Opening of Lincoln's Inn Fields by Sir John Hutton, Chairman of the Council, on Saturday, 23rd February, 1895, at 2.30 p.m.

  • London County Council.
Date:
[1895]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Opening of Lincoln's Inn Fields by Sir John Hutton, Chairman of the Council, on Saturday, 23rd February, 1895, at 2.30 p.m. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    absence of four of the memljers, that so much of tlie preamble as refers to Lincohi's-iiin-fields is not proved. The Com- mittee, however, desired the Chairman to state that they would see with pleasure the opening of Lincoln's-inn fields, but that they decline to over-ride the provisions of the Metropolitan Open Spaces Act of 1881. As these steps to arrive at a voluntary agreement had failed, the only course that remained was to apply for compulsory powers to acquire the gardens in the usual way, which involved the liability to purchase, unless otherwise agreed, any estate in the land which might be a subject measure for compen- sation. A clause was accordingly inserted in the Open Spaces Bill of 1893 for the acquisition of Lincoln's-inn-tields. This bill successfully passed the Committee of the House of Commons, but the Select Committee of the House of Lords, after hearing counsel and witnesses for and against the proposal, decided to strike out the portion relating to Lincoln's-inn-fields. Each rejection of this clause involved a delay of a year, and the hope of acquisition now seemed as far off as at the commencement; but the Council decided to make a third attempt, and to once more introduce in its 1894 Bill a clause on the lines passed by the House of Commons. The trustees were communicated with, with regard to the terms upon which they would surrender their rights, and their proposals were as follows— 1. That the whole of the garden inclosure be leased to the London County Council for a term of 66 li years from Midsummer, 1894 (this being the remainder of the term of the lease, dated 20th June, 1657, less one year), at the rent of 20s. per annum. 2. That a sum of £12,000 be paid, as purchase-money, to the trustees to cover the original purchase-money of the land, and the money subsequently expended in the formation of the garden inclosure, erection of shelter, lavatories, &c. 3. A clause to be inserted in the bill regulating the division of the funds in the trustees' hands among the freeholders and leaseholders (to be settled hereafter by the trustees after further consideration). 4. The lease to contain certain covenants relating to the erection of buildings, and arrangements for the use of the garden. 5. That the Act of 8 George II. be kept on foot for the purpose of rating and all other purposes not inconsistent with the lease to the County Council, but that any further rates to be levied by the trustees under that Act be limited to the pui-poses