History of Stretford Chapel, Vol. IL By H. T. Crofton.
(Chetham Society.)—About the Chapel itself there is little in this volume, nothing, in fact, beyond some " Church- wardens' Accounts," beginning 1717. These are followed by records of the Manor from the seventeenth century. The continuous entries do not begin before 1700. One of the most noteworthy facts is the jealousy of strangers. " William Rain- shaw for taking Inmates into the Town contrary to the consent of the Inhabitants." The first volume covers the years 1700- 1782-3 ; the second 1785-1872. The latter, however, shows signs of the disuse of the Court's functions. At the last meeting there was nothing to do but to dine and appoint Bye-lawmen,- who had no bye-laws to carry out. The most interesting part of the volume is in chap. 5, where Mr. Thomas Walker (the author of the " Original") describes his operations in the reform of the system of Relief of the Poor. His exertions resulted in the reduction of the cost from £812 16s. 6d. in 1817 to £318 4s. in 1817. Later on, we find the Poor-rate for the years 1840.59 averaging 15d. (once a year), the highest being 2s. in 1842, and the lowest 9d. in 1850; the Highway-rate varied between 6d. and 4d. (also once a year); so that the Stretford people fared pretty well. They are now taxed probably twice as much, the only set-off being the abolition of turnpikes.
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