The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-22 00:00:00

The Ironmongers' Company.

A curious dispute is now pending between the
Master and Wardens of the Ironmong,?rs' Company,
which is •one of the oldest and wealthiest of the
guilds in the city of London, and the churchwardens
and overseers of the parish of Allhallows, Staining.
This dispute has resulted in litigation, and an appeal
is about to be made to one of the superior courts—
probably thecourtof Queen's Bench—at the instance
of the company, to decide which party is in the right,
Fur many years the company have paid tithes to
the parish in respect of their corporate hall, situate in
Fencliurch-street, but in 18G5 they claimed exemp-
tion under an Act of Henry VIII., which provided
that " the tithe rates should not extend to the
houses of great men or noblemen and noblewomen,
in their own lands, which are not let for any rent,
and have paid no tithes, as long as they shall con-
tinue to be unlet ; nor to any kills of craft or com-
pany
so
hallslo did ngiasnotht in they are
eimkeptpuasnt pay anylet,providingthe
same tithes."
The parish authorities allege that the company had
raid tithes ever since the year 1700 without raising
any objection, and now that the rate had increased,
they claimed exemption under the Act of Henry
Via The register-books have been searched
from 1555, and the first payment to the parish that
can be found is 3s. 4d., in 1719. The company ap-
pear to have gone on paying 35. 4d. a year until
1047, when they paid 17s. Bd., and that rate was
continued till 1802, when it was increased to
£2 ss. 9d. That greater sum was paid from 1802
till 1851, when it was raised to £3O, and afterwards
to £503 year. The rate now claimed by the parish
authorities in respect of the hall of the company is
about .£lOO a year, and that they refused to pay, but
were willing to pay £5O a year. The Master and
Wardens were lately summoned before the Lord
t themselves
Act in
o f
Mayor to show cause why they refused to pay
£lB6 13s. 4d., alleged to
tbitehesdue
prior to the parish
respect of their ball. On that occasion, it may be
prove remembered,
they h
at
dh the
n t companypaid could not
to the
Henry, but contended that it lay with the parish
authorities to prove that they had. That the parish
refined to do:on the ground that the company had
paid it
hesformore than 160 years without raising
eiu
Yn tlay
on objection.
the company sThe
pLordan y
to Mayor asyhonrw decided
thatt thatney ad
htie
cbin
not paid the tithes before the Act of Henry, and,
failing to do that, he ruled that they must pay the
parish the full amount claimed. A reasonable time
having elapsed since this decision was pronounced,
and th.! money, £lB6 odd, not having been paid,
and the company having refused to pay, a distress
warrant was issued under the hand of the Lord
Mayor directing the sum to be levies upon their
goods and chattels. This an officer from the Man-
sion-houai was sent a few d sys ago to the hall of
the company to execute, accompanied by Mr • Mur-
rell, a gentleman acting on the part of the
was
parish, and the ceremony on the occasionsomewhat curious. Four fine candelabra belong-
ing to the company and two of their most
cherished loving cups were placed upon a table, and
of these the emissaries of the law took formal but
The Master and
only momentary possession.
anticipating their visit,
Wardens of the company,
entered into a replevin bond, and upon the execu-
tion of that the precious articles, which had never
formally restored to them. The
been removed, were for
effect of that proceeding was stay
to the execution
of the distress pending the appeal to a superior
conrt from the decision of the Lord Mayor.

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