Hammersmith Vestry

The Hammersmith Vestry (also known as the Vestry of the Parish of Hammersmith) was the vestry for the parish of Hammersmith, London from 1834 to 1856 and 1886 to 1900.

In 1629, inhabitants of Hammersmith, including the Earl of Mulgrave and Nicholas Crispe, successfully petitioned the Bishop of London for a chapel of ease to be built at St Paul's, Church, in Hammersmith.^[1]

On 7 June 1631, the chapelry was consecrated by Bishop Laud. A perpetual curacy was established and the chapelry developed its own independent vestry.^[1]

In 1834, upon the passing of the Hammersmith Parish Act 1834, Hammersmith became a distinct parish with St Paul's as the parish church and vicarage.^[2]

In 1855, following the passing of the Metropolis Management Act 1855, the parishes of Fulham and Hammersmith were combined for civil purposes as the Fulham District, governed by the Fulham District Board of Works, abolishing the first Hammersmith Vestry.^[3] This coincided with the parish becoming part of the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works. The Hammersmith Vestry continued to exist as a non-administrative vestry with its main responsibility to appoint members to the Fulham District Board of Works. Hammersmith Vestry appointed 24 of the 39 vestrymen to the district board.

On 25 March 1886, following the passing of the Metropolis Management Amendment Act 1885, the Fulham District Board of Works was dissolved and administrative vestries of Hammersmith and Fulham were incorporated, with elections to the Metropolitan Board of Works to be held on that date.^[4] Hammersmith Vestry appointed one member to the Metropolitan Board of Works.^[a]

The vestry used the powers of the Electric Lighting Acts to build Hammersmith power station.^[b]

In March 1897, as a new town hall was nearing completion, the vestry resolved to seek a grant of arms form the College of Arms to display on the building. In July of the same year a draft memorial was received from the college, and payment of £76 10s made.^[5] The arms were officially granted in December, and inherited by the Hammersmith Borough Council in 1900.

The London Government Act 1899 reformed the administration of London by dividing the County of London into 28 metropolitan boroughs, replacing the 41 parish vestries and district boards of works administering the area.^[6] On 15 May 1900, the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith was created from the civil parish of Hammersmith, governed by Hammersmith Borough Council, abolishing the Hammersmith Vestry.^[7]