Miscellaneous papers concerning the following parishes, St. Mary Magdalene Bermondsey,...

ST. MARY MAGDALENE BERMONDSEY

Inventory of papers (f.1).

[6 November 1711]. Representation by the minister and churchwardens, stating that the population is nearly 14,000, including many Dissenters, and about 2,300 families, of which about half pay poor rates. They recommend a site near Fountain Stairs as a site for a church and churchyard. There is no chapel in the parish (f.2).

[1714]. Letter from Captain Gostwick Cox seeking completion of the sale of land and houses in Bermondsey for building a church, with (f.6r-v) plan and valuation (f.4).

3 June 1714. Proposals by the same for the sale of land at Bermondsey (f.7).

[1714]. Paper [by the same] answering objections to the lowness of the site, and his omission to consult the minister and parishioners (ff.9-10).

21 June 1714. Case of the inhabitants of Bermondsey, stating that land near the river being purchased for a church is unsuitable and was previously offered unsuccessfully for sale. They recommend a site belonging to the Earl of Salisbury (f.11).

[24 June 1714]. Petition by the rector, churchwardens, and several principal inhabitants, that the commission view land near Fountain Stairs, the purchase of which lapsed on the Earl of Salisbury's and Sir William Stevens' deaths, in preference to land at Dockhead situated behind old houses and surrounded by a common sewer and ditches. The site is in the part of the parish where a church is most wanted and there are two meeting houses (116 signatures) (ff.13v-14).

[8 July 1714]. Proposals by James Sadler, on behalf of the Earl of Salisbury, for the sale of land near Fountain Stairs (f.15).

[15 July 1714]. Report by Edmund Halley and John King, witnessed by Hawksmoor, on a site near Fountain Stairs (ff.17-18).

13 July [1714]. Letter from John King to Edmund Halley, from West Wickham, enclosed with the previous item (f.20).

[1714]. Proposals by Thomas Stevens, esq., for the sale of land in Bermondsey (f.21).

12 January 1715. Petition by parishioners for church on the Earl of Salisbury's land (20 signatures) (f.23).

26 April 1716. Petition by inhabitants, reciting negotiations concerning sites belonging to the Earl of Salisbury and Captain Cox, and asking that the new church be built on the former (25 signatures) (f.25).

29 August 1716. Further proposals by James Sadler on behalf of the Earl of Salisbury to sell site for a church (f.26).

24 November 1716. Letter from the same to [John] Skeat, agent, concerning the price of two tenements in Salisbury Court adjoining the site of the intended church (f.28).

1720-1. Notes concerning John Grantham (f.30).

[8 October 1725]. Petition by inhabitants that a church be built on the site purchased. Dissenters have built a new meeting house nearby (67 signatures) (f.31).

[27 October 1727]. Petition by inhabitants that a church be speedily built. The site was purchased in 1719, but about that time an order was made that no new churches be built until those under construction were completed (83 signatures (f.33). Enclosed: (a) a letter from Francis Rous, secretary, to the minister and churchwardens, concerning the building of a church, 31 October 1711. Copy (f.34); (b) copy of f.2 above (f.35).

[4 May 1728]. Petition by officers and parishioners recommending their previous petition (see f.33). Seamen frequent the public houses, which are numerous, on the Lord's Day. For want of having the Word preached many adopt loose lives or become pirates (136 signatures) (ff.36v-37).

28 January 1738. Letter from Captain James Saunders to [John] Sherman, from Sydenham, concerning the claims of John Grantham (f.38).

[1738]. Memorandum on claim by John Grantham, gardener, to materials of tenements on land leased to him (f.39).

[14 March 1738]. Petition by John Grantham, gardener, for materials on land leased by him and purchased by the commission from John Blunt (f.40).

25 March 1738. Petition by William Stevens, of Bermondsey, to fence as garden ground land bought by the commission from John Blunt (f.42).

28 March 1738. Letter from John James to [John] Sherman, from Greenwich Hospital, arranging an appointment (f.44).

8 April 1738. Report by John James on estates in Kent belonging to - Lansdale, and on the value of materials of tenements on site in Bermondsey purchased for a church (f.45).

1 August 1738. Letter from John James to John Sherman, from Greenwich Hospital, arranging an appointment (f.46).

[-]. Note of land let to Thomas and James Martin for seven years (f.48). Also (f.49) a note that Martin leased land purchased from [John] Blunt, and (f.50) a note that James sent a plan of land purchased from Blunt and leased to Martin.

ST. MICHAEL CORNHILL

[1717]. Table of rates proposed by John Skeat, John Cleave, and John Robins, smiths, for providing clamps and chains for the tower of St. Michael Cornhill (f.51).

[1717-18]. Petition by the minister, churchwardens, and inhabitants, that the tower be completed as required by Act of Parliament passed in the last session. The rubbish of the old tower prevents burials in the churchyard (24 signatures) (f.53).

[10 March 1720]. Petition by the minister and churchwardens for the completion of the tower (f.54).

17 March 1720. Proposals by Edward Strong jr. for payment for work on the tower (f.55).

c. 1720. Petition by the rector, churchwardens, and inhabitants, that the rebuilding of the tower, of which the stonework is finished, be completed (36 signatures) (f.57).

[-]. Testimonial by the directors of the charity school of St. Michael Cornhill, for Mr. Coursey (f.58).

ST. MARY ROTHERHITHE

[7 December 1711]. Representation by the rector, churchwardens, and inhabitants, stating that the parish church is too small for the 6,207 inhabitants and is ruinous. The parish is too poor to rebuild the church or extend the churchyard. Poverty is due to the loss of many heads of families at sea and by imprisonment abroad. They petition for the rebuilding of the church and extension of churchyard. Most of the signatures removed. A note states that 'this was signed by a great number of the inhabitants' (f.60).

[21 October 1713]. Petition by inhabitants for a new church (222 signatures) (ff.61-2).

ST. PAUL DEPTFORD

Inventory of papers (f.63).

[16 October 1711]. Memorial by the minister, churchwardens, and vestry of St. Nicholas Deptford, stating that the parish contains at least 12,000, most of whom are employed at sea or 'exposed to the losses and hazards of it by dealing with and giving credit to the families of them who are so'. The parish has lately been impoverished by the length and cost of the war, the great storm, the numbers killed and taken prisoner. The parish church was lately rebuilt at a cost of £5,000 mostly raised by a pound rate. Sites for a new church are being surveyed. They recommend that two parishes be created. There are no chapels (15 signatures) (ff.64-5).

[1712]. 'Valuation of [Samuel] Priestman's crops in Mr. Wise's ground at Deptford'. The crops are asparagus, gooseberries, currants, fruit trees (f.66).

29 July 1712. Letter from Richard Wise to [Francis] Rous, secretary, from Deptford, insisting on a family pew and that Priestman his tenant be sexton as conditions for selling land (f.67).

[1712]. Memorandum of the terms and conditions required by Wise for the sale of land next to Church Street with the house that Caleb the smith lives in (f.69).

[1712]. Plan and statement of the terms on which Wise will sell his land (ff.71v-72).

[1712]. Letter from Richard Wise, replying to a letter from George Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, concerning the sale of the former's land at Deptford. Copy (f.73).

13 April 1713. Particular by Joseph Carpenter of Richard Wise's four houses at Deptford. Endorsed, 'Mr. Wise's proposall to sell 4 houses to make an Avenue to the scite by him sold to the Comrs for a Church in Deptford' (f.75).

11 June 1713. Proposals by John Hodson, mason, for coping the churchyard wall (f.77).

[7 October 1713]. Petition by Edward Strong jr., Edward Tufnell, and Thomas Lucas, for the demolition of a cottage at the east end of the church which obstructs the way to the church (f.79).

14 October 1713. Report by Hawksmoor recommending payment to Thomas Lucas for bricklayer's work on the church (f.81).

10 December 1713. Report by Hawksmoor and James Gibbs on the churches at Greenwich and Deptford. The foundations at the latter are up to the plinth. Some of the bricks are 'the common place bricks, mixt with sea cole ashes - after the infamous way of the City of London'. They are burnt to a cinder except for a quarter which are 'semel' and not thoroughly burnt. The foundations are well laid. The church at Greenwich will be covered with lead by Christmas. Suggest that in future the commission require bricks of pure virgin clay hard burnt without mixture of ashes (ff.83-4).

10 December 1713. Estimate in the hand of and witnessed by Hawksmoor for finishing the west front (f.85).

17 March 1714. Petition by Thomas Lucas, bricklayer, for payment for brickwork of the church now ten feet high (f.87).

27 April 1714. Letter from Henry Savage to William Dawes, Archbishop of York, repeating proposals for the lead work at Deptford previously delivered too late. His mill is at Deptford (f.89).

[1714]. Petition for payment by Thomas Lucas, bricklayer (f.91).

[14 June 1715]. Petition by the same for payment (f.93).

c. 1716. 'An Account of Carved Work to be perform'd in Deptford Church' (f.95).

12 September 1716. Certificate of the completion of flooring and roofing by James Grove (f.97).

October 1717. 'An Estimate of the Charge of the Parsonage House at Deptford According to Mr. Archer's Design' (f.98).

[1718]. Petition by John Gilham for payment for joiner's work commenced at Michaelmas 1717, and for work on the pulpit, reading-desk, and altar (f.99).

23 April 1718. Letter from Thomas Archer undertaking to build parsonage house for £1,000. The design is dictated by the shape of the site. Asks for return of his drafts of the house and Strand church (f.100).

19 November 1719. Request by George Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, for completion of the parsonage house, which is open to the weather, and that the memorial for maintenance of the minister be drawn into a Bill (f.102).

1 November 1723. Account by John James of work to be done in and about the new church (f.104r-v).

[-]. Reasons humbly offer'd in behalf of the inhabitants of the new parish at Deptford. The parish contains 900 houses of which 400 are excused church and poor rates, and many have two, three, or more families. Much of the land pays tithes and is not liable to a pound rate for maintenance of the minister. The town depends on the sea but has grown poorer because of new docks further up the river; those who attend the Exchange have moved nearer London; there are many widows and orphans by the death of seafaring men; many labourers and artificers are discharged from the dockyard. Petition for public funds for maintenance of the minister (f.106).

[-]. Petition by William Norton, Vicar of St. Nicholas Deptford, concerning the parsonage house (f.107).

c. 1728. Petition by the churchwardens, parish officers, and inhabitants of St. Nicholas Deptford, for an Act for maintenance of the minister of new church to which they will contribute £70 a year despite the increasing poverty of the parish (67 signatures) (ff.109v-110).

5 October 1742. Petition by James Bate, Rector of St. Paul Deptford, concerning sums retained by the treasurer from the endowment, and seeking the purchase of land adjoining the parsonage and finishing of the roof of the same (f.111).

3 November 1742. Letter from John James to the Revd. James Bate, from Greenwich, about the purchase of an acre of land, enclosing (f.115) a plan of the same (f.113).

[18 November 1742]. Memorial by the Revd. James Bate concerning land near the parsonage (f.116).

ST. PAUL SHADWELL

Inventory of papers (f.118).

27 October 1711. Memorial by the minister, churchwardens, and vestry, stating that the population is 7,000-8,000, including many poor and at sea. There is no void site for a church or churchyard, and no chapel (16 signatures) (f.119).

21 March 1712. Proposals by Robert Record Hastings to sell land in Bluegate fields (f.121).

9 March 1713. Further proposals by the same for sale of land (f.123).

9 February 1713. Memorandum by Elizabeth Hastings, wife of the previous, concerning land surrounded by a brick wall for a church between Shadwell church and the site of a church in Wapping Stepney (f.124).

2 March 1713. Proposals by Robert Record Hastings to abate the price of his land (f.125).

25 June 1713. Agreement by the same for £1,000 for land and six houses, reserving fruit trees and summer houses (f.127).

3 November 1714. Petition by the same for the costs of enfranchising his land (f.128).

c. 1718. Petition by Elizabeth Hastings, widow, for performance of agreement with her late husband (f.129).

[-]. Petition by the same concerning a damaged fence (f.131).

13 August 1722. Proposals by the same to lease land adjoining her house (f.132).

12 December 1722. Letter from Eusebius Pattenden to [John] Skeat, agent, seeking lease of land purchased for site of church from Hastings (f.134).

[1722]. Memorial by the minister, churchwardens, and vestry, stating that a new church is not needed, and that the site purchased be used as a graveyard (20 signatures) (f.136).

[1731]. Memorandum by John Sherman that Eusebius Pattenden, gardener, is 5½ years in arrears for rent of land bought from Hastings and leased by him since 1722 (f.138).

6 July 1737. Letter from H. Mackett to John Sherman, stating that Pattenden has been arrested for debt (f.139).

11 July 1737. Letter from John Day to the same, about claim to arrears of rent from Pattenden's estate (f.141).

11 August 1737. Memorandum of attempt to secure arrears of rent from Pattenden's estate (f.143).

ST. MATTHIAS CHAPEL, POPLAR

Inventory of papers (f.144).

18 December 1711. Proposals by Everard Ecton to sell land in the manor of Poplar for a minister's house, and agreement by William Chandler to surrender his lease of the same (f.145).

[1711]. Proposals by Thomas and Henry Dethick to sell house near Poplar chapel (f.147).

[2 February 1713]. Report by Simon Beckley, solicitor, on the title of Everard Ecton to land in the manor of Poplar (f.148r-v).

[10 August 1724]. 'Reasons humbly offer'd by the Inhabitants of Popler and Blackwall against joyning their Hamlet to Limehouse'. The hamlet has enough communicants to form a parish and has a church; no part of the hamlet is near the new church [at Limehouse]; union would increase poor rates; the minister would be unprovided and the chapel and graveyard ruined (f.150).

23 September 1724. Resolution of the Court of Directors of the East India Company to surrender their interest in the chapel if converted into a parish church in case no relief obtained from Parliament (f.152).

[24 March 1725]. Petition by the East India Company to the House of Commons, stating that they conveyed to the commission land on which stood an almshouse for seamen and a chapel erected over 50 years ago at a cost of about £5,000, and had obtained a minister. Petition for a clause to be inserted in Bill that if the chapel is converted into a parish church the nomination of the minister rotate between them and Brasenose College. Copy (ff.154-5).

[25 February 1726]. Petition by inhabitants of Poplar and Blackwall that in return for raising £50 per annum by a rate for maintenance of the minister assistance be received from public funds (36 signatures) (f.156).

[1726]. Note of the scale of a pound rate to raise £50 in the intended new parish of Poplar (f.158).

ST. SAVIOUR SOUTHWARK

Inventory of papers (f.159).

[7 December 1711]. The case of the churchwardens, in which they state that they were made a body corporate in 32 Henry VIII, and purchased in free socage the rectory and parish church of St. Saviour, with glebe, tithes, tenths, oblations, and other profits in 9 James I. They were thereby obliged to keep a grammar school, pay a master £20 a year and an usher £10, and two chaplains £30 each. This continued until 1672 when the parish of Christ Church was created. By 24 Chas. II they are empowered to raise £350 a year in lieu of tithes. Repair of the church has cost £3,000, of which £600 is owed, and the roof of the west aisle must be rebuilt at a cost of £1,000 (f.161).

[7 December 1711]. Account of the number of houses in each street, lane, court, and alley in the parish, including the Clink Liberty and Southwark Park, compiled by the minister, churchwardens, and vestry. A suitable site for a church, minister's house, and churchyard is in the middle of the Clink Liberty. There is no chapel or other building fit to be made a parish church (24 signatures) (ff.162v-163).

27 January 1714. Memorial by Thomas Street, basketmaker and freeman of London, for compensation for losses due to the sale of part of his land leased from the Marquess of Carmarthen (f.164).

[27 January 1714]. Plan of the Pike Ground fronting Bank Side, New Thomas Street, and Maid Lane (f.166).

[1714]. Rental of houses on Pike Ground belonging to the Duke of Leeds (f.167).

15 March 1714. Proposals by Mary Terry, widow, to sell land and tenements in or near Pike Garden, with a list of tenants (f.168).

14 October 1714. Report by Hawksmoor and James Gibbs on the Red Lyon Inn at the end of Gray's Inn Lane, and on Pyck Garden (f.169).

ST. SEPULCHRE

8 November 1711. Memorial by the minister and churchwardens, stating that the population is about 7,000. They refer to the statement by the churchwardens and ancients of the part of the parish outside the liberties as to the site of a church. There is no chapel, and the parish church is large enough (f.170).

c. 1711. Account of the estate of Mr. Robinson in St. Peter's Lane near Hicks' Hall (f.171).

ST. JOHN HORSLEYDOWN

Inventory of papers (f.173).

[13 November 1711]. Representation by the rector, churchwardens, and vestry of St. Olave Southwark, stating that the population is about 21,600, and that sites at the east end of Horsleydown belonging to St. Olave's grammar school and on the Isle of Ducks are suitable for two new churches. There are no chapels (f.175).

6 December 1711. Order of the governors of St. Olave's grammar school that land at Horsleydown be offered for sale to the commission for a church (f.177).

15 December 1712. Proposals on behalf of Samuel Hawkins to sell houses in Unicorn Yard (f.179).

4 March 1714. Order by the governors of St. Olave's grammar school that Artillery Ground at Horsleydown be offered for sale to the commission for a church (f.180).

[6 December 1723]. Petition by the executors of Edward Tufnell and Joshua Fletcher for compensation for the cost of removing stone from the site for a church, building being delayed (f.182).

[14 March 1724]. Memorial by the executors of Captain Edward Tufnell for interest on the cost of stone purchased for building a church as agreed with Tufnell on 8 May 1718 (f.184).

c. 1724. Petition by the rector, churchwardens, and principal inhabitants of St. Olave Southwark, that the church be begun on Artillery Ground purchased in 1717 (165 signatures) (ff.186-7).

12 July 1725. Report by Hawksmoor and John James on losses sustained by Tufnell in laying down Portland stone (f.188r-v).

[9 August 1725]. Petition by the governors of St. Olave's grammar school for the repair of a wall, and that a party wall be built as they have built a workhouse. Seal (f.190).

[30 June 1727]. Petition by Samuel Tufnell, mason, son of the late Edward Tufnell, that his father's contract be given to him (f.192).

[23 June 1727]. Memorial by the same undertaking to observe his father's contract (f.193).

24 June 1728. Petition for payment by the same for mason's work (f.195).

[-]. Petition by Ann Clayfield, widow of George Clayfield, painter, who was employed on the new church at Horsleydown, for payment (f.197).

16 March 1732. Minute of a committee appointed to consider the division of the parish of St. Olave (f.199).

[1733]. A Bill for Providing a Maintenance for the Minister of the New Church of Horsly-down, in the Borough of Southwark, in the County of Surrey; and for making the District assigned to the same a distinct Parish (ff.201-4).

1733. An Act for providing a Maintenance for the Minister of the new Church of Horslydown in the Borough of Southwark, in the County of Surry, and for making the District assigned to the same a distinct Parish, and for other Purposes therein mentioned (ff.205-213v).

14 July 1733. Letter from Philip Ayscough, Rector of St. John Horsleydown, from Walton-on-Thames, asking that the endowment fund be invested and a parsonage house built (f.215).

[16 July 1733]. Estimate by Hawksmoor of works required at Horsleydown (f.217).

19 July 1733. Resolution of the vestry proposing allocation of parliamentary grant (f.219).

[13 August 1733]. Undertaking by John Arnott and William Coates to build parsonage house for £920 (f.220).

10 August 1733. Case for the opinion of J. Ward concerning the manner of paying costs of an Act of Parliament for the maintenance of the minister at Horsleydown (f.222).

[1734]. Petition by Rachael Mathew, widow of Robert Mathew, concerning payment of a watchman (f.224).

[1734]. Petition by the same on the same subject (f.226).

[23 August 1734]. Petition by the same on the same subject (ff.228-30).

[1734]. Statement of sum due to Rachael Mathew, widow (f.231).

5 July 1743. Letter from J[ohn] Day to John Sherman, apparently concerning a dispute between the executors of the Revd. Philip Ayscough and the Revd. John Brown (f.232).

233 ff.