Parish Council Minutes (1919)

Post date: Feb 28, 2014 7:14:54 PM

Wateringbury Parish Council Minutes 1919

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

Summary

Issues considered in 1919 include:

• Housing (a major item of business at most meetings).

• Inconvenience of lateness of morning letter delivery.

• Filling of collapsed vault in churchyard

• Overhanging trees and poor footpath by Church and Red House.

• Committee to organise a Childrens Feast to Celebrate Peace on August Bank Holiday.

• Obstruction of a right of way.

• Redemption of tithe rentcharge on burial ground.

• Dangerous wall on Red Hill.

First woman on Council.

Detail

[Number of meetings is greater in 1919 with more attendees and minutes more extensive than previous years]

Parish Council Meeting in Church Rooms on Wednesday Jan 29^th 1919. Present: Messrs. Blest (chair), English, Sharpe, Cheeseman, Tapply, Smith, Chambers & Canon Livett.

Agreed that as suggestion of Local Government board was that not more than 8 cottages on acre of land, amount of land assigned to each pair of cottages should be 40 rods² not 60 rods.

Clerk to write to

• Mrs Flint thanking her for her offer and say “that the Council did not think the Brickfields quite suitable for the purpose.”

• Mr Brocklebank explaining that Local authority require 20 cottages built in parish and any ones built privately would qualify in this number if plans approved by Local authority.

1. Phoenix Brewery: company might agree to 8 cottages ; amount of land allocated to be reduced to 40 rods per pair.

2. Lord Falmouth: he may be willing to sell land on his farm just north of North Pole Inn on either side of road.

3. Mr. R.M. Cook: Mr Owen English to see Mr. Cook and suggest 2 cottages on land between allotments and trackway leading from Tonbridge Road to Duke’s Head inn; 2 cottages in Danns’ Field in Old Road.

Mr. W.J. Hawes selected by ballot from among 5 gentlemen suggested to fill vacancy on Council.

Agreed Chairman to write to Postmaster at Maidstone “drawing attention to the inconvenience caused by the lateness of the morning delivery of letters, and also to the lack of a second delivery in certain parts of the parish.”

Churchwardens empowered to take earth and stones from cemetery to fill vault that had fallen in in the churchyard.

Parish Council Meeting in Church Rooms on Friday 28^th March 1919. Present: Messrs. Blest (chair), Hawes,English, Sharpe, Cheeseman, Tapply, Smith, Chambers & Canon Livett.

Replies from Lord Falmouth and Mr. Cook read and to be forwarded to Mr. Allison.

Reply from Postal Authorities saying delivery issue being considered at HQ.

Payments totalling £11 7s. 3d. approved.

Vote of thanks to Mr. Blest for his conduct of meetings as chairman,

Annual Meeting of Parish Council on 17^th April 1919. Present Messrs W.W. Blest, W. Phillips, G. Cheeseman, T.J. Gibbs, E. Hollands, H. Shepherd, Dr. Sander & Mrs [sic] Lemmens¹.

Blest proposed Canon Livett be chairman, but owing to Canon Livett’s absence Blest chaired the meeting.

Assistant Overseer’s (Richard French ) salary be £55 and bonus of £10 paid £5 September 30^th 1919 and £5 March 31^st 1920.

Allotments committee : Messrs Blest, Cheeseman, & Shepherd.

Burial Board: Blest, Cheeseman, Dr Sander & Mrs Lemmens.

Balance at bank £49 11s 9d.

Clerk instructed to write to County Surveyor re trees overhanging main roads in neighbourhood and bad condition of footpath in vicinity of Church and Red House.

Parish Council meeting in Church rooms on Wednesday 25^th June 1919 at 8.00 p.m. Present: Canon Livett (chair) Messrs Phillips, English, Hollands, Cheeseman, Shepherd, Dr. Sander, Mrs Lemmens.

Condition of cemetery to be reported.

Recommendation to Housing Committee of MRDC that no of cottages in Bow Road should be limited to 8 in Hoy Field. It “would deprecate the destruction of the trees in the Glebe”. Recommend consideration of 2/3 sites up Red Hill and the Woodland at the turn of the road from Pizien Well to Old Peckham. Express the wish that building should start without delay as many parishioners waiting for them.

Following persons be nominated to form a committee to oragnise a Childrens Feast to Celebrate Peace on Aug Bank Holiday.: Mrs. W. Phillips, Mrs. S. Sander, Mrs. Goodwin, Miss Goodwin, Miss Hinton, Miss Wisc (?), Messrs H.S. Milstead, F. Head, H.J. Green, T.J. Adams, W. Burt, H.R. French, Gen sec, H. Shepherd, Sec and convenor.

Special Meeting of Parish Council on Tuesday September 9^th 1919 at 8.00 p.m. Present: G.M. Livett (chair), Messrs Blest, cheesman, J. Gibbs, E. Hollands, W. Phillips, H. Shepherd, Dr. Sander.

To consider a letter from Mr. Chityy of Claremount Cottage with regard to an alleged right of way (had been anon letter in KM on 30^th August 1919). Mr Chitty explained a gate had recently been erected and kept locked at West End of lane leading west from Red Hill Road between the Home Farm Oast House (no 214 on tithe commutation map) on the south and the orchard (212) on Red Hill Farm on the north , to the S.E. corner of the home Farm hop field (206). [further very detailed evidence in minutes and drawn plan omitted]. Conclusion that Mr. Chitty had failed to substantiate his claim.

Parish Council meeting in Church rooms on Thursday 20^th Nov 1919 at 7.45 p.m. Present: Canon Livett (chair) Messrs Blest, Phillips, English, Cheeseman, Dr. Sander, Mrs Lemmens.

Clerk reported that building of new cottages to start in spring. Mr. English mentioned that some 24 men registered as out of work at local labour exchange. Clerk instructed to write to Housing Committee asking if possible for some work to be done earlier to find work for these men.

No action to be taken in regard to redemption of tithe rentcharge on Burial ground.

Burial Board reported Cemetery in very neglected condition. 3 months notice to be given Mr Martin of termination of arrangements with him as caretaker.

Circular letter from Board of Agriculture & Fisheries re allotments deferred.

Letter from Mr. Lambert re dangerous position of wall of a brick and stone shed overhanging road at red Hill, on West Side just above Schools. Clerk to send to Lord Falmouth’s agents.

Notes:

1. At the beginning of war Mr. Gustave Lemmens gave his 30 h.p Humber car for conversion to an ambulance- See Various war Notes (1914).

2. 40 rods is one quarter of an acre or approx 1,000 m²