6
Russell, was computed at more than double the original estimate.
The final settlement of the arrangement was announced by the
following letter from the Town Clerk :—
Town Hall, West Ham, E.,
30th July, 1898.
" Dear Sir,
" Adverting to your call here on Monday last I now beg to inform
" you that the Council have approved the altered plans for the Museum
" Building in the Romford Road which were then submitted to you, and
" have given the Architects the necessary instructions to proceed to
" obtain tenders for the erection of the building at an estimated cost of
" £6,000.
" I am, dear Sir,
" Yours faithfully,
" FRED. E. HILLEARY.
" W. Cole, Esq.,
" Essex Field Club, Buckhurst Hill."
CONSTITUTION AND PLAN OF THE MUSEUM.
The principal stipulations of the agreement between the
Corporation of West Ham and the Essex Field Club are as
follows:—
(A) The Corporation agree to dedicate the main portion of the
building to the purposes of a Museum of Local (Essex) Natural History,
Pre-Historic Archaeology and Anthropology, and of Educational series
relating to the same; to warm, light, and provide for the care-taking of
the building ; that the Club shall have the sole scientific control of the
Collections, and the appointment of the Curator, and be allowed to
keep its Library in the building; the Corporation also agreeing to make
a grant of not less than £100 per annum towards the Curatorial
expenses.
(B) The Club agree to place their County Collections, cases, and
cabinets in the Museum (excepting the Epping Forest collections, which
are to be retained in the Forest Museum at Chingford); to do their
best to increase and improve the same ; to undertake the selection and
scientific control of the collections ; to raise a certain capital sum for
the further equipment of the Museum ; to appoint a Curator, and to
devote a sum of £50 per annum towards the Curatorial expenses.
The agreement also carefully defines the plan and scope of
the Museum, and this scheme will be rigidly adhered to, in order
to avoid the error of gathering together a miscellaneous collection
of incongruous specimens. The Museum will be a Local
(Essex) one, supplemented by short series having an educational
value, and designed to show the place of the local forms in the