Full text of "The story of the "One Tree Hill" agitation, with a short sketch of the history of Honor Oak Hill"

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CsNs

UC-NRLF

B M D73 IbT

THE

Otic Cm 1)111

AGITATION,

With a SHORT SKETCH of the

HISTORY OF

l)onor Oak l))ll.

As presented in the final report
submitted to the Enclosure
of Honor Oak Hill Protest
Committee by Councillor
John Nisbet, the Honorary
Secretary.

Printed for, and Published by the Enclosure of Honor Oak Hill
Protest Committee, John Nisbet, Hon, Secretary, 90 Harlescott
Road, Waverley Park, Nunhead, S.E.

1905.

[Copyright].

Pricc - - - THREEPENCE.

PROFESSOR C.A. KCFOID

THE STORY OF

THE

ONE TREE HILL

AGITATION,

With a Short Sketch of the
History of

HONOR OAK HILL.

By Councillor JOHN NISBET.

1906.

•. ; ♦ • ^

GIFT OF

PROFESSOR C.A. KOFOID

Printed at the Office of the

'* South London Mail,"

28 Peckham Road,

S.E.

1905.

THE

ENCLOSURE OF HONOR OAK HILL

PROTEST COMMITTEE.

Cbe Bon. secKtarp's final Report to
Committee, If^arcb lltD, 1905.

Gentlemen,

N presenting this, my Final Report, it may not be
out of place to give a short sketch of the history
of Honor Oak Hill, and also a statement of the
efforts of the Committee towards the acquisition,
as a public open space for ever, of this once
popular resort.

JOHN NISBET,^on. Sec.

m217'294

HONOR OAK HILL,

PART I.

THE beautiful and commanding eminence known as
Honor Oak Hill, or more commonly as One Tree
Hill, is situated just within the South Eastern
boundary of the new Borough of Camberwell, and is distant
about four and a half miles from Charing Cross.

The boundary line of the parishes of Camberwell and
Lewisham, and also of the Counties of Kent and Surrey,
which were co-terminous, formerly equally divided the hill.

Honor Oak Hill forms the northern spur of a chain of
hills extending from Croydon, the whole of which were at one
time covered with a dense forest, named from its position
with regard to that town, the Great North Wood. This, or
most of it, was at one time the property of the Archbishops
of Canterbury, hence sometimes named the Bishop's Wood,
and no doubt it offered splendid hunting facilities to many of
those bygone princes of the Church.

In course of time portions of the Great North Wood
became detached, and were subsequently known as Penge
Wood, Norwood, Gipsy Wood, Dulwich Wood, Forest Wood
or Forest Hill, and Westwood.

This last gave name to Westwood Common, once the
property of the Abbots of the convent of Ghent, Flanders,

6 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

and later of the Priors of Sheen Priory. At the dissolution
of the monasteries, Westwood became the property of the
Crown, and later, in the reign of King James I., it gave
rise to the first recorded fight for Commons Rights in this
country. This struggle lasted altogether ten years, and with
the spirited assistance of Abiaham Colfe, the famous vicar
of Lewisham, was ultimately won by the people. *

Of the early history of Honor Oak Hill very little is
known.

* Westwood, or Sydenham Common, was situated upon the eastern
slopes of Sydenham Hill, and extended from about the present Wells
Koad, on the south, to the neighbourhood of London Road, Forest
Hill on the north. It was some five hundred acres in extent, and
partly covered with wood. The inhabitants of Lewisham freely grazed
their cattle on it, and otherwise exercised Commons Rights.

The common was one of the numerous grants bestowed by Edward
VI. upon Lord Seymour, a brother of the Protector Somerset.

Upon the attainder and execution of Seymour, it was, with the rest
of that nobleman's estates, seized by Somerset. When the latter also
fell, the property reverted to the Crown.

The timber on the common was, in Queen Elizabeth's reign, reserved
for ship building.

In 1605 King James I. granted this common to Henry Newport,
gentleman, Yeoman of the Royal Household, who immediately attempted
to enclose it. The inhabitants resisted by claiming rights of common
in regard to their messuage ; they submitted a case to the Barons of
the Exchequer, and ultimately succeeded in defeating Newport's design.

Newport, chagrined at his defeat, cast about to discover how best
to circumvent the decision of the Barons, and eventually joined with
Robert Raines and Innocent Lanier, both officers of the King's House-
hold, and together they obtained on April 4th, 1614, a lease of 347
acres of the common, under the Great Seal, for sixty years.

The commoners again petitioned, this time the King, and their
suit was privately heard on May 21st following. John Burnett, an
inhabitant, was appointed the representative defendant, and on October
14th, 1614, the jury returned a verdict for the King, and execution
was awarded against Burnett.

Newport and his co-lessees immediately began to enclose the
common with hedges and ditches, ruthlessly driving out the commoners

THE HISTORY OF HOXOR OAK HILL. 7

Some modern researchers are of opinion that the district
comprising Honor Oak and Peckham Rye is the locality
where, in A.D. 61, was fought the battle that resulted in the
total defeat of the heroic Boadicea, the warrior queen of the
Iceni, and the slaughter of eighty thousand of her followers
by ten thousand Roman veterans under the leadership of
Suetonius Paulinus. t

cattle, and killing- many. Tlie inhabitants retorted by demolishing
the fences and filling in the ditches.

Abraham Colfe, the public spirited vicar of Lewisham, then took
the matter up on behalf of the inhabitants, and determined to present
a petition to the King in person. Having notified His Majesty, he
marched at the head of a deputation of one hundred persons through
the City on their way to Theobalds where the King was staying. He,
however, met them at Tottenham High Cross, where he received them
favourably, and ordered the Lords of the Privy Council to see to it
that he was no more troubled about the matter. The Lords referred
the case to Sir G. Bromley, who ordered a new trial, when judgment
for the inhabitants was given on November 18th, 1615.

f The points in favour of this locality being the site of that
memorable and sanguinary fight for freedom, are, firstly: that, of the
many supposed sites in the neighbourhood of London, this approaches
nearest to the description given by Tacitus of the position chosen by
Suetonius. The historian says : " He (Suetonius) chose a spot in a
defile (answering to Woodvale) encircled with woods (the woods of
Forest Hill on his right flank, and the ancient thickets of Fryern upon
the slopes of Ladlands Hill, on his left) and sheltered in the rear by a
thick forest (the Great North Wood). In the front was a narrow straight
leading to an open plain (Peckham Kye). In that situation he had no
fear of an ambuscade. The enemy, he knew, had no approach but in
front." Secondly : A Roman military station occupied the summit of
Ladlands Hill (across which runs Overhill Road) and within a short
distance of the supposed site of the battle. Thirdly : Suetonius' tactical
caution induced him to abandon the idea of attacking in the open,
with his small army of less than ten thousand men, a force of one
hundred and twenty thousand (;vicle Dion Cassius) flushed with
victories lately gained over the Romans, so leaving Londinium
(London) to its fate he retired upon a strong position in a less
affected district, such as the camp at Ladlands and tlie neighbourhood
would offer.

8 THE HISTORY OP HONOR OAK HILL.

Admitting that this is the spot which witnessed the
complete overthrow of the outraged Boadicea, and the
extinction of her husband's (King Prasutagus') dynasty ; it
is possible that this, one of the most sanguinary battles of
ancient and modern times, may have been watched from
Honor Oak Hill by an anxious multitude of Londoners and
other refugees, who had sought the protection of the Roman
general.

These would view, with fear and concern, the desperate
charges of the brave but undisciplined British warriors, who,
like the surging waves of a storm -tossed sea dashing against
an adamantine shore, repeatedly rushed with noisy shouts,
upon the silent and firm phalanx of the disciplined Roman
legions {vide Dion Cassius) to be as often hurled back
again. X With joy the interested spectators would from the
hill notice the legions, at last taking the offensive, and in
the form of a wedge charge like a whirlwind through the
serried mass of the enemy, and, supported by the Roman
cavalry, sweeping all before them on to the more level
Peckham Rye, where tradition has long placed the scene of
final slaughter, and of the death by poison, self-administered,
of the intrepid, but unfortunate Boadicea. § Tacitus says,
that in this battle " Eighty thousand Britons were put to
the sword. The Romans lost about four hundred and the
wounded did not exceed that number."

J Dion Cassius describes Boadicea as riding in her war chariot
with her daughters, everywhere encouraging her followers, now
numbering one hundred and thirty thousand, to conquer or die. She
possessed a grim face, keen eye, and rough speech. Her golden hued
hair flowed to her waist, she wore a plaid, and torques of gold, and
carried a spear in her hand.

§ The causes which led up to this celebrated engagement are fully
set out by Tacitus the Koman historian, who writes a graphic and un-

THE HISTORY OP HONOR OAK HILL. 9

Honor Oak Hill was, until the dissolution of the Mon-
asteries, the property of the Abbots of Bermondsey.

Tradition has it, that on a May Day, Queen Elizabeth
who went a maying, came to this hill, and resting in the
shadow of an oak tree on its summit, had refreshments served
to her. This tree was ever afterwards known as the Oak
of Honor.

This incident, in all probability, occurred in connection
with a visit which Elizabeth paid to Sir Richard Buckley
at Lewisham, described in the Chamberlain's Papers for 1602,
thus : — " On May Day the Queen went a maying to Sir
Richard Bucldey's at Lewisham, some three or four miles
off Greenwich."

A point distant three or four miles from Greenwich could
be located in Lewisham, somewhere in the neighbourhood of

biassed account. From this statement is gathered, shortly, that
Prasutagus, King of the Iceni (a people occupying the modern
counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Huntingdon and Cambridge) died leaving
his vast wealth to be equally divided between his two daughters and
the Emperor Nero, hoping that by so doing he would secure the safety
of his family and the tranquillity of his Kingdom, which last he left
to his wife Boadicea. The reverse proved the result.

The Eomans, at the instigation of the avaricious tyrant Catus
Decianus, the civil governor of the province, overran the country of
the Iceni, and plundered the property of the late King. His widow
Boadicea was scourged, his daughters were violated, and his other
relatives reduced to slavery. The outraged queen took a terrible
revenge. She incited her countrymen to revolt, and joined by the
Trinobantians (Middlesex and Essex) and other neighbouring states,
she attacked and destroyed Camulodunum (Colchester) defeated the
ninth legion under the command of Petilius Cerealis, and laid Veru-
lanium (St. Albans) and Londinium (London) in ashes, and not less
than seventy thousand Koman citizens were massacred. The tyrant
Decianus alarmed at the terrible carnage of his countrymen, and
fearing the indignation of the Britons, whom by his cruelty and rapine
be had driven to despair, fled to Gaul (France) for safety.

10 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

Forest Hill and Sydenham, wheie it is most likely that
Sir Richard's residence was situated, and it would consequently
not be far from the hill.

The first written notice of the hill appears in the
particulars of a survey of Lewisham. The document, now in
the Rolls Court, is dated October 3rd, 1608, and mentions
that the " Oak of Honour is one and a half miles from
Westwood."

The next mention of the hill is in a document also at
the Record Office, and refers to the purchase of a parcel of
land by Mr. Shard from Sir Thomas Bond, formerly belonging
to Sir Thomas Crymes, situated at Honor Oak. ||

It may, by the way, be mentioned here, that it was
owing to the discovery of these documents, and also from
the information gathered from the Sydenham (or Westwood)
Common Enclosing Award, deposited at Maidstone, and
consulted by Mr. Lawrence W. Chubb, Secretary of the
'' Commons and Footpaths Preservation Society," and also by
several members of the Protest Committee, that it was
conclusively proved that Honor Oak never was a part of
"Westwood Common, which discovery induced this Committee
to abandon any claim to Common Rights over One Tree
Hill.

II The three names mentioned above belonged to leading Peckham
families of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

Sir Thomas Cryrnes (or Grimes) was the eldest son of Sir George
Crymes, of Peckham, and was born at the end of April, 3638. He
succeeded to the title and estates of his father in October, 1659, and
shortly after sold his Peckham property, including the parcel of land
at Honor Oak Hill, to Sir Thomas Bond, Bart., his brother-in-law.

Sir Thomas Bond was possessed of considerable property in Peckham,
in addition to that which he purchased from Sir Thomas Crymes.

Bond was a great favourite at the Court of Charles II., who had in

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THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 11

The hill is devoid of any trees upon its north side, but
is fairly well wooded on the south and west.

Rocque in his map of 1745 delineates the hill as a rough
and unprotected waste, with cultivated lands running up to
its east, north and north western base. Such was its
appearance at the beginning of the last century, when the
cornfields of Brockley Hall farm extended to the eastern, and
of Homestall farm to the northern slopes of the hill.

The hill at this period was approached by footpaths from
all directions, and most of them were used by the public up
to within the last fifteen or twenty years. The London to

October, 1658, created him a Baronet at Brussels, where the King was,
at that time, a fugitive.

Sir Thomas built for himself a magnificent residence at Peckham,
on the site of a former one. This mansion stood between the present
Hill Street and Sumner Eoad (the Grand Surrey Canal covers the
actual site), and was distant about 250 yards from the High Street.
The mansion, which faced the north, was approached through a
splendid avenue of elms from the principal entrance, which stood at a
point nearly opposite the " Oliver Goldsmith " School in Southampton
Street, then called Rainbow Lane. Another avenue of trees extended
from the mansion northwards through the park. The prospect in this
direction took in St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, and
was considered to be very fine. The gardens, which were extensive and
beautifully laid out, extended from the south front of the mansion to
High Street. ^Melon Place, Martin's Road, stands upon the site of the
melon grounds that once belonged to this residence. Evelyn, the
celebrated Diarist, paid a visit here. He writes in his Diary, June 12th,
1676, " I went to see Sir Tliomas Bond's new and fine house at
Peckham. It's on a flat, but has a fine garden and prospect through
the meadows to London."

Sir Thomas Bond was a strong adherent of the House of Stuart,
and readily engaged in the cause of James II., in consequence of
which, when that King became a fugitive, Sir Thomas had to flee
the country. His residence was plundered and wrecked by a partisan
mob, and his property forfeited to the Crown.

It appears that he ultimately returned to this country, and at his
death was buried at St. Giles' Church, Camberwell. In the Church

12 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

Croydon canal, opened in 1805, ran past the south-eastern
foot of the hill, and a lock called the top lock, existed near
the point at which the Honor Oak Park Railway Station is
now situated. Many persons still living remember the lock,
over which wns erected a foot bridge connecting a path
running from Forest Hill Eoad over the crown of the hill
and on to Broclv;ley Road.

This path was crossed by a stile at its commencement in
Forest Hill Road, by another stile near to the canal, and by
a third at its termination at Brockley Road ; at this point
the path came out by the side of a farm house (belonging to
Mr. ISToakes of Brockley Hall) which was occupied about

The property at Peckham, which had been forfeited to the Crown,
was subsequently restored to Sir Thomas Bond's son, Henry, who
succeeded to the title. Sir Henry Bond shortly after disposed of this
property to Sir Thomas, afterwards Lord Trevor, at whose death the
Peckham estates were sold to Mr. Hill, a merchant in the City of
London.

Mr. Hill's widow resided for many years in the house, formerly
built by Sir Thomas Bond. At her death the property came to her
nephew, Isaac Pacatus Shard. Hill Street, formerly Lord Lane, takes
its name from Mrs. Hill.

The Shards were an old and distinguished Peckham family, and
ultimately became possessed of the extensive estates formerly belonging
to Sir Thomas Bond, who had sold to a former member of this family
the parcel of land at Honor Oak Hill,

The Shards occupied the mansion at Peckham until 1797, when it
was pulled down, and the estate, which embraced almost the whole of
present Peckham, was broken up into small properties, and sold to
satisfy the numerous creditors of the last of the Shards, whose
extravagance had run him deeply into debt. He disappeared from
this country about the end of the first quarter of the last century.

A plan of the boundary of the Parish of Camberwell, 1805, shows
that William Shard was then the owner of a part of One Tree Hill,
which no doubt was the same that was sold by Sir Thomas Bond to
a Mr. Shard about 1670.

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 13

seventy years ago by a tenant farmer named Owen who kept
the latter two stiles in repair.

Another path ran from Peckham Rye, along the east
side of Priory Farm, and joining with another coming from
the direction of Nun head went up the northern slope of the
hill, at the top of which it formed a junction with the path
from Brockley to Forest Hill Road, already mentioned. All
these paths w^ere crossed by stiles.

The hill was at the commencement of the last century
used as a semaphore station by the Honourable East India
Company, to signal the appearance of their vessels in the
Channel. It was also put into requisition by the Admiralty at
the time of Napoleon Bonaparte's threatened invasion of
England. A cottage built for the use of the signalling
operator, stood on the top of the hill, and was subsequently
occupied by a Mr. Waghorne, the father of one of the
witnesses produced by the Protest Committee.

The tree from which the hill takes its name has long since
disappeared. A stump of an old tree upon the summit of the
hill, is said to be the remains of the second tree planted
there since the days of good Queen Bess.

The boundaries of the parish were, in olden times, usually
perambulated once in three years, and Honor Oak Hill, as one
of the boundaries, has been the scene of many such interesting
gatherings. It was understood that no perambulation would be
complete without the singing of Psalm civ. at the site of the
old oak tree. The last perambulation was made by the last of
the old Board of Overseers on 11th May, 1899. The company
consisted of Messrs. Burlington, Brewer, Shipton, and West,
and the present Councillors John George and J. R. Tomkins-
(the latter being the Mayor of Camberwell for this year 1905)

14 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

all being members of the late vestry ; also Mr. C. W. Tagg^
the present Town Clerk, and several representatives from the
neighbouring local aiithoiity of Lewisham.

The writer had the goorl foitune and pleasure to accompany
the party, and remembers well the thrill of emotion which
vibrated through him as he took part in the singing of
Psalm c. to its grand old tune, upon the site of the ancient
Oak of Honor. %

The Church of St. Augustine, built in 1872-3, stands
near the summit upon the southern slopes. The site was
presented by Mr. Edward Clarke of Oaklands, a residence
standing at the foot of the hill in the Forest Hill Road.
Mr. Clarke also gave .£700 towards the erection of the fabric.

Large quantities of clay, amounting to thousands of tons,
have been taken from the hill for the purposes of pottery and
brickmaking. This material appears to have been removed
by any one requiring it without let or hindrance. Mr.
Marshall who owned the potteries that stood in the Forest
Hill Road, acknowledged to having taken hundreds of loads
of clay from both the north and the south sides of the hill.
This no doubt was the first cause of the land-slips which
unfortunately still continue.

^ The writer regrets to say that the gentlemen present not being
sufficiently acquainted with the words of Psalm civ., compromised as
stated on Psalm c.

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 15

PART II.

HONOR OAK HILL, up to the autumn of 1896, when
it was quietly but effectually enclosed by a golf club,
had been always an open space, and from time
immemorial a popular place of resort for the people. The
barring of the public from this hitherto much frequented
spot, by the erection of a six foot fence, caused a storm of
indignation.

A number of meetings protesting against the enclosure,
was held in the spring and early summer of 1897 on Peckham
Rye, and resulted in the formation of the " Enclosure of
Honor Hill Protest Committee." Mr. S, E. Adams of the
" Samuel Bowley " Coffee Tavern, Peckham Rye, kindly placed
his public room at the disposal of the members of this Com-
mittee, and its first meeting was held there on the 6th of
August, 1897. Mr. J. Cress well- Jones was elected Chairman ;
Mr. Goddard Clarke, J.P., L.C.C., Treasurer ; and J. Nisbet
(the writer), Hon. Secretary, and an Executive consisting
of Messrs. J. E. Dobson, J. Hampden Davis, F. T. Pexton
and James Smith, together with the Chairman and Secretary,
was appointed.

The Committee, which numbered twenty-three members at
its first meeting, rapidly increased to about one hundred and
fifty, amongst the number being many members of the Cam-
berwell and the Lewisham Local Authorities. The members
of the last-named body, together with a number of residents
of Brockley and Forest Hill, eventually formed a local Sub-
Committee, with Mr. W. J. Gilham as the Hon. Secretary.

16 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

Forty meetings were held in various parts of the two
districts during the first three months, at which meetings
a sum amounting to .£41 9s. 8|d. (including a few
subscriptions) was collected towards the expenses of the
campaign.

Efforts were at once set on foot to collect evidence of
user by the public ; and the authorities and interested
societies were appealed to for support.

The first body approached was the National Footpaths
Preservation Society. The writer interviewed the secretary
(at the offices in Essex Street, Strand), who stated that he
was afraid that his society could not do anything to assist in
the matter (at that time the Committee was considering the
question of Common Rights only), but stated that the
Commons Preservation Society would very likely render any
assistance required.

The writer immediately proceeded to the offices of the
latter society, then situated in Great College Street, West-
minster, and there saw Mr. Lawrence W. Chubb, the
courteous and able secretary, who, the same day, went
thoroughly into the business of the interview, and before the
writer left had promised that he and his societ}'- would
do everything in their power to assist the Committee, This
promise was faithfully fulfilled by his constant and unsparing
efforts and valuable advice at all times, and the success
achieved may be largely attributed to his unstinted help.

The local authorities of the two districts concerned being
at this time in recess for the August holidays, nothing could
be done in that direction, but in the meantime great
progress was being made. Enthusiastic public meetings were held,
diligent searches for information were undertaken in Govern-
ment and public offices, and old residents were interviewed.

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THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 17

Notwitlistanding these efforts, which were being success-
fully carried out, and the fact that Mr. Chubb was present,
aiding with invaluable advice, at almost every meeting of the
Committee, a spirit of unrest, at what was termed the slow
methods of the Executive, began to show itself amongst a
small section of the members. At a meeting of the Committee
held about the end of August, a resolution was moved that a
sub-committee be appointed to proceed to the hill, and assert
the rights of the public by pulling down the fence. This,
howevei", was defeated, only two members voting for it.

The iirst note of defiance at the action of the Protest
Committee, was struck by the Golf Club Authorities (who were
determined to brook no interference) in prosecuting two lads
for alleged breaking down of the fence, and trespassing on the
hill, on Monday, 23rd August, 1897. The lads, who denied
breaking the fence, were defended, and Mr. Marchant,
Solicitor, Deptford Broadway, was instructed to watch the
case on behalf of the Protest Committee.

After two adjournments, the lads were convicted and
fined. On the following Sunday, 3rd October, a resolution
was unanimously passed at a large meeting held on the Rye,
strongly condemning the action of the Golf Club, and also
sympathizing with the lads and their parents, and copies of
the resolution were sent to the Home Secretary and the
Members of Parliament for Camberwell, Peckham, Dulwich,
and Lewisham.

The next incident brought to the notice of the Committee
was reported by Mr. George Morley, a member, who stated
that on Saturday, September 25th, being in the vicinity of
the hill, he witnessed two little children who had scrambled
through a broken portion of the fence — apparently to gather
flowers — attacked by a large dog, which appeared to be in

18 THE HISTORY OP HONOR OAK HILL.

charge of a man watching the grounds. Mr. Morley went to
the assistance of tlie children, when he found that one of
them had been bitten in the hand. He expostulated with the
man, who denied having set the dog on. He then saw the
children home to their parents, who were also subsequently
seen by the Executive. An explanation and apology were
afterwards given, and the matter dropped.

Meanwhile a great deal of evidence had been secured, and
from the information thus collected a map was prepared by
the writer, showing footpaths leading to and over the hill
from various points.

"With the mass of evidence now in hand it was considered
advisable to lose no time in approaching the local authorities
of the two parishes with a view to inducing them to take the
matter up, and accordingly Ca.mberwell Vestry was asked to
receive a deputation at its first meeting after the recess,
on September 22nd, 1897. The application was refused, but
in the letter from the Vestry Clerk, conveying the intelligence,
he intimated that the General Purposes Committee would,
upon application being made, be willing to receive a deputation
on the matter.

A deputation was thereupon appointed, and consisted of
Messrs. C. Goddard Clarke, J.P,, L.C.C., H. R. Taylor,
L.C.G., E,. Baylis, H. Bannister, B. Ellis, J. Bryan, J. Smith,
H. H. Medway, E. Maynard, and the writer. It was
received by the General Purposes Committee at the Vestry
Hall, on Monday evening, October 11th, 1897. Mr. H. R.
Taylor was the spokesman, and the writer subsequently
explained his map showing the footpaths. The Committee
having discussed the question, the deputation was informed
by the Chairman, that they had — subject to the approval of
the Vestry — appointed a Committee of thirteen to consider the

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 19

matter, and had further decided to invite the Lewisham
authorities to appoint a similar number to act in conjunction
with them. Before the deputation left, Mr. RatclifFe Cousins,
Chairman of the General Purposes Committee, expressed the
hope, that, in the event of the Yestry agreeing to take the
matter up, the Protest Committee would give them all the
assistance it could in the way of information, and this the
deputation readily consented to do. Mr. Taylor then thanked
the Chairman for the kind reception accorded to the deputation
which then withdrew.

On Friday, October 15th, another deputation, consisting of
Messrs. H. E. Taylor, L.C.C., J. Oresswell-Jones, F. T. Pex-
ton, J. E. Dobson, W. Street, B. Ellis, J. Smith, and the
writer, representing the Camberwell section of the Protest
Committee, and Messrs. W. J. Gilham, E. Maynard, J. F.
Grigg and J. Wilde, representing the Lewishan^, section,
attended before a committee of the Lewisham Board of Works,
at Catford. Mr. W. J. Gilham spoke on behalf of the depu-
tation. Mr. H. E. Taylor, L.C.C., by invitation of the
Chairman, also addressed the Committee, and the position of
the various footpaths was, with the aid of the map, explained
by the writer.

The Chairman, in replying, said, that the question was one
of the deepest interest to his committee and himself, and
would receive their best attention. He intimated that the
Camberwell Vestry had invited their Board to appoint a
Committee to act jointly with that body.

In complimenting the deputation upon its constitutional
policy, he expressed the hope that, whether they at Lewisham
decided to act with Camberwell, or by themselves, the
Protest Committee would be prepared to assist them with

20 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

any information of which they might be possessed. The
deputation, after expressing its thanks through the spokesman,
withdrew.

The Lewisham Board of Works having decided to act
with the Camberwell authorities, a conference was held on
26th October, 1897, at Camberwell Yestry Hall, when a
joint sub-committee of four members each, and the two
Vestry Clerks, were appointed to inquire into the claim
for public rights over One Tree Hill, to see witnesses, and
receive evidence. Messrs. Ratcliffe Cousins, Harbord, Parker
and Teasdale (the latter a member of the Protest Committee),
were appointed the Camberwell representatives, and General
Gillespie, Dr. Stewart BroAvn, Messrs. Dawson and Dodson, were
afterwards appointed the Lewisham section of this joint
sub-committee, which entered upon its duties in a thoroughly
interested but judicial spirit.

In the meantime stirring events had been taking place at
the hill. Notwithstanding the fact that every effort was
being put forth by the Protest Committee to bring about
a speedy settlement of the question of the hill for the people
in a diplomatic and constitutional w^ay, dissatisfaction was
expressed in certain quarters at the methods adopted.
Endeavours were again made to induce the Committee to
force an entry to the hill by breaking down the fence, and
so precipitate action with a view to testing the right claimed
by the golf club to prevent the public from enjoying the
use of the common.

The Committee flatly refused to depart from its strictly
constitutional policy, and as a result an amendment to a
resolution of confidence in the Committee, was carried at a
meeting held on Peckham Bye, on Sunday afternoon,

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 21

October 3rd, 1896, which amendment authorised the removal of
the fence at One Tree Hill on the following Sunday. A
letter was immediately written to the Press dissociating
the Protest Committee from any part in such proposed
action.

On Sunday, October 10th, there assembled at various points
in the vicinity of the hill, in the afternoon, expectant crowds
aggregating 15,000 persons, who, for some time, waited
patiently for the appearance of the appointed demolisher.
Some of the more adventurous at last losing patience, began
attacking the fence in Honor Oak Park, pulled down a
section, and entered upon the hill. This proved a signal for
a general rush from this point, followed by another rush
from Honor Oak Rise.

The Hill was soon covered with a disorderly multitude,
and it was quickly found necessary to reinforce the police
who had been posted to keep order. An attack, meanwhile,
was made upon the cottage occupied by the ground keeper,
whose wife, at the time, was lying seriously ill in the house;
considerable damage was done to the premises, and would
have proved more serious, but for the timely arrival of a
number of police who, with some difficulty, kept the crowd
at bay. Efforts were also made by some of the more orderly
section to draw the people away, by starting an impromptu
meeting on the hill. Mr. J. E. Gregory, a member of the
Yestry, and now a Borough Councillor, took the chair, and
Mr. E. Lawrence, of Rye Lane, and Mr. George Morley (the
only prominent member of the Protest Committee present),
addressed the meeting. The unseemly and riotous conduct
taking place was strongly denounced as being against the
best interests of the efforts which were being made to re-
claim the hill for the public, and an appeal was made for

22 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL,

quiet and more orderly conduct. This had the effect desired,
and the crowds, after joining in singing "Kule Britannia,"
on the top of hill, dispersed quietly.

During the following week a letter written by Mr. Claude
M. Tread well, Hon. Solicitor to the Golf Club, appeared in
the " Times," and other London newspapers, dissociating his
club from any usurpation of the hill, and stating that they
had satisfied themselves that the several owners from whom
they held a lease were possessed of a valid title to the
property over which they exercised rights of ownership; that
neither the members of the Golf Club, nor the owners, would
fear to face an enquiry, and the members of his club would
welcome any action which would put an end to the present
agitation.

On Saturday of that same week, 16th October, Messrs.
Polkinghorn and Ellis (until lately members of the Protest
Committee, but who had disagreed with what they considered
to be the slow progress of the Executive), arranged with
three others, and having given due notice to the police, pro-
ceeded to the hill, and in the presence of Major Gilbert, of
Scotland Yard, Superintendent Carr and other police officers,
aind representatives of the Golf Club, formally pulled down a
piece of the fence at Honor Oak Rise, and proceeded through
on to the hill, where their names and addresses were taken by
Mr. Neal, on behalf of the Club. One of the deputation, in
answer to a question by a member of the Golf Club, stated
that he and his friends had simply done what they had been
instructed to do on behalf of the public, and in assertion of a
right of way. The incident excited little or no notice, and
lasted only about a quarter of an hour. The golfers pursued
their game as if nothing out of the way was in progress. The
police intimated that their presence was of a formal character,

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 23

necessary in view of the notice given to them, and that any-
legal steps to question the acts of the deputation rested with
the owner of the ground or the lessees. Meanwhile, Mr.
Treadwell was instructed to take proceedings in the High
Court, and writs were issued on the following Saturday, for
damage and trespass.

On Sunday, 17th October, the day following the last-
mentioned event, a very large number of persons visited the
vicinity of the hill, and congregated in dense crowds in the
Forest Hill Road and Honor Oak Park, in expectation of
witnessing a recurrence of the disorderly scenes that took place
on the preceding Sunday. The numbers present were
variously computed at from 50,000 to 100,000, but adequate
precautions were taken to prevent a repetition of the occurrences
of the previous Sunday. About 500 police, on foot and
mounted, in charge of Superintendent Carr, P. Division,
patrolled all roads leading to the hill. Major Gilbert was also
present, and superintended the police arrangements. A large
number of detectives, under the direction of Detective- Inspector
Fox, were on the look out for the light-fingered fraternity that
usually are to be found in such crowds.

Several ugly rushes were made at the fence at different
points, with the intention of demolishing it, but these were
effectually prevented through the well -organised vigilance of
the police. The principal point of activity was upon the
south side of the hill overlooking Honor Oak Park. Here,
upon this rough hillside of about an acre and a half, mingled
with the furze and undergrowth, were a mass of people
numbering at least 12,000, mostly of a respectable class drawn
there from mere curiosity, but including an element of
mischief and danger, which called for the special attention of
the police, and not without reason. Stone throwing was freely

24 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

indulged in, and the police were more than once hit. An
Inspector was badly \vounded in this way, and Major Gilbert
narrowly escaped similar treatment. Rushes on the part of
the roughs were quickly responded to by charges of the
police, when mounted police and fleeing public were mingled
in what, at times, appeared to be inextricable confusion.
Late in the day a furze bush was fired, and this cast a lurid
glare upon the surrounding neighbourhood and the upturned
faces of the closely packed mass of onlookers. The fire was
soon extinguished, and the miscreant who caused it arrested.
He, with nine others, apprehended for various offences, were
charged at the Greenwich Police Court on the following day,
when two were sentenced to one month's imprisonment
each, three to fourteen days each, three were fined .£5
each, one .£3 and another £2. A few thousand persons
gathered again on the third Sunday, after which the
excitement in this direction died out.

The Protest Committee, meanwhile, had been carrying on
their peaceful agitation and, notwithstanding the excitement at
the hill, held most successful meetings on the Rye. The
Executive had now been increased to fifteen members, and con-
sisted of Messrs. J. E. Dobson and F. T. Pexton (now Borough
Councillors of Camberwell), J. Hampden-Davis, J. Cresswell-
Jones, James Smith (the original five), Messrs. T. White (the
present Mayor of Lewisham, 1905), W. J. Gilliam, J. F. Grigg,
W. T. Hailes, J. Wilde and E. Maynard (representing Lewisham),
and H. R. Taylor, L.C.C. (late Mayor of Camberwell), R. Baylis,
Thos. Teasdale (a member of Camberwell Vestry), and William
Street (now a Borough Councillor). These were summoned to a
special meeting for the purpose of considering the position
resulting from the recent deplorable events, and the steps to be
taken to meet it. It was decided to issue an appeal to the public,

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 25

through the Press, and by means of posters and handbills,
asking them to assist the Committee in the maintenance of
order. The Manifesto read as follows : —

" The recent disturbances on One Tree Hill render it neces-
sary for the Committee to appeal to all thoughtful citizens to
support them in their endeavours to obtain the restitution of
Public Rights by legal and constitutional means, and to abstain
from forcible action, which may alienate public sympathy and
jeopardise the issue.

" The policy of the Protest Committee, taken in conjunction
with the Public Authorities, in obtaining the necessary
evidence, is the surest method of securing One Tree Hill for
the people.

" In prosecuting the necessary enquiries, searches are being
made in the public Record and Government Offices, Museums,
Libraries, etc., and a large mass of valuable information has
been obtained from old residents.

"Any precipitate action is deprecated, and should be
carefully avoided."

This was signed by Mr. Cresswell-Jones, Chairman ; Mr.
C. Goddard Clarke, J.P., Treasurer; and the writer, as the
Hon. Secretary.

Considerable progress was meanwhile being made in the
collection of evidence, the members of the Executive
rendering yeoman service in this direction. Several days
were spent in searching, with the help of an expert, the
archives of the Record Office, equally long periods were
spent at the Board of Agriculture, and the British Museum,
considerable time was taken up in visiting the libiury of the
House of Lords, the Offices of the Admiralty, the Woods

26 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

and Forests, the Customs House, the Local Authorities
of Camberwell, Deptford, Lewisham and Woolwich, the
County Offices at Maidstone and Kingston, and of other
public authorities.

In these investigations the writer was specially helped by
Messrs. Baylis, Cresswell-Jones, Dobson, Hampden-Davis,
Maynard, Pexton and Street, each of them giving whole
days to the work. In addition to the above, Messrs. H. R.
Taylor, L.O.C., Cray, Gilham, Gregg, Morgan, Teasdale,
White, Wilde and Smith were constantly present and
speaking at meetings.

By the middle of November, or a little over three
months after the date of its formation, the Protest Committee
had almost completed its enquiries, and were in possession of
good evidence of five paths, rights of way, over the hill. Of
the eighty-seven persons who had been interviewed, twenty had
been selected to give evidence before the Local Authorities,
and the latter were duly notified that the Committee was now
in a position to submit evidence. Replies came from the clerks
of both bodies, intimating that the Joint Sub-Committee would
meet on 22nd November, 1897, to receive preliminary evidence.
Accordingly, a number of members of the Executive, and Mr.
Chubb, of the Commons Preservation Society, met at the Town
Hall, Catford, on that date.

Dr. Stewart Brown, the Chairman, warmly welcomed the
visitors, and the writer, upon invitation, proceeded to read a
resume of the evidence, historical, documentary and oral,
which the Committee had been able to collect. This included
the evidence of the persons selected to give information, who
had known the hill for a period covering nearly eighty years.
Various maps and other documents were submitted, and Messrs.
Chubb and Baylis also addressed the Joint Committee.

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 27

Dr. Stewart Brown, in complimenting the Committee for
the copious evidence so ably produced, stated that the next
meeting of the Joint Sub-Committee would take place at the
Camberwell Vestry Hall, when they would be prepared to hear
witnesses. He said that he was sorry that they were not in a
position, at present, to go to any expense, and hoped that the
Protest Committee would be able to meet the cost of bringing
forward the witnesses. He then thanked the deputation for
their attendance, and they, after thanking the Chairman for the
kind reception accorded them, withdrew. This conference
lasted two-and-a-half hours.

Before December 7th, the day appointed for the
enquiry at Camberwell, additional evidence had been secured
by the Protest Committee, and arrangements were made for
twenty-two witnesses to attend, of whom fifteen were present.
The enquiry lasted from 2.45 until 9.30 p.m.

The adjourned enquiry was held at the Town Hall,
Catford, on Thursday, 6th January, 1898. There was a full
attendance of the members of the Joint Sub-Committee. The
Protest Committee was represented by Messrs. H. R. Taylor,
L.C.C., Cresswell-Jones, Bryan, Maynard, Smith, Street, Wilde,
and the wa^iter, and a number of new witnesses were produced.
The hearing upon this occasion lasted four hours.

At the conclusion, the Chairman, Dr. Stewart Brown,
intimated that it was considered that there was now sufficient
evidence before them to warrant them recommending their
respective bodies to take further action. But before doing
so, and to make sure of their position, they considered it
desirable to first obtain the opinion of an expert upon the
evidence, and they had decided to ask the Commons
Preservation Society to assist them by obtaining their expert's

28 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

opinion. This Mr. Chubb, subsequently, a,nd on behalf of his
Committee, very heartily agreed to do.

Before separating, Mr. Taylor asked to be allowed to
express on behalf of the Protest Committee their warm thanks
for the close attention paid to, and the great interest taken
in, the case, by the Joint Committee, and also for the courtesy
shown by them during the whole of the enquiry, to the
Committee, and to their witnesses. This was warmly
supported by Mr. Street and the writer.

In reply, Mr. Ratcliffe Cousins, of Camberwell Vestry,
desired to express his own and his colleagues' appreciation
of the excellent manner in which the evidence had been
supplied to them by the Protest Committee and its secretary,
Dr. Stewart Brown heartily concurring in Mr. Cousins'
remarks.

The Executive took the opportunity offered by the
London County Council election in March, 1898, to issue a
circular letter asking each candidate whether, if elected, he
would be willing to support any action which might have
to be taken for the restoration of Honor Oak Hill to the
public. Of the one hundred and eighteen thus written to,
eighty-seven replied in the affirmative, and fifteen sent
evasive answers.

Uneasiness among the members of the Protest Committee,
at the delay of the experts engaged by the Commons Pre-
servation Society, in giving their opinion upon the evidence
furnished by the Protest Committee, caused the writer to
call a meeting of the Executive to consider the position. The
meeting was held on July 21st, 1898, some six months after
the evidence had been submitted by the Joint Committee
for a preliminary opinion. A deputation, consisting of Messrs.

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 29

Cresswell- Jones, E. Baylis, Wm. Street, H. R. Taylor, T.
Teasdale, and the writer, was appointed to wait upon Mr.
Chubb, the Secretary of the Commons Preservation Society.

The interview took place on the day following the meeting
of the Executive. In reply to the deputation, Mr. Chubb
stated that the report of their expert upon the evidence had
been received on the previous day, and he had immediately
dispatched it to Mr. Tagg, the Vestry Clerk of Camberwell.

The report, Mr. Chubb said, showed that there was
evidence, sufficient to take into Court, of the existence of
E-ights of "Way over the hill. There were however one or
two points of a difficult yet valuable character, which required
yet further time and attention, and he had advised Mr.
Tagg to induce his Committee to take no stejDS until these
points had been cleared up.

The Joint Committee met on July 27th, a week
after the expert's report had been received from Mr. Chubb,
when it was agreed to let the matter stand over until
after the autumn holiday recess of the Yestry.

It was not, however, until March 25th, 1899, that the
Joint Committee met, and agreed to recommend their respec-
tive bodies to take legal opinion upon the evidence. The two
Authorities accordingly at their next meeting unanimously
agreed to such steps being taken, and each body voted a sum of
fifteen guineas to defray the legal expenses.

In the meantime, the action brought by the " Honor Oak
Hill Golf Club," against the five members of the " One Tree
Hill Commons Rights Defence League," for damage and trespass
on the hill had been heard in the Law Courts on Thursday,
January 26th, 1899. The result of the hearing was judgment
for the plaintiffs, with costs against the defendants. The South

30 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

London Press of the 28th January, 1899, commenting upon the
result of the action, says: — "By the way, it is just as well to
remember that the defendants, who have been amerced in
costs, are really the extremists — the irregulars — of the One Tree
Hill Movement. Characteristically putting the cart before the
horse, they broke the fence, and the law, before taking the
trouble to obtain evidence with regard to the alleged lights
of wa}^

" The constitutional committee went the other way to work,
and because of the illegal action of the defendants, the Protest
Committee consistently declined to assist them with the
evidence they had collected, but whether the case for the
constitutionalists will now come to the test of trial is indeed
extremely doubtful, in view of the judgment of Thursday."

Meanwhile the Protest Committee met only occasionally,
as having placed their case in the hands of the authoiities,
they could but wait for the opinion of the Counsel engaged
upon the evidence. The writer was instructed to keep in
touch with Mr. Tagg and Mr. Chubb, and to generally watch
events, and call meetings when occasion arose.

The General Committee met on April 27th, 1899, for
the election of the Executive and officers. Mr. H. R. Taylor,
L.C.C., was unanimously elected chairman ; Mr. Goddard
Clarke, J. P., L.C.C., and the writer were re-elected Hon.
Treasurer and Secretary respectively, the members of the
former Executive were re-elected, and Messrs. S. E. Adams,
G. F. Morgan, Geo. Morley, and I. Dawson were added,
thus increasing the Executive to twenty-one members.

Notwithstanding that the meetings of both the General
Committee and the Executive had become very rare indeed,
scarcely a week passed but that the Chairman, Mr. H. E,.

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 31

Taylor, or the writer, saw either Mr. Chubb of the Commons
Preservation {Society, or Mr, Tagg, the Yestry Clerk, and
consequently nothing transpired in connection with the case
but what was known to them.

Following the decision of the two authorities concerned,
the evidence was, on the recommendation of the Commons
and Footpaths Preservation Society, placed with Messrs.
Home and Berkitt of Lincolns Inn Fields, as being the best
legal advisers upon Rights of Way.

After a careful and prolonged investigation, occupying
many months, a report upon the findings was given. This
report proved, with but two exceptions, to be against the
evidence submitted by the Protest Committee, as to the
existence of Rights of Way over the hill. The exceptions
were in respect of the footpaths which commenced in the
Brockley Road and crossing the old canal at a point where
the Honor Oak Park Railway Station now stands, ran up and
over the hill to Forest Hill Road, and of another path which
started at Peckham Rye, and running along the east side of
Priory Farm, to a point at which a railway arch is now
situated, went to the top of the hill where it joined the
former path from Brockley. The evidence upon even those
two paths was not considered by the legal experts to be
sufficiently strong to warrant them advising the Joint Com-
mittee to recominend the case being taken into Court.

Soon after receiving the above opinion, Mr. Tagg (now
the Town Clerk of the new Borough of Camberwell), at the
suggestion of Mr. Chubb, apjDroached, through a third party,
Mr. J. E. Ward, the owner of the hill, with a view to pur-
chasing it as an open space, Mr. Chubb promising on behalf
of a member of the " Commons and Footpaths Preservation
Society," one thousand pounds towards the purchase, which was

32 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

afterwards paid. It was considered while these negotiations
were going on, to be absolutely necessary to keep back the
legal opinion upon the rights of way, and, as a matter of fact,
the opinion was never taken up by Mr. Tagg.

In the meantime Mr. Tagg, on behalf of the Borough
Council, purchased the property (about sixty acres) lying
between the hill proper, the Brighton and South Coast
Railway line, and Brockley Footpath for the purpose of a
cemeteiy, the piice averaging about =£550 per acre. Mr.
"Ward, after long negotiations, was induced to consent to sell
the ownership of the hill, but the price he asked, namely,
.£1,000 per acre, was altogether a prohibitive one.

The Borough Council of Camberwell, in whose ai-ea, by the
readjustment of the Borough boundaries the whole of the hill
is now situated, arranged with the London County Council
for a clause to be inserted in their General Powers Bill,
1902, for the compulsory acquisition of One Tree Hill. The
Bill passed the Parliamentary Committee on Bills, on April,
24th 1902.

Negotiations with the owner for purchase having proved
abortive in consequence of the excessive price asked, the
matter was submitted to arbitration, and the case came on
for hearing in the SherifTs' Court, Bed Lion Square, in the
second week of December, 1904.

Both Mr. H. E.. Taylor, as the Chairman, and the writer,
as the Secretary of the Protest Committee, had, during the
previous eighteen months, done everything possible to help
the case forward. Indeed it was the strong desire of Mr.
Taylor that the liill should be acquired and opened to the
public during his year of office as the Mayor of Camberwell,
a wish which, notwithstanding all the efforts put forward, he
was not able to see fulfilled.

c
O

f c c c c

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 33

The owner, Mr. Ward, who had placed every difficulty in
the way, at last lodged his claim on 29th April, 1904, and
notice of the Borough Council's intention to summon a Jury
was lodged on July 20th following. The Jury met on 9th
December, 1904, they proceeded to view the hill on the next
day, and on the following Monday the case was heard.

Mr. Ward claimed £16,000 for the fourteen and a half
acres comprising the hill, and evidence was called by his
Counsel, to show that, with a little outlay, the development
of the site for building, could be carried out.

Evidence on behalf of the Borough Council was given to
prove that the land was quite unsuitable for building purposes,
and estimates of its value were given by Mr. S. Walker,
F.S.I., of £4,131, and by Mr. Douglas Young, F.S.I., of
£4,034.

On the conclusion of Mr. Tagg's evidence, Sir Edward Boyle,
K.C. (Counsel for Mr. Ward) agreed to accept the sealed
offer of the Borough Council, of £6,100, and verdict by
consent was given accordingly.

On the 18th January, 1905, the Borough Council, upon the
reception of the report of the settlement of the case, adopted a
resolution expressing the thanks of the Council to the Enclosure
of Honor Oak Hill Protest Committee, and to the writer as
the Hon. Secretary, for their action in initiating the move-
ment, and for the help and support given to the authorities in
connection with the successful endeavour to acquire the hill
as an open space.

On the 23rd February, 1905, a letter was received by
Mr. Tagg at the Town Hall from Mr. Chubb of the Commons
and Footpaths Preservation Society enclosing a cheque for
£1,000, being the amount promised by an anonymous donor
towards the purchase of the hill.

34 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

The letter, dated 22nd February, 1905, read as follows : —
" Dear Sir,—

" Oak of Honor Hill.

*' Herewith I beg to forward cheque value .£1,000 (one
thousand pounds) being the amount of the contribution
anonymously guaranteed through the Commons and Foot-
paths Preservation Society towards the cost of acquiring the
summit of the Oak of Honor Hill, S.E., as a public open
space.

" I shall be obliged if you will be good enough to let me
have a formal receipt for the amount.

" My Committee direct me to state that it has given
them much pleasure to be able to aid in bringing about a
permanent and satisfactory settlement of the dispute with
regard to the alleged rights of access to the hill, and they
further desire me to express their appreciation of the public-
spirited action which the Camberwell Council has taken in
the matter.

" I am, yours truly,

" LAWRENCE W. CHUBB,

" Secretary.
"C. W. Tagg, Esq."

The General Committee met on March 11th, 1905, to
consider certain recommendations passed at a meeting of the
Executive, on February 28th previous. The Chair was
taken, in the absence of Councillor H. R. Taylor, L.C.C., by
Councillor J. E. Dobson. Among those present were Alderman
Goddard Clarke, J.P., L.C.C., Councillors F. T. Pexton and
Wm. Street ; Messrs. S. E. Adams, R.. Baylis, G. Bannister,
H. Bannister, E. Cray, J. Hampden -Davis, Jas. Smith and

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 35

F. Polkinghorne. The latter had been invited with other
members of the " One Tree Hill Common Rights Defence
League," who had previously been members of the Protest
Committee.

After the reading and adoption of the minutes of the
previous meeting, and the Secretary's final report, the members
proceeded to discuss the recommendations sent up from the
Executive, and the following votes of thanks were agreed to
be sent to those concerned : —

" The Enclosure of Honor Oak Hill Protest Committee.

"To the Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors
of the Borough of Camberwell.

" Gentlemen, —

" The acquistion, by the Camberwell Borough ^Council, of
Honor Oak Hill, and its dedication to the public use for ever,
will have secured the object for which tliis Committee was
originally formed, and with the attainment of this result,
the necessity for its continuance ceases.

" The Committee, whilst naturally delighted at the success
of its extended but constitutional agitation, desires to record its
warm appreciation of, and grateful thanks for, the powerful
support rendered it during several years by the members of the
Camberwell and Lewisham Local authorities, and their able
officers, but particularly the unceasing vigilance, courteous
attention, and valuable services given therein by Mr.
C. William Tagg, the Town Clerk, Camberwell, without which,
we feel, the success achieved could hardly have been obtained.

" Signed on behalf of the Committee,

"H. R. TAYLOR, Chairman.

"J. NTSBET, Hon. Secretary r

36 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

A copy of the foregoing resolution was sent to the
Lewisham Borough Council. Letters acknowledging the
receipt, came from both of these Authorities.

The following letter was received from Mr. Lawrence
Chubb in reply to a vote of thanks sent to him in recognition
of his constant efforts and valuable advice at many periods
of the campaign.

" Commons and Footpaths Preservation Society.
"15 Victoria Street, Westminster,

''March 2lst, 1905.
"Dear Mr. Nisbet,—

"I am much obliged for your kind letter of the 18th inst,
enclosing the cordial vote of thanks to the Society and myself,
passed at a meeting of the Enclosure of Honor Oak Hill
Protest Committee held last Saturday.

" I shall have much pleasure in conveying to my Com-
mittee the very courteous and kind Resolution of the Protest
Committee, and I am sure that it will be greatly appreciated.

"Anything that I have personally been able to do in the
matter has, as you know, been most cheerfully done, for I
was conscious that in helping you and your Committee I
was helping those who were ready to help themselves, and
whose zealous care for the protection of public rights has
led to the preservation of what will, I am sure, become a
most valuable open space.

"Yours very truly,

"LAWRENCE W. CHUBB,

" Secretary"

The following was sent also to those who had given
evidence before the Joint Committee : —

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 37

" Dear Sir, —

"The acquisition of One Tree Hill by the Camberwell
Borough Council and its dedication to the public use for
ever, will have secured the object for which the Enclosure
of Honor Oak Hill Protest Committee was originally formed,
and with the attainment of this result, the necessity for its
existence ceases.

" The Committee cannot conclude its labours without
placing on record its heartiest thanks for the assistance you
rendered, by, at some inconvenience to yourself, attending
as a witness before the Local Authorities, and thus contri-
buting in a practical manner to the result achieved.

" Yours
" (on behalf of the Protest Committee),

"H. R. TAYLOR, Chairman.

" J. Is^ISBET, Hon. Secretary,"

It was also decided at the Executive meeting of March
11th, to present a testimonial, engrossed on vellum, to
the Hon. Secretary for his services to the Protest Committee.

Finally it was resolved to form the Committee into a
local branch of the Commons and Footpaths Preservation
Society, for the purpose of maintaining, in the public interest,
a continued vigilance, which is so apparently necessary, if the
rights of the public are to be secured against the encroach-
ments of land grabbers.

An old ditty, expressing the feeling of past protesters in
respect to this, runs thus: —

" 'Tis very bad in man or woman
To steal the goose from off the common,
But who shall plead that man's excuse
Who steals the common from the goose?"

38 THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

It only remains to add that the purpose for which the
Protest Committee came into existence on the 6th August,
1897, namely, to restore One Tree Hill to the public, has been
accomplished, and although that end has not been attained
in the way that was intended when the agitation was first
started, that is by the establishing of public common rights,
nevertheless, we can congratulate ourselves that a beautiful
and historic resort has been saved from the hand of the all-
devouring speculative builder, and secured for the use of the
public for ever.

THE HISTORY OP HONOR OAK HILL.

APPENDIX.

STATEMENT OF

ACCOUNTS.

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

Enclosure of Honor Oak Hill Protest Committee.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR THREE MONTHS
ENDING OCTOBER 31st, 1897.

SECTION I.

Subscriptions -

Keceipts.

C. Goddard Clarke, Esq., J.P
E. Lyon, Esq., J.P., L.C.C....
J. H. Chatterton, Esq
C. Wilkinson, Esq.

0. W. Dawson, Esq.
J. G. Priestly, Esq.

1. Dawson, Esq.
J. Stanford, Esq.
A Friend, per Mr, Tolhurst..

Collecting Sheets —

Per Mr. G. Bannister
,, Mr. H. Bannister
„ Mr, I. Dawson ...

N.B. Collecting Sheets not to hand will be

ACCOUNTED FOR IN NEXT STATEMENT.

Collections at Public Meeti^igs —

Ladywell.
Aug. 28.

4/9

"Brockley Jack."
Sep. 4.

5/3

Triangle, Peckham.

Aug. 28. I Sep. 4. I Oct. 2. I Oct. 9.
5/- I 2/9 I 1/9 I 10/-

Forest Hill.

Oct. 2. I Oct. 9. I Oct. 10. I Oct. 16
24/31 I 9/- I 20/1 i 7/6
Oct. 31.
16/-

Peckham Eye.

Aug. 28
5/3

Oct. 16.

4/8A

Oct. 23.

10/9

Oct. 17. I Oct. 23.
12/11 i I 12/11

Oct. 30.

7/-

I Oct. 24. I Oct. 30.
I 14/4 I 12/81

Aug. 22. I Sep. 4. | Sep. 12. | Sep. 19. | Sep. 26. I Oct. 3. | Oct. 10. | Oct. 17.
22/- I 20/- I 20/1 I 33/- | 40/- I 15/8 I 40/10 I 28/6^
Oct. 24 I Oct. 31.
22/3^ I 40/101

£ s. d.

8 8 0

0 14 2

0 4 9

0 10 6

2 1 11^

6 9 9i

14 3 3^

£32 12 ^

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL. 41

Expenditure.

Posting and Delivering Bills announcing Meetings 0 7 0

Legal Charge Watching Case of Fence Breaking — Greenwich

Police Court 2 2 0

Mr. S. K. Bawden "Kentish Mercury" for transcript of

Shorthand Notes as above ... 1 1 0

Printing (Messrs. Wilkes and Co., Walworth Koad) 3 10 0

Stationery and Minute Books 0 2 7

Progressive Review for August ... ... 0 1 0

Six Acts of Parliament (Enclosing Commons) ... 0 4 6

Posting Announcements to Members and Clubs ... 0 3 6

Calling General Committee and Executive Meetings 1 16 8

Correspondence ... ... ... ... 0 11 7J

Notices to Press of Meetings, etc. ... ... 0 7 1^

Telegram 0 0 11|

Making Enquiries — City, Croydon, Sydenham, Lewisham,

Government Offices, etc. ... 1 5 OJ

Search Fees, Record Office ••• ... 0 4 0

Petty Cash in hands of Secretary £3 q Oa

„ „ ,, Mr. Gilham, Hon. Sec.

Lewisham Committee... 10 0
Balance at London & Midland Bank, Peckham ... 16 15 5

20 15 5i

£32 12 5i

We have examined this Statement, together with Boohs and
Vouchers, and Jierehj certify the same to ie correct.

j' H^BRIDGES I Non-Members of Protest Committee.

GEO. MORLEY, "1 Members of Protest Committee
ROBERT BAYLIS, j" (General).

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

Enclosure of Honor Oak Hill Protest Committee.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FOR NINE MONTHS
ENDING JULY 31st, 1898.

SECTION II.

Receipts,

Cash in Bank Nov. 1st, 1897
„ in hand

Stibsci'iptions per Collecting Sheets —

Mr. Henry F. Brion
„ A. Watts
„ J. Smith
„ J. F. Gregg
.. E. Maynard
„ E. W. Moore
,, R. Baylis
— Browne

Donation J. Law, Esq., " Brockley Jack"

Collections at Public Meetings —

Triangle, Peckham.

Nov. 0. 1 Nov. 13.
5/8i I 8/2

Forest Hill.

Nov. 6. I Nov. 7. I Nov. 18.
5/5§ I 10/8^ I 7/3|

Peckham Rye.

Nov. 7. I Nov. 14. I Nov. 21.
29/11 i 6/7 I 10/7

Nov. 14. I Nov. 21.
10/41 I 7/2

£ s. d. £ s. d.
16 15 5
3 0 OJ

19 15 51

. 0

1 15 1
110

... 0 13 101

2 10

... 2 6 31

£27 12 ^

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

Expenditure

Calling General and Executive Meetings

Making Enquiries at Government OflSices, etc. ...
Expert Searcher for Copies of Documents — Record Office

Search Fees

Printing (Messrs. Wilkes & Co.)

Acts of Parliament ... ... ...

Progressive Review for August 1897 — second copy

Stationery

Postage, Correspondence

„ Circular letter to L.C.C. Candidates with reply Post Cards

,, Copies above Circular to the Press ...
Witnesses attending before Joint Committee

Petty Cash in hands of Secretary £0 1

Cash at Bank 8 16 3

„ to be Banked 0 7 10

£ s

1 19 0

2 12 5
2 10 0
0 14 6
5 16 6

0 16

0 1
0 3
0 14
0 17
0 2 0
2 14 6

9 5 8i

£27 12 Sh

We have exaviined this Statement, together zvith Books and
vouchers, and certify same to be correct.

E. LAWRENCE,
GEO. WAITE,

Non-Members of Protest Committee.

H. H. MEDWAY, l Members of Protest Committee

MARCUS G. MORRISON,/ (General).

THE HISTORY OP HONOR OAK HILL.

Enclosure of Honor Oak Hill Protest Committee.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS FROM JULY 31st, 1898,
TO APRIL 8th, 1905.

SECTION III.

Receipts.

£ s. d.

July 31st, 1898— Cash in Bank 8 16 3

„ ,, „ in hand 0 9 5*

April 29, 1899—

Donation — Peppercorn, Esq., per J. Hampden-Davis ... 1 0 0

1898.

Aug.

Sep.

24-

Oct.

Dec.

30-

1899.

Jan.

16-

20-

23-

30-

Feb.

Mar.

16-

April

20-

26-

55 ~

1902.

April

22-

1905.

Feb.

28-

JVIar.

11-

»>

18-

Expenditure.
-Calling at Commons' Preservation Society

"~ 55 5) 5J 5,

•Notifying Auditors of Meeting

-Calling at Messrs. Home and Birkett's
„ Commons' Preservation Society

„ Messrs. Home and Birkett's

-Printing 500 cards, notices of meetings

-Legal Expenses ...

-Calling at Commons' Preservation Society

„ General Committee

,, at Commons' Preservation Society

55 55 55 >5

,, Messrs. Home and Birkett's and C.P,
,, General Committee Meeting ...
-General Correspondence for nine months

— Calling General Committee Meeting . . .

-Calling Executive Meeting

,, General Committee Meeting ...
„ Executive Meeting

In Bank

£10

\ Society 0

£10

THE HISTORY OF HONOR OAK HILL.

We have examined Acoounts from July SI, 1898, to April 8, 1905,
and found them correct.

E. LAWEENCE, ) xr n/r v ^ .^ ^ . «

F. POLKINGHORNE, | Non-Members of the Protest Committee

JAS. SMITH,
S. E. ADAMS,

i Members of Protest Committee.

SUMMARY OF ACCOUNTS.

Receipts
Receipts
Receipts
Total Receipts

First Statement —

£ s. d.
32 12 5| Expenditure

Second Statemejit —

7 17 3

Third Statement —

10 0

In Bank

.£41 9 8^

Total

... 12 17

... 18

... 2

... 7

...£41

iviJei7294

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