The Weekly Reporter Volume 44

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 Excerpt: ...parish of St. Botolph to erect, for such purposes as the parishioners in Vestry assembled should direct. At the time when the Commissioners of Sewers bought the land acquired by them, it was to a large extent covered by old houses, known as Nos. 77, 77J, 77a, 78, 79, 81, and 81a, Little Britain. All these houses, except No. 77., abutted on Little Britain, but No. 77A lay behind the others, abutting on the south side of the tower of St. Botolph's, and was approached by a passage-way bounded on the south by the wall above mentioned, and which was surrounded by a rail. The soil of this passage-way was included in the purchase. No. 79 had a small yard abutting on this passage; the other houses (except No. 81) actually abutted on it. In the passage were two set of gates, one set at the entrance from Little Britain, the other about the middle. Near the end of this passage, close to No. 77J, were some steps which led to a gate in the railing through which the churchyard might be entered. The Commissioners of Sewers pulled down all these houses and widened the street, and they, in 1887, resold the surplus lands which they did not require, being the piece of land as to which this dispute has arisen, to the same charitable trustees above mentioned, and from whom part of the lands had been bought. This land was for some time used as a public garden. In 1891 the estates of the parish trustees became vested in the defendant trustees, and they, with the sanction of the Charity Commissioners, agreed to let the land for building purposes, and the defendants Heather and Bailey proceeded to excavate for the purpose of laying the foundations. The writ in the action was issued on the 23rd of October, 1894. By section 3 of the Disused Burial Grounds Act. 1884, the erection of b...