199.

CHAPTER IX.

NEW ROAD-WAKE ARMS TO WOODFORD.

Ar the meeting, April, 1830, in consequence of the death of the late surveyor, a new appointment to this office had to be made. There were three applicants-John Thurlow, Thomas Smith, and Mr. McAdam. The two first applied for the situation at the previous salary of £50 per annum; Mr. McAdam expressed his willingness to undertake the office at the same salary, but pointed out to the Trustees that 100 guineas would not be more than an adequate remuneration for the services required. The show of hands was in favour of Mr. McAdam, and he was duly elected. A motion was then made and carried, that a salary of £100 per annum be allowed him, without any stipulation as to his place of residence, and with power to appoint his own assistant surveyor.

The object of the Trustees in electing Mr. McAdam, the celebrated maker of roads, at a salary so much in excess of what had been previously paid, is not here mentioned; it is, however, made manifest at the meeting held Monday, June 14, 1830, when the following minute was entered:-" Mr. McAdam having reported that a great improvement might be made in the road between Epping and Woodford, by adopting an entire new line between Epping and Woodford Wells :-Resolved that measures should immediately be taken for ascertaining which line would be most desirable for effecting the object. That Mr. McAdam do prepare a correct survey or surveys, to be produced at the next meeting, and that notice shall be given by the clerk to the Trustees, that a motion will

then be made for adopting the best plan, in order that the work, if determined upon, may be begun as soon as possible."

At the following meeting, June 30th, sixteen days after Mr. McAdam was appointed surveyor, he produced his plan, and Lord Braybrook moved, and Mr. Roland Austin seconded, that the line proposed by him should be adopted. The motion was carried by a majority of 14 to 4. It was also agreed that £7,000* should be borrowed towards the expense of constructing the line of road proposed.

Mr. McAdam was then instructed to prepare the plans, sections, and specifications of the proposed new line of roads, to be left at the office of the clerk, as well as at the office of Mr. McAdam, Whitehall. It was also to be advertised, that the Trustees were ready to receive tenders for the completion of the said work.

August 23rd, 1830. The tenders were submitted as follows:-By Messrs Bough and Smith.

For performance of the work in making the new

line of road from near Woodford Wells to

the Keeper's Lodge, viz. :—

which tender was accepted; it being, however, understood that a trifling deviation, made at the suggestion of General Grosvenor, near his residence, should be adopted.

Mr. McAdam's charge for surveying, &c., the new line of road amounted to £99 15s. Good progress was being made with the work, for, 3rd January, 1831, the contractors were paid £400 on account of work done, and the treasurer ordered

*This was borrowed at 4 per cent. per annum, but the interest was soon after increased to 5 per cent.

The plans are probably at Chelmsford.

to make up the amount of the first instalment, i.e., one-fourth part of the contract, as soon as he received the surveyor's certificate, that a third part of the road had been completed. 11th April. "The treasurer reported, he had paid up the amount of the first instalment due to Messrs. Bough and Smith, amounting to £1,354 5s., the surveyor having certified to him 'that a third part of their contract had been completed.' September, 1831. The authority was given for "the payment of £200 to Messrs. Bough and Smith, the contractors, and a further sum on the 26th inst; one month hence, £100, and six weeks hence, 100; provided the work was done to the satisfaction of Mr. McAdam," who was at the same time authorised to advance the contractors any sum or sums of money, not exceeding £50 per week, until the next meeting. It was also ordered that £150 be paid on account of brickwork.

February, 1832. The treasurer was ordered to pay the contractors the sum of £154 5s., to make up the amount of the second instalment. The surveyor was to continue to make advances of £50 to the contractor, as arranged at the previous meeting. In May £150 was paid to them and directions given that the weekly advances of £50 should be continued.

The accompanying map shows that the new road, by running straight to the corner of the road leading to Copt Hall Park, left a short distance between it and the termination of the road from Waltham Abbey.

The parish of Loughton having made a request that the approaches of the Waltham Abbey and the Loughton parish roads to the new road, should be made as staked off; and the contractor consenting to complete the same for the additional sum of £45, it was ordered to be done.

The old road, ran in front of, and parallel with, the "Wake Arms," and the land between the two roads has been built upon. But a portion of the old road can still be traced by the bushes at the side, when looking from the Epping end of it. A barn is now built across it; and as the gravel has been removed, it would scarcely be noticed unless attention was directed to it. The new portion can easily be recognised in Autumn by the

quantity of fresh gravel on it; and in Winter by its condition.

July 18th, 1831. In the proposed Act of Parliament which had been under consideration, provisions were to be made for the insertion of "a clause giving the Trustees power to make a new line of road from Fairmeade Bottom to Tottenham Mills, so as to join the Stamford Hill Road; and also power for the increase and alteration of the tolls." The conditions being, "provided the Metropolitan Trust will meet the said proposed road of junction on the Essex side of the river Lea."

The clerk was to prepare a copy of the proposed Act, to be submitted to the next meeting, and to forward a copy of the resolution to the Trustees of the Metropolitan Roads, and the Trustees of the Middlesex and Essex Roads. The surveyor was directed to prepare plans and sections, and a book of reference of the proposed new line of road from Fairmeade Bottom.

As the costs of making the proposed road, and incidental expenses, would amount to a considerable sum of money, means of procuring it had to be considered. The tolls belonging to the "Trust " were heavily mortgaged; it was therefore "Resolved that the clerk be directed to apply in the proper quarter, for the loan of £15,000 from the Commissioners appointed under an Act of Parliament, passed in the second year of the reign of His present Majesty, for authorising the issue of Exchequer Bills, and the advance of money for carrying on public works, and fisheries, and employment of the poor, and to authorise further issue of Exchequer Bills for the purpose of the said Act."

November 14th, 1831. In reply to the applications for the loan just mentioned, a letter was received from the Secretary of the Exchequer Loan Commissioners, stating that no step could be taken until the Act had passed. No communication having been received from the Metropolitan Trust, it was decided to postpone for the present the application to Parliament.

May 7th, 1832. At this meeting the Bill proposed and adopted October 10th, 1831, was duly considered; when, the