Vestry meetings
1791-1800

• 22 April 1791 [Good Friday] At a Vestry this day held pursuant to Notice given in the Church Ordered that Mr William Hagley do have the Care of the Poor of this parish for the year ensuing as Surgeon and Apothecary and that on his taking proper Care of them in all Cases (except Midwifry) he be paid a Salary of Thirty Pounds
• 6 April 1792 [Good Friday] At a Vestry held this Day Resolved that the Thanks of this Vestry be given to the Overseers for the past year for their good Conduct and to Mr Hagley for his great attention to and Humanity towards the Poor as Surgeon. Resolved that Mr Joseph Miller do have the Care of the Poor of this Parish for the Year ensuing as Surgeon and Apothecary and that in his taking Care of them in all Cases (except midwifrey) he be paid a Salary of Thirty Pounds
• 17th Aug 1792 At a vestry this day held pursuant to Notice given in Church on the 12th inst: Ordered that a stair case be made from a chapel within the Church belonging to the Earl of Cork into the north gallery subject to his Lordships approbation or in some other eligible place. Resolved that the steps leading from the west end of the Church towards Cheap street be removed and that a regular descent be made in the stead thereof.
• Nov 30 1792 At a vestry this day held pursuant to notice given in the Church on Sunday last the 25th inst: Order’d that the Overseers do as soon as is convenient put in a hatch at the head of the old Pond in the workhouse Garden that the pond of water may be afterwards appropriated to any purpose the Parish may think proper.
• 29th March 1793 At a Vestry this Day held Ordered that Mr Joseph Miller do have the Care of the Poor of this Parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the year ensuing and that on his taking care of them in all Cases (except Midwifry) he be paid a Salary of Thirty pounds
• 14 June 1793 Ordered that a Wall be Erected in the Workhouse Garden to Render it more Secure. At a Vestry held this 14: Day of June 1793 on the Expediency of Inoculating the Poor of this Parish for the Small Pox Resolved that the Poor be Inoculated at the Expence of the parish not exceeding Two Shillings and Six pence each Person and that Mr Hagley and Mr Miller be appointed to Inoculate them.
• 18th April 1794 At a Vestry this Day held Ordered that Mr William Hagley do have the care of the poor of this parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the year ensuing And that on his taking care of them in all Cases (except Midwifry) he be paid a Salary of Thirty Pounds
• 10th October 1794 At a Vestry this Day held Ordered that it appearing to the Vestry by the Accounts of the Overseers delivered this day for the Six months past That the Expenditure in the relief of the Poor is gradually and considerably on the Increase - Resolved that it is necessary to appoint an Assistant Overseer to control and superintend the payment of the Poor for the residue of the Year or for such part thereof as shall be approved by future Vestries - And that Mr John Imber be hereby appointed to the said Office to continue during the approbation of the vestry at a monthly Salary of Five Pounds.
• 26th March 1795 At a Vestry this day held pursuant to Notice to carry into Effect an Act for raising a certain Number of Men for the Service of his Majesty’s Navy - It is ordered and agreed the Churchwardens and Overseers be impowered to give a Bounty of fifteen Guineas each to the nine Men to be raised by this parish or such further Sum as they shall deem necessary.
• 3d April 1795 At a Vestry this Day held ordered that Mr Joseph Miller do have the Care of the Poor of this Parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the Year ensuing and that on his taking Care of them in all Cases (except Midwifry) he be paid a Salary of Thirty Pounds.
• Vestry 17th April 1795 At a Vestry this day held pursuant to Notice given in the Church on Sunday last for appointing a Master to the Free Grammar School in this Town. Mr Walters having resigned the Mastership of the said School - Ordered unanimously that the Thanks of this Meeting be given to the sd Mr Walters for the Manner in which he has given in his said Resignation, and this: Mr Walters do receive the salary due in October next. And it is hereby Ordered that the Reverend Mr John Pocock be and he hereby is unanimously appointed the master of the sd School in the room of the sd Mr Walters
  It is also agreed at this Vestry that Mr James Pobjoy be appointed and he is hereby unanimously appointed Assistant to the present Overseers of the Poor in the Execution of their Office during the present year and that he be paid Sixty Pounds for such assistance.
• 24 July 1795 At a Vestry held for the Purpose of considering the Propriety of giving the Clerk of the parish an Increase of Salary in lieu of Certain Perquisites hitherto received by him and his Predecessors It was Ordered that the following Perquisites viz: the Easter Dues, the Wine left unconsecrated at the Sacrament & the Ends of Candles left unburnt at the Time of Evening Service no longer be allowed to the Clerk but that in lieu thereof the Sum of Twenty two Pounds should be added to the Ancient Clerks Salary of Three Pounds to commence from Easter last making in the whole a Salary of Twenty five Pounds exclusive of the fees of Christenings Weddings and Burials. It was also Ordered that the ancient Salary or allowance of Three pounds per annum be continued for ringing the Bells and One Guinea for tolling the Eight o’Clock Bell. It was also Ordered that the Churchwardens do the necessary Repairs to the Grammar School house & to the Desks thereof.
  [Marginal addition:] 1796 June 27 We approve hereof Willis Archdn of Wells
• 4 September 1795 At a Vestry held this day pursuant to Notice given in the Church on Sunday last for the purpose of considering the Propriety of removing Thomas Hiscocks a Lunatick Pauper from his present place of Confinement at Cleeve Hill near Bristol to Bethlem Hospital It was ordered that the sd Thomas Hiscocks be conveyed as soon as possible to Bethlem Hospital by which a considerable saving will be made to this parish in Point of Expence without subjecting him to any greater Degree of Inconvenience or Want of Accomodation than what he undergoes in the place of his present Confinement especially as D Long Fox under whose Care he now is has informed the parish that there is no Probability of his ever being able to restore his Patient to a state of intellectual Sanity.
• 25th March 1796 At a vestry this day held, Ordered that Mr William Hagley do have the care of the Poor of this Parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the year ensuing and that on his taking care of t hem in all Cases (except midwifry) he be paid a Salary of Thirty five Pounds
• June 17th 1796 At a Vestry this day held pursuant to publick Notice given in the Church on Sunday last It it ordered that the Churchwardens do employ and Contract with such Person or Persons as they shall think proper to Repair the Organ in the Church & that they do pay the expences of such Repair out of the Church Rates
• 17th June 1796 At a Vestry held this day by public notice it is resolved that a general Inoculation of the Poor of this Parish only shall immediately take place at the expence of the Parish & that Mr Hagly and Mr Miller be employed to do the same at two shillings and six pence each person.
• 9 Sept 1796 At a Vestry this day held pursuant to Notice given in the Church on Sunday last It is ordered that the Churchwardens do annually so long as the Contract made between the late Churchwardens and Mr Seed shall continue pay to the said Mr Seed the sum of Five Guineas for keeping in repair the Organ in this Church and that the Organ Gallery be altered and put in /proper/ repair according to the Plan given in by Mr Cruse and that a Gallery be built between the Galleries in the South side of the Church and that the Expences thereof to be paid out of the Church Ratess.
• 14 April 1797 At a Vestry this day held it is ordered that the Overseers Accounts be examined in future at the end of every two Month by such paymasters as shall think proper to attend and that after every such examination the same be printed Ordered that Mr Joseph Miller to have the Care of the Poor of this Parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the year ensuing and that on his taking Care of them in all Cases (except midwifry) he be paid a Salary of Thirty Pounds
• At a vestry held ye 25th April 1797 pursuant to Notice given in Church on Sunday last to take into consideration the propriety of appointing an Assistant or Assistants to the present Overseers; it was resolved by a large and decided Majority, that a Committee should be appointed to assist the sd Overseers consisting of the undermentioned Gentlemen who are hereby empowered to meet on the first Monday of every Month at the Workhouse belonging to the said Parish to proceed to business at the hour of three o’clock in the afternoon to examine the former Months account & assist in all others Regulations & matters as may appear necessary as such meeting. Three of which here mentioned Gentlemen shall be sufficient to proceed on business.
• At a Vestry legally held May 26th 1797 We whose names are hereunto subscribed do agree & appoint Wm Sheppard & Thos Dibbins to kill & destroy all Dogs seen at large without Collars in the Streets of Frome, in order to prevent any mischief that may ensue from Mad Dogs. & the Overseers are hereby directed to pay the said Sheppard & Dibbins fourteen Shillings per Week for One Month from the Date hereof. NB It is hereby understood that all dogs wearing Collars shall bear the Name & place of abode of its Master.
• At a Vestry held this 15th day of December 1797 for the Purpose of considering of the Propriety of making a fresh Survey of the Lands and Buildings within this Parish with a view to a more equal Poor Rate It was Resolved that a Survey be accordingly made with all practical Expedition of the Lands and Buildings within this Parish by two Persons to be appointed (at a future Vestry, to be holden for that Purpose on Friday the twenty ninth day of this Instant December at 12 O'clock at Noon) by such Paymasters of the Parish who shall be present at that Vestry (those who pay merely in respect of stock to be excepted) And that in Case those two Surveyors so to be appointed shall not agree in their Judgment that a third Person be named by those two to decide the Point betwixt them. And it was also resolved that in Surveying such Buildings no Respect shall be had to any machinery or other Stock which those buildings may happen to contain but that the valuation shall be made merely on the Ground of their supposed abstracted Value.
• At a Vestry held this 29th of December 1797 for the purpose of appointing persons to survey the Kands and Buildings within this Parish and amending the poor Rate The Order of the last Vestry having been misunderstood by some persons now present with respect to the Mode in which Buildings are to be taxed - It is agreed that the Valuating of such Buildings that contain Machinery shall not be taxed higher than Buildings of an equal Value and Size applied to the purpose of manual Labour And that Mills worked by Water for the Purposes of machinery shall only be rated in the same Proportion as Corn Mills Fulling mills and other Mills. The Vestry having been informed that a Survey of all the Lands within this parish is about to be made by Mr Richard Richardson for the purpose of ascertaining the value of the Tythes Resolved that he be requested to furnish a Copy of such Valuation for the purpose of making a Poor Rate - And that an valuing the houses and buildings Mr Thomas Davis of Horningsham shall assist the said Mr Richardson & that they jointly make a Rate on the said Houses and Buildings - for which a fair Compensation shall be made them by the parish. Resolved that money shall be collected for the relief of the Poor according to the present Rate till the 29th day of Sept next that Time may be given for compleating the said Survey and Valuation.
• 6th April 1798 At a Vestry this day held Ordered that Mr Francis Bush do have the Care of the poor of this Parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the year ensuing and that on his taking Care of them in all Cases (except Midwifry) to be paid a Salary of Thirtyfive pounds.
• 10th August 1798 At a vestry this day held, in pursuance of directions from the Lord Bishop of the Diocese it is Ordered that the Wall enclosing the North burying Ground be taken down and rebuilt - and that the Blindhouse at the East end of the burying ground be also taken down and rebuilt on a spot of ground adjoining a place heretofore called Twattle alley
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• 25 March 1799 At a vestry this day held Ordered that Mr Richard Porch be an Assistant to the Overseers for the year ensuing at a Stipend of Sixty pounds certain and such further Addition as at a future vestry he may be deemed worthy Ordered that Mr William Hagley do have the Care of the poor of this Parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the year ensuing and that on his taking Care of them in all Cases (except Midwifry) to be paid a Salary of Forty Guineas.
• 31st Day of May 1799 At a vestry held this day Ordered that a Wall be built round that part of the Workhouse Garden that is now bounded by the highway, agreeable to a notice given in Church on Sunday the Twenty sixth Inst at an Expence not exceeding Sixty three pounds fifteen shillings
• July 12th 1799 At a Vestry this day held Thomas Daniell, Son of the late Mr Peter Daniell deceased, was duly elected Organist of the Parish Church of Frome at the Sum of Thirty pounds pr annum, on this express condition, that for the first five years, twenty pounds thereof be paid to the Widow or Children of the late Peter Daniell in such manner as the Vicar and Churchwardens for the time being may approve - The said Thomas Daniell undertaking duly to attend and play the Organ as well on Sundays Saints days and Saturday nights as also to attend and play to the Choir of Singers twice every week.
• Be it remembered that the Sum of One hundred pounds, five per cent Bank stock in our joint names in the Books of the Governor and Company of the Bank of England and the dividends arising therefrom, are intended to be added to a Bequest in the Will of the late Mr Richd Stevens of Prince’s street Drury lane, Middlesex, for the purpose of paying and allowing an annual Salary to a Singer Master, who shall teach and instruct the Choir in the parish Church of Frome, conformally to the Will of the said Mr Richard Stevens. Witness our hands this fifth day of November 1799
• April 14th 1800 At a vestry this day held Ordered that Mr Richard Porch be an Assistant to the Overseers for the year ensuing at a Stipend of Eighty pounds and his last years Salary be made up to that Salary - Ordered that Mr Joseph Miller do have the Care of the Poor of this parish as Surgeon and Apothecary for the year ensuing and that on his taking Care of them in all Cases (except Midwifry) to be paid a Salary of Forty Guineas. Ordered that the Vicar and the late & present Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor together with Mr John Stevens, Mr James Pobjoy, Mr William Pobjoy, Mr Wm Lacey, Mr William Rossiter, Mr William Rabbitts, Mr William Allard, Mr J D Middleton & Mr Richard Porch or so many of them as shall think proper to attend be a Committee to meet Mr Thomas Davis & Mr Richard Richardson in order to receive the Poor’s Rate by them about to be made -
• May 23rd 1800 At a Vestry this Day held The Committee who were appointed to receive the new Rate from Mr Richardson and Mr Davis having received the same and produced it at this Vestry; It is Ordered that Eighteen Rates be now granted thereon for the Relief of the Poor but as it is possible that in so large a concern there may be some Omissions or Errors in making the said Rate it is Ordered that the Churchwardens and Overseers with a Committee thereunder Appointed be empowered to receive any Representations that may be delivered to them in writing, as to Omissions or Inequality of rating, and that (after calling on Mr Richardson or Mr Davis to explain the same) they be empowered to make such Alterations as may appear to them to be necessary previous to granting the next Rates - The following Committee are Appointed (Viz) ..
• Decr 19th 1800 At a Vestry this day held pursuant to Notice to make Rates for Paying the Poor Agreed that the new rate lately made be Printed at the Expence of the Parish, 200 copy’s. to be sold to the Paymasters at 2/6 Each And that Mr Thos Balne, Mr Geo Kingdon for the trade Interest and Mr William Rabbitts & Mr Hugh Rabbitts for the Landed interest be appointed with Jas Pobjoy the fifth person as a Committee for Inspecting and Endeavouring to Equalize the present Rate with full power to call in the Assistance of any Judicious Surveyor in addition to Messrs Richardson and Davis; And the said Committee of 4 or 5 Persons as it may be shall make their Report thereof to a Vestry to be Specially called for that purpose. Such report as shall be agreed on shall be left in the vestry Room at least 7 Days previous to such Meeting.