Parish Council Minutes (1918)

Post date: Feb 28, 2014 7:20:45 PM

Wateringbury Parish Council Minutes 1918

(Ref PC\301\A\1\1 in Kent archives)

Summary

Issues covered in 1918 include:

• Flooding on Tonbridge Road.

• Motor warning notices in Bow Road

• Headstone for Henry White of the Lodge

• Allotment of serving soldier, Richard Simmonds.

• George Chambers, Red Hill farm, to represent council on District Council and co-opted to Parish Council.

• Amos Bradbury Baker to succeed father, Amos Baker, as Overseer (following father’s death)

• Housing in village: proposal from District to erect 20 additional cottages.

• Main road slippery and dangerous for horses in dry weather.

• Increased fee for grave digging.

Detail

Parish Council meeting of Saturday 23^rd March 1918 in Church rooms at 6.00 p.m. Present: Canon Livett (chair), Messrs English, Cheeseman, Sharpe & Smith.

Accounts totalling £8 10s 6d agreed for payment.

See Flooding on Tonbridge Road (1918).

Annual Meeting of Parish Council at Church rooms, Friday April 12^th 1918. Present: W. W. Blest (chairman) Messrs English, Sharpe, Smith, Cheeseman and Canon Livett.

Clerk to emphasise dangers of entrance to Bow Terrace to County Surveyor. Richard French appointed Assistant Overseer for ensuing year. £10 War Bonus to Assistant Surveyor be paid in 2 installments - £5 on Sept 30 1918 and £5 on March 31^st 1919.

Memorial for Henry White of The Lodge approved.

Richard Simmons on war service held an allotment. Jas Bell, Old Road, permitted to use but late holder to get back on his return.

George Chambers to represent Council on District Council.

Parish Council Meeting on Thursday October 1918 in the church Rooms at 7.45 p.m. Present: Messrs Blest, English, Cheeseman & Sharpe

Amos Bradbury Baker appointed Overseer on death of his father Amos Baker. Clerk instructed to convey sympathy of council to Mrs. Baker and family.

George Chambers co-opted to Parish council. Grants of right of burial to Mrs Sarah M. Benfield and Mrs Bathsheba Baker. Accounts totalling £17 12s 4d. approved for payment.

A letter from Mr. Allison (MRDC) referring to erection of 20 Cottages in Parish given “careful consideration”. Clerk instructed to reply “that owing to the very unusual conditions prevailing at the present time, the Council find no need for the erection of additional cottages in this parish”.

Mr. English brought to notice “the slippery & dangerous surface of the main roads in dry weather for horse traffic. The clerk was instructed to write the Rural District Council asking them to approach the County Council on the matter.”

Parish Council Meeting on Wednesday 4^th December 1918 in the Church Rooms at 7.45 p.m. Present: Messrs Blest, English, Cheeseman, Chambers, Tapply & Sharpe; Canon Livett.

Grants of burial to Mr. Albert Ed Relf and Mrs Harriett Fellows.

Letter read dated Nov 22^nd from Mr. Allison pointing out that it had been decided by act of Parliament¹ that additional cottages should be erected and asking council to co-operate by considering suitable sites. Number fixed for Wateringbury was 20. Following discussion Council resolved to recommend semi-detached cottages be erected each pair with their gardens occupying 60 rods on following sites: Hoy Field, Station Road 6 cottages; Wardens Field 6 cottages; Mr. Brocklebank’s orchard facing Tonbridge Road 4 cottages; near Duke’s Head Inn, east of passageway between Tonbridge Road and Old Road 4 cottages. Clerk to write to owners asking if would sell at reasonable price to District Council.

Gravedigger’s increase in fees (“owing to cost of labour”) to 8s. for a 6 ft. grave approved.

Notes:

1. Homes for Heroes had been a universal promise during general election of November 1918. The building of private houses had stopped in 1914 on the outbreak of war. The country experienced an increase of population during the war despite the war deaths- emigration had stopped during the war.