P122/8/1

Vestry minute book

1796 - 1883

From: 1796 To: 1883

Regular business includes election of officers, passing of accouts, rates and rating etc. Occasional business includes: 1799 Agreement to allow Mr.Wright to build a gallery for the accommodation of his pupils and to give up the room he holds, except sufficient space to fix a pew for his servants 1800 Agreement to let land on Aspley Heath to John Moore Esq. for an annual rent of £8 - Moore agreed not to prevent the poor from cutting fuel as usual 1824 20th April. Agreement to erect a gallery over the present gallery to be used by the singers and the poorer inhabitants of the parish (listed) 12th May. Agreement to extend the gallery to accommodate the poorer inhabitants. Voluntary subscription. 29th May. Agreement to accept estimate of Robert Nixon of Woburn to build the new gallery at the west end of the church for £52 1826 Select vestry committee to be appointed for the management of the poor - members named [see separate minute book, P122/8/2] 1834 Agreed that the pew adjoining the clerk's should be given for the use of the Rev.S.Wright's servants instead of the one given up by the clergyman for the removal of the pulpit 1835 Appointment of Guardians of the Poor under the 1834 Act of Parliament 1836 3rd Feb. Unanimous decision to sell by public auction the poor houses and the land appurtaining to them 25th March. Agreement to let the Town Close to Mrs. Mary Bird for £10 per annum. 27th Oct. Agreement to sell properties including the parish workhouse under the 1834 Poor Law Act 1837 25 March. Decision to discontinue paying for ringing the Church bells on certain days. Also Town Close re-let to Mary Bird for £15 per annum 29th June. To enter 5 acres of meadow land and another 2r. belonging to Messrs. Montesque in the Poor rate. Also, list of newly erected buildings to be put on the Poor rates, including house belonging to Thomas Lett (£8), Rev.J.Moore (£8), Cottage belonging to Rev.J.Moore (£3 6s. 8d.), and house, brewhouse and land belonging to John Bennett £16). 7th September. Rates to be increased to 6d. in the pound for repairs to the church 14th September. Report of investigation into estimates of the rateable value of property 1838 10th May. John Cooke (new Constable) given power to impound any cattle straying in the streets or land in the parish. 31st May. The sum of £140 16s. realised by sale of parish property to be used 1) to defray expenses of new valuation and 2) towards new Union Workhouse 1839 26th March. Agreement to let Town Close to Mr. W.Handscomb for £12 per annum 25th May. Agreement to allow the gate to remain across the public road leading from the new turn to Husborne Crawley as long as Mr.Moore does put down other gates across the said road. Also to put up a direction board "Back road to Husborne Crawley". 17th July. List to be made of the labouring population of the parish as well as the widows 1840 6th March. Agreed to give £60 9s., being the proceeds of the sale of parish property, for the liquidation of the parish debt on building the Union workhouse 26th March. Town Close relet to William Handscomb for £22 1st June. Extension of seating in the church for the poor, and additional pews to be fitted 12th Sept. Estimate to be made for expenses for the repairs of the church including the conversion of pews in the body of the church into seats. 1841 27th March. Agreement to let the Town Close to William Handscomb for £18 per annum 13th October. Appointment of Richard Doughty as surveyor of the Highways, as directed by the Magistrates of the Parish 3rd November. Appointment of W.Hood and R.White as surveyors of the Highways due to Richard Doughty not being eligible 1842 3 February. Agreement that the Town Close be allotted for gardens for the poor of the parish and that a Committee be appointed to carry this out. Committee named. 22 October. Rents on holdings on the Heath to be used to carry out plans for Town Close 1844 Agreed that as much of the church as necessary and advisable should be taken down and rebuilt. Church rate of 1d. in the pound to be collected, and subscriptions to be sought 1846 Meeting between the surveyors to take place to assess the new houses or buildings that may be erected 1847 It was resolved to pay a sum not exceeding £50 as a fund for the expenses of emigration by poor persons having settlements in the parish and being willing to emigrate [pauper emigration] 1856 New committee formed to collect money for the establishment of a new burial ground. Also to make an offer to Mr. Stapleton for allotment ground to form part of the new burial ground. 1857 Survey re new church roof 1862 Overseer to take action to recover the debt from the Brothers Stapleton owed to the parish 1863 Pews in the south aisle to be rearranged to make extra accommodation for the growing population 1868 3rd August. Discussion on gas being used in both Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands 7th August. Company to be formed for the supply of gas to the two villages 1873 Concern over damage on the road between Aspley and Woburn due to bad weather 1875 Separate collections for various purposes at the weekly offertory, for the sick, Sunday school, churchyard, etc. 1879 Setting up a School Board under the 1870 Act 1880 Definition of "poor of the parish"

item

Wright,
Moore, John,
Nixon, Robert,
Wright, S,
Bird, Mary,
Montesque,
Lett, Thomas,
Moore, J.,
Bennett, John,
Cooke, John,
Handscomb, William,
Moore,
Doughty, Richard,
Hood, W.,
White, R.,
Stapleton

ASPLEY GUISE, Vestry, parish officers, accounts, parish rates, church furniture, ASPLEY HEATH, fuel, general Poor Laws, Poor Houses, Parish Workhouses, Poor Law Union Workhouses, church bells, church fabric, early constables, HUSBORNE CRAWLEY, widow, labourer, town & local roads, surveyor of highways, Church Rate, emigration, burial grounds, Overseers, WOBURN SANDS, gas, offertory, Sunday Schools, churchyard, Education Act 1870, School Boards