Miscellaneous papers concerning the following parishes and places, St. George Hanover...

ST. GEORGE HANOVER SQUARE

Inventory of papers (f.1).

29 April 1713. Letter from Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough, from London, offering to sell land on the west side of Swallow Street for a church and minister's house (f.3).

[-]. Plan of ground for enlarging chapel (f.5).

5 March 1715. Report by Nicholas Hawksmoor and James Gibbs recommending the chapel in Russell Court, Covent Garden, as the site for a church (f.6).

February 1716. Letter from Thomas Barlow, agent, to Skates [John Skeat, agent], of Houndsditch, from Covent Garden, concerning the conveyance of land near Bond Street by the Earl of Scarbrough 'which you long before pitched upon' (f.7).

11 March 1720. Report by Robert Cannon, John Ellis, and Nicholas Hawksmoor, recommending ground in Great George Street near Hanover Square for a new church (f.9).

27 June 1720. Letter from R. Andrews to [John] Skeat, 'purveyor' to the commission, concerning the purchase of land from the dowager Lady Grosvenor for a churchyard (f.12).

30 November 1720. Proposals by John Ford, bricklayer, for the new church in Great George Street (f.13).

13 December 1720. Letter from General William Steuart, to 'My Lord', from London, stating that persons of quality living in and near Hanover Square approve the design by James Gibbs (f.15).

31 January 1721. Minute of commissioners for rebuilding St. Martin-in-the-Fields, approving a loan of £2,000 for rebuilding the church for building church in [Great] George Street (f.17).

[1721]. Proposals by William Barlow for brickwork of new church in Great George Street (f.48r-v).

[1721]. Proposals by Christopher Cass, mason, for the new church in [Great] George Street (f.20r-v).

[1721]. Proposals by Thomas Dunn, mason, for the same (ff. 21v-22).

1 February 1722. Order by the commissioners for rebuilding St. Martin-in-the-Fields for loan of £2,000 for two years (f.23).

[19 April 1722]. Petition by Joshua Fletcher, mason, for assistance with the cost of carriage of materials (f.25).

6 May 1723. Letter from Thomas Barlow to [John] Skeat, from New Bond Street, asking for immediate settlement of the sale of land for a churchyard by Sir Richard Grosvenor (f.27).

23 May 1723. Proposals by Robert Evans, plumber, for new church in Lumbo Street [Lombard Street] (f.29).

[1723]. Proposals by George Devall, plumber, for new churchs in [Great] George Street and Lombard Street (f.30).

[1723]. Proposals by Henry Savage, plumber, for the same (f.32).

[1723]. Proposals by George Osmond, plumber, for the same (f.34).

[23 May 1723]. Articles of joiner's work proposed to be done by Benjamin Timbrell for the same (ff.36-7).

[23 May 1723]. Articles of joiner's work proposed to be done by John Sturges for the same (ff.38-9).

[23 May 1723]. Articles of joiner's work proposed to be done by Thomas Phillips for the same (ff.40-2).

[23 May 1723]. Articles of joiner's work proposed to be done by William Langley for the same (ff.44-5).

[23 May 1723]. Articles of joiner's work proposed to be done by John Lane and William Baverstock for the same (ff.46-7).

[23 August 1723]. Complaint by inhabitants in and about Hanover Square of the dilatoriness of Joshua Fletcher. Signed by William Steuart and Sir T. Clarges (f.50).

1723-4. Account of surplice fees received by the clerk of St. Martin-in-the-Fields from the two outwards of the parish (f.52).

[22 November 1723]. Petition by the Revd. Andrew Trebeck for a minister's house (f.53).

10 January 1724. Proposals by Jon Jenner to sell lease of a house on Sir Richard Grosvenor's estate in Grosvenor Street for a minister's house (f.55).

[14 February 1724]. Proposals by Sir Richard Grosvenor for the sale of freehold of a house in Grosvenor Street (f.59).

27 March 1724. Petition by John Fincher and James Slater, plumbers, for payment for work on the roof of church in Great George Street (f.61).

[15 May 1724]. Memorial by commissioners for laying-out £1,500 in decorating the new church for an organ loft to be built (6 names). Copy (f.63).

[27 July 1724]. Petition by Joshua Fletcher, mason, for payment (f.65).

[12 October 1724]. Petition by commissioners for decorating the new church that Fletcher be directed to expedite mason's work (5 signatures) (f.67).

16 January 1725. Letter from Joshua Fletcher to the commissioners for decorating the church, from Whitefriars, explaining the delay (f.69).

[18 January 1725]. Petition by the Revd. Joseph Elliotson, parish clerk of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, the Revd. William Ryman, parish clerk of St. James Westminster, and the Revd. Richard Bundy, parish clerk of St. Anne Westminster, that their rights be secured in any division of the parishes (ff.71-2).

[9 February 1725]. Petition by Joshua Fletcher that the order to [Edward] Strong and [Christopher] Cass to finish the church be revoked (f.73).

14 March 1725. Statement by John James that the church is ready for consecration (f.75).

[23 March 1725]. Petition by Zachary Pearce, Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, to the House of Commons that his objections to a Bill be heard. Copy (f.77).

9 August 1725. Report by John James of damage to house of [Samuel] Molyneux (f.79).

3 September 1725. Petition by Samuel Newsham, watchman at St. George's, for payment (f.81).

[8 October 1725]. Petition by inhabitants of Hanover Square that streets be paved (10 signatures) (f.83).

c. 1725. List of the vestry (ff.85-6).

[1725]. List of burial fees (ff.87v-88).

ST. GEORGE-IN-THE-EAST

Inventory of papers (f.89).

23 November 1711. Proposals by Bridges Watts to sell land near Cannon Street for church, churchyard, and minister's house (f.90).

24 November 1711. Proposals by James Peterson to sell land occupied by William Bridgman for building a church (f.91v).

[10 June 1714]. Petition by the vestry and inhabitants of Wapping Stepney for a church. There are 18,000 inhabitants and the parish church is too small (10 signatures) (f.93).

29 July 1714. Report by Nicholas Hawksmoor recommending that the approach to the site of the church will be improved by the purchase of houses from [John] Poulson (f.95).

[1716]. Petition by select vestry and inhabitants of Wapping Stepney that the church in Gravel Lane near Ratcliff Highway be pressed forward after delays (22 signatures) (f.97).

c. 1717. Petition by inhabitants of the lower division of Wapping that the foundations of the church be laid in the Spring (numerous signatures) (ff.99-100).

[31 May 1717]. Petition by inhabitants of Wapping Stepney that the foundations of the church be laid in the summer (67 signatures) (ff.101v-102).

[9 March 1721]. Petition by Richard Goodchild, bricklayer, stating that his materials for the new church in Upper Wapping have been stolen or destroyed, having been on the site for two years. Strong, mason, has filled the columns and pilasters with rubbish from St. Michael Cornhill, and not with bricks as required by Goodchild's contract (f.103).

[15 January 1723]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of Wapping Stepney for the completion of the new church. Disorderly people have stolen the materials 'especially on Sundays' (56 signatures) (ff.105v-106).

[26 July 1723]. Petition by the minister, parish officers, and inhabitants of Wapping Stepney for the completion of the church. The parish has four or five meeting houses but no chapels (49 signatures) (ff.107v-108).

[25 October 1723]. Petition by Thomas Southwood, of Wapping, joiner, to undertake the pewing and other work in the church in Cannon Field, with a testimonial for him from the parish officers and others (f.109).

[26 July 1725]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of Wapping Stepney for the completion of the church, nothing remaining to be done but a wall round the same and internal pavement (32 signatures) (f.110).

[-]. Proposals by John Poulson to sell houses for improving access to the church from Ratcliff Highway, as recommended by Hawksmoor in 1714. Plan (ff.111-113).

[1726]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of Wapping Stepney that the new church be finished and consecrated (f.114).

30 June 1727. Petition by the parish officers of the same that doors in the wall surrounding the church be stopped up in order to prevent theft and nuisance (8 signatures) (f.116).

[7 July 1727]. Petition by Robert Russel for permission to open a door from Russell's Court into the churchyard owing to the risk of fire (f.117).

11 September 1727. Petition by Blackmore How Wardall for abatement of rent of site for churchyard owing to removal of a fence (f.119).

[12 February 1728]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of Wapping Stepney that the approach to the south front of the church be improved (14 signatures) (f.121).

31 May 1728. Petition by Blackmore How Wardall to rent churchyard (f.122).

[-]. Petition by William Simpson, Rector of St. George-in-the-East, that parsonage house be enlarged (f.124).

2 George II. An Act for making the Hamlet of Wapping Stepney, in the Parish of Saint Dunstan Stebunheath, alias Stepney, in the County of Middlesex, a district Parish, and for providing a Maintenance for the Minister of the new Church there (ff.126-35).

BASTWICK JOHNSON'S GROUND

10 June 1714. Proposals by Bastwick Johnson to sell site at the back of Broad Street, Wapping Stepney, approved by Hawksmoor, for a church. There is no chapel of ease in the hamlet, but six meeting houses and a population of almost 20,000 (f.136r-v).

[31 May 1715]. Report by Sir Christopher Wren, Henry Box, Nicholas Hawksmoor, and James Gibbs, recommending Johnson's land in Lower Wapping for the site of a church and cemetery, and advising the purchase of adjacent land (f.138r-v).

[1717]. Statement of arrears of an annuity due from Bastwick Johnson to the estate of Elizabeth Bidilo alias Finch alias Folly (f.140).

21 January 1726. Petition by Sir Fisher Tench, Bt., for lease of land purchased from Johnson (f.142).

1 May 1728. Report by Nicholas Hawksmoor and John James advising strengthening of the foundations of any church to be built on Johnson's land owing to the presence of water (f.144).

[1728]. Petition by Bastwick Johnson, esq., for the renewal of his lease of land bought from him for the site of a church (f.146).

RATCLIFF HAMLET

31 October 1724. Proposals by the churchwardens and others for the addition of parts of the hamlet, if it must be divided, to Limehouse (7 signatures) (f.148).

[1724]. Petition that the hamlet remain undivided since division would render it incapable of providing for the poor (f.150).

ST. GEORGE-THE-MARTYR QUEEN SQUARE

Inventory of papers (f.151).

[16 October 1711]. Petition by the minister and trustees of St. George's chapel in the parish of St. Andrew Holborn, stating that the chapel stands on leasehold of Sir Nathaniel Curzon; a vestry house with charity schools and accommodation for the master and mistress was built on the land; tenements on the land provide income for the ground rent. The chapel is vested in Daniel Child in trust for the subscribers to a pound rate for maintaining a minister, lecturer, and clerk; it cost over £4,200. Petition that it be made a parochial church (12 signatures) (ff.152v-153).

13 February 1713. Minute of a meeting of the trustees of St. George's chapel that a fresh petition be made for a parish church (17 signatures) (f.154).

[16 February 1713]. Memorial by the minister and trustees of the sum needed to convert the chapel into a parochial church (7 signatures) (f.155).

25 February 1713. Petition by the same, the commission having resolved that the chapel be made a parochial church, that land in front of the chapel be paved, and that the chapel be consecrated a parochial church (14 signatures) (ff.156v-157).

[1717]. Statement of the terms of an agreement between the commission and the trustees for the purchase of the site of the chapel and a proportion of the pews by the former (ff.158-9).

[12 May 1720]. Petition by the minister and trustees for payment of part of £1,200 agreed to be paid by the commission for converting the chapel into a parochial church (11 signatures) (f.160).

1717-23. Account of receipts and disbursements of the sum of £1,500 paid by the commission to the trustees for the assignment of the latter's interest in the chapel (ff.161v-162).

16 February 1725. Legal opinion by J. Ward on questions propounded by the Revd. John Marshall, minister of the chapel, concerning the rights of the vestry and minister (ff.163-4).

[19 March 1725]. Petition by the vestry, churchwardens, and inhabitants of the parish of St. George-the-Martyr to the House of Commons conerning the assignment of pews in legislat ion for settling the parish. Copy (f.165r-v).

1723-5. Accounts of William Chamber, chairman of the trustees (ff.167v-168).

[-]. Petition by the rector, churchwardens, and vestry of St. George-the-Martyr that common access be provided to the churchyards of the parish and of St. George Bloomsbury (26 signatures) (f.169).

5 January 1726. Letter from the Revd. John Marshall to J.T. Philipps, secretary, concerning a table of burial fees (f.171).

5 May 1726. Answer by the trustees of the proprietors of pews to a report from George Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, to John Bettesworth, Dean of Arches, concerning the accounts of the trustees (ff.173-4).

1725-7. Accounts of Nathaniel Curzon, esq., for the parish of St. George-the-Martyr, including (ff.175v-180) 'the sequel of the accounts' for the year ending Easter 1726.

15 May 1729. Reply by the vestry to the commission, stating that the church has no use for the house in which the two schools are kept except as a vestry room, and desiring that the rent be applied for the benefit of the parish (9 signatures) (f.181).

11 June 1729. Minute of a meeting of the vestry that the commission be asked to supply deed for the purchase of churchyard (f.183).

[1731]. Memorandum by Thomas Emes, vestry clerk, concerning the purchase of pews (f.184).

24 March 1731. Minute of a meeting of the vestry that the rector and churchwardens treat with the proprietors for the purchase of pews (f.186).

11 August 1731. Minute of the trustees for the proprietors of pews concerning the manner of purchasing pews for the benefit of the church (f.188r-v).

7 September 1731. Letter from Samuel Carte, chairman of the trustees of pews, to John Sherman, agent, that a meeting of the trustees has been deferred (f.192).

21 September 1731. Minute of a meeting of the vestry directing the churchwardens to negotiate with the commission concerning the purchase of pews (f.194).

22 October 1731. Resolution of the commission that the trustees be desired to call a meeting of the proprietors of pews (f.196).

11 and 15 November 1731. Minutes of meetings of the trustees for the proprietors of pews concerning the purchase of pews (ff.198-9).

ST. GEORGE-THE-MARTYR SOUTHWARK

Inventory of papers (f.200).

5 August 1712. Proposals by Henry Barttelot, of Southwark, for the sale of three acres in Southwark (f.201).

2 March 1713. Further proposals by the same (f.202).

17 March 1718. Certificate of the Master of the Courts of the receipt of £600 from the commission for St. Olave's school, Southwark (ff.204-5).

27 November 1718. Proposals by Thomas Scott to supply the church in Southwark with bricks (f.206).

[17 February 1733]. Petition by the minister, parish officers, and others of the parish of St. George-the-Martyr Southwark, for assistance in rebuilding the church. The poor are numerous owing to four prisons, particularly the King's Bench, which cause many insolvent debtors to live in the parish, and to the removal of the families which inhabited the late Mint and paid poor rates (124 signatures) (ff.207v-208).

ST. GILES CRIPPLEGATE

Inventory of papers (f.209).

13 November 1711. Petition by the minister and churchwardens of St. Giles Cripplegate, proposing new churches in the Barbican, White Cross Street End in Old Street on land belonging to the Ironmongers' Company, and in the same street against Red Lyon Market and the Swan Tavern on land belonging to Thomas White (5 signatures) (f.210).

[16 November 1711]. Petition by the rector and parishioners of St. Alphage that the parish be enlarged by the addition of part of St. Giles Cripplegate (25 signatures) (f.212).

[1711]. Paper of reasons against adding part of Cripplegate to St. Alphage. The church of St. Alphage holds half the inhabitants and there is no ground for extension of the churchyard; if any part of Cripplegate belonged to St. Alphage it was in the usurpation of Cromwell; the area in question contains substantial citizens and contributes to the poor; the choice of parish officers would be reduced; collections for the poor and the charity school would be diminished (f.214).

5 December 1711. Proposals by Robert Wilmer, [of Doctors Commons], to sell house and grounds, late the Mermaid Brewhouse, in White Cross Street (f.216).

7 December 1711. Petition by the minister and churchwardens of St. Giles against the addition of part of Cripplegate to the parish of St. Alphage (5 signatures) (f.218).

c. 1711. Petition by the Revd. James Ferguson that the chapel in Noble Street, Cripplegate, be made a parish church. It serves 300 families; the minister could not be maintained if a new church is built (f.219).

c. 1711. Petition by the same and others concerning the chapel in Noble Street, which cost £130 raised by the sale of pews (7 signatures) (ff.220-1).

c. 1711. Account by [John] Skeat, agent, of the number of houses in St. Giles Cripplegate. There are 1,991 in the Freedom and 2,616 in Middlesex (f.222).

7 December 1711. Proposals of Thomas White, [of St. Giles Cripplegate], to sell land and houses (f.224).

29 July 1712. Proposals by the same to sell land at the upper end of White Cross Street and at the lower end of the same (f.226). Further proposals by him concerning the same land, 29 July 1712 (f.228).

[1712]. Particulars of Thomas White's lands (f.231).

[31 October 1712]. Report by Sir Christopher Wren and Nathaniel Manlove, recommending lands of Thomas White in the lower part of White Cross Street, and of Mr. Harris adjoining land of the Ironmongers' Company in Old Street, and lands of the Major-General Langston in Goswell Street for three new churches (ff.232-3).

[12 August 1712]. Plans of lands in Cripplegate desired by the Revd. Samuel Brooke to be added to the parish of St. Alphage (f.234).

[12 August 1712]. Petition by inhabitants of the two lower precincts of St. Giles Cripplegate, against the proposed addition to the parish of St. Alphage. They object to leaving good pews for the worst ones 'in an old dark and decay'd church' (101 signatures) (ff.235v-236).

[12 August 1712]. Reasons against adding part of Cripplegate to St. Alphage. The church does not accommodate the existing parish; the proposed new church in Cripplegate will provide for the population; the addition would reduce the choice of parish officers, and injure collections for the poor (f.237).

20 December 1712. Valuation of land and houses adjoining Cripplegate belonging to Lady Mathews, widow of Sir Philip Mathews, Bt. (f.239).

[1714]. Petition by the churchwardens and parishioners of St. Alphage opposing extension of the parish since the church is sufficient for the existing parish only. There are 157 houses and 22 almshouses, and the population of 1,000 includes many lodgers (56 signatures) (f.241).

[1714]. Petition by a general vestry of St. Giles Cripplegate, against extension of the parish of St. Alphage because it would create animosities (83 signatures) (f.242).

[-]. Petition by the vestry of the same for a copy of the petition for a district for the new church building in Old Street (f.244).

21 February 1716. Petition by William Whitfeld, Vicar of St. Giles Cripplegate, and others, advocating the building of a church on land in Old Street belonging to the Ironmongers' Company (28 signatures) (ff.246-7).

[16 March 1716]. Report by James Gibbs that the land of Thomas White in White Cross Street is unsuitable for building a church (f.248).

24 May 1720. Letter from George Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury, to J.T. Philipps, secretary, asking that the commission consider Revd. Thomas Bennet's case for a church on land of Mrs. Fewtrell, and that the site bought from the Ironmongers' Company be surveyed (f.250).

[1716]. Case of the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, by Thomas Bennet, vicar, stating that it has 50,000 souls and only one church. Undertakes to build as many tabernacles on sites bought by the commission as the commission shall build churches and to provide duty for the same provided that the parish of St. Giles is divided, the vicar made rector of the new parishes, and that the next church is built on land purchased from Mrs. Fewtrell. Printed (f.252).

[24 April 1724]. Petition by inhabitants of St. Giles Cripplegate, stating that the parish contains 40,000 souls but that according to Sir Christopher Wren the church will only hold 2,000, and asking that a new church be built on site in Old Street purchased from the Ironmongers' Company (75 signatures) (f.253r-v).

16 June 1724. Legal opinion by J. Ward on the title of land sold to trustees of St. Giles Cripplegate in 1634 and fit to be united to site for a new church (ff.255-6).

[1726]. Three plans of lands in Cripplegate (ff.257-60).

[1724]. Memorandum by [Vigerus] Edwards on deeds concerning land adjoining Mrs. Fewtrell's ground (f.261).

17 May 1728. Letter from the Revd. Thomas Bennet urging the building of another church (f.263).

MRS. KATHERINE FEWTRELL'S GROUND

28 March 1719. Proposals by Mrs. Kathering Fewtrell and Revd. Thomas Bennet to sell land in the lordship part of the parish of St. Giles Cripplegate (f.265).

11 February 1720. Report by John Waugh, Nicholas Hawksmoor, and John James, recommending that a church be built on Fewtrell's ground between Golden Lane and White Cross Street (f.267r-v).

25 February 1720. Report by Hawksmoor and James on the cost of making good the foundations for a church on Fewtrell's ground (f.269).

24 March 1720. Report by the same confirming previous estimates (f.271).

1 December 1720. Letter from Vigerus Edwards, solicitor, to the Revd. Thomas Bennet, proposing access through burial ground to church to be built on Fewtrell's ground in Rose Alley near Golden Lane (f.273).

[December 1720]. Petition by the vicar, churchwardens, and parishioners of St. Giles Cripplegate, for permission to resume burials in the Bear and Ragged Staff Yard given up by the vestry for access to new church, the ground adjoining the pest house being almost full (f.275).

21 April 1726. Letter from Mrs. Katherine Fewtrell inquiring whether the commission still wishes to buy her land in Golden Lane (f.277).

19 December 1726. Report by John Pritchard that houses on land bought from Mrs. Fewtrell are dilapidated and ought to be demolished (f.279).

13 December 1737. Memorandum of agreement whereby John Sherman, agent, agrees to lease to John Williams ground in Golden Lane (f.281).

[14 March 1738]. Particular of estate at Hagbourne, Berks. Endorsed, 'Rejected being too far distant' (f.283).

[-]. Note of a tenant of John Williams (f.284).

284 ff.