Council Minutes: 1833-35

Cardiff Corporation Minute Book. 1833–1835.

1833 Sept^r 27 Friday. To fill vacancies caused by the deaths of Joseph Wheeler, Thomas Bourne and Francis Minnitt, the following were made Assistants and Capital Burgesses, namely, John Mathews Richards of Plas Newydd, esquire; Thomas Revell Guest, esquire; and John James Watkins, esquire.

M^r Edward Thomas, Collector of Harbour Dues, having reported to this Meeting that M^r William Pritchard, the owner of several vessels trading to this Port, had refused the payment of harbour dues on two of his vessels, and that Timothy Thomas had also refused payment of harbour dues for a vessel belonging to him: Ordered, that M^r Edward Thomas be directed to take such steps as he shall be advised by M^r Richards, the Solicitor of this Corporation, who is authorized by the Corporation for the recovery of such harbour dues.

An application having been made for a subscription to the Eisteddfod or Musical Festival proposed to be holden in this Town in the Autumn of 1834: Ordered, that £25 be allowed for such purpose.

Vote of thanks to M^r Kemeys-Tynte for taking down the front of his house in Church Street to improve the thoroughfare.

Vote of thanks to Lord Bute for allowing the north-east corner of Duke Street to be widened.

The Bailiffs stated to this Meeting that a letter had been received from James Booth and Charles Austin, esquires, two of the Commissioners for inquiring into the state of Municipal Corporations, stating that they would attend at Cardiff on Saturday next for the purpose of inquiring into the state of the Corporation of this Town.

Cardiff Town to Wit
At the Guildhall of the said Town on Saturday the 28^th day of September, being the day next before the Feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three, Whitlock Nicholl, John Bird, Edward Bird and John Bradley, esquires, were nominated, elected and chosen according to the custom of the said Town by the Bailiffs, Aldermen and Burgesses of the said Town or the major part of them, in order that the Constable of the Castle of the said Town of Cardiff or his sufficient Deputy might swear any two into the place or office of Bailiffs of the said Town for the ensuing year.

At the same time and place the several persons hereunder named were likewise nominated, elected and chosen for the several offices hereunder mentioned, that is to say:

[Serjeants at Mace 4.
Ale Tasters 2.
Common Attorneys 4.
Water Bailiffs 2.
Ward Constables 24, 6 to each Ward.
Toll Gatherers, Keepers of the Cross, and Clerks of the Markets 4.
Clerks of the Shambles Markets 4.
Toll Gatherers, and Keepers of the Cattle Markets and Fairs 4.] (The persons nominated in the three last cases are the same four.)

To the Constable of the Castle of Cardiff or his Deputy.
We Thomas Charles and John Homfray, esquires, Bailiffs of the said Town of Cardiff, do hereby Certify that the several persons above named were this day nominated, elected and chosen for the respective offices above mentioned; and we do make this Return to you accordingly. Witness our hands this twenty eighth day of September 1833.

Cardiff Town to Wit
At the Castle [of] Cardiff, the thirtieth day of September 1833.

Richard Morgan of Landough Castle in the county of Glamorgan, esquire, (having produced an Instrument under the hand and seal of the Most Honorable John Crichton Stuart, Marquis of Bute and Earl of Dumfries, Baron Cardiff of Cardiff Castle, Lord of the Borough of Cardiff, bearing date the twenty first day of September instant, appointing the said Richard Morgan Constable of the Castle of Cardiff aforesaid) this day took and subscribed the Declaration required to be taken under the Act of 9 George 3., c. 17. on his qualification to the said office of Constable of the Castle of Cardiff aforesaid, and the oaths of office and allegiance and supremacy were also administered to him by the Bailiffs of the said Town.

Cardiff Town to Wit
Be it remembered that on Monday the thirtieth day of September 1833, at the Castle [of] Cardiff, John Bird and Whitlock Nicholl, esquires, two of the Aldermen of the said town, were then sworn into the office of Bailiffs of the said town for the ensuing year, before Richard Morgan, esquire, Constable of the Castle, in the room of Thomas Charles and John Homfray, esquires, late Bailiffs of the said Town; and the said John Bird and Whitlock Nicholl also took and subscribed the Declaration required to be taken under the 9^th George 4., c. 17.
At the same time and place Nicholas Hook and John Williams were sworn into the office of Serjeants at Mace, and subscribed the said Declaration.

October 3 Thursday. Three Constables sworn to each of the four Wards, and four Deputy Constables.

Dec^r 16 Monday. M^r Thomas Revel Guest having applied to this Meeting to purchase the freehold piece of ground in Little Troy (held by him under the Corporation at the yearly rent of twenty shillings):Ordered, that the same be sold to him for £25.
An Action in the Court of Exchequer having been brought by M^r Christopher Williams against Evan Evans and David Evans for taking toll on corn: Ordered, that M^r Richards be directed to defend such Action and to obtain Counsel's Opinion as to the legallity of the seizure.

1834 March 10 Monday. Ten guineas paid to the Rev. Elliot Graham, Curate of Cardiff, for the winter evening lectures preached in Cardiff church.

Ordered, that the Bailiffs be authorized to allow the sum of twenty pounds towards the repair of the organ in the church of this Town.

The Bailiffs laid before this Meeting a letter received by them from I[lltyd] Nicholl, esq., M.P., respecting the proposed removal of the Assizes and enclosing a letter received by him from the Lord Lieutenant on the subject: Ordered, that the Bailiffs and Messrs. Charles, Guest and Williams be appointed a Committee to take measures to prevent such removal, at the expence of the Corporation, if on consideration it appear expedient for them to do so.
M^r Richards read to this Meeting the Opinion of Serjeant Talfourd respecting the right of the Corporation to the tolls of corn, and stated that in consequence of such Opinion no Plea had been filed to the Action, it being expedient that the Corporation should try their right as Plaintiffs and not as Defendants: Ordered, that the Bailiffs adopt such proceedings and bring such Action or Actions against any person or persons refusing payment of toll, as they may deem adviseable to bring the question to issue as early as practicable.

Sept^r 29 Monday. Thomas Charles and John Homfray were sworn Bailiffs by the Constable at the Castle, together with the Serjeants at Mace. Memorandum as last year.
[All the other officials were chosen, and the Constable of the Castle was notified of the elections, as last year; but there is no record of the appointments and swearing of the minor officers. N.B.— The entries of this date are misplaced in the original Minutes.]

Octr. 16 Thursday. Three Constables sworn to each of the four Wards.

30 Thursday. Major Mackworth, on behalf of his father, Sir Digby Mackworth, conveyed to the Corporation (for the purposes of the new Market) a house and garden in Saint Mary's Street, in exchange for two houses and yards and certain cottages— situation not mentioned. Sir Digby received a vote of thanks "for the very handsome and liberal manner in which he has met the wishes of the Corporation in respect to the exchange."

Ordered, that the undermentioned hereditaments be sold at the Town Hall by public auction, to meet the expence of the erection of the new Market:—

Land on the Little Heath, in tenure of the Marquess of Bute at £91.
Piece of land at Black Weir, in tenure of Lord Bute at £3.
Lands on the Great Heath, in tenure of Lord Bute at
£52. 11. 7 (including proportion of Race Course.)
Lands on the Great Heath, in tenure of Lord Bute at £16 (including those in occupation of L. Rosser and proportion of Race Course.)
4 cottages and garden at Black Weir, in tenure of Lord Bute at £4.
Land at Golate, in tenure of J. M. Richards, esq., at 2s. 6d.
Piece of land and a bakehouse near the Boring Mill, in
tenure of E. P. Richards, esq., at 10s. 6d.
2 houses and 2 gardens in Barry Lane, in tenure of Thomas Charles, esq., at 4s.
House, barn &c. at Black Weir, in tenure of Catherine Butler at £11. 5s.
Old Boring Mill, in tenure of Anthony Alsop at £4.
Piece of land at the Spittle, in tenure of George Bourne, esq., at 6 guineas.
3 lots at Spring Gardens, in tenure of George Bourne, esq., at £15.
1 lot at Spring Gardens, in tenure of Abigail Dimond at £5. Spittle House &c., in tenure of David Lewis at £28.
2 wharves on the Town Wall, in tenure of Thomas Powel at £9.
1 wharf on the Town Wall, in tenure of Walter Coffin, esq., at £4.
Part of the Town Wall, in tenure of C. C. Williams, esq., at 2s. 6d.
Other part of the Town Wall, in tenure of the same at £1. 15s.
Several cottages near the Old Quay, in tenure of David Evans at £40.
The Town Wall, in lots.

Ordered, that a donation of £100 be given towards the erection of the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire Infirmary.

Common Attorneys to pay £40 to M^r William Jenkins, Deputy Town Clerk, on account of his Bill of Costs; and £113. 8. 5 to M^r Richards, in full of his Bill of Costs.

Robert Dew, esq., appointed Collector of Harbour Dues in the room of Edward Thomas deceased. He is to be allowed £10 per cent. on the receipts.

Nov^r 13 Thursday. David Evans, John Thomas, Evan Evans, John Salvidge, John Richards, Thomas Francis and William Fivefoot, yeoman, were sworn Deputy Constables, each in the room of one of the Ward Constables elected.

Dec^r 22 Monday. Thomas Revel Guest, esq., advanced to the Corporation £700 towards the new Market.

1835 May 21 Thursday. Corporation Seal ordered to be affixed to the settled Copy of the "Bill for Removing the Markets held in the Town of Cardiff in the County of Glamorgan and for Providing other Market Places in lieu thereof."

Aug^t 31 Monday. M^r Brindley, tenant of the house and land in Saint Mary Street purchased of Sir Digby Mackworth, took over from M^r Edward Bird a lease (under the Honorable Robert Clive) of the adjoining house and garden.

Thomas Steele, tenant of the Blue Anchor public house in Saint Mary Street, adjoining the new Market, was paid £20 in compensation for the building up of three windows which opened onto the premises latelty obtained from Sir Digby Mackworth.

A gutter was made between the Cross Bakehouse and the entrance to the new Market.

M^r Dalton was allowed to purchase of the Corporation, for £20, a strip of ground between his garden and the Canal, being part of the Town Wall.

It being considered as a very great improvement to the Town that the premises called Little Troy should be added to the churchyard: Ordered, that the same be given the Churchwardens for such purpose, on their making such entrances into the churchyard as may be agreed upon between them and the Corporation.

The Trustees of Wells' Charity advanced to the Corporation £300 at 5 per cent., on bond. And the Sympathetic Society advanced to them £4000 on Mortgage at 4½ per cent., for the erection of gas pipes in the Market, and other kindred purposes.

Sept^r 28 Monday. John and William Rowe took a lease of part of the Town Wall adjoining their premises in the Hayes, for 99 years, at the rate of one shilling per foot.

New scales and weights were purchased for the Market.
M^r E. P. Richards purchased from the Corporation a piece of land near the Old Boring Mill for £13. 2. 6.

Oct^r 26 Monday. The Cross Bakehouse was purchased of William Higgon for £220.
Philip Thomas agreed to light the Market with gas, for £220.
Ordered, that part of the Corporation property be sold, instead of borrowing money on Mortgage, for the completion of the new Market.

M^r Charles Crofts Williams took a Lease of the Cock's Tower and part of the Town Wall adjoining his property in the Hayes, for 999 years, at 1s. per foot.

Nov^r 9 Monday. M^r E. P. Richards purchased from the Corporation, for £1188. 2. 6, the following properties:—

Brewhouse and yard in occupation of M^r Alsop.
House, stable, cottage, coachhouse and garden [at Crockherbtown] in the occupation of M^rs Vaughan.
Cottage, outbuildings and piece of land in the occupation of M^rs Vaughan.
3 house and gardens in Crockherbtown, in the occupation of M^rs Dimond and two others.
12 cottages, wheelwright's shop and garden in Crockherbtown, in the occupation of Thomas Edwards and others.

M^r C. C. Williams purchased for £40 two cottages and gardens in Barry Lane in the occupation of William Thomas and another.

Nov^r 13 Friday. £100 to be given by the Corporation towards erecting, on the north side of the churchyard, from the tower to the Vicarage House, iron railings with stone plinths, and a gateway to correspond with that to be erected by the Parish on the east side; which latter is to have iron pillars, and a lamp over it. (fn. 1).

Dec^r 1 Tuesday. M^r C. C. Williams is to procure a proper bell for the purposes of the New Market.

Ordered, that the New Market be opened on Saturday the 19^th instant, and from thenceforth be held and kept on every day throughout the year (except Sunday, Good Friday, Christmas Day, or any other day set apart for a public fast or thanksgiving) for the sale of meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, garden seeds, fruit, cheese, butter and all other marketable provisions and commodities, goods wares and merchandize (except corn, grain, flour, malt, seeds for agricultural purposes, hops and wool); and that the present Market situate under the Guildhall (to be thenceforth called the Corn Market) shall be kept and appropriated from thenceforth on Wednesday and Saturday in every week for the sale of corn, grain, flour, malt, seeds for agricultural purposes, hops and wool.

Dec^r 8 Tuesday. The following further properties were sold:—

Half an acre of land at the Black Weir, to the Marquess of Bute for £55.
4 cottages and gardens at the Black Weir, to Lord Bute for£85.
12 pieces of pasture and arable land containing 49a. or. 16p., to C. C. Williams for £1845.
Cottage and coal-yard 225 f^t long, adjoining the Canal near Milkmaid's Bridge, to C. C. Williams for £190.
78 feet of the Town Wall, adjoining the garden purchased
by the Marquess of Bute from M^r Reece, to Lord Bute
at the rate of 1s. per foot.
Piece of land in Working Street, in the occupation of the Trustees of the Welsh Calvinistic Chapel, to M^r Guest for £20.

William Heas Deacon, esq., on behalf of his father, took a Lease of part of the waste adjoining Longcross; bounded north by the turnpike road; east by Longcross House, cottage, garden and pigstye; west by a road leading to Adamsdown Farm; and south by other part of the waste; for 21 years at 2 guineas. A road of 12 ft., from the road to Adamsdown to Brinder Lane, was reserved.

Dec^r 10 Thursday. Arrangements are to be made with M^rs Rees for pulling down part of her house called the New Market Tavern in Church Street.

The workmen employed on the New Market are to have £5 given them to drink, before the 19^th instant.

22 Tuesday. The Corporation Seal was affixed to the Deed of
Gift of Little Troy to the Vicar and Churchwardens of Cardiff.
The Marquis of Bute took a Lease of a messuage and land in Lanishen for 21 years at £68. II. 7 rent.
The wine belonging to the Corporation is to be given to the Infirmary.

To the Worshipful the Bailiffs, Aldermen and Capital Burgesses of the Borough of Cardiff. The Memorial of William Vachell humblysheweth:—

That the Meat Market of Cardiff was formerly held in the open street where temporary shambles were erected; and that so ineffectually, that they often fell down, laying the meat in the dirt. That in the year 1822 your Memorialist built at a great expence the present convenient shambles, where business has been carried on satisfactorily to both sellers and buyers up to the present time.

That by the removal of the said Market your Memorialist will suffer a loss of great importance to him and his family, amounting to above £100 annually above the incumbrances.

That the said Market has uniformly been conducted on just and equitable principles, your Memorialist having never taken the slightest advantage of the monopoly he possessed; this is amply and honorably [acknowledged to be] the fact by all the master butchers in Cardiff, [who] have petitioned for the appointment of your Memorialist as Clerk of your Market.

Your Memorialist begs further to state that six years ago he became tenant of the Corporation tolls, at a time when the butchers had refused to pay them and the Corporation had ceased to collect them for some months, and by this step he was mainly instrumental in restoring the customary payments; the consequence was that your Memorialist has paid the Corporation about £120 which would otherwise in all probability have been withheld.

From the above reasons, and from a persuation that a general kind feeling exists towards an unfortunate old townsman, your Memorialist respectfully submits his case to your favorable consideration.

Cardiff. 18^th Dec^r 1835.

The sum of £70 was allowed to their Memorialist.

24^th Thursday. The bills to be paid by the Corporation are now for the first time set out in the form of a schedule.
Resolved, that the thanks of the Corporation are due and are hereby tendered to Charles Crofts Williams, esq., for the constant attention given by him during the erection of the Market House.
Resolved unanimously, that the best and cordial thanks of the Corporation be given to M^r Homfray for having fulfilled the arduous duties of the office of Bailiff for the last fifteen months; and which have been performed not only with great credit to himself, but has conferred great benefit to the Town and honor to the Corporation.
[N.B.—Thomas Charles and John Homfray were sworn Bailiffs at Michaelmas 1834. Mr. Charles alone was present at the Council Meetings up to 22 December. On 1 May and subsequently, Mr. Homfray alone attended. Neither Bailiff attended the Meeting of 28 Sept. 1835, nor is there any record of a Bailiff elected then for the ensuing year. On 26 Oct. 1835 no Bailiff attended; but on 9 Nov. 1835 John Homfray, Bailiff, was present. He continued to attend the Meetings as sole Bailiff up to 28 Dec. 1835. With the old year, his office ceased in consequence of the Municipal Reform Act.]

Resolved unanimously: That the very cordial thanks of the Corporation be also given to the Senior Alderman, William Prichard, esquire, for his unwearied attention on all occasions to the multifarious duties imposed upon him.

26^th of December 1835.

John Homfray, esq., Bailiff, attended at the Guildhall [in the s^d Borough (fn. 3) ] at 9 o'clock a.m., to receive the Poll for the Election of Councillors for the North Ward, pursuant to the directions of the Municipal Corporation Act, and remained there till 4 o'clock when the Poll closed.

Thomas Dalton, gentleman, having been appointed Deputy by John Homfray, esq., Bailiff, attended at the Workhouse [in the s^d Borough (fn. 4) ] at 9 o'clock a.m. to receive the Poll for the South Ward pursuant to the directions of the Municipal Corporation Act, and remained there till 4 o'clock when the Poll closed.

W^m Jenkins

Deputy Town Clerk.

John Homfray, esq., Bailiff, published and proclaimed the names of the following persons as having been duly elected Councillors for the Borough of Cardiff.

For the North Ward.

1. Richard Reece, High Street, surgeon.72.
2.Richard Wyndham Williams, Crockherbtown, attorney at law.71.
3. William Bird, Duke Street, bookseller. 71.
4. David Evans, High Street, draper. 70.
5. John James Watkins, Crockherbtown, gentleman. 69.
6. James Lewis, Crockherbtown, surgeon. 69.
7. William Jonas Watson, near Black Weir, timber merchant. 68.
8. Thomas Minnitt, Crockherbtown, gentleman. 68.
9. Charles Vachell, Duke Street, apothecary. 68.

For the South Ward.

1. Henry Morgan, S^t Mary Street, attorney at law. 52.
2. Walter Coffin, Llandaff, esquire. 51.
3. Thomas Morgan, S^t Mary Street, gentleman. 51.
4. Richard Tredwen, Dry Dock, ship builder. 51.
5. William Williams, Saint Mary Street, brewer. 51.
6. William Jones, Crockherbtown, timber merchant. 47.
7. Robert Thomas, S^t Mary Street, farmer. 46.
8. Thomas Watkins, S^t Mary Street, auctioneer. 45.
9. Morgan Fairclough, Hayes, ship agent. 43.