LHE143

Printed 'In Chancery' The Attorney General and John Shaw Leigh Esq. v Luton. Board of Health 'Judgement ':

1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Plaintiff (Leigh)'s own river, running through his gardens and at the Mill it is his own property. Clearly within section 145 of Act which expressly forbids injuring sluices watercourses, streams in which owner occupier is interested. 'No right to exercise any rights on this river, which would bring down more offensive matter than before, without the consent in writing of the owner of this Mill' :. right to prevent any new drains or sewers communicating with the river or any openings in sewers already communicating with the river. Partic. rights of specific individual houses (of course not new ones) do NOT confer on Board the right to make new works of any description to facilitate drainage into the river. Board did certain works in 1853 No difficulty except expense in making drainage which does not directly come into the river but would drain into intercepting sewer to take away more filthy parts. = purer water in future sug by Professor Way at meeting of 20 Oct 1854 between Leigh and Local Board, when Leigh refused Local Board's suggestion for joint financing of Way's Lea sewage by L. Board, Leigh and New River Co. Way analyses report foul water 1/100th pt of pure water. Engineer called Rammell also looked at Way's scheme. Leigh thought Local Board would execute works in 'a manner most conducive to health'. immed saw bad effects, complained 20 Mar 1854 by letter, repeats it May and Aug. Under inf. of Toyer (member of the Board) Rammell employed July 1854 to see how make drainage not pollute River Lea. Oct. repeat above idea for joint finance New River Co and Leigh Share solicitor (Bacter). Committee report back to Board who instruct solicitor to inform. New River Co and Leigh: this Board has every desire to provide means to prevent the sewage of the Town running into the River Lea. Suggests pop 10,000 by 1851, 14,000 by 1855 i.e. rapid increase .Before 250 yards of imperfect surface drains NOW 10,500 yards of good drains obvious after quantity of sewage into river. Man washed sheep for 30 years - Sp 1855 could not, water was so filthy and black. Dr Arnott and Mr Page inspected it in Feb. Despite great fall of water within last few weeks 2 1/2 feet of mud and covering of only a few inches of water. Fish died 15 years ago. :. INJUNCTION granted PRIOR TO HEARING Against Local Board who are not to open new drains or sewers communicating with the River or making any openings in sewers already communicating with the river and from executing works wherby sewage in river may be increased. Printed by Stephen Austin ,Printer Fore St., Hertford .

item

Leigh, John Shaw,
Way,
New River Company,
Rammell,
Toyer,
Bacter,
Arnott,
Page,
Austin, Stephen

Boards of Health, River Lea, sewage, LUTON, fish