I HAVE found out the history of the site that the rest room is built on. Perhaps some readers of the Times can help fill in the gaps for the town council to answer the queries it raises. On June 21 1953 the waste land at the side of the church was leased to Tavistock Urban District Council for 25 years to raise funds for a building. On January 19 1954 the hall was built by public subscription and a 50-year lease signed with the option, again to the council with a further 25-year lease possible to negotiate. In 1962 the site was sold to Pearl Assurance for £13,000. The church was to relocate to Russell Street for £5,750. The excess money was invested. NB: In the deeds the rest room and the manse were not included in the sale. The Devon Congregational Union became trustees of the room for £5 a year and records show they paid this until at least 1972, via a model trust arrangement. In 1989 all assets were transferred to the South West Synod at Taunton — still no mention of the sale of the rest room. The church trustees, re approval of provisional synod and a church resolution to sell the rest room — again no evidence. The town clerk has told me Pearl Assurance sold the site to someone and then sold again to Hunstrete Estates and that their claim has been investigated. They took on the lease, but when? Why was it sold? How much? The church had no need to sell this useful and much needed facility, so answer the question. Tavistock Urban Distsrict Council is very much involved in the history of the rest room. Set the record straight. What really happened? Why was this room lumped in with the Brook Street site? Why should this peace be demolished because of someone's lack of clarity? Mrs S King 9 Mount Wise Launceston
