Council Meeting – 15th April 1897
Thursday, April 15th, 1897
Thirty-third meeting of the Parish Council held in the School Room, Great Longstone,
on Thursday, April 15th, 1897.
Present:
Messrs. H.A. Spanton, S. Johnson, J. Johnson, P.J. Furniss, Jos. Wood, and I. Shimwell (Clerk).
Each member signed the Statutory Declaration of Acceptance of Office as a Parish Councillor.
Mr. Spanton was then elected Chairman pro tem.
The minutes of the last meeting were then read and signed.
On the motion of Mr. P.J. Furniss, seconded by Mr. J. Johnson, Mr. Saml. Johnson was unanimously elected Chairman of the Parish Council for the ensuing year.
Mr. J. Johnson then proposed Mr. P.J. Furniss as Vice Chairman.
Mr. Wood proposed Mr. H.A. Spanton as Vice Chairman. This was seconded by Mr. Furniss and carried unanimously.
Overseers
On the motion of Mr. Spanton, seconded by Mr. Wood, Mr. J. Johnson was unanimously reappointed as Overseer of the Poor for the ensuing year.
Mr. Spanton then moved and Mr. Furniss seconded that Mr. Isaac Bennett be reappointed Overseer of the Poor for the ensuing year — carried unanimously.
Standing Orders
On the motion of Mr. Spanton, seconded by Mr. Wood, the Standing Orders in force during the past year were again adopted.
Lighting & Watching Act
The Clerk stated that the Lighting & Watching Act had been adopted by the requisite majority at the Annual Assembly of the Parish.
Meeting held on the 31st March
It was decided to postpone this matter till a future meeting.
Gilders Quarry
The Clerk stated that Mr. Taylor, solicitor acting for J.F. Wright Esq. in the matter of the Gilders Quarry, had intimated his intentions of shortly instituting proceedings for the recovery of the Quarry.
He had also intimated his willingness to have the matter tried by the County Court Judge, either by arbitration or as an action in the County Court, on receiving from the Parish Council an intimation that they were willing to have the matter so tried.
It was decided to take no steps in the matter until Mr. Wright had begun to act.
Mr. Wood proposed and Mr. J. Johnson seconded that the Clerk write to Mr. Bates to enquire why he had delayed sending in his bill for the expenses of the poll on the adoption of the Lighting & Watching Act, and also to state that it was the general opinion of the Council that he was giving his services gratis.
Mr. Orr being unable to attend this meeting, it was decided that he be allowed to sign the declaration at the next meeting of the Council.
Samuel Johnson, Chairman
May 6th, 1897
In the Wider World – April 1897
The late 19th century saw many English villages beginning to benefit from public lighting, a major step in improving safety and quality of life after dark. The Lighting and Watching Act (1833), though already over sixty years old by this time, gave local parishes the power to provide gas lamps and night watchmen if residents approved the idea by vote — just as Great Longstone did this year.
In 1897, Britain was also preparing to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, marking sixty years on the throne. Across the country, communities were planning street decorations, church services, and festivities to honour the event. Many parish councils, including Great Longstone’s, were developing their civic infrastructure during this period of national pride and technological progress.
