Cardiff Council Minutes, 1895–1896.

1895 November 9 Saturday.

Resolved That the Right Honourable Robert George WindsorClive, Lord Windsor, Privy Councillor, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Glamorgan, be and he is hereby elected Mayor of the County Borough of Cardiff for the ensuing municipal year.

The Right Honourable Robert George Windsor-Clive, Lord Windsor, having accepted the appointment, and subscribed and made the declaration required by the Municipal Corporations Act, the chair was vacated by the Ex-Mayor (Alderman Carey, J.P.) and the Mayor was installed therein.

I Robert George Windsor-Clive, Lord Windsor, Privy Councillor, Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan, Mayor of the County Borough of Cardiff, in pursuance of the power vested in me by Section 16 of the Municipal Corporations Act 1882, do hereby appoint David Jones, one of the Aldermen and a Justice of the Peace for the said County Borough, to act as Deputy Mayor of the County Borough during my illnesss or absence; and I do hereby signify such appointment to the Council.

Windsor, Mayor.

Dated this 9th day of November 1895.

Vote of thanks to the Ex-Mayor, Alderman W. P. Carey, J.P., "for the efficient and valuable services he has so faithfully and zealously rendered to this Borough as Mayor and Chief Magistrate during the past year; and for the courtesy, tact and geniality with which he has presided over the deliberations of this Council."

£800 voted for the Mayor's salary, out of the Borough Fund.

Property and Markets Committee, 20 November. Chairman referred to the frequent absence of the Hall Porter, W. MacDonald, from duty.

Resolved That MacDonald be called upon to resign forthwith.

Records Committee, 18 November. Councillor E. Thomas is re-appointed Chairman, with Councillor F. J. Beavan as Deputy Chairman. Committee to meet at the call of the Chairman.

Town Clerk submitted letters dated 26 and 30 October, and 3, 7 and 13 November, from Mr. J. Hobson Matthews, and read a Report, dated 20 November 1895, regarding the work done by him in London, and also a further Report containing a Selection of Public Records of Cardiff proposed to be printed. In consequence of his further researches in London, the Archivist has added so largely to his stock of materials, that the above list now requires to be very considerably extended, and certain of the above specified documents amplified and amended. This cannot be done until the original notes have been translated and fair copied; but the accompanying Report on the recent London work will give the Committee general information as to the material collected since the list was drawn up.

Resolved That the consideration thereof be adjourned.

Town Clerk reported that he had communicated with Lord Bute, asking his Lordship if he would lend the Corporation, or permit their Archivist to inspect, the books, documents and manuscripts relating to Old Cardiff which he might have in his possession, and allow the Archivist to take such extracts therefrom as might appear desirable.

Lord Tredegar's Solicitor writes that, if the Corporation will speedily make the road from Roath Church to Pen-y-lan, including a bridge over the brook, he will present to the Corporation the land south of such road, containing about three acres, for the purpose of being converted into public gardens. Also that Lord Tredegar has decided to give the Corporation as much land as they require for the widening of Albany Road, from Roath Church to the north end of Wellfield Road, near Roath Park.

Vote of thanks to Lord Tredegar for the same.

Sidney Green appointed Hall Porter.

1895 December 9.

Schooner "Philanthropist" having sunk in the fairway of the entrance to Cardiff Docks, the Trinity Brethren write the Town Clerk that the responsibility of dealing with the wreck, under the Wreck Removal Clauses of the Merchant Shipping Act 1894, clearly rests with the Local Authority at Cardiff, and they will be glad to hear that the Corporation are taking the necessary steps for the removal of this obstruction to the navigation.

Town Clerk thereupon caused the wreck to be lighted and buoyed.

Permission granted for buses to run from Sneyd Street, Cathedral Road, to the Pier Head and back.

Complete system of fire-alarm box telephones is now established in the Town.

Records Committee, 6 December. Letter dated 3rd inst. was read from Lord Bute's Secretary, stating that his Lordship was not aware he had in his possession any documents throwing light upon the history of Cardiff, unless it were Leases or the like, of a comparatively recent date. His Lordship had, however, written Mr. J. S. Corbett on the subject.

Resolved that Mr. J. Hobson Matthews be desired to proceed as quickly as possible with the completion of the Records &c. now remaining to be dealt with, and referred to in the Minutes of this Committee of 30 November last.

1895 December 23.

Council appoint members to join a deputation which will wait on Sir Francis Knollys to convey an invitation to the Prince of Wales to open the forthcoming Cardiff Exhibition.

The wreck "Philanthropist" has been removed by the Water Bailiff to the East Mud, and the Corporation has signed a contract for its final removal.

1896 January 13.

Vote of regret and condolence on the death of Captain Ralph Pomeroy, the Bute Company's Dockmaster.

Resolved unanimously That this Council places on record its unqualified admiration of the Christian character of the Very Rev. Charles J. Vaughan, D.D., the Dean of Llandaff, who has won the unanimous respect and esteem of the inhabitants of Cardiff, and appoints the following gentlemen to wait upon the Dean with a view of asking him to bequeath to the Town of Cardiff and its inhabitants, with whom he has been so intimately associated, the magnificent painting of himself (by Mr. Walter W. Ouless) recently presented to him, as a memorial of his long connection with the Borough, and continuous and disinterested labours for the social and educational welfare of its inhabitants, viz., the Mayor, Alderman Rees and the Town Clerk.

The Russian gun is to be removed from the Town Hall yard to Ely Park.

1896 February 10.

His Worship the Mayor referred to the untimely death of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Battenberg, and stated that a wreath had been subscribed for by the Members of the Corporation and sent to Osborne by a special messenger, "In loving memory of His Royal Highness." Telegrams of condolence had also been sent to Her Majesty the Queen and to the Princess Beatrice, and had been acknowledged.

Resolved That this Council pledges itself to extend a cordial and hearty welcome to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in the event of Cardiff being fixed upon as the place where the ceremony shall take place for the installation of His Royal Highness as Chancellor of the University of Wales.

Llandaff. January 21st 1896.

My dear Mr. Town Clerk,—It is quite impossible for me to express adequately my gratitude to the Council for the generous terms in which their Resolution speaks of my poor services to the inhabitants of Cardiff. I value more than I can say the esteem and regard of the great Town which has allowed me to imagine myself all but its citizen. While I live I shall cherish with affectionate devotion the memory of its interests and its kindnesses. The particular request which the Council has condescended to make to me, in the Resolution forwarded in your letter, shall have (need I assure you) my most respectful and anxious consideration. The picture to which it refers was the gift to me, as you are aware, of a large body of clergymen and intending clergymen, to whose preparation for the Ministry I have had the privilege of contributing, through a period of five and thirty years, such assistance, in the way of instruction and counsel, as it was mine to offer them. It appears to me that the wishes of these generous donors ought to be consulted in settling the place of its final vesting. I have reason to believe that with some of them it was a foregone conclusion that the great College of which I was once a Fellow, and in which a very large number of them received their education, would be the home of the picture in the years when it could be mine no longer. I venture to say this with all explicitness, though with many apologies; because it will explain to the Council why I cannot on the instant, as I should wish to do, give a positive consent to their kind and attractive proposal. I could not possibly allow the honoured Deputation named in their Resolution to have the trouble of visiting me to receive what is, of necessity, a somewhat hesitating answer to the Resolution with which the Council has entrusted them. And I am scarcely equal to the strain upon health and spirits which would be involved in my waiting upon them in a place more convenient to themselves. I have therefore to request you, my dear Mr. Town Clerk, to be my interpreter to them, and through them to the Council, as to my grateful feelings on reading the Resolution, and my anxious searchings of heart in considering how to reply to it.—Faithfully Yours.

C. J. Vaughan.

Council agree to lend to the Committee of the Cardiff Exhibition the portraits of Lord Bute and Alderman Jacobs.

Committee appointed to make arrangements for the opening of the Guilford Crescent Baths by the Mayoress of Cardiff, the Right Hon. Lady Windsor.

The old Reading Room is to be refurnished and fitted up as a Members' Room.

Llandaff buses are to run alternately through Cathedral Road.

Difficulties have arisen with regard to the repair of Leckwith Bridge, both the County and the Llandaff Board disclaiming ownership of it.

Committee appointed to negotiate with the Ecclesiastical Commissioners and the Agents of the Marquess of Bute, for the acquisition of the Llandaff Fields as an open space for the benefit of the public. It was afterwards ascertained that the Commissioners were the sole owners of the land.

Head Gardener is to purchase for the Roath Park lake, from the Zoological Gardens at Clifton, a pair of upland geese at £5, a pair of black swans at £4. 10s., and a pair of Chinese geese at £1.

Borough Engineer is to enquire of Lord Tredegar's Agents the price for which his Lordship will sell to the Corporation 25 acres at Splot, with 300 yards sea frontage, for the purpose of pleasure grounds.

Records Committee, 24 February. Town Clerk read correspondence with Dr. W. De Gray Birch, of the British Museum, as to making copies of the Margam Abbey muniments (by kind permission of Miss Talbot).

Those of the above muniments which are in Latin are to be translated by Mr. Matthews from Dr. Birch's copy.

Mr. John Stuart Corbett writes he will see Messrs. Shirley & Sons as to any documents they may have.

Resolved That the draft Records be now collected, indexed and bound, and submitted to this Committee.

Resolved That Mr. Hobson Matthews report to this Committee, on Monday next at noon, (1) as to work already finished, and (2) as to work now in hand and remaining to be done to complete his work.

Resolved That a communication be sent to various publishers, informing them of the character of the work undertaken by this Committee, and enquiring whether they are prepared to publish the Records, and upon what terms; and that this matter be left in the hands of the Chairman, Councillor White and Mr. Hobson Matthews.

Records Committee, 2 March. Mr. J. Hobson Matthews presented his Report on the work done and to be done.

Sub-Committee appointed to enquire into certain allegations with reference to the state of Mary Ann Street, report that they have made personal inspection of the houses, and failed to discover that the evils complained of were due to defective sanitation. The occupiers are poor, and in some cases dirty in their habits; but many of the houses were clean and comfortable. No case of sickness was found either there or in Stanley Street, nor any signs of overcrowding. Stanley Street is only 12 feet wide, and has 11 houses unoccupied. Fourteen houses in this street are totally unfit for human occupation. Few, if any, houses in either street are used for immoral purposes.

Resolved That papers for signature for or against cremation be left at the Cemetery Office, Burial Board Offices, Town Hall and Free Libraries.

Mr. T. H. Thomas and others are to go to the Cantref reservoir, Breconshire, to inspect an old flannel-loom, which it is proposed the Waterworks Committee shall offer to the Museum. An old chair from Wenvoe Castle is to be purchased for £2. 10s. 6d. for the Museum.

1896 March 9.

Committee of the whole Council appointed to arrange for the promised visit of the Prince of Wales to Cardiff after his installation at Aberystwyth as Chancellor of the Welsh National University.

Meeting of Ratepayers has protested against the proposed expenditure of £750 in a house for the Head Gardener, to be built in Roath Park. Resolutions against the erection of the house were lost in Council.

Resolved That the Council are prepared to incur an expense of not over £100 upon an Inquiry and Report regarding the Charities of Cardiff, under the Charity Inquiries Expenses Act 1892, in order that the Inquiry may proceed at once.

Town Hall is to be newly painted, decorated and furnished, on the occasion of the Prince of Wales' visit. His Royal Highness will be presented with the Honorary Freedom of the Borough, in a jewelled casket.

Measures are taken to establish a compulsory Thrift Fund for Employees of the Corporation.

Records Committee, 7 March. Town Clerk submitted tenders from various firms for the printing and publication of the Records, and draft advertisement for intending subscribers thereto. The issuing of the latter was postponed.

Letter was read from Mr. J. S. Corbett, and the Chairman stated that he had had an interview with Mr. Corbett, who had promised to give Mr. Hobson Matthews access to any further records in Lord Bute's possession which he might find to bear on the history of Cardiff and neighbourhood, so soon as he had finished certain heavy parliamentary work.

Chairman reported that Oliver H. Jones, esq., of Fonmon Castle, had stated he had in his possession a number of highly interesting documents of the 16th century relating to Cardiff, which he would be very pleased to allow the Archivist to copy if the Corporation so desired.

Resolved That the best thanks of this Committee be given to Mr. Jones, and that he be asked when it would be convenient for Mr. Matthews to inspect the documents.

Records Committee, 14 March. Resolved That the Council be recommended to cause the Records to be printed at Cardiff, in consequence of the loss of time which it would entail if the same were done elsewhere.

Records Committee, 21 March. Resolved That Mr. Hobson Matthews report as to the number and character of the illustrations &c. proposed to be included in the Volumes of published Records.

28, Great Ormond Street, London.

Sir,—My friend Mr. John Ward, of the Cardiff Museum, informs me that your Corporation intends to publish the documents relating to Cardiff which your Archivist has rummaged out of the musty records of the past. If all Corporations were equally enlightened, there would be less need for Archæological Societies. Although only one of the officers of the Cambrian Archæological Association, I think I may speak also for my colleagues, and say how much we approve of the good work you are doing for the history of Cardiff, and thus indirectly for the history of Wales generally. I hope that the result of this new departure will be to stimulate a taste for archæology and history in the Principality, and to diffuse it more amongst the masses. There is no reason, that I can see, why the only people who seem to take any interest in the past of Wales should be the parsons; and yet they are at present the mainstay of our Association, and but for them it could never have existed. I should like to see every Welshman not only proud of his nationality, but to know why he has reason to be proud of it.—I remain, Yours very truly.

J. Romilly Allen.

Cardiff. 19th March 1896.

Sir,—I am much obliged by your letter of the 14th instant and by the very kind manner in which you speak of the work of the Records Committee of this Corporation. Such praise from a gentleman of your standing in the archæological world comes as a great encouragement, and should have the result of evoking a larger measure of popular support for our undertaking. Our Archivist has already collected a very large quantity of MSS., consisting of copies of records of various periods, drawn from many different sources, bearing upon the history of this Town. These it is our intention to print and publish, if not quite in extenso, at least very amply; and I feel sure their value to the Welsh historian and antiquary will be speedily recognised. I am, dear Sir, yours very truly.

Edward Thomas.

J. Romilly Allen, Esq., F.S.A. (Scot.), Cambr. Arch. Assoc.

P.S. The most valuable records concerning this County are those of the old Chancery of Glamorgan, now stored in the Rolls House. It would cost only £300 to make a preliminary examination of these. At present they are not even sorted. Could not your Society influence the Ministry to make this very small grant for commencing so important a work ?

Lord Tredegar declines to let land on Roath Moors for public gardens, or for other than commercial purposes, and points out that other parties have rights of pasturage over the land in question.

1896 April 13.

G.W.R. Co. consent to run a dining-car on the train to and from Paddington and South Wales.

£20,000 to the School Board.

Mr. Rhys Williams, Commissioner, will open an enquiry into the Charities of the Borough, at the Town Hall on the 20th, 21st and 22nd instant.

Records Committee, 11 April. The Archivist presented a Report as to the illustrations &c. to be included in the forthcoming Records publication.

Letter from Mr. Romilly Allen suggests that the Committee of the Cambrian Archæological Association should be asked to approach the Government on the subject of the Glamorgan Chancery records. "I look forward to seeing Cardiff become the centre of intellectual activity in Wales, and I hope that Welshmen will be sufficiently patriotic to sink all local jealousies which may prevent the attainment of this end."

Resolved That the Committee of the Cambrian Archæological Association be respectfully requested to urge upon Her Majesty's Government the desirability of voting a sum of money for preparing a proper calendar and report on the valuable records of the old Chancery of Glamorgan now stored in the Rolls Office.

1896 April 20.

Committee appointed with a view to obtaining for the Mayor of the County Borough of Cardiff for the time being the style, title and dignity of "The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor," and also with a view to obtaining for the County Borough the title and dignity of "City."

Marlborough House, Pall Mall, S.W.

14th April 1896.

Dear Lord Windsor,—I am desired by the Prince of Wales to inform you that it gives him much pleasure to comply with the request of the Corporation of Cardiff, that he would consent to become an Honorary Freeman of the Borough.

Yours very truly.

Francis Knollys.

Sir Francis Knollys further writes that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, with the Princess of Wales and the Princesses Victoria and Maud of Wales, will visit Cardiff on Saturday, June 27th, but that circumstances will allow them to remain but a few hours in the town.

Records Committee, 18th April. Resolved That the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, and as many members of this Committee as can make it convenient, be desired to attend the Charities Inquiry.

Letter from Mr. R. A. Wheatley, offering to photograph the Charters and other documents required for the Records publication, and to place the negatives free of charge at the disposal of the Corporation for reproduction.

Resolved That the offer be accepted.

Resolved That the hearty thanks of this Committee be accorded Mr. R. A. Wheatley for his generous offer.

The Archivist reported that the books and papers left with the Town Clerk by Mr. O. H. Jones, of Fonmon Castle, contained some very valuable records, and that he was now copying the same.

Resolved That Mr. Matthews proceed therewith, and that these records be part of the material from which this Committee ultimately select the "copy" for the Records publication.

Records Committee, April 30. Town Clerk reported that Mr. Rhys Williams, Assistant Charity Commissioner for Glamorganshire, held an Inquiry into the Charities of the County Borough of Cardiff, at the Town Hall, on the 20th and 22nd April 1896, and investigated the following Charities:—Jane Herbert, Craddock Wells, Broad Street Almshouse, Church Street Almshouse (James Gale), Nicholas Wastell, Denominational Schools, and University College. A number of witnesses were examined by Mr. Williams, and various Corporation records. Private persons, in some instances, came forward with documents bearing on the various charities of the Town. On the 24th instant the Assistant Commissioner went to London, presumably for the purpose of obtaining further information from the Commissioners to take measures for the immediate disposition of the balance left from the Cardiff Exhibition of 1870. (fn. 1)

Rev. Charles Chidlow, Secretary, writes that the Committee of the Cambrian Archæological Association has agreed to petition the Government for a grant in aid of the publication of Glamorganshire records, and directed the Senior Secretary to inform this Committee of the result.

Terms have been arranged with Canon Thompson for the St. John's Churchyard improvements, but the scheme for the formation of a public footway through the churchyard has fallen through.

1896 May 11.

Vote of regret and condolence on the death of Alderman Yorath.

O. H. Jones, esq., of Fonmon Castle, has presented to the Corporation a document on parchment, dated 4 March 1741. It is sealed with the Tudor-rose Corporation Seal and signed by ten members of the Common Council, and records the formal appointment of Roger Powell junior and Edmund Lloyd, esquires, as Treasurers to the building-fund of the Town Hall then in course of erection on the old site in High Street. The building was completed in 1747, and was used for all Borough and County business until the opening of the present Town Hall in Saint Mary Street, in 1850. The old structure of 1747 was used as a store-house until 1860, when it was at last pulled down.

Moved by Councillor White, J.P. (in pursuance of notice of motion previously given), seconded by Councillor E. Beavan, J.P. "That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable and befitting that its members should, during their tenure of office, wear official robes and hats; and it is resolved that the same be worn accordingly, and that a special Committee be appointed with full powers to give effect to the foregoing resolution."

The motion on being put to the meeting was lost, and the names were taken as follows:—For: Aldermen Jacobs and Carey; Councillors E. Beavan, Andrews, White, Morgan, Gerhold, Ward, J. Thomas and Veal—10. Against: Alderman D. E. Jones, D. Jones and T. Rees; Councillors Trounce, F. J. Beavan, Mildon, E. Thomas, Jenkins, Crossman, Good, Allen and Robinson—12.

Town Clerk reported that he had completed the purchase at £6000 from Mr. J. H. Hallett, of Cardiff, of the freehold premises known as Johns' Court, situate at the rear of 23 High Street and the Three Horse Shoes public house, the entrance being from Womanby Street, (formerly the Old Brewery).

Borough Engineer reported that he had visited the Flat Holm with Mr. E. W. M. Corbett, and selected a spot for quarrying stone for hospital purposes, subject to a royalty to be fixed by Sir W. T. Lewis.

Vote of regret and condolence on the death of Mr. Daniel Rees, for 39 years Clerk to the Borough Magistrates.

Parks Committee, accompanied by His Worship the Mayor (the Right Hon. Lord Windsor) proceeded to the Wild Garden section of the Roath Park, when the Deputy Chairman, Councillor Tucker, declared the same open to the public.

1896 June 28.

Mayor reported having appointed Thomas Thomas (late Town Crier) to be Mace Bearer, vice Jacob Wise deceased; and that he had appointed Robert Oliver as Town Crier, salary £10 with uniform.

Councillor William John Trounce, Deputy Mayor, is elected Alderman.

Mr. Daniel Rees, son of the late Clerk to the Borough Magistrates, is appointed to succeed his father in that office.

At a meeting of the Council of the County Borough of Cardiff, acting also as the Urban Sanitary Authority of the County Borough, held at the Exhibition Hall, Park Place, Cardiff, on Saturday 27 June 1896, being a Special Meeting: His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, K.G., Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, Her Royal Highness the Princess Victoria and Her Royal Highness the Princess Maud attended and were received by the Right Worshipful the Mayor (the Right Honourable George Windsor-Clive, Lord Windsor, Privy Councillor, Lord Lieutenant of Glamorganshire) and the Members of the Corporation.

His Worship the Mayor, addressing His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, K.G., said:—"Will Your Royal Highness permit me to ask the Recorder to read the Resolution that was passed by the Corporation ?"

The Prince of Wales having signified his assent,

The Recorder read the following resolution:—"At a Special Meeting of the Council of the County Borough of Cardiff, held at the Town Hall, Cardiff, on Monday the 20th day of April 1896, present the Deputy Mayor (Alderman David Jones, J.P.) in the chair, and a full Council; it was moved by Alderman David Jones, J.P., and Alderman Jacobs, J.P., and resolved unanimously: 'That His Royal Highness Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, Knight of the Garter, being a person of distinction within the meaning of the Honorary Freedom of Boroughs Act 1885, be, in accordance with the provisions of the said Act, admitted an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Cardiff; and that such honorary freedom be publicly presented to His Royal Highness during his visit to Cardiff.' "

The Recorder then retired, and the Town Clerk administered the following Oaths to His Royal Highness:—"You shall swear to be true to our Sovereign Lady the Queen and the Lord of this Town and Borough; you shall be obedient to the Mayor of the said Borough for the time being, and obey his warrants, precepts and commands; you shall be civil and obedient to the Aldermen of the same; and also you shall, as much as in your power lies, contribute and do every act and thing for the good government and safety of the Borough and inhabitants thereof, So help you God."

His Royal Highness signed the Honorary Freemen's Roll, the Admission being witnessed by the Mayor and Town Clerk.

His Worship the Mayor presented the scrip of Admission, enclosed in a gold casket, to His Royal Highness, who was graciously pleased to receive the same.

The Mayor then addressed His Royal Highness as follows:— "May it please Your Royal Highness: I have the honour and privilege as Mayor, on behalf of the Corporation and inhabitants of Cardiff, to give you a most respectful but at the same time a most cordial welcome to this ancient and loyal Borough. We bear in mind that it is the first visit which Your Royal Highness has ever paid to Cardiff. It is therefore a red-letter day in the history of the Town; and the interest and importance of the occasion are greatly enhanced by the fact that you are accompanied by Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales and Their Royal Highnesses the Princesses Victoria and Maud, to whom also we desire to offer a most respectful and hearty welcome. Your Royal Highness has been pleased to permit us to mark this occasion by inscribing your illustrious name upon the roll of the Honorary Freemen of the Borough. I assure Your Royal Highness that Cardiff will consider this act of condescension as a signal mark of your favour to the largest and most important town in Wales, the enterprise of which may to some extent be measured by the Exhibition Buildings in which we are now assembled and which the Queen has been graciously pleased to patronise. I most respectfully request Your Royal Highness to do us the honour of accepting this casket, which contains the scrip recording your enrolment as an Honorary Freeman of the Borough; and with it I ask Your Royal Highness to accept our grateful and humble thanks for the honour that you have this day conferred upon the County Borough of Cardiff."

The Prince replied as follows:—

"Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen, I beg to thank you and the County Council of Cardiff for conferring upon me the honorary freedom of this ancient Borough, which is so conspicuous for its constantly progressive increase and importance. It is a distinction of which I am sure I feel proud; for Cardiff, with its population of over 160,000, is not only the chief town of Wales, but the principal port in the United Kingdom. Indeed, according to its registered tonnage of 6,500,510 tons, it is the second port in the world, New York coming first. Its growing importance and its increase of population have been remarkable of late years, and I have no doubt it will continue its course of rapid progress. I am glad to find, by the Roll I have just signed, that I have as fellow Freemen such distinguished men as Mr. Gladstone and Lord Roberts. The Princess of Wales and I cannot but remember with mournful pleasure that our dear son was received here with the utmost cordiality, and was presented with the honorary freedom of this Borough. The reception which has been accorded to the Princess of Wales, my daughters and myself is very gratifying to us; and we shall always remember with much satisfaction our visit to this loyal town."

Their Royal Highnesses afterwards proceeded to the new Free Library building, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales declared the same open to the public.

General Purposes Committee. Proposed by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Gerhold: That badges be worn by the Members of the Corporation upon public occasions.

Proposed by Councillor David, seconded by Councillor E. Beavan: That suitable gowns be worn by Members of the Corporation upon public occasions.

Both the amendment and the original motion, on being put to the meeting, were lost.

Vote of thanks to Mr. James Howell for his generosity in undertaking to decorate the Exhibition Hall free of charge, on the occasion of the admission of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

Resolved That Mr. Matthews prepare a Prospectus of the Records, to take the form of a double leaflet.

Records Committee, July 4. Archivist submitted draft Prospectus of the Records.

Letter from Mr. J. S. Corbett regarding documents in his custody.

Resolved That a copy of Mr. Corbett's letter of 3rd instant be sent to the Chairman, and that he be desired to see Mr. Corbett with reference to the supposed missing Minute Book.

Resolved That Mr. Matthews be directed to prepare a synopsis of the whole of the "copy" which in his opinion should form the three volumes of Records, for consideration by this Committee.

Museum Committee. Resolved That, inasmuch as Counsel has advised that under the Museums and Gymnasiums Act 1891 the Corporation is [not] authorised to elect on this Committee any gentlemen not being members of the Corporation, this Committee desires that the above Act shall be so amended as to enable the Corporation to elect on the Committee such persons as are, by their knowledge of natural history, art and other subjects, specially qualified for museum work.

1896 July 13.

Resolved unanimously That this Council most sincerely tenders its respectful sympathy to the Mayor and Mayoress (The Right Honourable Lord and Lady Windsor) in the bereavement they have sustained by the death of the Right Honourable Sir Augustus Berkeley Paget, K.C.B.

O. H. Jones, esq., of Fonmon Castle, presents to the Corporation an old Minute Book of the Street Commissioners of Cardiff.

Mr. George Thomas, of Ely Farm, is retained permanently to act as Valuer to the Corporation.

Archivist submitted a synopsis of the "copy" which, in his opinion, should form the three volumes of Records, and same was adopted.

Resolved That the Manager of Cardiff Market be directed not to let standings on the Hayes to quacks or cheap-jacks, but only to vendors of fruit, fish and vegetables, who will conduct their business quietly.

Resolved That the Curator have printed and exhibited in the Museum suitable notices in English and Welsh, prohibiting loud talking, whistling, spitting, and the like.

1896 August 10.

Hewell Grange, Redditch.

July 16th, 1896.

Dear Mr. Town Clerk,—Lady Windsor wishes to join with me in thanking most sincerely our kind friends, the members of the Corporation of Cardiff, for the resolution of sympathy unanimously passed on Monday last. We have lately rejoiced together over our successes in Cardiff, and now we are much touched in knowing that our friends share our own personal sorrow.—I am, dear Mr. Town Clerk,

Yours very faithfully.

Windsor.

Resolved unanimously That the cordial and sincere thanks of this Council be presented to the Mayor of Cardiff (The Right Honourable Lord Windsor) and the Mayoress of Cardiff (The Right Honourable Lady Windsor) for the zeal and ability with which they performed the important functions in connection with the visit of Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princesses Victoria and Maud to Cardiff on the 27th June last, and for the dignity with which they sustained the best traditions of the Metropolis of Wales.

Resolved unanimously That the hearty thanks of this Council be accorded the Deputy Mayor (Alderman D. Jones, J.P.), the Town Clerk (Mr. Joseph Larke Wheatley), Colonel Albert Goldsmid, and the Head Constable (Mr. William McKenzie), for the valuable assistance rendered on the above occasion, and for the excellent manner in which all the arrangements were carried out.

Deputation from the Executive Council of the Cardiff Exhibition attended and asked the co-operation of the Council in celebrating in an appropriate manner the 23rd September next, on which day the Queen's reign will have lasted longer than that of any other Monarch of this Kingdom.

Committee appointed accordingly.

Queen's Celebration Committee, August 13. Deputy Mayor stated the following message appeared in the London papers on the previous day:—

"The Secretary of State for the Home Department is commanded by the Queen to intimate that, while she is much gratified to observe such general expressions of loyalty and affection towards her in regard to the fact that she will shortly have reigned for a longer period than any other British Sovereign, it is Her Majesty's wish that, should she be spared to rule over her beloved people for such a period, any recognition or celebration of that event should be reserved until she has completed a reign of sixty years."

1896 September 14.

Sandringham, Norfolk. August 14th, 1896.

Dear Lord Windsor,—Princess Charles is enchanted with the diamond brooch, and has desired me to write and thank you, and to ask you to convey her best thanks to the members and officers of the Corporation of Cardiff, for this handsome and charming wedding present.

I remain yours very truly.

S. W. Proger.

Letter from Mr. J. R. Cobb suggesting the Corporation should take steps to facilitate a visit of Lord Nelson's flag-ship "Foudroyant" to Cardiff.

Sub-Committee appointed to secure the location at Cardiff of the Offices of the National University of Wales. Also to secure the location here of the Glamorgan County Council Offices.

A motion standing in the name of Councillor Good, in favour of the erection of a statue of Oliver Cromwell in the vestibule of the Town Hall, was withdrawn by leave.

Councillor Buist's motion, in favour of approaching Parliament on the subject of the taxation of ground-rents, fell to the ground in the absence of sufficient members to form a quorum.

Records Committee, September 21. An extract from the proceedings of the Council was read as to the submission of documents to Committees.

Mr. Herbert M. Thompson writes from Whitley Batch, Llandaff, that he will (on behalf of himself, Mr. Charles Thompson, of Penhill Close, and another) guarantee £5,000 towards the purchase of Llandaff Fields by the Corporation for an open space. He hopes, however, "that the fields will be kept as fields, and that no attempt will be made to transform them into a park. Lavish expenditure would probably do little or nothing to improve the natural beauty they at present possess."

Arthur Rees is appointed Inspector of Public Carriages.

General District Rate 1s. 4d. in the £.

1896 October 12th.

The Right Worshipful the Mayor (Lord Windsor).

Aldermen

Daniel Lewis, Thomas Windsor Jacobs, Patrick William Carey, Andrew Fulton, David Edgar Jones, Richard Cory, David Jones, William Sanders, Thomas Rees, William John Trounce.

Councillors

Ebenezer Beavan, Joseph Ramsdale, Thomas Morel, Samuel Arthur Brain, Francis John Beavan, James Tucker, Samuel Mildon, James Herbert Cory, Edward Thomas, John Jenkins, Thomas Andrews, William Evans, Henry White, James Munn, Jacob Comley, Robert Hughes, Morgan Morgan, William Smith Crossman, John Mathias Gerhold, Charles Edward Waring, Alfred Good, George Beynon Harris, Charles Albert John Ward, George David, Illtyd Thomas, William Henry Allen, James Joseph Buist, Frederick James Veall, Sidney Robinson, John Harry Hallett.

Joseph Larke Wheatley, Town Clerk.

Sir William T. Lewis writes that to buy up the New Street hoarding will cost the Corporation £1,550.

Resolved That consideration thereof be deferred until other matters now pending between Lord Bute and the Corporation are discussed with Sir W. T. Lewis.

David Morgan Johns is appointed Shorthand and Engrossing Clerk in the Town Clerk's Department.

At the desire of Lord Bute, and at his expense, the loving-cup is to have five of the figures upon it re-enamelled.

1896 October 26.

Miss Margaret L. Hay is appointed Matron of the Cardiff Sanatorium; salary £60, with board, lodging and uniform.

Mr. Neville Applebee is appointed Electrical Engineer to the Corporation.

Canon Thompson agrees to accept £500 for the proposed public footpath through Saint John's Churchyard.

Borough Engineer reported that on 25 September a severe storm visited the Town, doing considerable damage and blowing down one of the elms in Newport Road. On 7th and 8th instant, owing to high tides and high south-west winds, the tide rose to an abnormal height, doing considerable damage to various places in the Bristol Channel. A small portion of the Cardiff District, at Moorland Gardens, Roath, and Windsor Esplanade, Docks, was flooded; but, owing to works recently carried out, Grangetown escaped a similar catastrophe to that which occurred there in October 1883.

Archivist reported he had written the Introduction to the Records, compiled an exhaustive Table of Contents for Volume I., and written the explanatory matter relating to the Charters.

Penarth Urban District Council, Llandaff Parish Council and Llanishen Parish Council are resolved to oppose their absorption into the Borough of Cardiff.

William Percy Harding, Plymouth, is appointed Assistant Conveyancing Clerk in the Town Clerk's Department. He is to reside within the Borough. (Mr. Herbert Somerset, Pontypridd, was an unsuccessful candidate for this appointment.)

Mr. W. H. Andrew resigns his position as Deputy Town Clerk, on receiving the appointment of Town Clerk of York.

Mr. William John Board is appointed Deputy Town Clerk. He is to reside within the Borough.

Special Committee appointed to consider the weiring of the Taff.

Footnotes