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Union of Benefices Act 1860

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Union of Benefices Act 1860[1]
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to make better Provision for the Union of contiguous Benefices in Cities, Towns, and Boroughs.
Citation23 & 24 Vict. c. 142
Territorial extent Dioceses of London and Winchester
Dates
Royal assent28 August 1860
Commencement28 August 1860
Repealed1974
Other legislation
Amended byStatute Law Revision Act 1875
Repealed byStatute Law (Repeals) Act 1974
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Union of Benefices Act 1860 (23 & 24 Vict. c. 142) was legislation which prevented the need for other acts[2] if following its prescribed three-stage scheme. It enabled reduction of the number of parish churches and vicars/rectors in London's "Metropolis", as defined by a narrower Act five years before. It instead allowed commissions to recommend dissolution to various parties, which would then be a formality agreed by Order-in-Council.

It was chiefly used for the City of London,[3] as its residential population declined in favour of commercial land use[4] in the second half of the 19th century.[5]

Mechanism

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  1. Sections 3 to 6 imposed and regulated prior, unpaid, commissions of inquiry.
    Three of the Commissioners shall be beneficed Clergymen residing within the Diocese, of whom One shall be nominated by the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, and Two by the Bishop of the Diocese, and the remaining Two shall be Lay Members of the Church of England and shall be nominated to the Bishop by the Corporation of the City of London"
  2. Section 7.
    If the Return to the Commission shall recommend an Union, the Bishop shall cause Proposals for a Scheme, based upon the Terms recommended, to be prepared for effecting the Union, which Proposals, with the Consent thereto in Writing of the Patron or Patrons of each of the Benefices affected, shall be transmitted by the Bishop to the Churchwardens of each Parish proposed to be united, in order that the same may be considered by the Inhabitants in Vestry assembled; and all such Proposals shall have especial Regard to the Residence of the Incumbent on the Benefice proposed to be constituted the united Benefice, and shall contain all necessary Provisions conducing to such Residence."
  3. Section 8.
    Vestry to notify Assent, Suggestions for modification or Objections. Bishop to transmit final Proposals to Ecclesiastical Commissioners, to prepare Scheme, and certify same to the Queen in Council (in practice the Privy Council of the United Kingdom).

Eventual effects

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Churches affected
Church Fate Year United with
All Hallows Bread Street Demolished 1876 St Mary-le-Bow
All-Hallows-the-Great Tower demolished first; then main body 1876/1894 St Michael Paternoster Royal
All Hallows Lombard Street Demolished[6] 1937 St Edmund the King and Martyr
All Hallows Staining[7] Demolished 1870 St Olave Hart Street
Holy Trinity Gough Square Demolished 1906 St Bride, Fleet Street
Holy Trinity, Minories Closed[8](destroyed 1940[9]) 1899 St Botolph's Aldgate
St Alphage London Wall Demolished[7] 1924 St Mary Aldermanbury
St Antholin, Budge Row[10] Demolished[11] 1875 St Mary Aldermary
St Benet Gracechurch Demolished 1868 All Hallows Lombard Street
St Dionis Backchurch Demolished[12] 1878 All Hallows Lombard Street
St George Botolph Lane Demolished 1901-04[13] St Mary-at-Hill
St James Duke's Place Demolished 1874 St Katherine Cree
St Katherine Coleman Demolished 1926 St Olave Hart Street
St Martin Outwich Demolished 1874 St Helen's Bishopsgate
St Mary Somerset Demolished[7] 1872 St Nicholas Cole Abbey
St. Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street Caught fire,[14] subsequently pulled down 1887 St Martin Ludgate
St Matthew Friday Street Demolished 1885 St Vedast alias Foster
St Michael Bassishaw Demolished 1900 St Lawrence Jewry
St Michael Queenhithe Demolished[15] 1875 St James Garlickhythe
St Michael Wood Street Demolished 1895 St Alban, Wood Street
St Mildred, Poultry Demolished 1872 St Olave Jewry
St Olave Jewry Demolished 1888-91[7] St Margaret Lothbury
St Peter Le Poer Demolished 1907 St Michael, Cornhill

As churchyards were emptied for buildings such as the new railway stations and roads, many remains were exhumed and re-interred in the City of London Cemetery.

Union of Benefices Act 1898
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to amend the Union of Benefices Act, 1860.
Citation61 & 62 Vict. c. 23
Dates
Royal assent25 July 1898
Other legislation
AmendsUnion of Benefices Act 1860
Repealed byPastoral Measure 1968
Status: Repealed

This act was extended by the Union of Benefices Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict. c. 23) This simply stated any such scheme "may be made if it provides for the erection of another church or parsonage for a benefice in the vicinity of the metropolis" [including] "any benefice within or partly within the Metropolitan Police District".

Notes

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  1. ^ The citation of this Act by this short title was authorised by the Short Titles Act 1896, section 1 and the first schedule.  Due to the repeal of those provisions it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.
  2. ^ Borer, M.I.C. The City of London – a history. New York, D. McKay Co, 1978 ISBN 0-09-461880-1
  3. ^ Huelin, G. Vanished Churches of the City of London, London Guildhall Library Publishing 1996 ISBN 0-900422-42-4
  4. ^ The 1860 United Benefices Act Wright, G.W. in "Notes and Queries" 1943 184(10):290-291
  5. ^ Reynolds, H. The Churches of the City of London. London, Bodley Head, 1922
  6. ^ Tower and other components re-erected at All Hallows, Twickenham
  7. ^ a b c d Tower remains. Betjeman, John (1992) [1967]. The City of London Churches. Andover: Pitkin. ISBN 0-85372-565-9.
  8. ^ The Times, Tuesday, 20 June 1899; pg. 8; Issue 35860; col A Ecclesiastical Intelligence Ancient church closes
  9. ^ "Local Administrative Units: Southern England" Youngs, F London: Royal Historical Society, 1979 ISBN 978-0-901050-67-0
  10. ^ Viewed by many as the most tragic loss of all "Notes on Old City Churches" Pearce, C.W. (Winthrop Rogers Ltd 1909)
  11. ^ To make way for the new Queen Victoria Street. Harben, H. (1918). A Dictionary of London. London: Herbert Jenkins.
  12. ^ Proceeds went to building of St Dionis, Parson's Green
  13. ^ A survey at the beginning of the century had identified it had not been used for worship in 10 years The Times, 23 June 1900; pg. 15; Issue 36176; col F Survey Of The Memorials Of London.
  14. ^ 2 December 1886 Huelin (ibid)
  15. ^ Demolition details
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