Union of Benefices Act 1860 explained

Short Title:Union of Benefices Act 1860[1]
Type:Act
Parliament:Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long Title:An Act to make better Provision for the Union of contiguous Benefices in Cities, Towns, and Boroughs.
Year:1860
Citation:23 & 24 Vict. c. 142
Territorial Extent:Dioceses of London and Winchester
Royal Assent:28 August 1860
Commencement:28 August 1860
Repeal Date:1974
Repealing Legislation:Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1974
Status:repealed

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

  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

Churches affected
ChurchFateYearUnited with
All Hallows Bread StreetDemolished1876St Mary-le-Bow
All-Hallows-the-GreatTower demolished first; then main body1876/1894St Michael Paternoster Royal
All Hallows Lombard StreetDemolished[6] 1937St Edmund the King and Martyr
All Hallows Staining[7] Demolished1870St Olave Hart Street
Holy Trinity Gough SquareDemolished1906St Bride, Fleet Street
Holy Trinity, MinoriesClosed[8] (destroyed 1940[9])1899St Botolph's Aldgate
St Alphage London WallDemolished1924St Mary Aldermanbury
St Antholin, Budge Row[10] Demolished[11] 1875St Mary Aldermary
St Benet GracechurchDemolished1868All Hallows Lombard Street
St Dionis BackchurchDemolished[12] 1878All Hallows Lombard Street
St George Botolph LaneDemolished1901-04[13] St Mary-at-Hill
St James Duke's PlaceDemolished1874St Katherine Cree
St Katherine ColemanDemolished1926St Olave Hart Street
St Martin OutwichDemolished1874St Helen's Bishopsgate
St Mary SomersetDemolished1872St Nicholas Cole Abbey
St. Mary Magdalen Old Fish StreetCaught fire,[14] subsequently pulled down1887St Martin Ludgate
St Matthew Friday StreetDemolished1885St Vedast alias Foster
St Michael BassishawDemolished1900St Lawrence Jewry
St Michael QueenhitheDemolished[15] 1875St James Garlickhythe
St Michael Wood StreetDemolished1895St Alban, Wood Street
St Mildred, PoultryDemolished1872St Olave Jewry
St Olave JewryDemolished1888-91St Margaret Lothbury
St Peter Le PoerDemolished1907St 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.

Short Title:Union of Benefices Act 1898
Type:Act
Parliament:Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long Title:An Act to amend the Union of Benefices Act, 1860.
Year:1898
Citation:61 & 62 Vict. c. 23
Royal Assent:25 July 1898
Amends:Union of Benefices Act 1860
Repealing Legislation:Pastoral Measure 1968
Status:repealed
Collapsed:yes

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 and References

  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
  3. Huelin, G. Vanished Churches of the City of London, London Guildhall Library Publishing 1996
  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. Tower remains. Book: Betjeman, John. John Betjeman

    . The City of London Churches. John Betjeman. Andover. Pitkin. 1967. 1992. 0-85372-565-9.

  8. [The Times]
  9. "Local Administrative Units: Southern England" Youngs, F London: Royal Historical Society, 1979
  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. http://www.combs-families.org/combs/records/england/lnd/queenhithe.htm Demolition details