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The Education Committee of the London County Council consisted of 35 members of the Council and a number of co-opted members who were invited to serve on the Committee because of their experience in the educational field. The Committee was divided into smaller sub-committees, each with a specific focus, for example the Further Education Sub-Committee concerned itself with the policy and management of all after school-age education. The Education Officer and his staff carried out the decisions of the Committees and acted as their advisers.

To avoid over-centralisation, London was divided into 9 divisions, each consisting of about three of the metropolitan boroughs. Every division had a local office, the headquarters of the divisional officer who was the representative of the Education Officer. School inspectors were also based at the divisional office.

Division One: Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, Kensington

Division Two: Hampstead, Paddington, Saint Marylebone, Saint Pancras, Westminster

Division Three: Finsbury, Holborn, Islington

Division Four: Hackney, Shoreditch, Stoke Newington

Division Five: Bethnal Green, City of London, Poplar, Stepney

Division Six: Deptford, Greenwich, Woolwich

Division Seven: Camberwell, Lewisham

Division Eight: Bermondsey, Lambeth, Southwark

Division Nine: Battersea, Wandsworth

When the Council became a local education authority in 1904 the provision of further education was a permissive power, not a duty. However the Education Committee continued the practice of the former Technical Education Board of the Council of making grants in aid of institutions on which the Council was represented, as well as providing and maintaining institutions of its own.

After the end of the Second World War there was a remarkable increase in the number of students released by their employers to take courses at day colleges or technical colleges. The day colleges (formerly called day continuation schools) started in 1922. Their curriculum provided an extension of general education, together with some vocational work where appropriate. The Council's numerous evening institutes also provided a wide variety of courses both vocational and non-vocational for many thousands of Londoners.

Employers released that efficiency was increased by further education, and it became common for young workers in many trades and industries to attend a technical college for one day a week or for longer periods for vocational courses. Sandwich courses were developed whereby employees could be released for periods of about six months a time to work towards nationally recognised qualifications.

In 1947 the Council raised the status of its commercial institutes to that of the technical colleges and schools of art. They were renamed colleges of commerce. Their curriculum included courses for students engaged in banking, insurance, and other branches of commerce, with professional courses in law, languages and local government.

For many years before the Second World War the Council helped youth clubs by providing accommodation, instruction and equipment. In 1940 the Council established recreational evening institutes, and the London Youth Committee and borough youth committees were formed to co-ordinate youth work and form youth clubs. The Council also ran a youth employment service, providing guidance to school leavers.

The Council maintained a close and cordial association with the University of London. In addition to the granting of awards to students proceeding to the University, the Council made grants towards the general cost of the University and for special projects. The Council ran a scholarship scheme inspired by the principle that no eligible candidate should be debarred from higher education through lack of means to pay for it. A system of maintenance grants based on parental income was instituted for pupils of 15 to 18 years of age, and a variety of awards were made available for advanced courses in preparation for university degrees, for the professions and for vocational courses.

Other institutions and ancillary features made significant contributions to the London educational system. Among these the Council's schools of art achieved a deservedly high reputation.

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

Although the animal population of the county dwindled to a very small figure as the urbanisation and growth of London continued, it continued to be necessary for the Council to employ two lay inspectors of animal diseases, who were principally concerned with the very large number of animals coming into London by road and rail, mostly for slaughter. Circuses and other entertainments in London were regularly visited when performing animals were exhibited. This inspection was to ensure that the exhibition and training of the animals was not accompanied by cruelty. The Council arranged for veterinary surgeons to visit riding stables in London annually to report on the conditions of the horses kept. In 1963 there were nineteen riding establishments in London and a total of about 140 horses let out on hire.

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

The Coroners (Amendment) Act, 1926, enabled a coroner in certain cases to dispense with the formality of an inquest. This provision greatly reduced the number of inquests. It became possible, as coronerships fell vacant, to reduce the number of coroners' districts. In 1932 the number of coroners in London was seven. In 1956 the number of coroners and coroner's districts in London was reduced to three. At one time there were thirty places in London at which inquests were held. The reorganisation of districts made it possible to reduce the number of coroners' courts in London to seven. London coroners held 2,010 inquests in 1963. More than 12,000 deaths, or 30% of all deaths occurring in London that year, were reported to them, but, after inquiries and post-mortem examinations, the coroners were able to deal with more than 10,000 cases without needing to hold an inquest.

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

The purpose of the Shops Acts, replaced by the Shops Act in 1950, was not only to protect shop assistants but also, by regularising closing hours, to protect shopkeepers against each other. It was the Council's task to make the Acts known to shopkeepers, and to secure the observance of the provisions relating to closing hours, Sunday trading, shop assistants' meal times and holidays, and the hours of employment of young persons.

The management of the Council's parks and open spaces was originally the responsibility of the Superintending Architect. In 1892, a separate "Parks and Open Spaces Sub-Department" under a chief officer was created and, in 1895, its title was changed to "Parks and Open Spaces Department". The Parks Department was responsible for the administration, design, improvement and maintenance of all the Council's parks, open spaces and gardens, including those attached to certain Council buildings and housing estates. Facilities for games and athletics were provided in many parks, encouraged by the Physical Training and Recreation Act. The deep water ponds at Highgate and Hampstead and various open air swimming pools and lidos encouraged bathing. Entertainment was also common in some parks, particularly performances by bands, dancing and entertainments for children. Some parks included wildlife such as water fowl, aviaries, deer and wallabies as well as horticultural features, floral displays and tropical gardens.

In 1931 the Council was instrumental in obtaining the passing of the London Squares Preservation Act, as a result of which over 460 garden enclosures in London squares are preserved as open spaces. The Council was also instrumental in the formation of the Green Belt, an area of woodlands surrounding the built-up urban environment. In 1935 a scheme was launched to begin purchase of land which would form the belt, with £2,000,000 set aside by the Council for this purpose. By 1937, 43,000 acres had been preserved.

During the Second World War much damage was done to London parks, yet they were very important as places of entertainment and relaxation. Post war priorities included repairs, but also expansion under the County of London Plan, 1948. This called for the creation of more open spaces, and specified an ideal of seven acres for each thousand of population. During the 1950s several new parks were laid out, including Hammersmith Park, Haggerston Park in Shoreditch and Brickfield Gardens in Limehouse. In 1952 work began on the riverside promenade along the South Bank, formerly part of the Festival of Britain site. The policy of providing entertainment in parks was continued, with theatre, opera and ballet, open air cinemas, symphony concerts, brass bands, dancing, gymkhanas and funfairs. Open air sculpture exhibitions were first held in 1948, followed by open air painting exhibitions. Parks were also made available to organisations arranging displays, parades, rallies, dog shows and so on. The provision of sports facilities was improved and specialist horticultural officers were hired to ensure that the wildlife and flora were well cared for.

These plans were presented to the Council and its Committees, but were too large to be included in the bound volumes of presented papers. Instead they were kept separately in rolls which were placed in drums labelled with the name of the Committee to which they were presented. Index cards were prepared listing the outsize plans presented to each Committee with a reference to the drum in which they were stored. In the present list reference numbers have been assigned to each roll of plans. Otherwise this list, with the exception of the plans presented to the Bridges Committee, is in most cases merely a copy of the index cards which have been checked against the original rolls of plans. These plans must always be related to the minutes with which they are associated. They are not necessarily the finished approved drawings of any project, but are rather the drawings before the Committee at a specific meeting.

A central stores was established in 1898 under the direction of the Clerk of the Council, who also became responsible, after 1904, for the central stores organisation taken over from the School Board for London. Before 1898, each department was responsible for its own supplies and, after that date, it continued to be responsible for those items not centrally supplied.

The Council decided, on 29 June 1909, to create a separate Stores Department under its own Chief Officer. The name was changed to Supplies Department on 11 May 1926.

In 1948 the poor law, after an existence of almost 350 years, was abolished. Those among the poor whose financial needs were not met by national insurance were given material help by the National Assistance Board. Local authorities were delegated some responsibilities by the Board, for example the provision of reception centres for the temporary accommodation of vagrants and persons without a settled way of life. In addition the National Assistance Act, 1948, required local authorities to make residential provision for the blind, disabled, elderly and infirm. However, under the Act these services were not to be provided free as a kind of official charity. Persons receiving help were to pay according to their means, even if their means were no more than a retirement pension. The Council's responsibilities in all this related therefore to the provision of establishments of various kinds. At the end of the Second World War there were public assistance institutions (formerly the old workhouses), casual wards (where tramps were put up for the night), three lodging houses, and, left over from wartime activities, the rest centres and rest homes. The Welfare Department was responsible for the organisation and management of the various residential homes, temporary homes and institutions for the assistance of the poor.

The National Assistance Act, 1948, required local authorities to provide 'residential accommodation for persons who by reason of age, infirmity or any other circumstances are in need of care and attention which is not otherwise available to them'. The Council's policy was to provide establishments smaller in size and with a less spartan atmosphere than the old poor law institutions. However, the severe shortage of accommodation after the Second World War made this difficult and certain larger institutions were adapted for use, such as Luxborough Lodge, whichheld 1,200 residents. These larger homes were gradually phased out of use.

In addition to old people's homes, the Council provided mother and baby homes for assisting unmarried expectant and nursing mothers. With the postwar rise in unmarried mothers, the Council found it necessary to provide one home for mothers and babies where girls could stay for several weeks before and after confinement, an ante-natal unit and two mother-and-baby units, as well as a working mothers hostel.

Casual wards provided temporary board and lodging for vagrants. After the war they were replaced by reception centres. The Camberwell Reception Centre had accommodation for nearly 700 men. They were provided with food, a bed and washing facilities, and they were expected to help with domestic duties before leaving. Welfare officers of the Council and the National Assistance Board helped them to rehabilitate themselves and to find employment.

The school which G Turner attended cannot be identified.

The London County Council, among its other powers taken over from the Board of Works, had the right to purchase the undertakings in London of the tramway companies. Between 1892 and 1903 the Council gradually acquired all the London undertakings. These were horse-drawn and not fully interconnected. The Council unified the whole into one system, converted it to electricity, reduced the fares to a half-penny for a two mile journey, introduced workmen's fares and other concessions and provided some all night services. As part of the system, the subway under Kingsway was constructed and the power station at Greenwich was built. Special powers were obtained to continue the tramways over certain bridges and along the Victoria Embankment.

In 1933 the whole tram network passed to the newly formed London Passenger Transport Board who entirely discontinued the trams.

In 1889 the Architect to the Metropolitan Board of Works was transferred to the newly formed London County Council, as the responsibilities of the MBW were being transferred to the LCC. This was later confirmed by the London Building Act 1894, in which the LCC was given power to appoint a "superintending architect of metropolitan buildings" to oversee the enforcement of regulations outlined in the Act. Actual enforcement would be done by the District Surveyors, who had to make a monthly return to the Council reporting on any new buildings and any infringement of the Act.

The role of the Architect soon developed as the range of structures constructed under order of the Council grew. By 1909 there were 13 Committees dealing with construction works, and 35 sub-committees. The work included the construction of housing (under the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890), including slum clearance; construction of buildings in connection with the introduction of electricity; construction of educational buildings, from nursery schools to colleges; construction of fire brigade stations; construction of hospitals and institutions; street and road improvements; maintenance and construction of bridges; public parks; Weights and Measures Stations and Gas Meter Testing Stations. The Architect was responsible for overseeing the design and construction of all these buildings.

In 1889 the Architect to the Metropolitan Board of Works was transferred to the newly formed London County Council, as the responsibilities of the MBW were being transferred to the LCC. This was later confirmed by the London Building Act 1894, in which the London County Council was given power to appoint a "superintending architect of metropolitan buildings" to oversee the enforcement of regulations outlined in the Act. Actual enforcement would be done by the District Surveyors, who had to make a monthly return to the Council reporting on any new buildings and any infringement of the Act.

The role of the Architect soon developed as the range of structures constructed under order of the Council grew. By 1909 there were 13 Committees dealing with construction works, and 35 sub-committees. The work included the construction of housing (under the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890), including slum clearance; construction of buildings in connection with the introduction of electricity; construction of educational buildings, from nursery schools to colleges; construction of hospitals and institutions; construction of fire brigade stations; street and road improvements; maintenance and construction of bridges; public parks; Weights and Measures Stations and Gas Meter Testing Stations. The Architect was responsible for overseeing the design and construction of all these buildings.

In 1889 the Architect to the Metropolitan Board of Works was transferred to the newly formed London County Council, as the responsibilities of the MBW were being transferred to the LCC. This was later confirmed by the London Building Act 1894, in which the London County Council was given power to appoint a "superintending architect of metropolitan buildings" to oversee the enforcement of regulations outlined in the Act. Actual enforcement would be done by the District Surveyors, who had to make a monthly return to the Council reporting on any new buildings and any infringement of the Act.

The role of the Architect soon developed as the range of structures constructed under order of the Council grew. By 1909 there were 13 Committees dealing with construction works, and 35 sub-committees. The work included the construction of housing (under the Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890), including slum clearance; construction of buildings in connection with the introduction of electricity; construction of educational buildings, from nursery schools to colleges; construction of hospitals and institutions; construction of fire brigade stations; street and road improvements; maintenance and construction of bridges; public parks; Weights and Measures Stations and Gas Meter Testing Stations. The Architect was responsible for overseeing the design and construction of all these buildings.

The Children's Service of the London County Council (LCC) was responsible for 4 groups of deprived children: those placed in care by their parents, those brought before juvenile court and then sent to approved schools or placed in care, those being adopted and those with foster parents. In 1929 the Local Government Act gave the functions of the poor law authorities to the LCC. The Council began to develop child services, but the Second World War interrupted this process. After the war a conception of a new form of organisation was beginning to emerge.

The 1948 Children's Act vested central control of children's services in the Home Secretary; the county councils were made children's authorities, and each was required to appoint a children's Committee and a children's officer. The LCC set up its Children's Committee in December 1948. The first children's officer was appointed in April 1949. The LCC had the duty to receive into care any child in the County, under the age of 17, whose parents or guardians were temporarily or permanently prevented from providing for them properly. Having received a child into care the Council was required to "further his best interests and afford him opportunity for the proper development of his character and abilities".

The 1948 Act required the Council to find foster carers where possible. When this was neither practical nor desirable a child was placed in a children's home. When the Children's Service was established there were 24 children's homes and nurseries. 7 of these homes were very large and had been built by the Boards of Guardians. The Service pursued three aims: that homes were to be modernised by rebuilding and adaptation, that all children should be removed as quickly as possible from unsatisfactory establishments, and that new, smaller homes should be built to facilitate the closing of the out of date largeer homes. The LCC also developed several specialised establishments, with highly qualified staff, for children presenting acute difficulties of behaviour. By 1964 there were 160 homes under the care of the Service, including nurseries for under-fives, hostels for young wage earners still in care and homes for short stay children. Procedures in the homes were also changed. Children were sent to local schools and encouraged to bring friends back to the home. Parents were invited to visit frequently. Local adults could act as 'uncles and aunts' to otherwise friendless children. Clubs, out of school activities and house magazines flourished.

The Children's Service was required to make available to juvenile courts information on the health, character and school records of all children appearing before the court. The LCC was obliged to provide remand homes for children who appeared at juvenile court, where young people awaiting a court appearance were held in safe custody. They were also used as observation centres, where psychiatrists could observe the children and provide the court with information about reasons for their behaviour and suggest the most appropriate school for the child.

In 1930 the Council decided to consent to the adoption of suitable children in its care. In 1958 the Council appointed 2 adoption officers, who came to be recognised as expert advisers on all matters connected to adoption.

The London County Council delegated administrative matters to its committees, both standing committees and a number of special committees appointed for specific purposes. The committees met frequently, either weekly or fortnightly, while the Council met weekly. Committee reports requiring decision by the Council were dealt with weekly, and each committee reported to the Council every 6 months. In addition the Council also had representatives on many bodies such as industrial councils, school governing bodies and charitable foundations. For the purpose of carrying out the services of the Council, the staff is organised into departments, each of which is under the responsibility of a chief officer.

The Clerk of the Council was the chief administrative officer of the Council, acting as the clerk of the Council itself as well as the various committees. Additional important duties of the Clerk's Department included the maintenance of the library for members of the Council at City Hall, the preparation of general publications and the responsibility for general work including records.

The London County Council delegated administrative matters to its committees, both standing committees and a number of special committees appointed for specific purposes. The committees met frequently, either weekly or fortnightly, while the Council met weekly. Committee reports requiring decision by the Council were dealt with weekly, and each committee reported to the Council every 6 months. In addition the Council also had representatives on many bodies such as industrial councils, school governing bodies and charitable foundations. For the purpose of carrying out the services of the Council, the staff is organised into departments, each of which is under the responsibility of a chief officer.

The Clerk of the Council was the chief administrative officer of the Council, acting as the clerk of the Council itself as well as the various committees. Additional important duties of the Clerk's Department included the maintenance of the library for members of the Council at City Hall, the preparation of general publications and the responsibility for general work including records.

Committees concerned with public health:

Sanitary and Special Purposes Committee, 1889-1891

Public Health and Housing Committee, 1891-1896

Public Health Committee, 1896-1930

Central Public Health Committee, 1929-1934

Hospital and Medical Services Committee, 1934-1948

Housing and Public Health Committee, 1934-1948

Health Committee, 1948-1965

Asylums Committee, 1889-1914

Asylums and Mental Deficiency Committee, 1914-1922

Mental Hospitals Committee, 1922-1948

Church of England Advisory Committee on Spiritual Ministration, 1932-1964

The London County Council delegated administrative matters to its committees, both standing committees and a number of special committees appointed for specific purposes. The committees met frequently, either weekly or fortnightly, while the Council met weekly. Committee reports requiring decision by the Council were dealt with weekly, and each committee reported to the Council every 6 months. In addition the Council also had representatives on many bodies such as industrial councils, school governing bodies and charitable foundations. For the purpose of carrying out the services of the Council, the staff is organised into departments, each of which is under the responsibility of a chief officer.

The Clerk of the Council was the chief administrative officer of the Council, acting as the clerk of the Council itself as well as the various committees. Additional important duties of the Clerk's Department included the maintenance of the library for members of the Council at City Hall, the preparation of general publications and the responsibility for general work including records.

London County Council Committees relating to building regulation and town planning were:

Building Acts Committee (1889-1935)

Town Planning Committee (1923-1935)

Town Planning and Building Regulation Committee (1935-1940)

Town Planning Committee (1940-1965)

Special Committee on Building Control (1920-1921)

Advisory Committee on Amendment of the London Building Act, 1930 (1931-35)

Advisory Committee on the Control of the Construction of Buildings in London (1957-1958)

The Education Committee of the London County Council consisted of 35 members of the Council and a number of co-opted members who were invited to serve on the Committee because of their experience in the educational field. The Committee was divided into smaller sub-committees, each with a specific focus, for example the Further Education Sub-Committee concerned itself with the policy and management of all after school-age education. The Education Officer and his staff carried out the decisions of the Committees and acted as their advisers.

To avoid over-centralisation, London was divided into 9 divisions, each consisting of about three of the metropolitan boroughs. Every division had a local office, the headquarters of the divisional officer who was the representative of the Education Officer. School inspectors were also based at the divisional office.

Division One: Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, Kensington

Division Two: Hampstead, Paddington, Saint Marylebone, Saint Pancras, Westminster

Division Three: Finsbury, Holborn, Islington

Division Four: Hackney, Shoreditch, Stoke Newington

Division Five: Bethnal Green, City of London, Poplar, Stepney

Division Six: Deptford, Greenwich, Woolwich

Division Seven: Camberwell, Lewisham

Division Eight: Bermondsey, Lambeth, Southwark

Division Nine: Battersea, Wandsworth

The Education Committee of the London County Council consisted of 35 members of the Council and a number of co-opted members who were invited to serve on the Committee because of their experience in the educational field. The Committee was divided into smaller sub-committees, each with a specific focus, for example the Further Education Sub-Committee concerned itself with the policy and management of all after school-age education. The Education Officer and his staff carried out the decisions of the Committees and acted as their advisers.

To avoid over-centralisation, London was divided into 9 divisions, each consisting of about three of the metropolitan boroughs. Every division had a local office, the headquarters of the divisional officer who was the representative of the Education Officer. School inspectors were also based at the divisional office.

The London County Council was required, as a local education authority, to make provision for nursery schools and nursery classes. In 1939 the Council maintained 5 nursery schools and gave assistance to 18 others maintained by voluntary organisations. By 1963 there were 25 LCC nurseries and 5 voluntary nurseries. The first nursery class in an infants' school was opened in 1936, by 1963 there were 183 nursery classes in infant and primary schools.

Fluctuations in the number of primary school age children in London have caused the Council administrative difficulties over time. In 1946 the number was 205,337, in 1954 283,064 and in 1963 227,849. The LCC development plan for new schools tried to take into account where schools would be needed. The size of classes was a subject of continual concern. An acute shortage of teachers made it difficult to reduce class sizes and in 1963 10.5 percent of classes were oversized according to Ministry of Education guidelines. The Council developed an education programme which expanded on the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic to include developing social activity and the desire for creative achievement. In 1963 the Council approved the provision of a new experimental primary school which would admit pupils from 3 years to 9 years of age, in order to experiment with reducing the anxiety of transition and transfer between three phases of education - nursery, infant and primary.

The Education Act, 1944, introduced secondary education for all children from the age of 11. A scheme became necessary for the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary schools. For the previous 40 years the Council had awarded scholarships tenable at secondary schools. From 1945 every child had to be considered individually for transfer to a secondary school appropriate to his ability and aptitude. The scheme adopted was based on three factors - parental choice, reports from primary school heads, and an examination known as the common entrance test. To assist heads in making their reports a standard record card was introduced in 1949 for recording each pupil's progress, ability and interests. In 1955 a new scheme for transfer was adopted. A test, now known as the Junior Leaving Examination, continued to be used, but more importance was placed on the advice given to parents by the head teacher. Each parent was asked to express an order of choice for 2 schools. Local advisory committees exercised supervision over the scheme and handled appeals from parents. The Junior Leaving Examination was abolished in 1964, replaced by a primary school profile for each pupil recording interests, abilities, attainments and characteristics.

The Council decided that comprehensive schools were the best means of providing secondary education for all, as they were open to children without need for an examination, offered a wide range of studies and promoted social unity among adolescents of all degrees of ability. The London School Plan provided for 64 comprehensive schools, although it was not possible to construct so many new buildings and many schools were opened in adapted older buildings. By 1964 there were 69 comprehensive schools in London. To supplement its secondary school provision the Council continued to reserve a number of places at independent and direct-grant grammar schools, and from 1946 onwards gave assistance towards boarding school educations.

For many years the Council directed its efforts towards the development and provision of a broad and liberal curriculum. A variety of courses to suit individual abilities, aptitudes and interests was introduced. Most schools offered at least one foreign language, some made a special feature of arts and crafts, music, or offering classes to prepare for technical education. Organised games were an essential part of the curriculum, leading the Council to purchase large tracts of land to provide playing fields. Activities outside school were also important, including school trips to places of interest and longer visits outside of London. Centres for rural studies were formed in Surrey, containing full classroom facilities. Cultural trips were also undertaken to the theatre, concert hall or museum.

The Education Committee of the London County Council consisted of 35 members of the Council and a number of co-opted members who were invited to serve on the Committee because of their experience in the educational field. The Committee was divided into smaller sub-committees, each with a specific focus, for example the Further Education Sub-Committee concerned itself with the policy and management of all after school-age education. The Education Officer and his staff carried out the decisions of the Committees and acted as their advisers.

To avoid over-centralisation, London was divided into 9 divisions, each consisting of about three of the metropolitan boroughs. Every division had a local office, the headquarters of the divisional officer who was the representative of the Education Officer. School inspectors were also based at the divisional office.

In 1919, the Standing Joint Committee on Scales of Salary for Teachers in Public Elementary Schools was established at the request of the President of the Board of Education 'to secure the orderly and progressive solution of the salary question in Public Elementary Schools on a national basis and its correlation with a solution of the salary problem in Secondary Schools'. Similar committees were subsequently established concerned with the salaries of teachers in secondary schools and those teaching in technical schools. The first Burnham report of 1919 established a provisional minimum scale for elementary school teachers payable from January 1920. This initial stage was followed in 1921 by four standard scales of salary allocated by areas, which were to operate for four years. Negotiations for scales of salary to operate following the four year settlement ended in disagreement and was finally decided by arbitration, Lord Burnham acting as arbiter. Four new scales were formulated as well as some re-allocation scales for individual authorities.

The committees became known as the Burnham Committees after the chairman Lord Burnham, and following his death in 1933 the title was officially adopted.

Plans and preparations for the evacuation of civilian populations from vulnerable areas had been made well before the war. London was regarded as the main target, and the general belief was that hostilities would start with an immediate series of heavy aerial bombardments. During the Munich crisis of September 1938 about 4000 children from nursery and special schools were sent by ambulance to camps and residential schools outside London. They were brought back within a month, the crisis having passed. This experience was to prove useful.

In January 1939 a special evacuation division of the Ministry of Health and the Board of Education, with the help of officers of the Council, made detailed plans. Schoolchildren, children under five with their mothers, expectant mothers, and blind adults were treated as priority classes. Transport was planned for moving a million and a quarter people from London. In August 1939 the Council announced that 600,000 people had been evacuated without mishap. By Christmas 1939 no serious air attacks had occurred, and a large number of the evacuees had returned to London. In June 1940, with the increasing threat of air-raids, the exodus from London recommenced, although this time the priority classes were encouraged to make their own arrangements; free travel vouchers were issued and billeting allowances paid. The constant problem was to check the drift back to London whenever there was a lull in the raids, to be followed by another exodus when the air raids started again.

The evacuation encountered many difficulties and criticisms. It did, however, undoubtedly save the lives of thousands of children. The London children and the residents of the countryside were brought into sudden and closer awareness of each other. The way of life of the slum dwellers was startlingly revealed, giving added impetus to the movement for a reconstruction of London to provide better living conditions for its citizens.

The Council's functions in relation to housing were originally exercised by the Valuer but were separated in 1901 to form an independent Department under a Housing Manager. In 1919, the greatly increased work involved in the preparation and development of new schemes led to the appointment of a Director of Housing responsible both for development planning and for the management of estates, the former Housing Manager at this stage becoming a subordinate officer under him. In 1921, the Department as a whole was again merged with that of the Valuer. This position continued until 1 April 1954 when a separate Department was again created under a Director of Housing. Originally designated Housing Management Department, it was renamed Housing Department in 1960. The Housing Department's work was focussed mainly on slum clearance, the construction of new housing estates both inside London and out of county, and the post-war provision of emergency housing.

The Legal and Parliamentary Department of the London County Council monitored bills before Parliament and considered their ramifications for the work of the LCC. They also prepared petitions opposing or supporting bills and put forward proposals for legislation to be put forward by the LCC.

The London County Council, from its inception, followed the practice which had obtained under the Metropolitan Board of Works of preserving virtually all the documents which were before a committee or sub-committee at its meetings (not merely the more important reports, etc circulated with the agenda papers) and binding them in a series of volumes running parallel to the series of volumes of signed minutes. Except in the case of meetings of the Council itself and its Education and Public Assistance Committees (whose minutes were saleable to the public), no considerable body of background information tended to be incorporated in the minutes themselves and the attention of students is accordingly drawn to the desirability of consulting the presented papers of committees and sub-committees in conjunction with their study of the minutes.

Presented papers are normally bound chronologically, meeting by meeting and, within a meeting, follow the order of item numbers in the minutes, the item number usually being endorsed on the presented document in its top right-hand corner. Separate indexes from those associated with the minutes are not therefore called for.

The following are the exceptions to the system described above;-

a) There are no presented papers for certain minor special and ad hoc committees and sub-committees.

(b) Certain classes of plans and drawings were not retained by the Committee Clerks but were permitted to be returned to the department of origin.

(c) Certain plans and drawings of too large a size to be bound in with the presented papers are separately stored.

(d) The system of presented paper was not applied to the Education Committee and it sub-committees until September, 1940. The important reports, etc circulated before the meetings will, ever be found bound in with the agendas papers.

(e) The presented papers of the Asylums Committee up to the end of 1919 and some of its sub-committees up to somewhat later dates were sent for salvage during the Second World War.

(f) The presented papers of the Housing of the Working Classes Committee and the Public Health and Housing Committee between March, 1889 and December 1906 are bound subject by subject and not chronologically. From 1907, the normal chronological system is followed.

(g) The presented papers of the Theatres and Music Halls Committee between March 1889 and October 1909 are bound theatre by theatre and not chronologically with six additional volumes bound subject by subject. From October 1909, the normal chronological system is followed.

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

War charities and charities for the blind were not allowed to make any appeal to the public for donations or subscriptions in money or in kind unless they were registered by a local authority. The requirement to register was extended in 1948 to all charities for disabled persons. Registered charities had to comply with certain statutory provisions designed to promote good management.

In 1963 there were registered with the Council 87 war charities and 103 charities for the disabled. Some were small charities operating in a particular district of London, others were large national organisations whose administrative offices happened to be in London.

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

The Council was the authority responsible for the grant of licences to cover the safe keeping of petroleum spirit, petroleum mixture, and carbide of calcium, which is used to produce acetylene. Leaking petrol tanks were located and the leakage stopped before accident could occur. Disused tanks were rendered safe from danger of fire and explosion, and the Council kept records of all disused tanks remaining in the ground.

In addition the Council exercised powers over the storage of inflammable liquids and dangerous businesses such as varnish making, oil boiling and wax polish manufacture. The Council was an authority under the Explosives Acts, but the statutory requirements relating to safety distances made large stores of explosives impractical in London. The Council was principally concerned with the registration and inspection of shops where fireworks were stored.

Duties of control and registration of highly flammable celluloid stores were given to the Council in 1915. Between the two world wars very large stocks of cinematograph film were stored in London, mostly in the Wardour Street area, where film renters' premises were situated. The Council's celluloid inspector had to ensure that the safety precautions laid down in the Act were properly observed. The quantity of celluloid and nitro-cellulose cinematograph film in the county became greatly reduced, and by 1963 there were only about 60 stores registered. The films stored were mostly of historic interest or were used to print safer stock from the original nitro-cellulose films.

The London County Council assumed responsibility for the general hospitals formerly maintained by the Boards of Guardians and the Special hospitals formerly maintained by the Metropolitan Asylums Board with effect from 1 April 1930. These hospitals needed much work to modernise, equip and staff them adequately. The Council made great improvements in hospital accommodation and staffing standards. The nursing service had been improved, medical schools established, and a laboratory service built up. These functions were transferred to the Regional Hospitals Boards and Hospital Management Committees under the National Health Service Acts with effect from 5 July 1948. The Council assisted by providing services of supply, engineering and finance for several months after the transfer, until Council officers could be absorbed into the new organisation.

The question of an ambulance service for street accident cases was first debated by the Council in 1901 but it was not until 1905 that application was made to Parliament for powers to provide such a service. The Bill was rejected by a Committee of the House of Lords but a Metropolitan Ambulances Act was passed in 1909. This Act was permissive only and a long period of debate ensued as to whether the existing services provided by the Metropolitan Asylums Board, the Boards of Guardians and the Metropolitan Police were adequate. Finally, in March 1914, the Council decided to provide a street accident Ambulance Service which was placed under the command of the Chief Officer of the London Fire Brigade. The first station was opened in February 1915 and, by October of that year, the service was in operation in all parts of the County.

On 1 April 1930, when the Council took over the functions of the Metropolitan Asylums Board and the Boards of Guardians it also took over their ambulance services. A unified London Ambulance Service under the supervision of the Medical Officer of Health was then formed from the combination of these services with the Accident Section previously administered by the Chief Officer of the London Fire Brigade.

Health services were transferred from the City and the boroughs to the London County Council, including maternity and child welfare, health visiting, home help, vaccination and immunisation, and the care of those with tuberculosis. The Council took over 4,843 lay and professional staff, 70 freehold premises, and 252 tenancy arrangements, as well as adding new services such as home nursing, the provision of health centres and the expansion of the ambulance service. The County was divided into nine divisions, each with a divisional health committee, a divisional medical officer, a nursing officer and an administrative officer.

The Council's maternity and child welfare centres provided ante-natal, post-natal and child welfare clinics, motherhood classes, nutrients, medicines and National Welfare Foods. Domiciliary midwives used the ante-natal clinics to examine their patients and book visits. Day nursery services were also provided. The child welfare service provided a diagnostic service for detecting mental and physical handicaps and offered psychiatric care.

In 1948 the Council became responsible for services for the prevention of tuberculosis and the care and after-care of tuberculous persons. Diagnostic and treatment services were transferred to the hospital authorities, but the Council paid parts of the salaries of chest physicians, and hired tuberculosis visitors and handicraft instructors. A BCG vaccination scheme was initiated for school children. Hostels were established for homeless men with tuberculosis who might be an infection risk for others. Diversional therapy classes were held at many chest clinics for patients able to travel. A service for homebound patients was also established. Tuberculosis health visitors saw patients in their homes, advised on diet and hygiene, ascertained home conditions and needs, provide extra nourishment and ensure patients attended clinic.

Before 1948 home helps were provided by boroughs for maternity cases and the sick and infirm. Under the National Health Service Act the Council took over this service and was empowered to provide help to any person who was ill, lying-in, an expectant mother, mentally defective, aged, or a child not over compulsory school age.

The Common Lodging Houses Act 1851 required common lodging houses in London to be registered with the Metropolitan Police and contained many provisions for their regulation. In 1894, the registration powers of the police were transferred to the London County Council by a provisional order of the Local Government Board. The registers maintained by the Metropolitan Police between 1851 and 1894 were subsequently transferred to the Council. The Merchant Shipping Act 1894 gave permissive powers to local authorities to regulate seamen's lodging houses and by-laws made by the Council in 1901 prescribed general standards in this regard and certain additional requirements for houses for which a licence was granted. Licensing was, however, optional and few keepers sought a licence. In 1909 the Council obtained powers requiring the compulsory licensing of seamen's lodging houses which came into effect the following year. In 1933 the Council's functions in relation to both common lodging houses and seamen's lodging houses were transferred to the metropolitan borough councils.

In 1889, the London County Council took over from the Justices the function of licensing slaughterhouses, knackers yards and cowhouses under Section 93 of the Metropolis Management Amendment Act, 1862. In 1933, these powers were transferred to the Metropolitan Borough Councils.

The Infant Life Protection Act 1872 was an early attempt to make some provisions for the provision of neglected or 'deprived' children outside the ambit of the Poor Law or the Judiciary. It required foster-parents receiving more than one infant for maintenance in return for money payments to register their houses with the local authority (in London, the Metropolitan Board of Works). The duty of keeping a register passed to the London County Council in 1889 and the Infant Life Protection Act 1897 made it the duty of the authority to enforce the Act. Relatives and guardians of children, hospitals, convalescent homes or institutions 'established for the protection and care of infants and conducted in good faith' were exempted from the provisions of both Acts as well as persons maintaining children under any Act for the relief of the poor. So far as the Council was concerned, the Public Control Committee was responsible for the administration of the Acts and the register was kept by, and the inspectors, served in the Public Control Department. This remained the case after the passing of the Children Act 1908, which extended control to one-child foster houses but, from 1 April 1917, the work was transferred to the Public Health Committee and Department. In the early nineteen-twenties, as an experiment, the work was undertaken by the Lewisham and Greenwich Borough Councils in their areas but, after consultation with the Metropolitan Boroughs Standing Joint Committee, it was decided not to extend or continue the delegation. By the order of the Secretary of State, however, the metropolitan boroughs were later charged with these functions as from 1 April 1933 and the transfer of responsibility was confirmed by the Public Health (London) Act, 1936.

Part IV of the London County Council (General Powers) Act 1915 required lying-in homes to be registered with the Council and gave the Council powers of inspection and regulation which were extended by Part IV of the London County Council (General Powers) Act 1921. The Nursing Homes Registration Act 1927 extended control to nursing homes, as well as lying-in homes. These functions were transferred to the London Boroughs on 1st April 1965.

The School Health Service developed from 1905. All schoolchildren were inspected by a medical officer at least four times during their school life. Medical and dental treatment was given at school treatment centres managed either directly or by voluntary committees financed by the Council. In addition many special clinics for children were held at London hospitals.

Following the coming into force of Section 13(1)(b) of the Education (Administrative Provisions) Act 1907, the Council in 1909 circularised all suitable London hospitals, clinics and so on, asking for co-operation in the treatment of elementary school children for ringworm, defects of vision, teeth, ears, and so on. In areas where the existing provision was obviously insufficient the Council set up its own centres.

In 1948 the poor law, after an existence of almost 350 years, was abolished. Those among the poor whose financial needs were not met by national insurance were given material help by the National Assistance Board. Local authorities were delegated some responsibilities by the Board, for example the provision of reception centres for the temporary accommodation of vagrants and persons without a settled way of life. In addition the National Assistance Act, 1948, required local authorities to make residential provision for the blind, disabled, elderly and infirm. However, under the Act these services were not to be provided free as a kind of official charity. Persons receiving help were to pay according to their means, even if their means were no more than a retirement pension. The Council's responsibilities in all this related therefore to the provision of establishments of various kinds. At the end of the Second World War there were public assistance institutions (formerly the old workhouses), casual wards (where tramps were put up for the night), three lodging houses, and, left over from wartime activities, the rest centres and rest homes. The Welfare Department was responsible for the organisation and management of the various residential homes, temporary homes and institutions for the assistance of the poor.

Rest centres were established during the Second World War to accommodate people made homeless by enemy bombing action until permanent accommodation could be found for them. After the war many families were in desperate need of shelter but accommodation was scarce. By March 1947 twelve rest centres were in operation to shelter families, including converted furniture stores, offices and staff quarters. By 1949 demand was such that it became necessary to restrict entry to mothers with children under sixteen; fathers, older children and childless couples were left to fend for themselves. In 1952 a night receiving unit was opened for families arriving in London at night from out of county who had made no arrangements for accommodation. In the morning they were urged to make other arrangements. In August 1953 the rest centres were discontinued. During their eight years of postwar operation they had taken in 5,700 families comprising 26,000 persons. The centres were replaced by half-way houses or short stay accommodation.

Unknown

The League for Democracy in Greece was a political pressure group founded in 1945 whose aims included the provision of relief to Greeks who suffered for their left-wing beliefs and activities, to their dependants, and to the dependants of Greeks who died fighting for democracy. These relief functions were initially exercised by a sub-committee of the League, but when it was realised that charitable status would encourage broader support of the Fund's humanitarian objectives the committee was succeeded in 1968 by the Greek Relief Fund, which assisted political prisoners and their families, and former prisoners. The charity had premises at Goodge Street, London. The Fund was wound up in 1984.

The League for the Prohibition of Cruel Sports (LPCS) was founded by Henry B Amos and his friend Ernest Bell. During 1923 Henry B Amos had in successfully campaigned for the banning of Sunday rabbit-coursing in the district of Morden, by means of letters to the press, distribution of leaflets and gathering support amongst civic and religious leaders. At the same time, he was campaigning for a Protection of Animals Bill, designed to stop both rabbit-coursing and hunting of carted (transported) stag. In 1924, Amos decided to devote his whole time to this humane work thought the formation of a society, and Ernest Bell agreed to become the Honorary Treasurer. They had both been members of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and former members of the Humanitarian League (ceased in 1919) buy felt that RSPCA was insufficiently active on the hunting issue.

The League's stated principle was That it is iniquitous to inflict suffering, either directly or indirectly, upon sentient animals for the purpose of sport.' It initially focused on the prohibition of recognised blood-sports including fox-hunting, stag-hunting, otter-hunting, hare-hunting, rabbit and hare-coursing. It also campaigned against the Rodeo, which was staged at the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, and was attempting to establish an English headquarters at Leeds. Campaign methods ofpractical propaganda' included the printing and issuing of leaflets, monthly articles in Animals Friend, lobbying community and religious leaders, letters to the press. Membership of new society grew steadily by 1927, had 1000 members.

Internal conflict was a continual feature of the League's existence. In 1931, Bell resigned, along with the President, the Hon S Coleridge, as did his successor, Lady Cory, the same year. The disputes mainly involved policy disagreements, particularly over the hunting activities of Royalty. The League sought to achieve respectability, by acquiring as patrons or vice presidents -those with titles, churchmen, and military rank.

In 1932, the dissidents formed the National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (NSACS) split from the League, however publicity generated by the spilt attracted sufficient membership for both the LACS and the NSACS to survive. The League's tactics were mainly designed to general publicity by pamphlets and leaflets especially, as well as letter writing and articles in local and national newspapers.

Local semi-autonomous branches of the League were also established in the South-West, Oxford and Bristol started in 1927-1928. By 1939, 8 active local branches. During World War 2, membership dipped and achievements were few. The Secretary, Mr J Sharp, largely managed the Leagues affairs. He attacked hunting as an unpatriotic activity, and gained supported from several newspapers. He encouraged people to write letters to the press, which was one of the few ways of beginning the debate, and in 1942, sent 556 letters to the press, of which 110 were published. After the War, promise of legislation in 1948-9, and by the Scott Henderson inquiry of 1950-1, both served to renew interesting in the League's activities.

During the 1950s, the League also attempted to raise media interest in the issue of animal cruelty, complaining about cruelty to the horses involved in the Grand National, and objecting to the BBC programme on myxomatosis. Journalist and Chairman of the League, E Hemingway, was particularly active in this area, and managed to persuade 36 newspapers to publish reports of the League's 1956 AGM. He was successful publicist, and enthusiastic for the disrupting of hunts and annoying of hunting people. However, the society was gaining a radical image and failed to gain support in the arenas where decisions about hunting were made.

Hemingway did however introduce an alternate policy, in 1957, of buying small but strategically placed pieces of land, initially on Exmoor, and denying hunting people access to it. When a hunt crossed the land in 1959, the League responded with demands for police protection, a High Court injunction against the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, and placed armed guards around the sanctuary. This policy lead to further purchases of land, and by 1976, 24 properties amounting to over 1500 acres, with another 9 properties, and 600 acres added by 1982. In some cases the League purchased sporting rights, but not the land itself, or purchased whole farms, which they then leased them to commercial non-hunting farmers. This `sanctuary policy' was successful in protecting a number of animals, providing regular and continuous publicity for League whenever there was an invasion, and gave the organisation a way of spending its increasing legacy income.
In conjunction with this, the League began to offer free legal advice to land owners who wished to sue or get injunctions against hunts that trespassed on their property, winning 6 cases in 1974. The League also developed policy of asking landlords such as the National Trust and the Crown to ban hunting on their land, as well as lobbying urban councils to do the same. In 1982, the Cooperative Wholesale Society, owner of 50000 acres of farmland was persuaded to ban hunting on all its land.

The League was initially supported by membership subscriptions, later however War legacies made up a significant proportion of the League's income and since 1960, more income has been received from legacies than subscriptions, thus giving the League financial independence from its own members. In 1970s membership reached around 13000.

However, the League had failed in successive attempts to abolish coursing failed in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Protection of Badgers Act 1973 was a positive step, but it still authorised landowners to kill badgers. Internal disputes erupted again in May 1977, as the Annual General Meeting was adjourned in chaos. At the Extraordinary General Meeting in November that year, the arguments continued and the current Chairman, R Rowley, was challenged and withdrew from the election. Eventually Lord Houghton, persuaded to stand for post of Chairman and was elected in December 1977, and the League was able to focus once more on working to change legislation in order to effectively end hunting.

In 1978, the League joined the General Election Co-ordinating Committee for Animal protection (GECCAP), which was formed as a consultative body, in order to make direct approaches to politicians and political parties, in preparation for the 1979 general election. Its main aims were to persuade political parties to develop an animal welfare policy, create a standing Royal Commission on Animal protection , and make policy commitments on areas of concern including blood sports. In Jul 1979, GECCAP was dissolved that the National Consultative Committee or Animal Protection was formed.

It was not until 1981, that the Wildlife and Countryside Act increased the protection of badgers, and was further strengthened in 1985. The passing of the Badger Sett (Protection) Act 1991 was a major success for the League. Other successes have included the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996; and the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002.

The League of Church Militant (1909-1928) was founded as the Church League for Women's in 1909, a non-party organisation open to members of the Church of England who wished to campaign 'to secure for women the vote in Church and State.' In 1917 it became the League of Church Militant with aims including the establishment of equal rights and opportunities for men and women both in Church and State and the 'settlement of all international questions on the basis of right, not of might.' After the end of the First World War it shifted its main attention to the following aim, as adopted at a Council meeting in 1919: 'To challenge definitely … what has hitherto been the custom of the Church of confining the priesthood to men.' After the Franchise Act received Royal Assent in 1928, the League felt that one of its main aims had been realised and that, whilst it still desired to see women ordained to the ministry of the Church, felt that this might be better carried on through other means. In 1928 it therefore decided to wind up its affairs. The campaign for the ordination of women was continued by the Anglican Group for the Ordination of Women (f 1930) and many of those, including E Louie Acres, who had been active in the League, were prominent within the Group.

The League of Jewish Women was founded in 1943 to provide help to both the Jewish and wider communities. It was established as a non-political, non-fund raising voluntary welfare organisation. League members were organised into local groups. The groups were mostly centred on London but there were some elsewhere, for example around Manchester, the first Manchester group being established in 1944.

The help that the League offered was in the form of voluntary work, ranging from hospital and home visiting to working in prisons and running day centres for older people. Through Head Office committees, provision was also made for education and training in various skills. In the early 1950s, an attempt was made to raise the League's profile through the formation of a Publicity Committee. By the time of the League's 25th anniversary in 1968 an in-house magazine, "Around the League" had been launched and in 1970 charitable status was granted.

The League became affiliated to national organisations such as the Women's National Commission. In addition, the League was the UK affiliate of the International Council of Jewish Women. In this capacity the League took part in, and occasionally helped organise, international conferences. The League's own tri-annual conference had first taken place in Bournemouth in 1975.

The League of Nations was an international organisation founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919-1920. The League's goals included disarmament, preventing war through collective security, settling disputes between countries through negotiation, diplomacy and improving global welfare.

The League of Nations Union (LNU) was formed by the merger of the League of Free Nations Association and the League of Nations Society, two groups working for the establishment of a new world order based upon the ideals of the League of Nations. It became the largest and most influential organisation in the British peace movement, played an important role in inter-war politics, and launched education programmes that had a lasting impact on British schools. The LNU's popularity dwindled during World War Two, and when the United Nations Association (UNA) was founded in 1945 to promote the work of the United Nations, the LNU arranged for the wholesale transference of its organisational structure and its membership to the UNA. However, under the provisions of its Royal Charter, the LNU was able to continue until the mid-1970s, albeit in a limited capacity, in order to handle bequests, and administer the payment of pensions to former employees. The administrative structure of the LNU consisted of a General Council, which met twice a year and held final responsibility for LNU policy under the Royal Charter of Incorporation granted in 1925; an Executive Committee, which met every two weeks and co-ordinated campaigns, analysed branch reports and resolutions, monitored the work of the numerous specialist sub-committees, supervised the staff, and generally acted as the central policy-making body of the LNU; and regional LNU branches, which had their own independent management structures.

The League of St Bartholomew's Nurses was founded in 1899. Isla Stewart, Matron of Bart's, was President and Mrs Bedford Fenwick, former matron and campaigner for state registration, a founder member. Membership was open to nurses who passed the final certificate examination at St Bartholomew's Hospital, regardless of whether they continued their career at Bart's. In recent years, senior nurses working at Bart's have also been eligible for membership even if they qualified at another hospital. The objects of the League have varied from time to time, but have generally included mutual assistance and the maintenance of professional interests of nurses, besides the organisation of social events. The League News was printed twice yearly from 1900 to 1919, and annually from 1920.

Chartered accountant and founder and senior partner of P. D. Leake & Co; has written and lectured extensively on accountancy subjects; was retained by the Postmaster General and gave evidence in the well-known case of The National Telephone Co. Ltd v. HM Postmaster-General; funded the PD Leake Trust which financed much of the academic research programme of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales; has visited USA and Canada and studied their methods of cost accounting; Member of the Board of Trustees, Albany, Piccadilly, W1; died 1949. Publications: Balance sheet values (Gee and Co, London, 1929); Capital: Adam Smith, Karl Marx (Gee and Co, London, 1933); Commercial goodwill (Pitman and Sons, London, 1921); Depreciation and wasting assets (Henry Good and Son, London 1912); Industrial capital (Gee and Co, London, 1933); Inflated Industrial Share Capital: a plea for the use of no par value shares (Gee & Co, London, 1936); Introductory notes on Leake's Register of Industrial Plant (Henry Good & Son, London, 1910); The Corporation Profits Tax explained and illustrated (Pitman & Sons, London, 1920); Income Tax on Capital: a plea for reform in the official method of computing taxable profits (Gee & Co, London, 1909).

Lear trained as a nurse at Guy's Hospital, 1902-1905, gaining General Nursing Council registration in 1923.

William Henry Leatham was born into a Quaker family in Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1815. He was educated in London, before returning to Yorkshire to work for the family bank. His first volume of poetry was published in 1839. He and his wife formally joined the Church of England some time in the 1840s. Leatham was a prominent local figure and served as Liberal MP for Wakefield during 1859-1862 and 1865-1868, and for the Southern West Riding of Yorkshire during 1880-1885.

The Royal Blind School, Leatherhead, was requisitioned by King's College Hospital as a national emergency hospital during World War Two. It was known as Leatherhead Emergency Hospital (Royal Blind School), and only existed under this name from 1939 to 1946. Thereafter it was used to house Chelsea Pensioners until the 1950s when the school reopened.

Born [1770]; son of David Leathes of Middlesex; entered the Middle Temple, 1787; elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, 1793; worked as a clerk in the cheque office of the Bank of England, 1799-1838; subscriber to King's College London, 1832; established book prize for medical students at King's College London, 1833-1834; donation of papers to King's College on condition that he be permitted to reside in College, 1837; died, 1838.

The foundation stone for Leavesden Asylum was laid on 31st October 1868 by the Chairman of the Management Committee, William Henry Wyatt, J.P. The first patients were not admitted until 9th October 1870, the same date as the opening of Caterham Asylum. Both Asylums were built and run by the recently constituted Metropolitan Asylums Board for the care of "insane paupers" who were "such harmless persons of the chronic or imbecile class as could lawfully be detained in a workhouse". "Dangerous or curable" patients were to be sent to the county lunatic asylums.

By 15th October Leavesden had over 100 patients and within six months all the female accommodation was in use and storerooms had been converted into bedrooms to provide extra accommodation. At first children were admitted along with adults, but from 1873 the children were sent to Darenth Training Colony. However, both Caterham and Leavesden were soon full to capacity.

The need for extra accommodation was a continuing problem and in 1872 a new block was opened to provide accommodation for laundry staff and those patients who worked in the laundry. A further storey was added to this block in 1900. By November 1876 Leavesden was housing 2,118 patients, vastly more than the 1,500 it had been built for. This meant there was ever increasing pressure on beds and staff. In 1903, a further Asylum was built at Tooting Bec although this provided only temporary relief for Leavesden as it was rapidly filled with patients transferred from the workhouses. In 1909 the process of modernising and altering all the ward blocks to take the increasing numbers of elderly and infirm patients into account, was begun. This process was completed by 1931.

The First World War led to acute staff shortage as many of the nursing staff joined the armed forces. Twenty-two members of staff died on active service. Troops were billeted in the Recreation Hall for a few months and officers were quartered on the Medical Superintendent. In 1918 the staff shortage was so acute, three wards had to be closed, these were not all reopened until 1921.

Further modernisation took place between 1929 and 1931 with the installation of electricity and other changes to improve conditions for the patients at the hospital.

In 1930 the control of Leavesden was transferred to the London County Council under the Mental Hospitals Committee. Leavesden hospital was assigned the special function of caring for 'mentally subnormal persons' described as 'adult idiots and low-grade imbeciles' and also retained the continued treatment of TB cases.

In 1932 the Saint Pancras Industrial School, or Leavesden Residential School, closed and the site, situated opposite the hospital, was purchased for use as an annexe to the hospital. It was to be used for those patients who needed only routine medical care rather than the more structured observation of the hospital. The idea was to help patients who were ready to begin to acclimatise to greater freedom in preparation for their discharge into the community.

The Second World War saw the annexe designated as an Emergency Hospital and the patients were transferred back to the main building. Leavesden was also used to accommodate some patients from Saint Bernard's Hospital, Ealing following bombing in 1944 and children from the Fountain Hospital, Tooting. Hutted buildings were erected in the Annexe grounds and were used for the treatment of war casualties including French survivors from Dunkirk. The Emergency Hospital closed in 1943 and was taken over first by wounded Canadian soldiers and their nursing staff and later by an English Teachers' Training College. The hospital suffered no serious damage during the war but it took years to get back to pre-wartime levels of staffing and maintenance. The Annexe was occupied by the Training School until 1950, which led to overcrowded and understaffed wards on the main site.

The Hospital became part of the National Health Service in 1948 and was under the jurisdiction of the North West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board through a Hospital Management Committee. January 1948 saw the establishment of the Preliminary Training School under the control of two senior nurses. This gave probationers the opportunity to work towards certification and recognised qualifications. The 1950's and 1960's saw the development of training schemes for the young adults at Leavesden, with the aim of enabling them to find local employment.

In 1974 the hospital was transferred to the South West District of Hertfordshire Area Health Authority in the North West Thames Regional Health Authority. The 1970's saw a continuing trend in the decline of patient numbers and in 1984 the Annexe was closed and the site sold for redevelopment, all services were transferred to the main site. The hospital was also transferred to the control of the North West Hertfordshire Health Authority in a further round on NHS reorganisation at this time. There was one further administrative change for the Hospital when Horizon NHS Trust took over it management in 1990. The hospital was closed in 1995.

The Lebanon Hospital for the Insane, Asfuriyeh, was founded in 1898 by Dr Theophilus Waldmeir (1832-1915), a Swiss Quaker, to provide care for the mentally afflicted of the Lebanon, Syria and the Middle East.

On 17 April 1896, a public meeting was held at Dr Henry Jessup's house in Beirut, to announce the plan for founding 'the first Home for the insane in Bible Lands'. The campaign was launched, Waldmeier travelled to Europe and the USA to collect funds, and the Beirut Executive Committee was founded. The first meeting of the London General Committee (LGC) was held at the Bethlem Royal Asylum on 11 March 1897 and its Medical Superintendent, Dr Percy Smith, was elected as Chairman. The Asfuriyeh estate was purchased in April 1898, six miles from the centre of Beirut. The Hospital opened on 6 August 1900 with 10 patients. The Hospital's Constitution and Rules were formally drawn up in 1907. Under the Constitution, the Beirut Committee officially became the local executive committee in Beirut of the London General Committee, which retained overall authority over the Hospital.

In 1912 the property became a 'Wakf' , i.e. it was dedicated as a religious foundation under the code of law prevailing in the Lebanon, to be held by the Chairman of the London General Committee (who became the 'Trustee' or 'Mutawalli'). This set down the responsibilities of the 'Trustee' and his agents (in this case the Beirut Executive Committee) for managing the property. It was made a condition that the Hospital should be international and interdenominational.

The Lebanon Hospital for the Insane gradually expanded, and there was reportedly accommodation for 150 people by 1924; 350 by 1935; and 410 by 1936. By 1949, 14,000 patients had been treated since the opening of the Hospital. In 1938 the Hospital was renamed the Lebanon Hospital for Mental and Nervous Disorders.

In addition to clinical work, the Hospital contributed to training in the field of psychiatry. In 1922 it was affiliated with the American University of Beirut and became the Psychiatric Division of the University Hospital. In 1939 it was recognised by the Royal Medical/Psychological Association as a Training Centre for the Mental Nursing Certificate. In 1948, it opened a School of Psychiatric Nursing, the first of its kind in the Middle East, and which was subsequently used by the World Health Organisation for the training of specialised personnel. Treatment at the Hospital followed world-wide medical advances, and included Insulin Coma Therapy, Cardiazol Convulsion Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Electric Convulsion Therapy. Chemotherapy was introduced in 1952.

Between 1941 and 1946, a large part of the Hospital had to be handed over to the British Military Authorities, then in occupation of the Lebanon, to house their 43rd General Hospital. In the post-war climate, the Hospital's financial status never fully recovered, and by 1972 the Hospital was experiencing real financial difficulties. It was decided to sell the existing site and buildings and to re-build the Hospital on a more modern plan. A new site was chosen at Aramoun, near Beirut Airport. Asfuriyeh was sold in April 1973. The building programme was brought to a halt by the Lebanese Civil War (April 1975 - November 1976), and construction did not resume until summer 1977. The need for replacement materials and inflated prices meant that by the end of 1977, the Hospital was on the point of bankruptcy.

Despite appeals for funds, by early 1981 negotiations had commenced between the London General Committee and the Beirut Executive Committee to close the Hospital and to dispose of the property in accordance with the legal terms of the 'Wakf'. The Hospital at Asfuriyeh was officially closed on 10 April 1982. Aramoun continued to operate, although extensively damaged during the Civil War and occupied by the Israeli Army until 17 October 1982.

The LGC eventually resigned control of the Hospital itself to the Beirut Committee. However, in accordance with its continued responsibilities for trust funds established in the Hospital's name and held in the UK, it retained several of its members as London Trustees of the Lebanon Hospital for Nervous and Mental Disorders and established a scheme for the administration of these funds under charitable status. The Trustees continue to operate.

The Hospital's founder, Theophilus Waldmeier, was born in 1832 in Basle, Switzerland. He attended the missionary college of St Crischona, near Basle, and went to Abyssinia as a missionary in 1858. He left in 1868 and went to Syria, settling at Beirut in connection with the British Syrian Mission founded in 1860. In 1873, he started the Friends' Syrian Mission at Brummana, where he was superintendent, and founded Brummana High School. He relinquished his position in 1896 in order to promote his plan of providing a home for the insane. He travelled extensively to appeal for funds. Returning to Beirut in 1898, he purchased the site at Asfuriyeh. He became business superintendent at the Lebanon Hospital and retired in 1915, the year of his death. He published The Autobiography of Theophilus Waldmeier, Missionary, being an account of Ten Years' Life in Abyssinia and Sixteen Years in Syria (1886).

Amicie Lebaudy was the wife of Jules Lebaudy, she wrote works on the Jansénisme under the pseudonym of Guillaume Dall. Following her husband's death she devoted her income to social works including the restoration of the abbey of Port-Royal-of-Fields and the building of the Kereon lighthouse. She was a supporter of La Ligue de la patrie française and was also involved in the 'Syveton affair'.

The Sanatorium du Mont des Oiseaux was established in [1906] by Dr Petit, a physician in San Salvadour, to accommodate adults, (San Salvadour was intended for children). The architect was A. Gléna. Shortly before the 1914-1918 war, the sanatorium became the property of the Red Cross and hosted the war wounded. In the late 1960s it was converted into houses.