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and determined, and during the existence of " the Commission" vast improvements had heen effected,—but not without bickerings and divisions among its members, an influential portion of whom were called " The Fourteen," the name originating at one of the meetings convened for matters relating to the management of tho police, to the following effect:—
Town of Brighton, 1 At a Special Meeting of the Commissioners held at July 27th, 1827. »the Town Hall, on Friday, the 27th day of July, 1827 —For the purpose of taking into consideration tho propriety of rescinding a resolution passed on the 15th of August last, relating to discontinuing the payment of salaries to the Police or Head-boroughs, and other business connected therewith.
At this Meeting a letter was received from the Vestry Clerk, enclosing a copy of a resolution passed by the Vestry on the 21st instant, requesting the Commissioners to appoint Police Officers at salaries as heretofore, to be paid out of the consolidated rates, and that they direct them to be under the sole controul of tho Magistrates.
Resolved.—That William Pilbeam, Charles Ponfold, James Thoburn Thomas Harman, Junr., and John Wise, be and are hereby appointed Officers of the Commissioners, to keep the peaco of the town.
After the passing of the above resolution, the meeting apparently broke up, — but fourteen of its members remained and passed the following resolution :—
Resolved.— That in the opinion of this Meeting, tho Commissioners have no funds out of which they can pay the salaries of a Police, and therefore that no monies be paid for such purpose.
This rendered nugatory the former; and at a subsequent meeting it was confirmed, the effect of it being that the control of the police remained in the hands of the Commissioners,—hence the cognomen of "The fourteen." The first Clerk appointed under the Act of Parliament spoken of was Mr Swaysland: he was succeeded by Mr Lewis Slight on the 3rd of November, 182G, and who resigned the appointment on the 25th of January, 1854, a few months prior to the introduction of the Charter of |
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