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Dr Frank Alexander Middlemiss (1920-2014) was born on 25 March 1920 in Leyton, East London. Served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Second World War, spending 14 months as a Prisoner of War in Italy and Germany in 1944-1945. Received a first class degree in Geology from Queen Mary College in 1950, and stayed on to pursue a PhD, completed in 1955. He taught in the Geology department at Queen Mary for the rest of his career, leading many field trips. He officially retired in 1982. He was made a Fellow in 1996.

Middlemiss’s specialisms were Lower Cretaceous brachiopods, and the geology of the Weald and South East England, including the Lower Greensand Group and the chalk cliffs of Kent. He provided advice on the construction of the Channel Tunnel. He was a Fellow of the Geographical Society from 1950-1982. He was a member of the Geologists' Association and a member of several working groups of the International Union of Geological Societies.

Met his wife, Florence, in 1946 when they were both students at Queen Mary. They had two children, Stella and Joan.

John Michie was a director of the East India Company, 1770-88, and High Sheriff of Hertfordshire. He died in 1788. The papers also relate to Jonathan Michie, a wine merchant of 35 Craven Street, Strand (died 1802). It is possible that John Michie was also a wine merchant, but entries in London directories list the business only under Jonathan Michie.

Dr Richard Michels was born in 1873 in Essen and settled in Duesseldorf in 1899. He spent his first few years in Duesseldorf as a ship's doctor on a number of vessels, sailing all over the world. Thus the bulk of this collection contains letters sent to his mother and journals whilst travelling. He came to London in 1939 where he became a doctor specializing in mental disorders and nervous diseases. He made a name for himself by developing the anti-depressant Lubrokal, which was also used for epilepsy. He was married late in life to the famous pianist, Irma Pulvermann, also from Duesseldorf, with whom he visited her home city every year.

Michell attended the Royal Naval Academy at Portsmouth between 1800 and 1803. He served in various ships in the Mediterranean from 1803 to 1809, becoming a lieutenant in 1807. He spent six years in the RHIN, 1809 to 1815, in horne waters, off Brazil and in the West Indies. In 1816 he was made a commander and led the battering flotilla attached to the squadron of Admiral Edward Pellew at the battle of Algiers. He subsequently commanded the Rifleman in the Mediterranean, 1826 to 1830, when he was promoted to captain; and the MAGICIENNE and the INCONSTANT, also in the Mediterranean, 1840 to 1843. In the MAGICIENNE he was engaged in the Syrian operations of 1840. His last service, 1852 to 1855, was the command of the QUEEN, flagship in the Mediterranean; in her he distinguished himself at the bombardment of Sebastopol and was Senior Officer when Lord Lyons (1790-1858) took his force to Kerch, 1855. He was promoted to rear-admiral in July of the same year, finally becoming an admiral in 1866.

Roland Michell was born on 14 February 1847. He was educated at Christ Church College, Oxford. He lived in Egypt for many years, initially as Tutor to Prince Ibrahim Pasha, son of the Khedive of Egypt, 1870-1878. He later served as Chief of the Statistical Department, Revenue Survey of Egypt, 1878-1879, and Commissioner of Limassol, Cyprus, 1879-1911. He published two works, An Egyptian Calendar for the Koptic Year 1295 (Alexandria, 1877), and An Egyptian Calendar for the Koptic Year 1617 (London, 1900). He died on 9 March 1931.

The author was a distinguished and indefatigable botanist and plant collector, who made extensive tours in Italy and Central Europe, and founded the Florence Botanical Society.

Michael I of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen was born in 1921, the only son of King Carol II of Romania. He reigned for two periods, as a child from 1927-1930 and from 1940-1947. He was forced to abdicate a few hours before a communist republic was declared in December 1947. Michael went into exile in London the following year and was stripped of his Romanian citizenship, which he only regained in 1997. On 31st January 1991, King Michael and Queen Anne made an official visit to SSEES where he gave a lecture.

Yorkshire Television is an independent television company based in Leeds, Yorkshire. It was established in 1968 and is presently one of the largest independent television companies. In 1997 it became a franchise of the Granada Media Group, later Granada Compass.

Yorkshire Television is an independent television company based in Leeds, Yorkshire. It was established in 1968 and is presently one of the largest independent television companies. In 1997 it became a franchise of the Granada Media Group, later Granada Compass. The television documentary Four hours in My Lai was broadcast as part of the First Tuesday television series during 1989. It was produced by Michael Bilton and Kevin Sim, and directed by Kevin Sim.

Born in 1915, Ian Michael was appointed as the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malawi in 1964. Ian Michael also undertook research into the history of the teaching of English. Between 1979 and the 1990s he published English: from the Sixteenth Century to 1870 (1987); Early Textbooks of English (1983) and a number of papers based on his research.

Stephen Miall, of 28 Belsize Grove, London, was a solicitor.

Hugo Meynell was aide de camp to Gen Sir Hugh Stockwell, Suez, 1956.

In 1834 Meynell entered Henry Burney's Academy at Gosport and in 1836 joined the PARTRIDGE, home waters. From 1837 to 1839 he was in Australian waters in the ALLIGATOR and then took part in the China War, 1840 to 1843, in the CALLIOPE. Between 1844 and 1845 he was a mate in the PENELOPE during the anti-slavery operations off the west coast of Africa. In 1846 he was presented with a commission and re-appointed as additional lieutenant to the PENELOPE. He was unemployed from 1847 until 1853, when he joined the ROYAL GEORGE in the Baltic during the Crimean War. After 1855 he saw no further service.

Alice Christiana Gertrude Meynell was born in Barnes, Surrey in October 1847; Alice and her sister, Elizabeth Thompson, later Elizabeth Southerden Butler, Lady Butler (1846-1933) were educated by their father, Thomas James Thompson ([1809]-1881); Alice took instruction and was received into the Roman Catholic church, St George's, Worcester, 1868.

Meynell's first published work was Preludes, 1875 which received much praise, notably from Alfred Tennyson, Coventry Patmore, Aubrey de Vere, and John Ruskin. Meynell married Wilfrid John Meynell (1852-1948) on 16 April 1877. Once married both worked as journalists, editing the Weekly Register and Merry England, 1883 to 1895; Alice regularly wrote literary criticisms for Spectator, The Tablet, the Saturday Review, The World, and the Scots Observer.

Meynell's first volume of essays, The Rhythm of Life, published in 1893, consisted mainly of work reprinted from periodicals. At this time Meynell also wrote a weekly column in the Pall Mall Gazette, 1893. Whilst working as a journalist and during early motherhood Meynell ceased to write poetry, however later she returned to poetry, being mentioned as a possible candidate for Poet Laureate in 1895. From this time until her death she wrote some of her finest work, including poetry about World War One. Meynell was a supporter of the suffrage movement and women's rights, which was reflected in her later work. Meynell died 27 November 1922.

Giacomo Meyerbeer (born Jacob Liebmann Beer), 1791-1864, was the most frequently performed operatic composer during the 19th century. Major works include Il Crotiato in Egitto, 1824; Robert le Diable, 1831; Les Hugenots, 1836; Ein Feldlager de Schliessen, 1844; Le Prophete, 1849 and L'africaine, 1865. He composed much other music in a variety of styles and forms including concerti and church music.

Ernst Meyer (1887-1930), Chairman of the KPD, was born in Prostken, Germany, the son of a train driver. He studied philosophy, history, theology, psychology and economics at Koeningsberg and Berlin universities. From 1912 he worked for the Imperial government in the Kaiserlichen Statistischen in Berlin. In 1908 he became a member of the German Social Democrat Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands). He was also a founder member of the Spartacus League. The League was founded in 1914 by members of the Social Democrat Party who were opposed to the party's decision to support Germany's involvment in World War I. In 1918 he helped found the German Communist Party (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands). He was voted on to the Executive Committee of the KPD and was director of KPD publications. From 1921 to 1923 he was Chairman of the Politbureau of the KPD. In 1922 he married Rose Levine (1890-1971), widow of Eugene Levine (1883-1919), who was leader of the German Communist Party until his execution in 1919. Meyer died of tuberculosis in 1930.

Richard Meyer, a Jewish former resident of Sinzig was responsible for the erection of a memorial commemmorating the fate of Sinzig's Jewish population under the Nazis.

Anne Marie Meyer was born in Berlin into a Jewish family, 1919. She came to Britain with her father and younger brothers in 1933 and attended Bunce Court School in Kent. Unable to fund a university education, she trained as a secretary and started work at the Warburg Institute in London in 1937. From 1939 until her retirement in 1984 she was the Institute's Secretary and Registrar. Although employed as an administrator, Meyer acquired a wide scholarly knowledge in her own right, particularly in relation to classical music and to the history of the Warburg Institute, and her scholarship, knowledge of four languages and editorial skills proved invaluable in the production of the Institute's journal and monographs. She was awarded the MBE in 1983 and became an Honorary Fellow of the Institute in 1984. She died in 2004.

Baron Alexander Felixovich Meyendorff (1869-1964) was born in Russia, the son of a diplomat and Olga, Princess Gorchagov. After graduating in law from St Petersburg University and military service, in 1893 he joined the civil service. In 1907 he became member for Livonia in the Duma. He was vice president of the Duma for some time and in 1917 became a senator. He accepted an appointment as Russian ambassador to Britain but resigned after the policy supporting the Stockholm Conference was abandoned. In 1918 he left Russia for Latvia with his wife and in 1919 emigrated to Britain, From 1922 to 1934 Meyendorff was reader in Russian institutional politics at the London School of Economics. He wrote several books, his interests being land law, organisation of peasant communities and diplomatic history.
Ref: "Slavonic and East European Review" vol 42, no 99, 1964, pp 440-442

Unknown.

The Horseshoe Brewery was founded before 1764 and was situated at 269 Tottenham Court Road, London. The business was purchased by Sir Henry Meux after a dispute at his previous business, Reid, Meux and Company, resulted in him leaving. The Horseshoe Brewery had previously been managed by Blackburn and Bywell.

The brewery traded under the name Henry Meux and Company. Sir Henry Meux the Second ran the brewery after the death of his father in 1841 until 1878 when Henry Bruce Meux and Lord Tweedmouth took over management and renamed the company Meux's Brewery Company Limited which was registered in 1888.

In 1921 operations were transferred to the Nine Elms Brewery, Nine Elms Road, Wandsworth which was the premises of Thorne Bros Limited, acquired by Meux in 1914. The Nine Elms Brewery was renamed the Horseshoe Brewery and the old Horseshoe Brewery was closed.

The company acquired Burge and Company Limited, Victoria Brewery, Victoria Street, Windsor, Berkshire in 1931 and Mellersh and Neale Limited, Reigate, Surrey in 1938. In 1956 Meux's Brewery merged with Friary, Holroyd and Healy's Breweries Limited, Guildford, Surrey, to form Friary Meux Limited.

Meux's Brewery Company Limited went into liquidation in November 1961 and the Horseshoe Brewery ceased to brew in 1964.

On 10 November 1941, Jews began to be transported from Düsseldorf to Minsk -altogether 5,895 Jews being deported, most of them between Autumn 1941 and Summer 1942. The other destinations for Jews were Theresienstadt, Riga, Litzmannstadt and Izbica. All Jews males under the age of 65 years of age and women under 60 came into consideration and individuals concerned received an 'evacuation order' from the Gestapo, by registered mail, informing them to report one day before 'evacuation'.

Those transported would be subject to special regulations for the duration of transport. Assets were confiscated, though each individual could take a suitcase of belongings with them. In addition they had to fill out an inventory of assets. This 'declaration of assets' ('Vermögenserklärung') consisted of 8 pages and had to be filled out separately for each person. These forms required information concerning bank accounts details, cash and securities, insurances, properties, other receivables, business shares, and total assets.

The Metropolitan Water Board was established in 1902 under the terms of the Metropolis Water Act of the same year with a statutory area of 576 square miles, of which it directly supplied 540. Its Board met for the first time in 1903 and was composed of 66 members from every local authority concerned (some smaller authorities had joint representation) and the Lee and Thames Conservancies. This number was increased to 88 in 1956 (due to population growth) but reduced to 39 on the reorganisation of local government in 1965.

During 1903 and 1904 arbitration appeals were heard regarding compensation for the companies' shareholders and in 1904 the 'appointed days' for transfer of the undertakings took place, July 25 for the New River Company and June 24 for the rest. The new undertaking also included the areas covered by the Urban Districts of Enfield and Tottenham which had retained their own powers of supply (from wells) although they had also been heavily dependent on the New River and East London companies.

Its first task was to complete schemes inherited from the companies and effect the rationalisation of the eight separate undertakings, primarily in engineering, staffing, administration and water rates. To this end Staines reservoir was opened in 1904, the Kempton Park works in 1906, Walton reservoir in 1907, Honor Oak reservoir in 1909, and Island Barn reservoir in 1911.

Progress on the financial and administrative side was slower and politically sensitive especially in the rationalisation of water charges. Criticisms of the Board continued through the 1910's and eventually in 1919 it agreed to the setting up of a committee by the Ministry of Health under Sir Horace Monro to review the workings of the 1902 Water Act. The committee reported in 1920, largely supporting the Board's management of the undertaking and the resulting Metropolitan Water Board (Charges) Act of 1921 strengthened its financial position.

In 1914 the Round Pond was closed after three hundred years in operation and on its site in 1920 the Board's new headquarters at New River Head were opened. In 1936 another connection with the early history of the capital's water supply was broken with the decision to allow the lease on Hampstead and Highgate ponds to lapse. It had been in existence since 1543.

In 1947 a Departmental Committee was set up by the Ministry of Health on Greater London Water Supplies with a remit "To examine the present system of water supply administration in the Greater London area and to consider and report on the question whether changes in that system are desirable in the public interest and if so what should be the constitution, powers and duties of the new body or bodies in which control should be rented". The Board was in favour of, in effect, a single regional body based on the hydro-geological area of the London Basin but there was a great deal of opposition to the proposal and nothing of substance was enacted although indirectly it led to the creation of the Thames Water Authority in 1974.

The post war period saw the inauguration of a number of major schemes including the opening of the George VI reservoir at Staines in 1947, the William Girling reservoir at Chingford in 1951, the Ashford Common works in 1958, the Thames to Lee Valley trunk main (to supplement supplies from the River Lee) in 1960, the Elizabeth II reservoir at Walton in 1962 and the Coppermills Works (the last great project completed) in 1972. By 1974 the daily amount of water supplied by the Board had risen from an original 220 million gallons in 1904 to 420 million gallons (with peaks up to 500 million).

The Thames Water Authority came into existence under the 1973 Water Act on 1st August of that year. The last meeting of the Metropolitan Water Board took place on 29th March 1974 and the Authority assumed full control three days later.

Early water supply to the city of London came directly from wells and rivers. However, as early as 1236 the fresh water supply was dwindling as the number of residents in the city increased; and works began to bring in fresh water from outside the city. The era of free water gave way to the era of commercial supply with the foundation of the New River Company (1612) and the London Bridge Waterworks (1581). Chelsea Waterworks Company was founded in 1723, and in 1746 laid the first iron water main (pipes were previously made of wood or lead). The Southwark Water Company was founded in 1760, the Lambeth Water Works Company in 1785, the Vauxhall Water Company in 1805, the West Middlesex Waterworks Company in 1806, the East London Waterworks Company in 1807, the Kent Waterworks Company in 1809 and the Grand Junction Waterworks Company in 1811.

It was not until 1902 that the Metropolis Water Act was passed, leading to the creation of the Metropolitan Water Board. This took over eight private water companies, taking over the New River Company headquarters on Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell. The board was made up of 66 delegated members, 14 from the London County Council, 31 from the Metropolitan Borough Councils and City Corporation, and 21 from the authorities of localities outside the water companies' areas. From 1907 widespread reservoir and waterworks building was carried out.

From 1974 the administration of the Metropolitan Water Board was transferred to the new Thames Water Authority. In 1989 Thames Water became a private company and set up a principal operating subsidiary, Thames Water Utilities Limited, to supply water and sewerage services.

Early water supply to the city of London came directly from wells and rivers. However, as early as 1236 the fresh water supply was dwindling as the number of residents in the city increased; and works began to bring in fresh water from outside the city. The era of free water gave way to the era of commercial supply with the foundation of the New River Company (1612) and the London Bridge Waterworks (1581). Chelsea Waterworks Company was founded in 1723, and in 1746 laid the first iron water main (pipes were previously made of wood or lead). The Southwark Water Company was founded in 1760, the Lambeth Water Works Company in 1785, the Vauxhall Water Company in 1805, the West Middlesex Waterworks Company in 1806, the East London Waterworks Company in 1807, the Kent Waterworks Company in 1809 and the Grand Junction Waterworks Company in 1811.

It was not until 1902 that the Metropolis Water Act was passed, leading to the creation of the Metropolitan Water Board. This took over eight private water companies, taking over the New River Company headquarters on Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell. The board was made up of 66 delegated members, 14 from the London County Council, 31 from the Metropolitan Borough Councils and City Corporation, and 21 from the authorities of localities outside the water companies' areas. From 1907 widespread reservoir and waterworks building was carried out.

From 1974 the administration of the Metropolitan Water Board was transferred to the new Thames Water Authority. In 1989 Thames Water became a private company and set up a principal operating subsidiary, Thames Water Utilities Limited, to supply water and sewerage services.

Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721), was a woodcarver and sculptor who invented a style of foliage woodcarving that was unprecedented in its finely modelled naturalism and subtlety of design, its startling projection and flamboyant pale tone. Long celebrated as the greatest British woodcarver, Gibbons might be said to rank among the greatest of all decorative woodcarvers.

Sir Hugh Myddleton was the founder of the New River Company.

According to the Brent Council website, the Metropolitan Tower Construction Company was founded by Sir Edward Watkin, Chairman of the Metropolitan Railway Company. He was impressed by the Eiffel Tower and wished to construct something similar on land he owned in Wembley Park. In 1880 a design was chosen for a 1,200 feet high steel tower incorporating restaurants, theatres, dancing rooms and exhibition space. Work was begun in 1893 but ran into problems both with the construction and finances. Work was stopped when the tower was 155 feet high. The incomplete structure was surrounded by pleasure gardens including sports facilities, tea rooms, bandstands and a lake. The park was served by the new Wembley Park station which had opened in 1894. In 1899 the Tower Construction Company went into liquidation. Subsequently, the structure was neglected and by 1902 it was declared unsafe and closed to the public. It was then demolished, with the scrap steel exported abroad. Wembley Stadium now stands on the site.

See "The history of the Wembley Park area" on Brent Council website, http://www.brent.gov.uk/regeneration.nsf/Wembley/LBB-149 (accessed Jan 2010).

The Metropolitan Roads Commission was formed in 1826 under the Act 7 George IV. c.142. It was responsible for the maintenance of the following roads:

Kensington Roads

Isleworth Road

Brentford Roads

Uxbridge Road

Kilburn Road

Harrow Road

Old Street

City Road

Hackney Road

Lea Bridge Road

Stamford Hill Roads (including Green Lanes)

Highgate and Hampstead Roads

Camden Town Roads

Marylebone Roads (including Edgware Road and New Road).

The Metropolitan Rifle Range Company was set-up to provide ranges close to London at which the Metropolitan Volunteers could practice rifle shooting. Directors included Colonel Deane of the 21st Middlesex; Lieutenant-Colonel Cantlon of the 2nd London; Major Cunningham of the 9th Middlesex and Major Gallie of the 21st Middlesex. Mr Mortimer was Secretary.

In 1892 the Company opened a rifle range called the Runemede or Runnymede Range, near Staines. This comprised 1000 acres of flat land bordered by a river, marsh land, a railway and a road, along which a concrete wall was constructed. Nevertheless, the range was later closed because of safety concerns, particuarly relating to the railway.

The Club was established in November 1844 as an offshoot of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. It met to discuss science, literature and art. Its numbers were limited to 12.

The Metropolitan Railway and the Metropolitan District Railway were two separate companies responsible for the construction of the first two underground railways in London. The Metropolitan Railway was begun in 1860, running between Farringdon and Paddington through Kings Cross. This was extended to Hammersmith in 1864 and Moorgate in 1865. Plans were made for an 'Inner Circle' which would link the two ends of the line. A line between Paddington and South Kensington was opened in 1868 and between Moorgate and Aldgate in 1876.

The line between South Kensington and Mansion House was constructed by the Metropolitan District Railway in 1871, which was founded to raise the capital needed to complete the Inner Circle. The expectation was that the two companies would merge once work was completed. However, they instead had a falling out over finances (and a personality clash of the two Chairmen) and began to run separate services using the same lines. Some agreement was eventually reached so that the final section of line, between Mansion House and Aldgate, was completed in 1884. Both companies continued to expand beyond the Inner Circle, thus laying the foundations of the modern London Underground Circle, Hammersmith and City, District and Metropolitan lines.

The two companies formed a joint committee from 1901 to work together on the electrification of the Inner Circle. The Metropolitan District Railway was subsequently purchased by Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited (later the London Electric Railway). Both companies became part of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933.

The Watford Joint Railway Committee was a joint undertaking of the Metropolitan Railway Company and the London North Eastern Railway Company. It was formed to construct a branch of the Metropolitan Railway to Watford, now part of the London Underground Metropolitan Line.

The Hammersmith and City Railway was constructed by the Great Western Railway, running between Hammersmith and Westbourne Park. It was soon connected to the Metropolitan Railway's underground line. In 1867 the Metropolitan Railway purchased a share in the Hammersmith and City Railway and took over operations. The railway was a branch of the Metropolitan Line until 1988, when the line was split into the Hammersmith and City Line, running services from Hammersmith to Whitechapel, and the Metropolitan Line, running from Amersham to Aldgate.

The Metropolitan Railway Company and the Great Central Railway Company worked together to operate a section of line running between Grendon Underwood and London Marylebone via Aylesbury, Harrow and Amersham.

The Metropolitan Railway Company was responsible for the construction of the world's first underground passenger railway. Work began on the line in 1860, running from Paddington to King's Cross and then on to Farringdon Street. The first trial journey was held in 1862, with the line opened to the public in January 1863. The railway proved popular and extensions were constructed, the first being to Hammersmith by 1864 and Moorgate by 1865. This line formed the core both of the modern Circle Line (constructed as the Inner Circle) and the modern Metropolitan Line. In 1905 an electric service was introduced. In 1933 the Metropolitan Railway was taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board.

The Metropolitan Railway Company was responsible for the construction of the world's first underground passenger railway. Work began on the line in 1860, running from Paddington to King's Cross and then on to Farringdon Street. The first trial journey was held in 1862, with the line opened to the public in January 1863. The railway proved popular and extensions were constructed, the first being to Hammersmith by 1864 and Moorgate by 1865. In 1905 an electric service was introduced. In 1933 the Metropolitan Railway was taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board.

The association was founded in 1882, with the object of providing open spaces in the London metropolitan area. It raised money through subscriptions for the purchase and laying out of parks and gardens; it also attempted to persuade local authorities to provide more facilities of this kind. The association also encouraged the conversion of disused churchyards and burial grounds into public gardens.

Until 1834 the local authority responsible for poor relief was the parish. After the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act, all except the largest parishes were forced to combine into poor law unions which elected Boards of Guardians which took over responsibility for poor relief. Some London parishes which had before 1834 obtained local acts of Parliament to regulate their administration of poor relief were able to continue their existing arrangements until 1867, when the Metropolitan Poor Act forced all London parishes to come under the control of Boards of Guardians.

Metropolitan parishes and unions were those falling within the Metropolis: London and those parts of neighbouring Middlesex, Essex, Surrey and Kent which had become increasingly urbanised. Valuation was the process of determining how much rates (local tax) should be paid by each property owner in an area.

Georgina Agnes Brackenbury (1865-1949) studied at the Slade School of Fine Art from 1888-1900. She was a member of both the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies and the Women's Social and Political Union. She was arrested in Feb 1908, after taking part in a raid on the House of Commons and was sentenced to six weeks in Holloway Prison. After her release, she continued in militant suffrage activities and was imprisoned for a month in 1912 for smashing windows. She was the daughter of Hilda Brackenbury (1832-1918) and sister of Mary Brackenbury (1866-1946), who were both also involved in militant suffrage activity.

The Metropolitan United Pawnbrokers' Protection Society (renamed the Metropolitan Pawnbrokers' Protection Society in 1874) was formed some time before 1844 to give legal protection, assistance and advice to pawnbrokers trading in London.

On Wednesday 30 March 1836, an advertisement in 'The Times' announced the foundation of the Metropolitan Free Hospital. The aim of the hospital was to offer treatment to people 'whose only recommendations are poverty, destitution and disease'. They would be accepted without the letter of recommendation required by other hospitals, but which was often difficult to obtain. The founders of the new hospital proposed 'to remedy these inconveniences and defects in most [...] public institutions and to promote the sacred cause of charity'. Two physicians and three surgeons offered their services free of charge. Readers of 'The Times' were asked to give donations. Ten guineas would give them the right to be a life Governor and a subscription of one guinea a year would make them a Governor as long as the money was paid. During the first years of its existence, the Governors of the hospital were largely businessmen of the City of London, the most notable being Joseph Fry. He was a founder member and remained an active chairman for twenty-four years, until his death in 1897.

In the beginning, the hospital had acute financial problems. Tradesmen's bills and even the rent for 29 Carey Street were in arrears. It was probably due to this lack of funds that only out-patients were treated. The Duke of Cambridge visited the hospital on 23 May 1843 and proposed that six beds should be immediately fitted up for in-patients. By 19 June 1844, in-patients were accepted into the Metropolitan Hospital. The Metropolitan moved from Carey Street to 8 Devonshire Square in 1850. The financial situation had not improved and only out-patients were accepted in the new premises. However, on 20 August 1850, it was decided to convert two rooms into an in-patients' ward and to put up beds so that visitors could see that 'in-patients will be received when the funds admit it'. Unfortunately, the new property was soon needed by the Great Eastern Railway Company for an extension of Liverpool Street Station. After long negotiations, 8 Devonshire Square was sold for £8,500 in February 1876.

It was not easy to find suitable new accommodation for the hospital. Several possibilities were suggested and finally it was decided to take a lease on a former warehouse at 81 Commercial Street, Spitalfields. The hospital was closed to out-patients from 21 December 1875 to 3 January 1876, when the new premises were opened. The new wards for in-patients were not ready until April of that same year. Plans were then made to erect a purpose-built hospital in Half Moon Street and Bishopsgate Street. It took some time to remove the sitting tenants, but before any building could begin the Great Eastern Railway Company decided that this space was also needed for Liverpool Street Station and the Great Eastern Hotel. They offered to pay £25,000 and this was accepted in 1882. Again a suitable site had to be found and in January 1883 a freehold site in Kingsland Road was bought for £5,896. Delays occurred and when the lease of the Commercial Street house expired in March 1885, the new building was far from completed. In-patients were sent home or moved to other hospitals, and a cottage and some shops at the corner of Kingsland Road and Enfield Road were taken on a weekly basis. This was not a satisfactory arrangement and in August the Management Committee demanded that the new out-patients department should be completed within two weeks. Even then delays occurred and the department was finally opened on 29 September 1885. The remaining part of the building was finished in the autumn of 1886.

Soon after the Metropolitan Free Hospital was established in Kingsland Road, Sir Edmund Hay Currie became a Governor. He was a businessman in the City of London and he quickly realised that the financial situation of the Hospital would have to be improved. Currie therefore suggested that subscribers should contribute a small sum to the Hospital on a monthly basis, whether ill or in good health. This meant that the name had to be changed. The word 'Free' was omitted and the name became simply 'Metropolitan Hospital'.

Little is known about the nursing staff in the early days of the Hospital. The post of Matron was often vacant, with no suitable candidates for the position. Sir Edmund Hay Currie proposed a solution - to seek the co-operation of an Anglican Nursing Order, the Order of All Saints. This Order provided the nursing staff of the Hospital from 1888 to 1895.

The site in Kingsland Road allowed the further development of the hospital. In 1896 it had 160 beds, twelve being reserved for Jews who had their own cook and a Jewish out-patient physician. In that year, 781 in-patients and 16,033 out-patients were treated. In 1934 the number of in-patients treated at the hospital had increased to 1,981 and out-patients to 29,313, mostly from Hackney. By this time, special departments had been established in ENT and Gynaecology. A Tuberculosis Dispensary had also been organised, which was linked to an inspection of schoolchildren arranged by London County Council. In 1948 the Metropolitan became part of the National Health Service and was administered by the Central Group Hospital Management Committee. In the 1970s it had 146 beds. The hospital was closed in 1977.

On 21 November 1872, the Treasurers of London Hospitals met in the London Tavern in Bishopsgate to discuss how the voluntary hospitals in London could find enough money to remain in existence. They decided that the principal of a Hospital Sunday should be adopted and set up a committee chaired by the Lord Mayor of London to carry this out. The Lord Mayor was asked to preside over a public meeting of leading clergymen of all denominations in the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House in London on 16 January 1873. This meeting adopted the resolution "That the success attending Hospital Sunday in many of the provincial towns makes it desirable that a similar annual collection should be made in all places of worship in the metropolis on behalf of the medical charities". The collections made on Hospital Sunday would be administered by a Fund which soon became known as the Metropolitan Hospital Sunday Fund.

An annually elected Council of both lay and clerical members was established by the meeting and it was given the power to appoint the annual Committee of Distribution. It was also suggested that the Lord Mayor should be the permanent President and Treasurer of the Fund and that Annual Meetings should be convened by him. This has been the case ever since and all Annual Meetings have been held in the Mansion House.

The first Hospital Sunday collections took place on 15 June 1873 and a total of nearly £26,000 was contributed. Each year since then Hospital Sunday has been held on a nominated date, usually the First Sunday after Trinity. Over the years the support from places of worship has decreased. However, the Fund has been able to build up an investment income by capitalising on the many bequests it has received. Street collections were introduced in 1936.

The Fund distributed grants to the voluntary hospitals and dispensaries right up to the time of the foundation of the National Health Service in 1948. Thereafter the Fund felt that it could no longer make grants to hospitals which were financed from statutory sources. However, it decided to continue to make grants to independent hospitals and homes which had not been taken into the National Health Service, and to medical charities and organisations. It also made grants to National Health Service hospitals in the form of Samaritan Funds.

The Samaritan Funds were for the use of Hospital Social Workers in National Health Hospitals to enable them to provide in-patients and out-patients with items not normally available from statutory sources. In 1980 Special Reserve Fund grants were introduced which allowed Social Workers to obtain for patients amounts too large to be met from Samaritan Funds. Longstay/Geriatric Holiday grants were also introduced.

In 1981 the Fund introduced Specific Purpose grants for independent hospitals and homes which enabled applicants to request help with a wide range of requirements. It also enabled the Fund to support a particular project or individual rather than make a grant which was just set against general running expenses.

Until 1974, the official address of the Metropolitan Hospital Sunday Fund was the Mansion House in the City of London, although from 1906 the Fund had had offices at 18 Queen Victoria Street. In March 1974 the Fund moved out of the City to 206B Station Road, Edgware, Middlesex on the demolition of the Queen Victoria Street premises. The Fund moved again in November 1982 to 40 High Street, Teddington, Middlesex.

In 1995, the Fund's administration was reorganised and brought under the wing of the Peabody Trust to whose premises the Fund relocated.

The Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association, as it was originally known, was established by Samuel Gurney, MP, in 1859. As a charity it aimed to provide the poor living in London with a clean, fresh water supply. The cholera epidemics of 1848-9 and 1853-4 had demonstrated the need for such action. The first drinking fountain was erected in 1859 against the wall of St Sepulchre's Church, Snow Hill.

Although the Association was largely motivated by the need for a hygienic water supply, it also had the support of temperance organisations, who disliked the fact the beer was more readily available than water.

The Association was also concerned with animal welfare, and erected a considerable number of cattle and horse troughs in and around London. By 1865 the majority of drinking fountains also had troughs for dogs attached to them.

By the 1930s the emphasis of the Association's work had changed. There was no longer such a great need to provide drinking facilities for animals in London as livestock ceased to be herded through the streets to market, and horse drawn vehicles were no longer prevalent. The Association, therefore, concentrated on providing drinking facilities in parks and other recreational areas, as well as schools.

Despite its name the Association has never restricted its work to the London area. It has been responsible for the construction of fountains all over the British Isles, as well as in such countries as Australia, Africa, Japan and Korea.

The Association still exists today and is known as the Drinking Fountain Association.

When the London Coal and Wine Duties Continuance Bill was before the House of Commons in 1868, it met strong opposition. The suggestion was made that some compensation should be given by setting free the bridges across the Thames and Lea. This suggestion was embodied in the Act of 1868 by which the duties for the year 1888-9 were to be applied in the first instance to freeing from toll the following bridges: Kew, Kingston, Hampton Court, Walton and Staines on the Thames, and then Chingford and Tottenham Mills Bridges (including Hellyer's Ferry Bridge) upon the River Lea. These objects were provided for by the Kew and other Bridges Act of 1869 and an amendment Act of 1874 by which a Joint Committee of the Corporation of London and the Metropolitan Board of Works was appointed. The Coal and Wine Duties of 1888-9 were allocated as security for raising the necessary funds. The total cost of the purchase of the bridges was £155,485.2.0.

The Metropolitan Electric Tramways Company Limited was founded in 1894 as the Metropolitan Tramways and Omnibus Company Limited. The company had an agreement with Middlesex County Council to operate electric tramways that the Council was constructing. The company was purchased in 1904 by British Electric Traction who changed the name to Metropolitan Electric Tramways. The area of operations was expanded, including much of Middlesex and parts of Hertfordshire. In 1913 the company became a subsidiary of the London and Suburban Traction Company, which was co-owned by British Electric Traction and Underground Electric Railways Company of London Ltd. In 1933 the company was absorbed into the London Passenger Transport Board.

Kensington Infirmary and Kensington Workhouse were administered by the Kensington Board of Guardians until 1930. Kensington Workhouse became known as Kensington Institution in 1912 and Kensington Infirmary became St Mary Abbot's Hospital in 1923. In 1930 when the London County Council took over the two hospitals, St Mary Abbot's Hospital was designated a type A hospital for the acute sick, and Kensington Institution became a type B hospital for the chronic sick. In 1931 on the retirement of the Master of Kensington Institution, the hospital was placed under the charge of a Medical Superintendent as a first stage in integrating the two hospitals. This was carried a step further in 1933 when the Institution was renamed St Mary Abbot's Hospital (Institution).

From 1938 St Mary Abbot's Hospital became St Mary Abbot's Hospital (I) and St Mary Abbot's Hospital (Institution) became St Mary Abbot's Hospital (II), until 17 June 1944 when Hospital (II) was closed due to enemy action. The two hospitals were eventually united formally in 1948 when they were taken in to the National Health Service.

In 1838, the surgeon James Yearsley founded the Metropolitan Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, in Sackville Street, W1. It was the first hospital to specialise in diseases of the Ear, Nose and Throat. The hospital was transferred to Saint Mary Abbots Hospital in 1953, where it retained its identity as a specialist hospital until 1985 when it was removed from the control of Saint Mary Abbots and became part of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of the new Charing Cross Hospital.

In 1838, the surgeon James Yearsley founded the Metropolitan Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, in Sackville Street, W1. It was the first hospital to specialise in diseases of the Ear, Nose and Throat. The hospital moved to Fitzroy Square in 1911, where it remained until the Second World War. During the war the hospital was severely damaged by bombing, and was evacuated to Watford but retained a clinic in London for treatment of outpatients and emergencies. In 1949 it moved again, to No. 5 Collingham Gardens, Earls Court. The hospital was transferred to Saint Mary Abbots Hospital in 1953, where it retained its identity as a specialist hospital until 1985 when it was removed from the control of Saint Mary Abbots and became part of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department of the new Charing Cross Hospital.

The Metropolitan District Railway Mutual Provident Society is thought to have been founded in 1887. It raised funds by subscriptions from members, donations and voluntary contributions to: relieve and maintain its members in sickness or infirmity from accident or natural causes; provided medical aid for members' wives and children; make payments on the death of members; and contribute towards members' funeral expenses. Its members were employees of the Metropolitan District Railway Company.

The Society was managed by a Secretary, Treasurer, two Auditors, two Scrutineers and a Committee of Management made up of twelve elected members. Three Trustees were elected by the Members and the Society's funds were invested in the names of these Trustees.

The Society was amalgamated into the London Electric Railway Employees' Benefit Society (Additional Section) in 1936.

Registered office: Lillie Bridge Works, West Brompton, London.

Source of information: rules booklet and London Gazette, 16 October 1936.

When the companies operating underground railways began to electrify them it was necessary for them to generate their own power as there was no National Grid. In 1897 the Metropolitan District Railway obtained permission to build a coal fuelled power station at Lots Road, at the junction of the Thames and Chelsea Creek. The station was completed by 1905. It provided most of the electricity needed by the London Underground and the tram networks, but was closed in 2002 when it became cheaper to purchase electricity than generate it.

The Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) was formed in 1864 in order to raise capital to complete the 'Inner Circle' railway being constructed by the Metropolitan Railway, who constructed the line between Mansion House and South Kensington via Kings Cross. The MDR completed the section of line between South Kensington and Mansion House via Blackfriars, finishing by 1871. The expectation was that the two companies would merge once work was completed. However, they instead had a falling out over finances (and a personality clash of the two Chairmen) and began to run separate services using the same lines. Some agreement was eventually reached so that the final section of line, between Mansion House and Aldgate, was completed in 1884, thus forming the modern day Circle Line.

In an attempt to improve their finances the MDR embarked on a series of line expansions, to Hammersmith in 1874, Richmond in 1877, Ealing Broadway in 1879, Putney Bridge in 1880, Hounslow in 1883, and Wimbledon in 1889. The Whitechapel to Upminster line extension was opened in 1902. The line was electrified in 1905, following the construction of a power station at Lots Road. The majority of the line cosntructed by the MDR forms the modern London Underground District Line, although some sections of line (Ealing to Uxbridge) are now on the Piccadilly Line. The MDR was purchased by Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited and subsequently became part of the London Passenger Transport Board in 1933.