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AN ADDITION TO EPPING FOREST.
" 14, Grosvenor Crescent, S.W.
"May 4th, 1889.
" Dear Lord Mayor,—I think it only due to your Lordship that you should
be informed of any change in the area of the forest, and I therefore beg to state
that Mr. E. N. Buxton and I, as Verderers of the northern division, have for
long felt anxious that the space called Oakhills, in the Manor of Theydon
(Theydon Bois), should not be used for building purposes as was threatened, but
should be added to the area open to the public on conditions similar to those that
govern the rest of the forest. I am glad to be able to inform your Lordship that
arrangements have lately been made for effecting this purpose, and that the wire
fence now surrounding 'Oakhills' will in due course be removed.
" I have the honour, my Lord Mayor, to remain your obedient servant,
"T. Fowell Buxton."
In the course of his speech the Lord Mayor remarked :—
" At first sight I could not help thinking that there was some little obscurity
about that letter—in point of fact I did not understand it; but when I did
afterwards understand it I realized why it was obscure, because I felt, knowing
the character of the two gentlemen who were associated with that letter, that the
manner of its expression arose from a diffidence on their part, lest they should give
too much prominence to their own act. Reading between the lines, it comes to
this, that Sir Fowell Buxton and Mr. Edward North Buxton have decided to
purchase 121/2 acres of land, which are situated in the midst of the very best part of
Epping Forest, and give them to the Corporation of London, subject to the
Corporation undertaking that the space so given shall be thrown open to the
public for ever, in the same manner and on the same conditions as the other part
of the forest belonging to them.....It is to me a source of very great pride
that during the year of my mayoralty I am able to make this announcement,
because the gift is conceived in such a generous spirit, and is intended to make so
complete what has been done by the Corporation previously in providing for the
recreation of the people so far as Epping Forest is concerned."
In replying for "The Verderers," Sir Fowell Buxton, after thanking
the Lord Mayor for his remarks, and for the kind way in which the
toast had been received, went on to say :—
" As Verderers, they felt a deep sympathy with the forest. It was hateful to
them if anything was done like that which used to be done in years gone by which
portions of the forest were enclosed. It went to their hearts like a dagger when
they saw islands in the forest, and it was a very great privilege to his brother and
himself to put one of these islands under the surface, so that men going by it
would see it no more. (Cheers.) He hated the islands as he hated the ditches.
(Laughter.) It was the good fortune of the Lord Mayor to be a guest the other
night at a dinner where the announcement was made that some one would give a
house if a site were provided [referring to Lord Salisbury's announcement of the
offer made to build a new National Portrait Gallery]. His brother and himself
thought a happier method might be adopted —that was, to find a site provided no
house should be there at all. (Cheers and laughter.) They hoped there would be
no house, and very shortly no iron wire or obstruction. In one single point he
did not agree with the Lord Mayor. His Lordship had spoken of this as bringing