Rothley Parish Council 1894

1894 SAW THE CREATION OF PARISH COUNCILS FOLLOWING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT OF 1894 AND THESE ARE THE PARISH MINUTES FOR ROTHLEY RECORDING THE ELECTION OF OUR FIRST COUNCILLORS IN THAT YEAR FOLLOWED BY THE FIRST ANNUAL PARISH MEETING IN 1895. IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THAT HENRY BUNNEY WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION AND DEMANDED A POLL OF THE VILLAGE WHICH TOOK PLACE 10 DAYS LATER.

The first Parish Meeting under the Local Government Act 1894 was held in the National Schoolroom on Tuesday evening, December 4th 1894 at seven o'clock for the purpose of electing Parish councillors.

The meeting was duly convened and opened by the overseers (Messrs S Sleath and A Satchell) and the assistant overseer (Mr H Boyer) attended to take down the minutes of the proceedings.
It was proposed by Mr John Thomas Draycott and seconded by Mr Henry Staples that the Rev R Burton take the chair this evening and carried unanimously.
The Rev R Burton thanked the electors for their kindness in unanimously electing him their chairman and at 7.20 proceeded to business. The number of councillors to be elected was seven.

There were nine nomination papers handed in as follows.
BUNNEY Henry. Rothley. Quarryman. Residence.
DRAYCOTT John Thomas. Rothley. Butcher. Parochial Elector.
NURSE Thomas. Rothley. Quarryman. Parochial Elector.
PRESTON William. Rothley. Quarryman. Parochial Elector.
SLEATH Frank. Rothley. Builder. Parochial Elector.
SLEATH Samuel. Rothley. Carpenter. Parochial Elector.
STAPLES Henry. Rothley. Hosiery Foreman. Parochial Elector.
WALDRAM Thomas. Rothley. Grazier. Parochial Elector.
WHITWELL Henry John. Rothley. Gentleman. Parochial Elector.

The chairman having examined the nomination papers declared one invalid that of Frank Sleath on account of no parish or date being filled in.
The chairman next stated the names of the eight valid candidates their places of abode their proposers and seconders to the meeting and as no candidate withdrew his candidature just put their names to the meeting beginning at

BUNNEY Henry who received 4 votes.
DRAYCOTT John Thomas who received 16 votes.
NURSE Thomas who received 46 votes.
PRESTON William who received 51 votes.
SLEATH Samuel who received 51 votes.
STAPLES. Henry who received 57 votes.
WALDRAM Thomas who received 50 votes.
WHITWELL Henry John who received 53 votes.

The chairman then declared the following were duly elected Parish councillors for the coming year.
DRAYCOTT John Thomas
NURSE William
PRESTON William
SLEATH Samuel
STAPLES Henry
WALDRAM Thomas
WHITWELL Henry John

Henry Bunney demanded a poll of the Parish which was not withdrawn and the chairman declared the business ended.

Mr Satchell moved and Mr Hy. Staples seconded that a vote of thanks be accorded to the chairman for presiding which was carried unanimously.
Rich. Burton.
Chairman.

The list of candidates to go to the poll having been sent to the reurning officer (Mr J J F Scott) the day fixed for the poll was Saturday Dec 15th in the National Schoolroom between the hours of 12 o'clock noon and 8pm.
Mr Scott presided and the assistant overseer Mr H Boyer appointed poll clerk.
The result of the poll was declared about 9.30pm as follows
BUNNEY 29 DRAYCOTT 60
NURSE 79 PRESTON 88
SLEATH 68 STAPLES 85
WALDRAM 83 WHITWELL 93
The returning officer declared the following duly elected parish councillors.
John Thomas DRAYCOTT
Thomas NURSE
William PRESTON
Samuel SLEATH
Henry STAPLES
Thomas WALDRAM
Henry John WHITWELL

March 30th 1895

The first annual Parish Meeting of this parish under the "Local Government Act 1894" was convened by the Rev R Burton chairman of the Parish Council and held after due notice on Saturday March 30th 1895 at 7 o'clock in the evening.
The Rev R Burton chairman of the Parish Council presided.
The minutes of the preceeding meeting having been read and confirmed the chairman read the result of polls.
There being no other business before the meeting the chairman declared the meeting ended.
Rich. Burton

The above details were taken from the Parish Minutes Book 1894-1937 and reproduced by kind permission of Rothley Parish Council 2003