Tue 13 Apr 1802
General Half Yearly Meeting. Tonnage £1702 17s 7d. Balance £1515 2½d. Dividend of £7 declared.
Letter from Mr John Padmore Noble reflecting on some parts of administration of late Committee. Impartial review of proceedings by those assembled express pleasure with their active and judicious discharge of their duties.
Committee for next year, who are to persevere in the same line of conduct: Rev William Ellis, Rev Joseph Colborne, Samuel Wathen, John Allaway, Benjamin Grazebrook, Joseph Grazebrook, Rowles Scudamore, Joseph Harford, William Battersby, Nathaniel Wathen, Nathaniel Jones, Joseph Cambridge, Henry Burgh.
Mr John Saunders reported (a representation having been made) loss of about £80 by Company's servants, Ambrose and Thomas Beard, consequence of an iniquitous prosecution against them. No time for defence and decision in their disfavour. Twenty guineas to subscription already begun. Prosecution unwarranted effect of premeditated and declared malices.
At a General Half Yearly Meeting of the Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the George Inn in Stroud on Tuesday the 13^th of April 1802
Samuel Wathen Esq^r in the Chair.
The Minutes of the last General Meeting were Read and Confirmed.
The several Books and Accounts were produced respecting the Affairs of the Company as directed by the Act of Parliament and Examined and Confirmed.
It appears by the Accounts that the Sum o f1702^£..17^s..7^d has been received for Tonnage, etc, from the 13^th of October last to this day, a part of which has been applied towards the payment of Wages, Disburstments, etc, there remains in the Treasurers hands after paying the last Dividend the Sum of £1515.. ..2½^d.
Ordered that a Dividend of £7 on each Share be paid by the Treasurer on the first day of May next, and that our Clerk do transmit Circular Letters to all the Proprietors to inform them that they may draw upon the Treasurer or apply to him for payment of the same.
The Chairman having communicated to this Meeting a Letter which he had received from M^r John Padmore Noble reflecting on some parts of the administration of the late Committee; The Proprietors this day assembles after an impartial review of their proceedings, express thus publickly and with much pleasure the sense they entertain of their active and judicious discharge of the duties delegated to them. They at the same time earnestly recommend to the succeeding Committee to persevere in a line of conduct which insured to the late Committee the Confidence and Support of the Company.
The following Gentlemen are appointed a Committee for the ensuing Year, Viz:
Rev^d Will^m Ellis, Joseph Harford, Rev^d Jos^h Colborne, Will^m Battersby, Sam^l Wathen, Nath^l Wathen, John Allaway, Nath^l Jones, Benj^n Grazebrooke, Joseph Cambridge, Joseph Grazebrooke, Henry Burgh, Rowles Scudamore.
A representation having been made to the Company by M^r John Saunders of a Loss of about £80 sustained by two of our Servants namely Ambrose & Thomas Beard in consequence of an iniquitous prosecution carried on against them and which thro' their not having time for their defence has been decided in their disfavour, Resolved that Twenty Guineas be paid to the Subscription already begun, in order to manifest the opinion entertained by the Company of the good Conduct of the said Ambrose and Thomas Beard, and their full Conviction that the prosecution carried against them has been totally unwarranted, and merely the effect of premeditated and declared malice; and also has been probably instigated by resentment against them for their faithful attention to the Interests of the Company.
