The long awaited Barrowgate Road update
Earlier in the month I noted the exciting tale of the Great Chiswick Pavement Dispute of 1909.
Thus:
Dr. RUTHERFORD (Lib, Brentford) asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Chiswick Urban District Council paved Barrowgate-road in 1901, subsequently took legal proceedings against one of two frontagers who refused to pay their apportionments, abandoned these proceedings, and then in the middle of the night of 20th May, 1909, tore up 300 to 400 feet of paving stones fronting the premises of the person against whom they started legal proceedings; and whether he proposes to hold a public inquiry into this expenditure of public money on legal proceedings and in regard to this destruction of public property?
Mr. BURNS I have received a Memorial on this subject from some of the ratepayers of the district. It is not one, however, with respect to which I am empowered to direct an inquiry at the present time. The only jurisdiction I should have in the matter would be on an appeal from the decision of the auditor as to the legality or otherwise of the expenditure incurred. It will be competent for any ratepayer to raise this question before the auditor at the audit of the accounts in which the expenditure is charged.
I threatened a pilgrimage, and having secured the services of a trusty Chiswick dragoman / sherpa (opinions differ as to precise status) I can now provide a field report, complete with photographic evidence:
So, the proof of the pilgrimage:
And the pavement itself:
It is rather a nice spot of real estate, and having walked from one of the road to the other, can spot neither a blue plaque commemorating this event nor any sizeable gaps in the paving. Most of it is paved as per the evidence above, with outbreaks of tarmac. I feel that local historians are letting the side down, frankly.
Thus:
Dr. RUTHERFORD (Lib, Brentford) asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Chiswick Urban District Council paved Barrowgate-road in 1901, subsequently took legal proceedings against one of two frontagers who refused to pay their apportionments, abandoned these proceedings, and then in the middle of the night of 20th May, 1909, tore up 300 to 400 feet of paving stones fronting the premises of the person against whom they started legal proceedings; and whether he proposes to hold a public inquiry into this expenditure of public money on legal proceedings and in regard to this destruction of public property?
Mr. BURNS I have received a Memorial on this subject from some of the ratepayers of the district. It is not one, however, with respect to which I am empowered to direct an inquiry at the present time. The only jurisdiction I should have in the matter would be on an appeal from the decision of the auditor as to the legality or otherwise of the expenditure incurred. It will be competent for any ratepayer to raise this question before the auditor at the audit of the accounts in which the expenditure is charged.
I threatened a pilgrimage, and having secured the services of a trusty Chiswick dragoman / sherpa (opinions differ as to precise status) I can now provide a field report, complete with photographic evidence:
So, the proof of the pilgrimage:
And the pavement itself:
It is rather a nice spot of real estate, and having walked from one of the road to the other, can spot neither a blue plaque commemorating this event nor any sizeable gaps in the paving. Most of it is paved as per the evidence above, with outbreaks of tarmac. I feel that local historians are letting the side down, frankly.
Labels: fact checking, London
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on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 1:52 pm.
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