Transcripts: Rolls Governors' Minutes
This document comprises three pages:
Liberty of the Rolls, 8 September 1824.
At a meeting of the Directors and Governors of the Nightly Watch and Beadle of the said Liberty elected and appointed pursuant to act of Parliament […]
[…]
To the Governors or Directors of the nightly Watch of the Liberty of the Rolls
The undersigned inhabitants of Serle Place beg to respectfully represent to the Governors of the Watch that they are (almost nightly) annoyed and their rest disturbed by the bad and disorderly behaviour of persons residing and assembling in Great Shire Lane [Temple Bar].
That several of the houses are notorious houses of ill fame where thieves and prostitutes are known to associate. That several public houses in this Liberty and the adjoining parish are kept open, one or two hours after midnight and are resorted to constantly, by [end of page 1]
night walkers and vagabonds and other disorderly persons and when they leave those houses the most disgraceful behaviour and disturbances very often occur. That on Saturday night last soon after the hour of eleven one of these [?] and disgraceful broils [quarrel or commotion] took place at which three watchmen (two of Saint Clement Danes [another parish] and one of this Liberty) were present who declared their inability to keep the peace and walked away […]
That this increasing nuisance has been presented to the Governors and Directors of the Watch of St Clement Danes and they have kindly offered to cooperate with the Gentlemen of the Liberty of the Rolls Watch Board in endeavouring to abate these shameful evils latterly much increased in consequence of the activity of the officers of other Parishes who have driven such disorderly persons from their jurisdictions and who now find shelter and sufferance [toleration] in Great Shire Lane. […]
The matter having undergone full consideration it was moved and seconded that a sub-committee [end of page 2]
be appointed to confer with the Governors of the Nightly Watch of Saint Clement Danes for the purpose of abating or removing the notorious brothels and disorderly public houses in Great Shire Lane, and that they be empowered to adopt such measures as may seem expedient to them for that purpose […]
Thos Steel
Sir Robert Peel