Council Meeting – 4th February 1897
Thursday, February 4th, 1897
Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Parish Council held in the School Room, Great Longstone,
on Thursday, February 4th, 1897.
Present: Mr. James Orr, Chairman, Messrs. Buzzard, Eyre, J. Johnson, S. Johnson, Stanton, and T. Stanwell, Clerk
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed.
A long report was read which was sent by the Committee appointed at the Parish Meeting to consider a scheme for water supply, in which they state that they had engaged another water expert to go over the ground with a view of testing the accuracy of Mr. Sabater. Mr. Sears, the second expert, had predicted that there was water at several of the places named by Mr. Sabater and in addition had found another place in which water might be found, in a field on the west side of the Butts Close Quarry and crossing the quarry. Mr. Sears said there was a stream of water five feet wide but did not say how deep it was. This Committee recommend this Butts Close Quarry as a favourable place in which to try for water, because in this place they would not only have as good a supply, but they would also be independent of any private rights.
On the motion of Mr. Eyre, seconded by Mr. Spanton, it was unanimously resolved that the Report be sent to the District Council and ask for their consent to its adoption.
It was also unanimously resolved, on the motion of Mr. Orr, seconded by Mr. J. Johnson, that Mr. G. Wright and Mr. Eyre be deputations from this Council to the District Council to urge the adoption of the report.
It was unanimously resolved that the Assistant Overseer be allowed the sum of thirty shillings for making out the new Valuation Lists under the Agricultural Rates Act.
A receipt on the Overseers for £10 was signed to be paid on 1st March.
James Orr, Chairman
March 11th, 1897
In the Wider World – February 1897
Across rural England in early 1897, the recently passed Agricultural Rates Act (1896) was coming into effect. This legislation, introduced by Lord Salisbury’s Conservative government, aimed to relieve struggling farmers during a period of agricultural depression. It allowed half of local property rates on agricultural land to be paid out of national funds, significantly reducing the burden on rural ratepayers.
For small parishes like Great Longstone, the Act meant that officials such as the Assistant Overseer – mentioned in these minutes – had to prepare new valuation lists to calculate the reduced rates. This work ensured the parish could balance fairness to farmers with the need to maintain income for local services.
Elsewhere in Britain, Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee preparations were already underway, with events planned to mark sixty years on the throne later in June 1897. In a time of both economic challenge and imperial pride, even small parish councils like Great Longstone were part of the changing fabric of national life.
