The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-10 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK QUARTER
SESSIONS.

THE RIGHT OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE BOROUGH OF

SOUTHWARK TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRIVILEGES OF

THE CITIZENS OF LONDON.
On Friday the first general quarter sessions in the present
mayoralty was held at the Town-hall, St. Margaret's-hill,
before the Lord Mayor, Mr. Alderman Lucas, the Recorder,
the High Sheriff, and the civic authorities.
In the course of the proceedings, an important discussion
took place relative to the violation of the charter which had
been granted by various Monarchs to the City of London,
relative to the borough of Southwark.
After the grand jury had been sworn in, and informed by
the Recorder that there were no bills for them to try,
Mr. PILCHICR, the late candidate for the borough, accom-
panied by several influential gentlemen, rose and said that •
he had been instructed by a large body of his fellow•inhabit-
ants to present a petition, signed byupwards of 1,500 persons,
to his Lordship, praying that they might be restored to their
ancient rights and privileges, by sending members to the
Court of Common Council, and to enjoy the same rights and
privileges as Citizens of London. With these few words he
wonld request his Lordship to receive the petition.
The petition, which is an exceedingly long document, was
then handed to the Lord Mayor, which, amongst other
things, set forth
" That Edward IV., by letters patent, dated November
9, 1462, granted all the privileges which heretofore were
vested in the Crown, with a yearly fair of three days; also
a Court of Piepoudre, and a view of frank pledge: also that
the citizens might arrest all felons, and take them to the
gaol of Newgate.
" That Edward VI., by letters patent, dated April 23,
1550, in consideration of 6471. 2s. Id., and subsequently a
further sum of 500 marks, granted the appointment of two
coroners, to the exclusion of all other, the King's coroners; I
that the Mayor should be the King's excheator, with the
power to make his precept to the Sheriff of Surrey, granting
also all the manorial rights formerly belonging to the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury, and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
That the citizens should enjoy the same rights in the bo•
rough as they did in the city of London. And that the
Mayor, Recorder, and those Aldermen who had been Mayor,
should be Justices of the Peace in the borough, so long as
they should remain Aldermen.
" That in pursuance of the above charter, at a Court of
Aldermen held on the 20th of May, 1550, Sir John Avliffe,
Knight, was appointed Alderman of the hidge Ward With-
out ; also that four discreet and substantial freemen of the
city, resident in the borough, should be from time to time
elected by the inhabitants of the borough, out of whom the
Court of Aldermen should elect one to be an Alderman of the
City, and to have the peculiar rule and governance of the
borough and town of Southwark. From whence it appears
that the intention of the charter of Edward the Sixth was
that Southwark should become a part of the city of London,
possessing the same rights and privileges."
The petition, after proceeding to enumerate a great num-
ber of privileges which they have been dispossessed of, pro-
ceeds to state that in addition to these burdens the inhabi-
tants of Southwark are liable to serve in the militia, and to
have soldiers quartered upon them, from which, if the char-
ter of Edward the Sixth was acted upon, they ought as citi-
zens of London to be exempt.
when the inhabitants were
City, they were strenuously
"That in the year 1660,
" The petition concluded by praying that prompt measures
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would be taken for effectually uniting the Borough with the
City, according to the intentions of the charters, and for
giving the inhabitants of the Borough an adequate represen-
tation in the Council of the City, and that they maybe
exempted from all burdens, personal and pecuniary,in-
consistent with the rights and privileges of the City of
London."
The RECORDER—DO you wish this petition to be presented
and brought before the Court of Common Council ?
Mr. PILCHER—Yes; and also that it be presented to the
Court of Aldermen.
The LORD 'MAYOR said that he would take care that the
getting •
wishes of the petitioners were complied with, and would be
most happy to lend his aid in a restoration of their
I privileges.
The RECORDER observed that the charter of Edward VI.
gave the inhabitants a court of law possessing the same
rr to gntry, said the Court of
capital felonies.
power us the Lord Manor's Court did.
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I Quarter
The LORD MAYOR said that he would take care that proper
attention was paid to the petition.
The grand jury then entered, when, having informed the