workmen concerned in churches of St Mary Woolnoth and near Hanover Square to attend next meeting.

7. Blank warrant to be prepared for paying moneys due to workmen.

8. Gibbs reported that he knew nothing about the watch house near church in the Strand.

9. Surveyors to agree with Simmons for making and carving a reading desk and for joiner's and carver's work about altar of Strand church.

313. [p. 187] 15 Nov. 1722

1. Dean of Arches to be desired to report at next meeting on two houses in Duke Street.

2. Solicitor or his clerk to attend Dr Henchman, Chancellor of London, with purchase deeds of St George's chapel in order to prepare instruments for consecrating church.

314. [p. 188] 23 Nov. 1722

1. Examined books for 1721.

2. Dean of Gloucester to be desired to examine Secretary's bill of incidents.

3. Read letter from Simmons, joiner at Strand church; Simmons called in; affair referred to next meeting.

315. [p. 189] 7 Dec. 1722

1. Approved and signed books of works for 1722 for Bloomsbury, Deptford, Hanover Square and Spitalfields churches, St George's chapel and outworks.

2. Blank warrants to be prepared for payments to the workmen.

3. Read petition delivered by Simon Michell Esq. about Aylesbury chapel, Clerkenwell; Surveyors to report thereon to next meeting.

316. [p. 190] 20 Dec. 1722

Read Fletcher's petition; he was called in and heard.

1. Signed warrant for paying moneys due to workmen for 1721.

2. Warrant to be prepared for impresting £394. 3s. 6d. to John Simmons, joiner.

3. Read workmen's petition about receiving interest on their tallies.

4. Ground bought of Hastings in St Paul Shadwell to be let to Eusebius Pattenden at £7 p.a., he paying all rates and taxes, for seven years from Christmas next, at a half-year's notice. Solicitor to prepare a lease as usual.