Petitions to the Westminster Quarter Sessions: 1735

William Boulton the younger. WJ/SP/1735/01/001 (1735). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS654020002

To the worshipfull his majesty's justices of the
peace for the city and liberty of Westminster [at their?]
quarter sessions assembled.

The humble petition of William Boulton
the younger.

Sheweth
that your petitioner's father William Boulton
was several years ago upon a letter of recommendation
from his grace the Duke of Newcastle custos rotulorum
of the county of Middlesex and the city and liberty
of Westminster chosen and appointed by your worships
cryer of your court of sessions for the said city and
liberty of Westminster and has ever since enjoyed and
taken due care of the execution of the said office,
but being at present by his great age and infirmities
rendred almost uncapable of any business, he is
desirous to surrender the said office to the petitioner
his only son.

Your humble petitioner therefore prays
that your worships would be pleased
to accept of his father's surrender and
to appoint the petitioner to succeed
him in the aforesaid office

And as in duty bound your petitioner shall ever pray etc

• William [Boulton?]

Rebecca Davis, widow, and Lydia Davis, her daughter. WJ/SP/1735/04/003 (1735). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS654030004

To the worshipfull Sir John Gonson knight and the rest of his majesties justices of the peace
for the city and liberty of Westminster in general quarter sessions assembled.

The humble petition of Rebecca Davis widow and her
Lydia Davis her daughter

Sheweth
that your petitioner Rebecca Davis on the 29th. day of May 1733, did put the other
petitioner her daughter to serve Elizabeth Lambrecht sempstress (and to learn her trade or business)
for the space of [five?] years by a certain parchment writing mentioned to be an indenture, though the
same was not indented; in consideration whereof your petitioner did pay unto the said Mistress Lembrecht
the summ of three guineas and was to provide for her said daughter necessary apparell during that
time

That since your petitioner Lydia Davis has been in the service of her said mistress
she has been beaten and abused [illegible] in so barbarous a manner the with a large oaken stick on her
back and other parts of her body, that her flesh hath hath been so much discoloured and bruised
thereby, that she was obliged to apply herself to a surgeon, under whose care she remaind
for a long time and would (as your petitioner is informed) have been attended with worse consequence had
not much care been taken about the same

Your petitioners therefore most humbly pray that your worshipps would
be pleased to discharge the petitioner Lydia Davis from her servitude and order that
her said mistress may return and pay back to the petitioner the said summe
of three guineas abovementioned or so much thereof as to your worshipps
in your great wisdom shall seem meet

And your petitioners shall ever pray

• Rebecca Davis
• Lydia Davis

William Boulton the younger. WJ/SP/1735/04/004 (1735). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS654030005

To the worshipfull his majesties justices of the peace in
their general quarter session assembled.

The humble petition of William Boulton the
younger your worshipps cryer:

Sheweth
that your petitioner was at the last general quarter session of the
peace holden at Westminster in and for the said city and liberty elected chosen
and appointed cryer of the court of general quarter session of the peace
holden for the said city and liberty in the room place and stead of William
Boulton his father who surrendred the said cryers place.

That your petitioner is one of the clerks in the post office and his
constant attendance requiring him to attend to sort and give out
the letters to be sent and given to his majesties subjects of great
importance to the publick.

Your petitioner humbly prays your worshipps as your
petitioner is oblidged to attend the publick service in the
post office that your worshipps will be pleased to excuse
your petitioner from personal attendance in the said
office of cryer and be pleased to admitt Thomas Barber
who has for several years last past executed the said
office of cryer to execute and officiate in the place stead
and absence of your petitioner

And your petitioner in duty bound shall ever pray etc:

• William Boulton

The churchwardens and surveyors of the highways of St James Westminster. WJ/SP/1735/04/005 (1735). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS654030006

To the right worshipfull his majesties justices of the
peace for the city and liberty of Westminster in their general
quarter sessions assembled

The humble petition of the churchwardens
and surveyors of the highwaies of the
parish of Saint James within the liberty of
Westminster in the county of Middlesex

Sheweth
that the highwaies causeys and pavements to be [repaired?]
by the said parish of Saint James are now so broken and out of
repair that they cannot be sufficiently amended and
repaired for this present year 1735 at less charge than one
hundred and fifty pounds and upwards which may be
raised by a rate of three farthings in the pound upon
the inhabitants owners and occupiers of houses lands
tenements and hereditaments within the said parish

Your petitioners therefore humbly pray
your worships to grant your petitioners
an order of this court to enable your
petitioners to make an assessment
of three farthings in the pound upon
all and every the inhabitants of the
said parish for repairing the said highways
causeys and pavements as by the statute
in that behalf made is provided

And your petitioners shall ever pray and so forth

• John Ludbey
• William Wayte
• M Lawrence}

churchwardens
and surveyors
of the highways

George Smith. WJ/SP/1735/04/006 (1735). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS654030007

To the right worshipfull the bench of
justices.

The humble petition of George Smith

Sheweth
that your petitioner hath been confined in
Tothill bridewell ten weeks and upwards for
running away from his master, that he is
in a very deplorable condition and no friends left
to assist him, and is sensibly touched with his
punishment, promising for the future to make
amends to his said master if he pleases to try
him again, or to release him and give up his
indentures, the place where he now is being
only the corruption of youth without great
forecast

Therefore most humbly prays
your honours out of your great
goodness and compassion to comisserate
his unhappy condition and relieve him
according to your worships wisdom
he having but one penny per day
allowed him by his said master
which will hardly keep him from
starving.

And your poor petitioner as in duty bound shall
ever pray etc.

• George Smith

Sarah Avery, widow. WJ/SP/1735/06/001 (1735). LondonLives reference: LMWJPS654040002

To the worshipful Sir John Gonson knight and the
rest of the justices of the peace at the general quarter
sessions of the peace now holden at Westminster Hall in
and for the city and liberty of Westminster

The humble petition of Sarah Avery widow.

Humbly sheweth
that your petitioners husband dying about 6 years ago (leaving your petitioner
and 3 small children) who being a housekeeper in the parish of Saint James in the said
liberty, your petitioner maintained them by her industry for above four years, when
the church-wardens and overseers of the poor of the said parish were pleased to
put 2. of them (to wit) Walter and Edward Avery into the work house of the said parish,
where one Hugh Liegh about a year ago came and pretending he was a shoe-maker
and made new work and sometimes mended old work, they let the said Walter (a child then
of about 11. years of age) go with him upon trial, where he remained about a
month, in which time the said Hugh Liegh and his wife, were very kind to the said
Walter, giving him necessary food and seemed very fond of him, so that the said church
wardens and overseers by indentures bound the said Walter to be his apprentice, [fo?] (at
least for the term of 7 years) and gave the said Hugh Liegh 20 shillings with him.

That since the said Walter's being so bound as aforesaid, his said master
hath not put him to make, nor assist to make any new shoes, but only to sit
with him in his stall to do old work, and hath not given him necessary food, nor
rayment so that for want there of proper change of linnen and woolen
the lice swarmed on his shirt and in his breeches, both which he himself was
obliged to mend with cobler's ends, and he was in danger of perishing if he
continued with his said master.

Your petitioner therefore humbly prays, that your
worships will be pleased to order that the said Walter may be
discharged from his said master, and that he may refund the said
20 shillings to buy the said Walter necessary apparel, and that the said
Walter may be turned over and the said indenture assigned to
another master; or that your worships will be pleased to make
such other order for the relief of the said Walter as to your
worships shall seem meet.

And your petitioner shall ever pray etc.

• Sarah Avery