Continued Thursday 1st. August 1771

Wapping Tenants their Petn.
for Assistance & Contribution
towards Paving Old Gravel
Lane

Upon Reading the Humble Petition of Hugh Roberts< no role >
Lewis Weston< no role > William Wilton< no role > and Joseph Shepperd< no role > of the Parish of
St. John Wapping on behalf of themselves and several other Tenants
of the Hospital of Bridewell to the Effect followingVizt.

That by an Act of Parliament Intituled "An Act for
Paving Wapping Street in the County of Middlesex and the several
Streets and Passages leading into the same and for removing all
Encroachments & Obstructions therefrom and for Preventing the like
for the future And for opening a Passage from Herritage Street
into Nightingale Lane and for Paving such Passage and the East
side of Nightingale Lane " Authority as gives to the Commissrs
in the said Act named to Pave Wapping street commencing at
Hermitage Bridge and Endng at New Crane & certain other Lanes

And it is also Enacted that if at any Time after passing
the Act, two thirds or more of the Householders and Landlords or
Owners of Houses and Tenements within any of the said Streets Lanes
or places opening immediately into the said street authorized to be
paved shall apply by Petition to the said Commissioners or any
Nine or more of them Expressing their desire to have the same
Paved and clearned of Incroachments Nuisances Obstructions and
Annoyances that then it shall be lawful for the said Commissrs.
or any Nine of them to cause the same to be done and they are to
Rate and Assess such Street Lane or place for the purposes aforesd.
so as such Assessment does not Exceed One Shilling and Six pences
in the Pound and to raise a Moneys upon annuities for Live so otherwise
upon the Credit of such Rates on Assessments sufficient for Defraying
the Expences of the said Works only and the Pavement of the said
Lane or other places comprehended in such Petition shall after an
Order made by the said Commissioners or ay Nine or more of them
for the purposes aforesaid be from thenceforth Vested in the sd. Commrs.
Appointed by the said Act and such street or place shall remains
under the same Government Direction and Managemt. of them and
their Officers or other persons appointed by tem for that purpose as the
said several streets Lanes and places last authorized to be paved

That the Govrs. of the said Hospital are Owners of upwards of
One third part of the Houses on both sides the said Street called
Wapping street and the Streets and Alleys Adjacent thereto but
the same being L3eased out to Tenants at a Ne Ground Rent the
Hospital Estate will be at no Charge of New Paving the sd Streets
directed to be paved by the Act of Parliamt notwithstanding the
same Estate will be greatly benefited thereby

That the only thorough fare to the Hospital Estate from Ratcliffe
Highway Spital Fields and parts adjacent is down a Street or Lane
called Old Gravel Lane which Commences in Ratcliffe Highway &
Terminates in much about the Centre of the said Hospital Estate

That the said Lane is at present in a very Ruinous Condition
& P New Paved & three Incroachments & Nuisances removed would be
of great Utility to the Publick and be of a particular Benefit to the
said Estates and to the Hospital Tenants Residing therein; but the
Inhabitants of the said Lane being very Poor it is not in their