Meetings of the Improvement Commissioners

From 1769 until well into the 19th century the Ship and Castle on the Hard was the meeting place of the Improvement Commissioners for the town of Portsea. They were charged with road improvements and street cleaning and the ‘removal of nuisances’. A brief survey of the first volume of the minutes of Commissioner’s meetings makes if fairly clear that 18th century Portsea was a pretty squalid place. The Commissioners issue frequent orders ‘that the inhabitants do not throw ashes, cinders and rubbish into the streets’. A succession of men are appointed to impound all swine, beasts and cattle ‘which shall be found wandering about the streets, lanes, ways, alleys and public passages…’