He resigned from the Cople Parish Church vestry in 1776. Until 1834 its vestry governed most parish affairs. The borough covered the area of the former Lambeth parish vestry. The parish was government by the St Mary Islington open vestry. The archive also includes records of the churchwardens, charities and vestry. Thomas Hardy contributed to the addition of the vestry and chancel in 1856-7. Gordon was also made a member of the parish vestry. Tudor statutes had placed responsibility on each parish vestry to maintain all its roads. The upper class planters controlled the vestry, which ran the parish and chose the minister. Henry was engaged as counsel by Maury's parish vestry for this hearing. A select vestry was created for the new parish. The board is in a similar position to a select vestry of a parish. A vestryman is a member of his local church's vestry, or leading body. The vestry hall was located on Bancroft Road. It was decided to continue to use the eight vestry wards.