Description

Admin History:

The Amalgamation of the Hull Municipal Authority and the Hull Sanitary Authority Committee was established in February 1875. It was set up to see the merger of the Hull Local Board of Health and the Hull Corporation, as the latter having been designated as the sanitary authority as a result of the 1875 Public Health Act.

The Borough Treasurer, William Bolton was unable to continue in the post due to ill-health and retired on 1 August 1876, and was replaced by Edward Witty. The Committee then found some major financial irregularities and in September set-up a sub-committee to investigate the issue. As a consequence, Bolton admitted to the fraudulent removal of almost £10,000 of the Borough's funds over a number of years. In addition, his clerk in the department, John Brooke was also found to have taken money as well. Bolton indicated he did not have enough cash to pay back what he owed, but said he would give up everything he possessed in order to reduce the corporations losses. On 26 September Brooke committed suicide by shooting himself. An arrest warrant was issued for Bolton, who was seriously ill and had been so since 1867. He was not removed from his home in North Ferriby and died in December of cancer. The corporation had already decided to try and reclaim their money back and so with both individuals dead, they pursued their claim in the courts, attempting to claim back the money from the estates of both Bolton and Brooke. The matter was complicated by the death of Margaret Bolton the daughter of William, who pre-deceased her father and left her estate to him. Her executors contested the corporation's attempt to take back money owed by William Bolton from the estate of his daughter.

Description:

C TCAM/1 Committee papers 1867-1877

C TCAM/2 Records relating to staffing matters 1867-1878

C TACM/3 Records of the Amalgamation Sub-Committee 1861-1879