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A meeting of the Parish Council was held in the vestry room at 7pm. Present Mr
W.H. Lock in the chair, Major Winter Messrs J Easterbrook, W.A. Easterbrook,
Joslin, C. Pidler, W. Pidler and Turner
The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved.
A circular was read from the Clerk to the County Council respecting the County
Rate Basis. The Clerk produced the analysis of the valuation List which was
sanctioned the overseers to be advised of the same before signing it.
The following letter was read from A.L. Christie Esq
42 Cumberland Place
London W
15 Dec. 1898
Dear Sir
I am informed that the allotment Acknowledgement Rent which was formerly paid
by a Mr Hancock would now be payable by the Instow Parish Council.
The annual rent is £1-1-0 and there are £3-3-0 (three years arrears) brought
forward from Christmas 1897 and this sum with the Annual Rent one Christmas
1897 makes a total due Xmas 1898 of £4-4-0. I shall be obliged if you as
chairman of the Instow Parish Council will kindly lay the matter before the
Council.
Yours truly
W.H. Lock A.L. Christie
Chairman P.S. the last time Mr
Instow Parish Council Hancock paid was Xmas 1894.
A cheque was drawn for the amount less 2s-9d income tax. 4-1-3
A cheque was also drawn for rates & taxes 1-4-5
The Clerk was directed to send the following letter to Mr Christie:-
INSTOW
Feb 18 1899
Dear Sir
I beg to enclose herewith cheque value £4-1-3 being the amount of 4 years rent
charge less insurance tax payable to you by the Instow Parish Council in
respect of the Allotment Field and due at Xmas last and I should be obliged if
you will kindly favour me with a receipt for the payment at your early
convenience.
I am desired by the Parish Council to call your attention to the condition of
the road leading from outside the cricket field to the railway gates near the
allotment which road appears by the enclosure award under which Instow Marsh
was divided to belong to you. The road is now in many places in an impassable
condition and needs urgent attention.
I am Sir
Your obedient Servant
J.P. England
Clerk to Parish Council
A.L. Christie Esq.
London
The clerk was also instructed to send the following letter to the Medical
Officer of Health:-
Instow
Feb 17 1899
Dear Sir
The Parish Council of Instow observing by the newspaper columns that two cases
of diphtheria have been reported as existing in the vicinity of the Post
Office desire me to enquire whether under the circumstances mentioned there is
any risk attaching to the distribution of letters from the Post Office. The
Parish Council are anxious to be satisfied on this point as they remember that
when a contagious disease was prevalent at Lane End some years since the
postman living in that quarter were prohibited from duty until the epidemic
had passed away.
I am Sir
Your Obedient Servant
J. Harper Esq J. P. England
Medical Officer of Health Clerk to Parish Council
Barnstaple
The following replies have been received.
Bear Street
Barnstaple
Feb 17 1899
Dear Sir
There has been no fresh cases of diphtheria for a fortnight (they were very
mild) and therefore I do not consider it necessary to take any steps about the
distribution of letters from the Post Office.
Yours truly
Joseph Harper
M.O.H
42 Great Cumberland Place
W
24th February 1899
Dear Sir
I have just returned from Devonshire & I find your letter here. I enclose
receipt.
I don't quite understand what you want as regards the road, or alleged road.
Do you wish me to maintain because I receive a guinea a year conventionary
rent. I have never heard of the road having been kept up & probably there
having been no demand whatever for such road, it having been found to be
entirely useless & not required it has fallen into disuse.
Suppose the road does belong to me & suppose it is never used does the Instow
Parish Council say that nevertheless it shall be kept in repair, and money
shall be absolutely wasted in keeping it in such repair, it only seems to lead
to some rocks.
Yours truly
To Mr England A.L. Christie
Clerk to Instow Parish Council
In answer to this the following was sent.
Instow
March 6th 1899
Dear Sir
I am in receipt of your letter of the 24th ult. Under the award of Mr Badcock
dated March 11th 1848 by which Instow Marsh - which was previously undivided -
was apportioned, it was directed that certain lands should be set apart for
allotment & recreation purposes & that a road thereto should be made by the
Lord of the Manor & presumably kept by the makers and their successors.
By the same instrument a Rent Charge of £1-1-0 a year was directed to be paid
to the Lord of the Manor out of the Allotment Field. The road referred to was
directed to be made from the S.W. corner of the cricket field to the S.W.
corner of the allotment field which would be about where the railway crossing
now is.
It does not appear that much was done to carry out the provisions of the award
as regards the road but for many years the road to the Allotment Field along
the line indicated was practicable, but recently it has become quite
impassable & the traffic has had to go round by the road opposite Venn Lane.
Provided you are willing to allow the traffic to the allotment field to go
across the sand hills to the cricket house & thence down the road on the
eastern side thereof across the marsh to the railway crossing & will put the
portion of the road between the cricket field & the level crossing in such a
state of repairs that vehicles may pass, the Parish Council would not require
you to incur any further expense but undoubtedly under the award there is an
obligation on your part to maintain a road between the points at first
indicated & to fence the same. Should there be any point which I have not made
quite clear to you be pleased to communicate with me again.
I am, Sir,
Your Obedient Servant
J.P. England
A.L. Christie Esq. Clerk to Parish Council
The following reply has been received.
42 Great Cumberland Place
W
7 March 1899
Dear Sir
I am obliged to you for your letter of yesterday's date. Unfortunately I have
not a copy of the award of March 11th 1848 amongst the Tapely papers. There
appears to me to be a good deal of doubt about the maintenance of this road,
for I notice at the commencement of your letter you say "that a road thereto
should be made by the Lord of the Manor & presumably kept by the makers &
their successors" whilst in last part of the same letter you say "but
undoubtedly under the award there is an obligation on your part to maintain &
etc." I do not understand how if the road commences at the S.W. corner of the
cricket field you get to it from the main road. I can quite understand "that
much has not been done to carry out the provisions of the award" because the
road in question would be of little or no service and a great waste of money
since there is an excellent road along the main road and branching off to the
allotment field at the bottom of Venn Lane. You say it was directed that the
road should be made from the S.W. corner of the cricket field. Would not this
then be along the foreshore for some distance?
I am
Yours truly
A.L. Christie
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