Part 19

The completion of the locks and weirs was celebrated on the 25th of January, 1844, by a public dinner at the Guildhall, Worcester, when a testimonial was presented to J. W. Lea, Esq., for the zeal he had always manifested in the improvement of the river. J. S. Pakington, Esq., M.P., occupied the chair, and Alderman Edward Evans was vice-president. Amongst the party were Lord Hatherton, the Mayor of Worcester, T. C. Hornyold, Esq., Captain Winnington, John Dent, Esq., William Cubitt, Esq., &c. The testimonial, which consisted of a quantity of silver plate, with Mr. Lea’s crest engraved on each article, was of course presented by the chairman.

At the close of 1846, Mr. Cubitt certified that a depth of six feet of water had been obtained from Lincombe to Gloucester, and the Commission consequently met on the 1st of January, 1847, and ordered tolls to be levied at all the locks in the terms of the Act of Parliament. Some opposition was offered, both by Gloucester Commissioners and by traders on the river; but on Mr. Cubitt’s certificate the step of raising tolls was obligatory on the Commission. There can be no doubt that at the time of Mr. Cubitt making the certificate there was six feet of water in the river, though every one saw that under the system of dredging it would be impossible to maintain that depth in all seasons of the year.

At the annual meeting of the Commission in September, 1847, the traders complained that the depth of water in the river between Worcester and Gloucester was not six feet, and expressed their belief that it could not be secured without additional locks and weirs. The committee of works reported to the same effect, and declared the dredging a failure. A committee was, therefore, appointed to consider the best means of completing the improvement between Diglis and Gloucester.

This committee reported to a meeting of the Commission, held on the 13th December, 1847, recommending that application should be made to Parliament for powers to put a weir in at Tewkesbury, and to raise a dam at Over bridge, near Gloucester, to divert the water into the other channel and to scour out the silt accumulating there. The meeting assumed a very unpleasant character—such personal and improper remarks being made that Sir John Pakington, at one time, left the chair, but was induced to return. The opposing commissioners negatived that part of the proposal which related to the dam at the Over bridge by a majority of seven to four. Preparation was therefore made to apply to Parliament for the Tewkesbury weir alone; but Parliament had, at this time, taken it into their heads that a “preliminary inquiry” ought to be made on the spot into measures of this sort; and, accordingly, in February, 1848, sent Mr. Cockburn Curtis, a young engineer, to take evidence, and make a report to the Admiralty. At Gloucester he took a show of hands as to whether the Commissioners had kept faith with the public in imposing toll or not! Mr. Curtis’s report was in accordance with the unfriendly influence then prevailing at the Admiralty, and he recommended a scheme of his own instead of the Tewkesbury weir—a scheme which few people, besides Mr. Curtis himself, have ever been able to comprehend.

With this report in their hands, the interested opponents of all improvement on the river waited on those members of Parliament whom they could in any way influence, stole a march on the promoters, and threw out the bill most unexpectedly on the second reading by a majority of 104 to 91. This was on the 6th March, 1848.

At a meeting of the commissioners, held in October of the same year, both parties mustered their forces, and divided, in the first place, upon the question of who should be chairman, and 13 votes were given for Sir John Pakington and 11 for Mr. Hyett. It was then proposed by Mr. Lea that an application should be again made to Parliament, similar to the one of the preceding session. It was represented that the Commission was in debt to the contractors, principally because of the great expense incurred in useless dredging, and that more money must be raised. After a very stormy debate the renewed application was agreed to by the chairman’s casting vote only, and so also were other necessary resolutions. In minor matters the opposition had a majority.

In February, 1849, the “preliminary inquiry” took place into the merits of this measure. The surveyors appointed by the Admiralty on this occasion being Captain Bethune and Mr. Veitch, C.E. These gentlemen again reported unfavourably of the scheme as proposed by the Commission, professing themselves desirous of seeing the river so altered below Gloucester as to bring the tide up to Worcester! It was understood that the great fight would again take place on the second reading, which came on on the 23rd April, 1849. The Admiralty, Board of Trade, and Government generally, Sir Robert Peel, &c., supported the second reading; but the private interests in opposition prevailed, and the bill was once more thrown out; this time by a majority of 34—191 voting against it, and 134 in its favour.

In the session of 1850 a select committee was appointed into the working of these “preliminary inquiries,” and in consequence of the evidence given by Mr. Edward Leader Williams and others, proving that they only added to the expenses of passing a bill, without performing one act of utility which might not be better done by the inquiry before the committee of the House, they were abolished, and Parliament returned to its old practice in these matters.

Since that time the Commissioners have been resting on their oars, feeling it useless to go to Parliament again if they had the same opposition to encounter, and trusting that the Admiralty might be induced to take up the improvement of the river, both above and below Gloucester, as a project of great national importance. They have, indeed, directed a survey of the whole river to be made, and Mr. Walker has made a “hasty” report thereon, in which he says as little as possible as to the river above Gloucester, and makes impracticable suggestions as to its improvement below.

The present condition of the river is an evil example of what may be done when men fancy their own selfish pecuniary interests will be promoted by impeding that which would be so manifest an advantage to the country at large, as the improvement of one of its principal rivers, so as to make it navigable for sea-going vessels to the furthest possible point inland. Some of them, however, are gradually awaking to the truth that no public interest can thus be sacrificed with impunity, and to discover their own shortsightedness in the matter. The time is not far distant when some of those who have hitherto been the bitterest opponents of the improvement of the river Severn will be found amongst its warmest supporters.

WORCESTER TOWN COUNCIL.

THE first charter of incorporation was granted to the city of Worcester in 1261—45th Henry III. The charter of James I, granted in 1622, was, with slight interruptions, the rule by which the city was governed up to the time of the Municipal Reform Act; and it must be said for the old Corporation that they appear to have been in a great measure free from the jobbery and malversation of funds which characterised so many of these close self-elected bodies. They had indeed a civic feast, for which £150 was yearly allowed, and kept a cellar of good wines; but these things were quite in accordance with the spirit of the time—some fifty years ago. John Wheeley Lea, Esq., was Mayor at the time of the extinction of the old body; the Earl of Coventry Recorder; Charles Sidebottom, Esq., Deputy-Recorder (a rather doubtful office then recently revived) and Town Clerk; and Mr. Deighton, Sheriff. Great efforts had been made to induce the burgesses, in the election of the new body, to make a calm and impartial choice of those persons who were really most fitted to conduct the business of the city, without respect to their political bias; but in the excited state of feeling which prevailed at that time, this was found impossible; and indeed it was hardly to be expected that the Liberals, after such an entire exclusion from office, should make terms with their opponents—it was at last their turn to enjoy the honours which the Tories had hitherto monopolised. The first election took place on Saturday, December 27, 1835, when out of thirty-six councillors, thirty-four chosen were Reformers—the Conservatives only returning two in St. Nicholas’s Ward.

1835—DECEMBER 30—The new body met for the first time, and took the declarations required by the act.

1836—JULY 1—First meeting for business, when the following Aldermen were elected: St. John’s Ward, Mr. Joseph Hall; St. Nicholas’s, Dr. Hastings and Mr. Edward Evans; St. Peter’s, Mr. George Allies, Mr. William Corles, and Mr. Francis Gibb; Claines’, Mr. C. H. Hebb, Mr. Richard Evans, and Mr. Thomas Stephenson; All Saints’, Mr. John Bradley, Mr. John Howell, and Mr. F. Williams. Mr. F. Williams declined the honour, and Mr. Thomas Chalk was afterwards elected in his stead.

1836—JANUARY 2—Choice of officers—Mr. C. H. Hebb elected Mayor; Mr. George Allies, Sheriff; and Mr. C. Sidebottom, Town Clerk.

1836—JANUARY 14—The Council assembled for the first time in the room which has ever since been used for their meetings. A committee was appointed to confer with Mr. Sidebottom about separating the offices which he held, and giving up that of Town Clerk. A finance committee was appointed to investigate the accounts of the old body; and it was determined to dress up the Mayor in robes of scarlet and purple.

1836—JANUARY 21—It was agreed by a majority of 31 to 10 that Mr. Sidebottom should continue to hold the office of Stipendiary Magistrate, Judge of the Court of Pleas, and Town Clerk, at a salary of £500 per annum. Mr. Stinton, Mr. Curwood, and Mr. Whitmore, barrister, were proposed for recommendation to the Secretary of State to the office of Recorder. Mr. Stinton had the majority of votes. Salary fixed at £150 per annum, but afterwards reduced to £100.

1836—JANUARY 26—The Council recommended twelve persons as magistrates to the Secretary of State—The Mayor, Mr. Alderman R. Evans, R. Temple, Esq., Mr. Alderman Hall, William Shaw, Esq., R. Berkeley, Esq., William Saunders, Esq., John Dent, Esq., L. Johnstone, Esq., William Acton, Esq., G. Farley, Esq., and Captain Thomas. Three of these gentlemen were Conservatives. Mr. Farley and Mr. Johnstone having declined to serve, the names of Mr. Lavender (Conservative) and Mr. Alderman Corles were inserted in the list, but the Lord Chancellor only appointed the first ten. The wine of the old corporation was ordered to be sold, except fifty dozen to be applied in aid of sick poor.

1836—FEBRUARY 18—Report made by the committee appointed to investigate the accounts of the old corporation. The balance sheet presented to the Council by their predecessors showed credit a balance of £1,028, while the real fact was that the old corporation was in debt £1,170. £200 of this sum had been promised towards the improvements in front of All Saints’ Church, payable only on condition of the inhabitants doing their part within a certain number of years. The new Council confirmed this grant on the same terms.

1836—MARCH 24—First quarterly meeting. A statement of the value of the city property was laid before the Council; which, some being calculated at twenty-five years’ purchase, and others at fourteen years’, was reckoned to be worth about £43,000. In mortgages and debts to the charities there was owing by the corporation £5,381. The gross produce of the corporation wine was £823, being an average of nearly 64s. per dozen. The Council determined to discontinue the practice of “fetching the fair from St. John’s to Worcester,” as a “farce.”

1836—APRIL 7—It was announced by Mr. Sidebottom that he had been gazetted as police magistrate of the city; and as the holding of that office was deemed by Government inconsistent with the town clerkship (as had been all along foreseen), he must give up the latter. In answer to a question by Alderman Corles, he said he intended to retain the assessorship to the Court of Pleas.

1836—APRIL 21—Mr. John Hill chosen Town Clerk in the room of Mr. Sidebottom.

1836—MAY 5—The Council received a grant of a separate Quarter Sessions, as they had prayed. The appointment of Mr. T. Waters as Clerk of the Peace was confirmed, and Mr. J. B. Hyde was appointed City Coroner.

1836—JULY 7—The Attorney-General’s opinion having been taken, it was decided that Mr. Thomas Hughes had no claim for compensation for loss of his situation as Vice-Chamberlain under the old body. This was a subject which had been repeatedly before the Council.

1836—OCTOBER 6—Dinner given by the Town Council to the Mayor. Dr. Hastings was in the chair, and proposed the health of Mr. Hebb in flattering terms; describing him as a benevolent medical man, an author of some celebrity—having translated the works of some French pathologists at a time when there was little communication with the continent—and the constant advocate of the diffusion of useful knowledge. As their chief magistrate he had laid them all under a great debt of obligation. “The Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese” was responded to by the Rev. T. Pearson, and “The Dissenting Ministers” by Dr. Redford; “The Members for the County” was answered by Mr. Cookes, Captain Winnington, and Mr. Holland; and Mr. Robinson answered for the city members. Colonel Davis responded for the “Magistrates of the County,” and was most enthusiastically received. 306 sat down at table.

1836—NOVEMBER 9—The Council, in entering on their second year of office, reëlected Mr. Hebb as Mayor, and chose Mr. Alderman Gibb as Sheriff. There were scarcely any changes made in the body at the election on the 1st of this month.

1837—APRIL 11—The Council agreed to the by-laws which have since, with little alteration, been acted upon.

1837—JULY 10—Addresses voted to the Queen Dowager (of condolence for her bereavement), and to the Queen Regnant on her accession. The Mayor, Mr. Sheriff Gibb, and Mr. Alderman Hall were ordered to present the latter.

1837—NOVEMBER—The election this year did not alter the position of parties at all. A very warm vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Hebb for his services as Mayor for two consecutive years, and Mr. George Allies was elected in his stead. Mr. Alderman Stephenson was elected Sheriff.

1837—NOVEMBER 23—Mr. Deighton presented a petition from 126 farmers, holding 25,000 acres of land, praying the council to provide them with a covered corn market. Some gentlemen proposed that they should use the Town Hall, but eventually a committee was appointed.

1837—NOVEMBER 27—The Council petitioned Parliament for an alteration in the fees and regulations in passing private bills.

1837—DECEMBER 15—The Council decided against Mr. Deighton’s proposition to allow a salary of fifty guineas to the Mayor, by a majority of 23 to 12.

1837—DECEMBER 28—The Council decided against Mr. Alderman Chalk’s motion to throw open their meetings to the public, by 24 to 6.

1838—FEBRUARY 21—The Council refused to remove the Corn Market to Angel Street, or to grant the petition of the agriculturists to sell the old Sheep Market as a site for a new Corn Market.

1838—MAY 2—The Council petitioned for the abolition of the apprenticeship system, on the motion of Mr. Alderman Edward Evans.

1838—NOVEMBER—The municipal election made no difference in the political constitution of the Council. At the first meeting of the renovated body, Mr. Alderman Richard Evans was elected Mayor, on the proposition of Dr. Hastings and Mr. Alderman Hall; and Mr. John Hall was chosen Sheriff. Mr. Alderman Richard Evans was the first Dissenter who ever held the office of chief magistrate in Worcester. The Aldermen elected this year were Mr. William Corles, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Chalk, Mr. Lilly, Mr. Edward Evans, and Mr. Benjamin Stokes.

1838—DECEMBER 20—Mr. Padmore chosen Alderman in the room of Mr. Stokes, deceased.

1839—FEBRUARY 7—Mr. E. L. Williams proposed that the Council, “being deeply impressed with a conviction of a thorough examination of the existing Corn Laws,” should petition Parliament for an inquiry into their operation. He thought agriculture needed some protection, though the present laws wanted alteration: if gloves required protection, corn did. Alderman E. Evans seconded his motion. Mr. W. Pugh proposed, as an amendment, that the Council should petition for a total repeal. Alderman Hastings said that a repeal of the Corn Laws would be productive of immense evil; because if they reduced the revenues of the rich, they took it out of their power to assist the poor; and they would certainly rue the day if they agreed to a change that would be so silly. No measure that the legislature could adopt would prevent corn being occasionally dear, and its dearness now arose from deficient production and regrating. On a division there appeared

For total repeal: Aldermen Hall, Corles, Lilly, and Padmore; Councillors F. Hall, Greening, Davis, Smith, Oates, J. Hall, George, W. Pugh, Crane, W. Chamberlain, Southan, Dance, Lee, Ledbrook, Groves, and Thompson—twenty.

For inquiry only: The Mayor; Aldermen E. Evans, Hastings, and Palmer; Councillors Fawkes, Horne, Dent, Lea, Grainger, Lingham, Summerfield, and Williams—twelve.

At this meeting the Council, in compliance with the order of the Lords of the Treasury, awarded Mr. Thomas Hughes an annuity of £3. 6s. 8d., as compensation for the loss of his office of clerk to the forty-eight, which he had held under the old corporation. Mr. Hughes had claimed much larger compensation as Deputy Chamberlain.

1839—MAY 24—An address voted to the Queen, on the motion of Alderman Hebb, seconded by Alderman Corles, thanking her for resisting the attempt to change the ladies of her household, and, further, for having called back the Whigs to her councils. The only dissentient was Mr. Summerfield.

1838—NOVEMBER—The elections still brought no diminution in the preponderance of the Whig party. Mr. Alderman Hastings was first elected Mayor, but declined to serve; and having paid the usual fine of £50, required its disbursement on the score of his being an alderman, and the Municipal Act did not say anything about their being fineable. Mr. Alderman Chalk was elected unanimously in his stead.

1840—MARCH AND APRIL—The Council determined to oppose the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway Company’s new bill in Parliament; but afterwards Alderman Corles moved, and Alderman Hebb seconded, a motion for the discontinuance of such opposition, on the ground that the Council had no legal right to pay the expenses out of the borough fund. Alderman Hastings moved the confirmance of the Council’s previous resolutions; and this amendment to Alderman Corles’s motion was carried by 20 to 6.

1840—JUNE 16—The Council voted addresses to the Queen, the Prince, and the Duchess of Kent, expressing their loyal joy at Her Majesty’s escape from the shot of the assassin, Oxford.

1840—MARCH TO JULY—The grant of £200 for the improvements in front of All Saints’ Church, made by the old corporation conditionally on their being completed by November, 1839, and renewed by the new body for five years longer, was repeatedly discussed. Mr. Alderman Hebb held that it was an illegal grant, and ought to be resumed; but the Council, on obtaining an undertaking from Messrs. Lea, Leonard, and Williams for its repayment at the end of the second term of five years if the alterations were not then completed, suffered the money to remain in their hands.

1840—NOVEMBER 9—The newly elected Council—consisting of almost the same parties as in the previous year—elected C. A. Helm, Esq., as Mayor for the succeeding twelve months. Mr. W. Lewis was also proposed, and received 16 votes to 22 for Mr. Helm. Mr. Alderman Edward Evans was chosen Sheriff.

1841—MAY 6—The council unanimously petitioned for a revision of the import duties, on the motion of Mr. Sheriff Evans, seconded by Mr. F. T. Elgie.

1841—SEPTEMBER 29—A special meeting of the body was held to memorialise the Queen on the subject of the Corn Laws. Mr. Elgie moved the memorial, which asserted that the Corn Laws were the principal causes of the present distress of the country. Mr. Pierpoint moved an amendment, declaring that the discussion of political subjects was contrary to the spirit of the Municipal Act, and highly inexpedient; and wound up by an assertion of a wholly political character, viz., that the distress of the country had been produced by the hasty and crude legislation of the Whigs. The amendment was negatived by 26 to 5, the minority consisting of Messrs. J. Dent, Anderson, Pierpoint, Bedford, and Summerfield.

1841—NOVEMBER—The Conservatives made great efforts in all the wards to get a footing in the Council this year, but, except in St. Nicholas, were wholly unsuccessful. Mr. Alderman Edward Evans was elected Mayor, and Mr. Alderman Lilly, Sheriff, by 23 votes, while 12 were given for Mr. Elgie. Mr. Hebb retired from the Council; and Messrs. R. Evans, J. Hall, W. Lewis, G. Allies, C. A. Helm, and C. Hastings were elected aldermen in room of those who retired.

1841—DECEMBER 3—A special meeting to protest against the recent appointment of magistrates without consulting the Council. Mr. Alderman Allies proposed a resolution, which declared that the six individuals who had been appointed magistrates owed their elevation to political partizanship and not to the esteem in which they were held by their fellow citizens; protesting also against the appointment because of its exclusiveness, and because the Council had not been asked to recommend. Mr. Alderman Padmore seconded the motion. Mr. Hughes moved, as an amendment, “That this meeting is unnecessary and uncalled for;” and this was seconded by Mr. Bedford, who said that parish officers could not get justice from the present justices; and denounced the appointment of Mr. Sidebottom to the stipendiary magistrateship as a “flagrant job,” only to make way for Mr. Hill. The motion was carried by 27 to 4, and a memorial prepared to be presented by Sir Thomas Wilde to the Secretary of State.

1842—JANUARY—A committee appointed, on the motion of Mr. Elgie, to inquire into the truth of Mr. Bedford’s declaration, that the appointment of Mr. Sidebottom as stipendiary magistrate was a “flagrant job,” and they reported that it was altogether “untrue and unfounded;” inasmuch as Mr. Sidebottom declared that his resignation of the office of town clerk was voluntary.

1842—MAY 20—A special meeting of the body was held to congratulate the promoters of the Severn Navigation Improvement on the passing of the measure, and to thank the noblemen and gentlemen by whose exertions its success had been secured.

1842—JULY 12—The Council refused to nominate Commissioners of Income Tax for inquiring into the emoluments arising from public offices held in the city, and the appointment, therefore, reverted to the treasury or the commissioners for general purposes.