Miscellaneous papers concerning the following parishes and places, St. Andrew Holborn,...

ST. ANDREW HOLBORN (HATTON GARDEN CHAPEL)

Inventories of papers (ff.1-2).

8 November 1711. Report by William Strode, of London, bricklayer, on the brickwork of Hatton Garden chapel, which he built about 26 years since. Also a report on the same by Abraham Foord (f.3).

16 November 1711. Report by the rector, churchwardens, and vestry of St. Andrew Holborn, stating that there are 685 houses in the liberty of the City, of which 496 are charged to rates; 2,300 houses in the liberty above the Bars, of which 1,934 are charged to rates; 800 in the liberty of Hatton Garden, Ely Rents, and Saffron Hill, of which about 500 are charged to rates. Parish church holds over 4,000 and £12,225:10:4 has been spent on repairs still unfinished. There are chapels at Ely House, Grays Inn, Lincoln's Inn, and in Ormond Street. Also the shell of a chapel in Hatton Garden belonging to the Bishop of Ely. There is a site for a church between Grays Inn Walks and Bedford Row. (14 signatures) (ff.4v-5).

March 1712. Rental of houses leased to Mrs. Bennett in Cross Street adjoining Hatton Garden chapel (ff.6-7v).

12 August 1712. Valuation of houses leased to Mrs. Bennett and [Thomas] Aldrige intended as site for church and minister's house in Hatton Garden (ff.8-9v).

26 November 1712. Minute by Thomas Rous, secretary to the commission, that [Robert] Nelson and [W.] Bulstrode accompanied by Hawksmoor view the site of Hatton Garden chapel (f.10).

19 March 1713. Proposals for Lord Hatton for the sale of houses adjoining Hatton Garden chapel (f.12).

March 1713. Report by W. Bulstrode and Robert Nelson recommending the purchase of houses from - Roberts, Mrs. Bennett and [Thomas] Aldridge (f.14r-v).

15 April 1713. Letter from Lionel Wafer, Stratford Bow, offering to sell land at the lower end of Hatton Garden (f.16).

1714. Proposals by Thomas Hall to sell land formerly the site of the Red Lyon Inn, Grays Inn Lane, for £1,500. Plan and rental of houses on the site (ff.18-20).

1 July 1714. Letter from John James, Greenwich, to - Jenings, asking leave to remove earth from a vault in St. Dionis Backchurch to churchyard of St. Andrew Holborn (f.21).

8 December 1714. Report by James Gibbs on ground called the Three Cups Inn, Holborn (f.23).

16 February 1715. Proposals by Robert Barker to sell site of the Three Cups Inn near Great Turnstyle, Holborn, for £2,000. Plan (ff.24-5).

23 May 1715. Valuation by N. Hawksmoor and James Gibbs on site of the Three Cups Inn (f.26).

28 June 1715. Proposals by Robert Barker to sell site of the Three Cups Inn for £1,900. Plan (ff.28-9).

6 March 1717. Letter from William Fleetwood, Bishop of Ely, to Archbishop Wake, expressing his consent to part with Hatton Garden chapel and two pieces of ground (f.30).

21 March 1717. Report by John James on Hatton Garden chapel and surrounding land (ff.32-3).

[1717]. Petition by inhabitants of Hatton Garden and adjacent parts stating that Ely chapel, which was vested in the Bishop of Ely by 3 & 4 Will. and Mary, is suitable for a church, and that the freehold of lands nearby belongs to Lord Hatton. Hatton Garden, Ely Rents, and Saffron Hill are a separate liberty and maintain their own poor. It is proposed that the house of Lord Brooke in Dodington Street, Brooke Street, Brooke Market, and Grevill House be joined to the Liberty, which will then be sufficient to support a minister. The enlarged Liberty would contain 6,000 persons, of whom a third attend church at a time (11 signatures) (ff.34-5).

11 May 1717. Valuation of houses in Hatton Garden belonging to Lord Hatton. (f.37r-v).

[1717]. Valuation of lands belonging to Samuel Whitton in Great and Little Kirby Streets, Hatton Garden (f.39).

19 June 1717. Valuation of houses belonging to Abraham Arlidge adjoining Hatton Garden chapel (f.40). Further valuation possibly of the same lands (f.42).

10 July 1717. Petition by inhabitants of St. Andrew Holborn above the barrs that a new church be speedily begun (74 signatures) (ff.43v-44).

ST. ANNE SOHO

Inventory of papers (f.45).

3 November 1711. Memorial by the rector, churchwardens, and vestry of St. Anne stating after a census the numbers of English and French inhabitants, of children under ten, of servants, and of lodgers. There are four French chapels (f.46).

1 December 1711. Letter from W. Robinson to Nicholas Hawksmoor about the purchase price of the Duchess of Buccleuch's house in Soho Square (f.48).

ST. ANNE LIMEHOUSE

Inventory of papers (f.50).

[1711]. Unsigned petition for a church to be built in Limehouse (f.51r-v).

26 November 1711. Letter from John West, Poplar, offering at the instance of the principal inhabitants to sell three acres, on which he has recently built a barn, for the site of a church (f.53).

28 November 1711. Letter from Windsor Sandys to - Skelton recommending Moore's land as the site for a church. Endorsed, 'Proposal from the Ld. of the Mannor of the scite for a church & c to be erected upon Rigby's Garden ground' (f.55).

[5 December 1711]. Proposals by Sarah Moore, widow of Thomas Moore, of London, merchant, and daughter of Henry Risbie, esq., of Limehouse, to sell site for a church at £10 per acre (f.56).

[5 December 1711]. Petition by inhabitants of Limehouse for building a church on Rigby's Garden ground in preference to a site surveyed by the commission (3 pages of signatures) (ff.57-9).

(St. Anne Limehouse)

5 December 1711. Petition by parish officers and inhabitants of Limehouse for themselves and several hundred other inhabitants for building a church on West's land. List of signatures torn off (ff.60v-61). But see ff.66-8 below.

[1711]. Petition by inhabitants of Limehouse for building a church on Rigby's Garden ground, which lies between two meeting houses, in preference to West's land, which lies at the edge of the hamlet (f.64). Attached (f.62) an affidavit by James Hone, of Limehouse, gardener, that he had dug a hole ten feet deep on the land and found no water, 19 November 1711.

14 December 1711. Affidavit by Richard Knight, of Limehouse, waterman, of the effect on Nightingale Lane of removing sluice during the spring tide (f.65).

[1712]. Copy of ff.60v-61, with list of 242 names and amounts contributed to poor rates (ff.66-8).

23 June 1712. Petition by parish officers and principal inhabitants of Limehouse in favour of West's land (50 signatures with amounts contributed to poor rates) (f.69).

[10 June 1714]. Petition by principal inhabitants of Limehouse in favour of West's land, which the commissioners have bought. Many Dissenters say they will attend the new church (36 signatures) (f.70).

5 July 1715. Letter from Major Shearman Godfrey, from Limehouse asking for the building of the new church, the masons not having arrived, to be pressed on (f.72).

[25 August 1723]. Petition by Joseph Woodward, churchwarden of Limehouse, that Francis Bland, of Limehouse, joiner, undertake the pewing of the new church on the conditions of the contract to John Wingfield [and Samuel Mayhew, crossed out] in 1718 (f.73).

29 June 1724. Letter from Nicholas Hawksmoor proposing that [Thomas] Lucas, who has done bricklayer's work at Deptford and Bow, be employed at Limehouse on the same terms as [Richard] Goodchild as the masons cannot proceed (f.75).

[7 August 1724]. Petition by principal inhabitants of Limehouse that the hamlet be enlarged and made parochial (40 signatures) (f.77).

[7 August 1724]. Account of the number of houses, average rental, amount of poor rates, number of Dissenters, number of empty houses in Limehouse (f.78).

[31 August 1724]. Petition by parish officers and inhabitants of Limehouse for a church. There is a great increase in the poor owing to the war; many Dissenters' meeting houses lately built (23 names). Copy (f.80).

[31 August 1724]. Account of the Land Tax in each hamlet in the parish of St. Dunstan Stepney, and of the effect on St. Dunstan of creating three new parishes. Proposes the addition of Ratcliff to Limehouse (f.81).

10 September 1724. Articles of agreement between Thomas Holding [Holden], of St. Mary Whitechapel, joiner, and William Astell, of London, [timber] merchant, that as security for £550 Astell be entitled to the profits of a contract held by Holding for pewing and joiner's work in the new church in Limehouse. Copy (ff.83-8).

Copies of f.78 (ff.89-91).

[31 March 1725]. Petition by William Astell, of London, [timber] merchant, that, the pewing of the new church and the galleries being nearly finished, he may receive payment according to his agreement with Thomas Holden (f.93).

[1725]. Petition by the same for the same. Copy (f.95).

[2 April 1725]. Petition by parish officers and inhabitants of Limehouse to the House of Commons for a grant from the fund for new churches and a pound rate sufficient to support a minister. Copy (ff.97-8).

12 July 1725. Report by Nicholas Hawksmoor and John James on a house of Thomas Heath in Church Lane proposed for a minister's house. Copy (f.99).

[February 1726]. Petition by inhabitants of Limehouse for assistance from public funds for the maintenance of a minister towards which they will raise a rate of threepence in the pound (66 signatures) (f.101).

1 March 1726. Petition by inhabitants of Limehouse for assistance from public funds for the maintenance of a minister towards which they will raise £80 a year by a rate (41 signatures) (f.102).

[29 March 1728]. Petition by Thomas Heath, esq., for compensation for cost of enfranchising copyhold and for loss of rent of house intended for minister. Copy (f.104r-v).

[26 September 1729]. Petition by parish officers and inhabitants of Limehouse for the commission to pay the cost of a Bill to endow the living (21 signatures) (f.106).

[1730]. Petition by the rector, parish officers and vestry concerning agreement with Major [Edmund] Wright for access to the west gate to the church (25 signatures) (f.107), enclosing (f.108) proposals by Wright to the vestry.

[1730]. Petition by Major Edmund Wright and Elizabeth his wife concerning a right of way over his land to the west side of Limehouse churchyard (f.109). Also a note on the possible use of Major Wright's land for building (f.111), and a plan of the land (f.112).

[14 April 1733]. Petition by Robert Leyborne, Rector of St. Anne Limehouse, for the payment of interest on capital endowment of the living (ff.113-14).

11 June 1737. Estimate by Henry Craswell of repairs to parsonage house (f.117r-v).

9 March 1738. Letter from the Revd. Robert Leyborne, Alban Hall, to John Sherman, contesting payment by him of expenses of a purchase apparently for the endowment of the living (f.115).

ST. BOTOLPH ALDGATE

7 November 1711. Memorial by the minister, churchwardens, and vestry of the manor of East Smithfield in the parish of St. Botolph Without Aldgate, stating that there are 1,409 houses and about 9,000 inhabitants, of whom two thirds do not pay poor rates. They desire a new church and minister's house, and state that a chapel is fit to be made a parochial church (18 names). Copy (f.119).

27 November 1711. Proposals by John Jeffreys for sale of land on Little Tower Hill near the Victualling Office (f.121).

18 December 1711. Proposals by Soloman Merrett for sale of his land in Rosemary Lane (f.123).

7 December 1712. Report by John King and Sir John Vanbrugh on land near the May Pole in East Smithfield, but finding waste land on the north side more suitable for a church (f.124).

[16 March 1713]. Proposals by Sir Thomas Davall to sell land in Burr Street for a church, churchyard, and minister's house for £1,400, and offering to lend £3,000 providing a church is begun during the summer (f.125).

20 May 1713. Proposals by the same to sell the remainder of King Harry's House and tenements extending to Maulden's Rents, viewed by Hawksmoor for a new church, for £1,300 (f.127).

[1713]. Proposals by the same to sell land in Burr Street surveyed by Hawksmoor for £536 (f.129).

[1713]. Rental of land belonging to Sir Thomas Davall (f.131).

[1713]. Petition by John Jeffreys, esq., for completion of sale of land on Little Tower Hill despite claims of those disaffected to the church that it was waste land belonging to the Tower of London (f.132r-v). Encloses (ff.134v-135v) copies of verdicts in the Exchequer permitting building on the land on Tower Hill at the lower end of the Minories.

17 March 1714. Report by John King and Thomas Archer on disputed title to Jeffrey's land (f.136).

[1714]. Particulars of lands to be removed from the parish of St. Botolph for two new parishes (ff.138-9).

[6 June 1716]. Petition by Lady Lydia Catharine Davall, guardian of her son Thomas Davall, and by her under-tenants Elizabeth Atkin, Mary and John Jones, that the survey of lands in Burr Street and King Harry's Yard agreed to be sold for a new church and minister's house be corrected (f.140r-v).

13 June 1716. Letter from Philadelphia Jones and Elizabeth Atkin to [John] Skeat, requesting materials of houses to be demolished (f.142).

[28 January 1726]. Petition for a modest church to be built in East Smithfield, the commission's funds being too exhausted to build two new churches. The parish is large and contains 24,000 so scattered that many cannot hear the church bells (f.144).

[28 January 1726]. Petition by the minister and inhabitants of East Smithfield for a new church on a new site, the agreement with Sir Thomas Daval being uncompleted at the latter's death (12 signatures) (f.146).

ST. BOTOLPH ALDERSGATE

18 October 1711. Memorial by the churchwardens and vestry of St. Botolph Without Aldersgate, stating that there are about 705 houses and 6,000 inhabitants including many poor. Suitable sites for a church, churchyard, and minister's house are Vine Yard belonging to Lady Mathews, and an adjacent estate of Sir George Newlands; also Angel Alley and Horn Alley adjoining the Bishop of London's house. There is no chapel fit to be made a parish church (22 signatures) (f.148).

18 April 1726. Letter from Charles Cotes to the Revd. Thomas Bray about the value of property apparently belonging to Brasenose College, Oxford (f.150).

15 January 1728. Letter from Philadelphia Jones wishing to sell land to the commission for £800 (f.153).

7 June 1728. Letter from the same to Jenkin Thomas Philipps, secretary, stating that obstacles to the sale of land near Burr Street are removed (f.154).

ST. BOTOLPH BISHOPSGATE

Inventory of papers (f.156).

[26 October 1711]. Memorial by the rector, churchwardens, and vestry of St. Botolph Bishopsgate, stating that about 800 families pay scot and lot, 400 receive constant pensions, and 500 do not pay but receive occasional charity. The extra-parochial districts of Artillery Ground and Norton Folgate contain 200 and 100 families respectively, but neither has a church or chapel. Propose they be united to St. Botolph. Sites for a church are Primrose Alley and Gun Yard (17 signatures) (f.157).

[6 November 1711]. Petition by principal inhabitants of the precincts of St. Mary Le Spittle, Norton Folgate, and Artillery Ground in the liberty of the Tower, stating that the precincts are extra-parochial and belonged to the monastery of St. Mary Le Spittle. There are 500 houses, mostly new, but no places of worship except two meeting houses. Offer to raise maintenance of £100 p.a. Ask for precincts to be united and a church built on land of Jeremy Sambrook and devisees of late Earl Bolingbroke (41 signatures) (f.158).

[14 December 1711]. Petition by Samuel Bromesgrove, licensed minister for 16 years to a chapel in Spitalfields serving Artillery Ground and Norton Folgate, that he be made incumbent of any new parish formed by the union of the two districts (f.159r-v).

3 September 1712. Valuation with plan of land belonging to the Goldsmiths' Company. Endorsed, 'rejected' (ff.161-2).

20 November 1712. Report by Sir Christopher Wren and Nathaniel Manlove on land at Norton Folgate belonging to [Jeremy] Sambrook in White Lyon Street and the Goldsmiths' Company in Bishopsgate Street. Copy (f.163r-v).

[15 April 1714]. Petition by the churchwardens and vestry of St. Botolph that the parish church, which is supported by props and held together by iron works, be rebuilt (f.165).

8 March 1717. Proposals by Isaac Tillard (kt. 1722) for the sale of White Lyon Yard and other land in or near Norton Folgate for a church, church-yard, and minister's house (f.167).

[9 January 1727]. Proposals by the same to sell Spittle Yark in Norton Folgate, formerly partly owned by Sir George Wheeler, preferred by the commission to Sambrook's land which was purchased by Tillard (f.169r-v).

ST. BRIDE FLEET STREET

Inventory of papers (f.171).

[13 November 1711]. Memorial concerning the extra-parochial precinct of Whitefriars, stating that it contains 215 houses and 1,500 inhabitants, and requesting it be made a parish (f.172).

19 November 1711. Memorial by the vicar, churchwardens, and vestry of St. Bride, stating that the parish contains 1,000 householders, of whom half pay poor rates, and not more than 2,500 persons attend church. The church is sufficient, there are no sites for a new church, and there is no chapel except the Fleet prison (52 signatures) (f.174r-v).

BETHNAL GREEN (ST. DUNSTAN STEPNEY)

Inventory of papers (f.176).

[1711]. Petition by principal inhabitants of Bethnal Green for a new church (36 signatures) (f.177).

[c. 1711]. Note to [Jonathan] Cock to let the bearer have a coffin for his child (f.178).

5 July 1715. Report by James Gibbs on land of Thomas Sclater in Bethnal Green and on the Pewter Platter Inn at Clerkenwell (f.179).

27 February 1718. Petition by William Lee for £30 granted by the commission to enable him to acquire a perfect title to Sclater's land (f.180).

[12 October 1724]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of Bethnal Green, stating that they have no church and attend the parish church of St. Leonard Shoreditch, and Sir George Wheeler's tabernacle in Spitalfields, and that 200 houses and a meeting house have been built in the last five years. They request purchase of land from Charles White (36 signatures) (ff.182v-183).

27 November 1724. Report by John James recommending purchase of land from Charles White (f.184).

[27 November 1724]. Proposals by Charles White for sale of land (f.186).

13 August 1725. Letter from Vigerus Edwards, solicitor, to [Edward] Peck, about completion of conveyance of site at Bethnal Green (f.188).

20 October 1725. Letter from Charles White to Vigerus Edwards, asking for due notice of the start of building (f.190).

[12 November 1725]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of Bethnal Green for a church to be built on a recently purchased site, and recalling that twelve years ago a site with defective title was considered. In the last five years 300 houses have been built and in the last two a meeting house (37 signatures) (ff.191v-192).

11 September 1727. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of the same for a church to be built (103 signatures) (ff.193v-194).

[22 January 1728]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of the same for a church (56 signatures) (f.195).

[9 May 1729]. Petition by the parish officers of the same for a church (14 signatures) (f.196).

[14 March 1738]. Petition by the parish officers and inhabitants of the same to the House of Commons for a Bill to build a church on a site purchased 13 years previously and to establish a parish. The inhabitants, who are mostly weavers and dyers, number 20,000, and there are 2,000 houses (63 signatures) (ff.198v-199).

199 ff.