Rushden Research Group: Proposed sale of Vestry Hall 1905

Last night a vestry meeting of the parish of Rushden was held at the Vestry Hall for the purpose of considering the proposed sale of the Vestry Hall from an ecclesiastical point of view. In the absence of the Rector, Mr. Wilkins was elected chairman.

A letter dated Jan. 9th from the Local Government Board to the Rushden Urban District Council, with reference to the proposed sale of the Vestry Hall to the Church, was then read. The Local Government Board considered that if the sale were effected it should be subject to the continued use of the Vestry Hall for vestry meetings until other provision could be made. The Board suggested as a suitable arrangement, that vestry meetings, so far as they related to the affairs of the Church or to ecclesiastical charities, should continue to be held in the Vestry Hall, and that all other vestry meetings requiring to be summoned should be held in the proposed new Council offices; but stated that until suitable accommodation could so be provided all vestry meetings, whether for civil or ecclesiastical purposes, would have to be held in the Vestry Hall. The Board further considered that the matter was one in which the concurrence of the Rector of the parish and of a vestry meeting specially convened, should be obtained.

A letter was then read from the Rev. W. R. Morse, dated Jan. 13th, stating that personally he was quite agreeable to the suggested arrangement for the vestry meetings, so far as they relate to the affairs of the Church or to ecclesiastical charities, to be held in the Vestry Hall, and that until suitable accommodation could be provided by the Urban District Council, all other vestry meetings, whether for civil or ecclesiastical purposes, should also continue to be held in the Vestry Hall. He also expressed himself quite willing that the order of the Local Government Board authorising the sale should make provision to that effect.

After some discussion it was unanimously resolved: “That this vestry meeting approves of the sale by the Urban District Council to the Rector and Churchwardens of Rushden of the Vestry Hall premises, and also of the suggested arrangements as to the use of the premises for vestry meetings as contained in the letter of the Local Government Board.”

The meeting, which was stated to be the only vestry meeting for civil purposes, that had been held for about ten years, then terminated.