The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-12-04 00:00:00

THE STOITRBRIT)GE BURIAL BOARD.

A meetine, of this Board was held in the Com-
missioners''Room in the Corn Exchange, on Wed-
nesday morning last. There were present: Messrs.
Shepherd (chairman), Stringer, King, Platt, Has-
kew, Evers, Perkin, and Tniney.

The Clerk read the minutes of the previous
meeting held on the 24th ult, which showed that
estimates and plans had been received from the
following architects, for building two chapels,
boundary walls, &c., of the new cemetery. Mr.
Baldwin Pyke. of Ashford, Kent, offered to build
the two chapels, entrance lodge and boundary wall,
for £2,587 16s. Mr. Thomas Smith, of Oldswin-
ford, would do the above work and in addition lay
out the grounds for the sum of £3,150. Mr. Alfred
Smith, of Nottingham, estimated to do the above
work (the layinc, out of the ground excepted) for
from £l,BOO to .22,800. Mr. George Benjamin
Nicholls, of Handsworth, had sent two designs,
with accompanying estimates. No. 1, £3,121; No.
2, .£4,060. Messrs. Hay and Oliver's estimate was
£2,200. Mr. J. M. Gething. of Amblecote, had
sent in designs, the accompanying estimate to
which was £4,350. Mr. Henry Lovegrove, of
London, had estimated to build the two chapels
and lodge only, for.£l,Boo. Messrs. R. Clarke and
Sou, of Nottingham, had sent two designs. The
estimate for the first was £2,560; and for the
second, £2,210. Mr. David Wormall had sent in
five designs for the erection of the two chapels
only. The estimates for these ranged from .£1,450
to .£3,350.

The Chairman said the first business would be
to adopt the resolutions signed at the previous
meeting. _ _ _

The 'clerk remarked that people had called at
his office, and said that gentlemen had signed the
minutes, who were not pr,sent when the resolu-
tions were passed, and others who were present
had not signed. If he (the Clerk) had had that re-
port drawn up carelessly he was liable to the cen-
sure of the Board. He always brought the
minutes to the meeting, and if they were incorrect
any member of the Board could challenge them.
Mr. Platt said he should like to ask if it was
quite regular for them to sign the minutes if they
were not present when the business was brought
before the Board.
The. Clerk assured him that it was so.

The Chairman explained that it was quite right
for any one who was present at any meeting to
sign the minutes of the previous one.
''Mr. Platt said if a person who was not present
at a meeting were to 3igu the minutes, he could
not tell whether the Clerk's report of the minutes
was correct.

Tbe Clerk read the section of the law bearing
upon the subject, which stated that the minutes
of a meeting should be signed at the next meeting,
"by the members present, or any two of them."
The chairman said it seldom occurred that the
whole of -the members who wee prebent at one
meeting were all present at the ensuing one. There
was always a little contrariety, it might happen
that the chairman of a meeting might not be pre-
sent at the next, still the chairman of the second
meeting would sign the minutes of the first, as
chairman.

Mr. Platt: That is only a proof that the minutes
have been confirmed.
The Chairman: Just so.
The nest business was a report describing the
situation of the site for the cemetery, which had
been drawn up in reply to queries from Mr. W.
Holland. This report stated that the distance
from the site to the Stourbridge to n clock was
about 2,182 yards.
The Chairman remarked that was about the
same distance as the cemetery at Worcester was
from the Worcester Cross.

The report went on to state that the population
of Oldswinford was about 1,500, which was much
more scattered than that of Stourbridge. The
distance from the future cemetery was about 2,050
yards. The spot called Shepherd's Brook Was
thinly populated. The distance from the cemetery
was two miles 400 yards distant by way of the
Grange Field, but by the ordinary road two miles
and 776 yards. •
Mr. Evers remarked that the number of houses
at Shepherd's Brook was not above thirty, and they
were cottages.
The Chairman stated that the site for the ceme-
tery was distant a mile and a quarter from the
centre of the district, and 21 miles from the far-
thest point of the district. That was about the
same distance as the Worcester cemetery from
Worcester. The nearest dwelling was about 228
yards distant.
Mr. Taylor's report stated that there were two
roads leading to the cemetery, one of which was
22 yards wide, and the other 15 yards wide. One
of the two roads communicated with the whole area
of the two townships. The other went from
Wordsley to Kinver. It would not be necessary
to make any road to the site. The land is very
dry, there being only the slisthtest moisture found
at a depth of twelve feet in one of the test holes,
after it had been opened a week.
The Chairman said the next question was to con-
sider what amount they would ask he parish to
give them leave to bolrow for the purpose of com-
pleting the cemetery. The resolution of the parish
meeting had already authorised them to borrow
moiley to lay ,out,the grounds, and they, therefore, ,
might day that aside, They had now before then
thecestimiates: of Altedifferent hrehiteett for laying
ont.the grounds, and providing two chapels, an
entTance lodge, and two boundary walls; and his
impression wqs that in going befere the parish they
might leave out any amount that would he required
for laying out the ground. A Suggestion had been
thrown out to the effect that there should be one
consecrated chapel and another unconsecrated so
as to meet the views of all parties. The question
which he had to put was, would it be practicable
to provide a consecrated chapel for those who pre-
ferred to use it, and at the same time to let others
use it. He did not know why that should not be
done, as the building, whatever was done with it,
would he erected with the ratepayers' money, and
he considered that the ratepayers' money ought
not to be specially appropriated to any one portion
of the community, but should ibe equally accessi-
ble to all. Under those circumstances, if it were
at all possible, he thought they should deliberately
seek to accomplish that purpose, and say to all
persons Who were interested, "We shall provide a
consecrated building and consecrated ground for
the burial of your dead, but inasmuch as it has
been provided by the ratepayers' money, it shall
be at the service of all people, whether belonging
to the section for whom it has been consecrated or
not."

Mr. Evers: The first question is, can it be legally
done?

Mr. Perkin said he had been told there was one
at Halesowen.

The Clerk: We shall have to get the Bishop's
approval first.
The Chairman: Yes; if the Bishop disputes it
we can go to the Archbishop.
After some discussion as to the legality of the
affair,

The Chairman read the Act bearing upon the
subject. This stated that a ch4pel might he built
upon the consecrated portion of the cemetery, and
another upon the unconsecrated portion of the