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According to the Congregational Church Year Book 1971-1972, the Middleton Road Congregational Church, Dalston was founded in 1662.

Haggerston Congregational Church was situated in Pownall Road.

The Oxendon Presbyterian Church was founded in 1737 in Great Street. It moved to Oxendon Chapel, on Oxendon Street, Haymarket, in 1808. In 1878 it moved to Haverstock Hill, at the junction of Prince of Wales Road and Maitland Park, Belsize Park, taking the name Oxendon Presbyterian Church to commemorate its previous location. It was damaged during the Second World War and was not reopened until 1957.

The archiepiscopal manor and ancient parish of Harrow covered an area 6½ miles long and 4½ miles wide in the eastern half of Gore hundred. The parish, called Harrow in the account that follows to distinguish it from the hamlet of Harrow-on-the-Hill or Harrow Town, stretched south from the Hertfordshire border to the River Brent. It was bounded by Elthorne hundred on the west and by Great Stanmore and Kingsbury parishes on the east. Parts of the parish, notably Pinner and Harrow-on-the-Hill, attracted wealthy residents as early as the 17th century. Harrow School, founded in 1572, contributed to the growth of Harrow-on-the-Hill from the end of the 18th century. Railways were followed in the late 19th century by housing estates and factories. After the British Empire Exhibition of 1924-5, for which Wembley Stadium was built, the site was developed and building spread over the south-east of the parish.

In the 19th century the total area was 13,809 acres, divided between Harrow (10,027 acres) and Pinner (3,782 acres). In 1931, when part of Northolt parish was added, the whole area, then administered by four district councils, consisted of 13,909 acres. In 1961 this area, divided into wards totalling 13,983 acres, formed part of the municipal boroughs of Harrow (12,555 acres) and Wembley (6,294 acres). In 1965 Harrow became the London Borough of Harrow, and Wembley became part of the London Borough of Brent.

From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4: Harmondsworth, Hayes, Norwood with Southall, Hillingdon with Uxbridge, Ickenham, Northolt, Perivale, Ruislip, Edgware, Harrow with Pinner (1971), pp. 169-172.

Watney, Combe, Reid and Co Ltd was formed in 1898 when a merger was negotiated between Watney and Co Ltd of the Stag Brewery, Pimlico; Combe and Co Ltd of the Wood Yard Brewery, Long Acre and Reid's Brewery Co Ltd, of the Griffin Brewery, Clerkenwell. Following the merger the company was the largest brewing concern in the United Kingdom, and was based at Watney's Stag Brewery in Pimlico.

The Stag Brewhouse and Brewery, Pimlico, was founded in 1636 by John Greene and his son Sir William Greene. In 1837 James Watney, a miller, bought a quarter share in the Stag Brewery, alongside John Elliot. From 1849 the firm was known as Elliot, Watney and Co. John Elliot withdrew from the business in 1850, remaining a partner in name only until 1858 when he retired. The firm became known as James Watney and Co. In 1885 Watney and Co Ltd was registered as a limited liability company.

Combe and Co Ltd was founded in 1722 by John Shackley in a former timber yard off Long Acre, London. In 1739 the business was acquired by William Gyfford who enlarged the premises, trading as Gyfford and Co. In 1787 the brewery was purchased by Harvey Christian Combe, a malt factor, but it was not until 1839 that the firm began to trade as Combe and Co. The Wood Yard Brewery closed in 1905 but the Combe family continued to take a major role in the management of Watney, Combe, Reid and Co Ltd.

In 1757 Richard Meux and Mungo Murray acquired the Jackson's Brewery in Mercer Street. When this was damaged in a major fire they constructed new premises at Liquorpond Street (now Clerkenwell Road). In 1793 Andrew Reid joined the business which became known as Meux, Reid and Co. In 1816 the Meux family left the business which changed its name to Reid and Co. The company was registered in 1888 as Reid's Brewery Co Ltd. On the merger with Watney and Combe it ceased to brew.

In 1956 Watney, Combe, Reid and Co Ltd decided that the Stag Brewery offered no further scope for expansion. Mann, Crossman and Paulin Ltd of Whitechapel was acquired to provide a new London brewery, and the company name was changed to Watney Mann Ltd.

Athelney Primary School is situated on Athelney Street, Catford.

When local juvenile advisory committees were appointed by the Board of Trade in 1910 to advise school leavers on the choice of employment, the London County Council invited the care committee workers to co-operate. These juvenile advisory committees were succeeded in 1917 by similar bodies appointed by the Minister of Labour, and they in turn were superseded in 1949 by youth employment committees whom the London County Council appointed, having decided, under the Employment and Training Act 1948, to operate the youth employment service.

This service provided individual guidance to potential leavers, assistance in placing them in employment, and gave them advice or help after starting out in work. The need for co-operation between the youth service, the youth employment service, and the colleges was fully recognised. Co-operation between youth officers, employers, parents and teachers had beneficial results.

Willoughby Road Wesleyan Methodist church opened as a Sunday school chapel in 1885, on land acquired in 1882 near the corner of Hampden Road. Classrooms were built in 1889 and a church, perhaps replacing an iron one, was opened on the corner site to the east in 1893. A lecture hall and more classrooms were added to the north in 1903. The congregation, which belonged to the Finsbury Park circuit, was joined by many from Mattison Road in 1963. After a fire in 1973 Willoughby Road church was replaced by a yellow-brick structure which, with the adjoining schoolroom in Hampden Road, seated 300.

From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6: Friern Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey with Highgate (1980), pp. 183-189.

The Reverend Henry John Gamble was a Congregational minister active between 1850 and 1873. He was minister at the Linden Grove Congregational Church, Camberwell and the Upper Clapton Congregational Church. His son died at the age of five, while his daughter Catherine Sarah was married to the Member of Parliament for Scarborough, Sir Joseph Compton-Rickett. On Gamble's death in 1873 his widow, Catherine, gave some 4000 books to the Union Theological College, Belfast, Northern Ireland to form the Gamble Library.

Books by Henry Gamble include Scripture Baptism: a series of Familiar Letters to a Friend in reply to "Christian Baptism" by B. Noel, 1850; Paul the Apostle, or, sketches from his life, 1851; Fidelity recognized and rewarded: a Sermon [on Matt. XXV, 21] preached on occasion of the Death of the Rev. F. A. Cox, 1853; Sermons, 1859; Hymns and Chants for Prayer Meetings and Special Services, with music, 1860; The Special Hymn Book for Week-Day Services, 1860; Work and Rest: a word to the busy and the weary, 1867 and Sermons by the Reverend Henry Gamble. Collected by his sorrowing widow, 1873.

Ensham School was built in 1905 as a mixed central school. By the 1950s it was a girls secondary school. In 1986 it merged with Furzedown Secondary School to make Graveney School.

Hither Green Wesleyan Methodist Church stood in the angle of Wellmeadow Road and Hither Green Lane, Lewisham. It was built in 1900 by architects Gordon, Lowther and Gunton, but was destroyed by bombing in 1940. A new church was built on Torridon Road. It is part of the Blackheath and Lewisham Methodist Circuit.

Saint John's Presbyterian Church, High Road, north Tottenham, was registered in 1866, three years after services had started in a lecture hall. The building had seats for 450. By 1876 Saint John's had opened a mission hall in Coleraine Park, which remained in use until 1915 and, as a Sunday school, until 1917. After the First World War the removal of many members to the outer suburbs reduced the active congregation to about 40 by 1939, when the church was accordingly closed.

From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham (1976), pp. 356-364.

Saint Andrew's United Reformed Church, at the corner of Finchley Road and Frognal Lane, originated as a Presbyterian church. The site was bought in 1897 and a lecture hall built by 1902. Services were held in the hall until a church of Kentish ragstone, with an imposing tower and spire, was constructed by Pite and Balfour in 1904.

Source: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 9: Hampstead, Paddington (1989), pp. 153-158.

Saint Paul's Presbyterian Church was situated in West Ferry Road, Millwall. It was founded in 1859. Saint Paul's became Millwall United Reformed Church when the Presbyterian and Congregational churches merged in 1972, however, membership was low and the church subsequently closed.

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Norwich, Norfolk, was founded in 1867. The church was first situated on Theatre Street, but was badly damaged during the Second World War. It was rebuilt in 1956 on Unthank Road. The church belonged to the Presbytery of London North. In 1972 the Presbyterian and Congregational churches merged to form the United Reformed Church. Trinity United Reformed Church is still situated on Unthank Road.

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Notting Hill, was situated on Kensington Park Road between Blenheim and Elgin Crescents. The first chapel on this site was built in 1862 by the Reverend Henry Marchmont, a clergyman of the Church of England who conducted ritualistic services here. This chapel was destroyed in a fire in 1867. Marchmont began to build the present church, but in 1871 he was declared bankrupt and the uncompleted carcase was sold to the congregation of Presbyterians who had hitherto met at a chapel in The Mall, Notting Hill Gate. Under these new owners the church was completed, and until 1919 was known as Trinity Presbyterian Church. By 1973 it was in undenominational use and no longer appears in the Presbyterian Church official handbook.

Source: 'The Ladbroke estate: The 1860s onwards', Survey of London: volume 37: Northern Kensington (1973), pp. 235-251.

Victoria Docks Presbyterian Church, Hack Road, West Ham, was built in 1872 by James Duncan, the sugar-refiner, to meet the needs of his Scottish workers. It was bombed early in the Second World War, and not rebuilt.

Source: A History of the County of Essex: Volume 6 (1973), pp. 123-141.

Shakespeare Walk Scotch Church was situated in Stoke Newington.

Saint Columba's Presbyterian Church, Prospect Hill, Walthamstow, originated in 1898 when Presbyterians took over the former Wesleyan Methodist church there. A new church was built on the site in 1906. It was almost destroyed by bombing in 1941, but services continued in improvised premises until it was rebuilt in 1957. It was closed in 1968 and demolished by 1971.

From: 'Walthamstow: Roman Catholicism, Nonconformity and Judaism', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 6 (1973), pp. 294-304.

South Kensington Presbyterian Church was founded in 1872, while the Belgrave Presbyterian Church was founded in 1846. In 1922 they merged to form the Emperor's Gate Presbyterian Church. In 1930 the church united with Saint John's Presbyterian Church on Scarsdale Villas which had been founded in 1862.

Park Presbyterian Church, Grosvenor Road, Highbury, was built after the Scotch congregation at Myddelton Hall, Upper Street, increased. It was one of three United Presbyterian churches in London founded with the aid of John Henderson of Renfrewshire. Later the church was part of the Presbyterian Church of England which was formed in 1876. As the district had no poor, the church supported City missions in Hoxton. The church closed in around 1950.

From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 101-115.

Islington Presbyterian Church was situated on River Terrace (which was later renamed Colebrooke Row). It was also known as the Scotch church. It was built in 1834 to replace a chapel in Chadwell Street, Clerkenwell, and was a member of the Presbyterian Synod of England in connexion with the Church of Scotland. It later became identified with the Free Church of Scotland, formed in 1843; and then later was part of the Presbyterian Church of England, formed in 1876. By the 1920s services were held in Saint Peter's school owing to the dilapidated condition of the church, in 1923 the members disbanded and the buildings were sold.

From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 8: Islington and Stoke Newington parishes (1985), pp. 101-115.

Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church was founded in 1868. In 1963 it united with the Kings Farm Congregational Church and was renamed Saint Paul's United Reformed Church on Singlewell Road, Gravesend.

Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church was situated on Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey. It began in 1873 as a preaching station. A hall was built in 1888 and a church in 1900, but it was closed by 1971.

Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church was founded in 1894. The church was built in 1896, situated on Battersea Rise, Clapham. In 1976 the Presbyterian and Congregational churches merged and the church was renamed Saint Andrew's United Reformed Church.

Saint John's Presbyterian Church was founded in 1870. The church was built in 1884 on Devonshire Road, Forest Hill. It came under the Presbytery of London South. Following the merger of the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches in 1972 it became Saint John's United Reformed Church and is still situated on Devonshire Road.

The first Presbyterian worship in Maidstone took place in 1672. The Christ's Church Presbyterian Church was situated on Brewer Street and flourished between 1873 and 1881. It is possible that it subsequently closed because in 1947 a meeting was held of people interested in founding a Presbyterian congregation in Maidstone which is described as lacking a church of this denomination. Meetings were held in classrooms at Elms School, London Road and the congregation was placed under the session of Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church, Chatham, as a preaching station. A Sunday School and other societies were founded. Attempts were made to purchase land on which to construct a church, however, it was decided that the congregation was too small to support a full time preacher and in 1951 the meetings were ended.

In 1887 Hugh Price Hughes was appointed the first Superintendent Minister of the West London Mission. Together with his wife, Katherine, he developed practical programmes for the poor and laid the foundations for much of the Mission's work. Katherine herself was responsible for the establishment of 'The Sisters of the People', an order of women serving the poor.

Initially the Mission was based in St. James's Hall in Piccadilly from where the inaugural service was given on 21 October 1887. Hughes died in 1902 and three years later in 1905 St. James's Hall was demolished. There followed a period of movement for the West London Mission and its congregation. First relocating to Exeter Hall, in 1907 the Mission moved to Great Queen Street before renting the Lyceum Theatre in 1909.

The movement of the mission could only be a temporary measure until suitable accommodation was found. In 1911 institutional buildings at Kingsway Hall, Holborn were completed and in 1912 the Hall opened for public services. With a hall designed to seat 2,000 people and institutional buildings with space for a gymnasium, boys and girls clubs, schoolrooms and lecture halls, and a crèche it seemed as though the West London Mission had found its home.

In 1936 a second great figure in the Mission's history, Donald Soper, went to Kingsway Hall. He would remain as Superintendent until his retirement in 1978. At this time the relocation of the Mission once again became a necessary consideration.

By 1980 Kingsway Hall was no longer fit for purpose and the West London Mission offices and Kingsway Hall congregation moved to Hinde Street. A Methodist chapel had stood on Hinde Street since 1810 and had become part of the West London Mission in 1917. From this new home activities such as a Wednesday club and an open-access provision for the homeless were able to continue.

The firm was established in 1822 when William Henry Ashurst set up practice as a solicitor at 2 Sambrook Court, Basinghall Street, London. In 1823, he went into partnership with William Henry Green under the name 'Green and Ashurst'. The partnership lasted until 1829, when Ashurst moved to 84 Newgate Street to practise alone. In 1835, Ernest Barnevelt Elliott Gainsford became a partner and the new partnership 'Ashurst and Gainsford' set up office at 137 Cheapside. However, the partnership only lasted five years, and Ashurst once again practised alone, significantly spending a year as solicitor to the Mercantile Committee helping Rowland Hill succeed in reforming the postal system. In 1843, Ashurst decided to make his son William Henry Ashurst Junior a partner under the style 'Ashurst and Son'. The firm moved to 6 Old Jewry in 1854 and remained there until 1890.

Although William Henry Ashurst devoted much time to his legal practice, he was also very involved in the politics of the day. Notably, he campaigned for the passing of the Reform Bill in 1832, abolition of church rates and number of other causes. He was a member of the Common Council of the City of London, Chairman of the Committee of City Lands and served one year as Under Sheriff. He died in 1855.

His son, who was also politically active, retired from the firm in 1864 to become a Solicitor to the General Post Office, Saint Martin's Le Grand, London. John Morris, who had worked for Ashurst and Son for many years, became a partner and the firm changed its title to 'Ashurst and Morris'. Morris was very interested in company business, especially railways. He was involved with numerous projects including those concerning the Grand Truck Railway Company of Canada, Inner Circle Line of the Metropolitan Railway and the Forth Bridge. He was also responsible for the erection of offices at 17 Throgmorton Avenue which the firm relocated to in 1890. John Morris died in 1905.

In the 1860s, the firm's title was altered to 'Ashurst Morris and Company' when partnerships were forged with Thomas Norton Harvey between 1865 and 1877 and George Davis from 1869 to 1874. Frank Crisp became a partner in 1871 and in 1877 the firm adopted the title 'Ashurst Morris Crisp and Company'. Crisp had worked for the firm for a number of years and had a particular interest in company law. As a result, he became involved with the formation of a number of companies, including Explosive Trade Limited and General Motor Cab Company, and acted for many railway companies abroad, particularly in South America. Crisp was awarded a knighthood in 1907 for his work in connection to the Companies (Consolidation) Act 1906 and was created a Baronet in 1913. He died in 1919.

Other notable partners in the firm included William Morris Junior, Thomas Outen, Roland Thomas Outen, Edward Hora and Michael Richards.

In 2003, to keep in line with competitors, Ashurst Morris Crisp was rebranded as 'Ashurst LLP'. A merger with Blake Dawson in 2012 saw the firm become the 25th largest in the world with 24 offices in 14 countries.

Offices: 2 Sambrook Court, Basinghall Street (1822 - 1829); 84 Newgate Street ( 1829 - 1835); 137 Cheapside ( 1835 - 1854); 6 Old Jewry (1854 - 1890); 17 Throgmorton Street (1890 - 1982?); Broadgate House, 7 Eldon Street (1980s); Broadwalk House, 5 Appold Street (1990s - ); all City of London.

The company originated in the City of London and by 1872 was operating a small candied peel factory in Hackney Wick under the name of Clarke Nickolls and Company. A few years later the business moved into confectionery manufacture with the acquisition of Robert Coombs. In 1887, the firm was incorporated as Clarke, Nickolls and Coombs Limited with new headquarters in Wallis Road, Hackney Wick. The company described itself as Wholesale and Export Confectioners and boasted that they were 'one of the largest and most general Confectionery businesses in the United Kingdom...' manufacturing 'Reserved Peel Sugar Confectionery' including fondants, and also marmalade, jams and jellies which were exported to Europe, North and South Africa, America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and India. The new premises had a frontage on the River Lea Navigation Canal which allowed for the landing and shipping of raw materials and finished products. In 1886 the site consisted of factories, warehouses, a wharf and other premises covering an area of 4.25 acres. Retail shops were opened at 11 Bishopsgate Street Within in the City of London, 120 High Street, Borough in Southwark, and 6 High Street Birmingham.

As the business expanded in the 1900s, the firm became a major employer for both men and women from Hackney and Stratford. The company was concerned for the welfare of its employees and established non-contributory and profit-sharing schemes in 1890 to give staff a share in the firm's wealth. The Pension Fund became the Clarnico Superannuation Fund which first paid out pensions from the money saved and invested in 1916. In addition, the Clarnico Trust was created to donate money to worthy causes which included local churches, the Confectioners Benevolent Fund and Mayor of Poplar's 'Xmas Appeal'. According to a report in the East London Advertiser in 1964 the company had established strong links with the community and was proud of the fact that two Mayors of Hackney were former Clarnico employees.

As it expanded, the firm acquired other companies including Jonathan Edmundson and Company Limited of Liverpool (acquired in 1927; Head Office: 52 Fox Street, Liverpool), J A Buchanan Limited, Charbonnel & Walker Limited and Edmondson's (Canada) Limited. In the inter-war period Clarke, Nickolls and Coombs Limited was considered the largest confectionery manufacturing company in Britain. In 1946, the company was registered and traded globally under the abbreviated name 'Clarnico'.

The factory site suffered war damage in 1940. In the 1950s the company decided to modernise its premises by building a new factory at Waterden Road and renting out properties no longer required to other companies. The buildings were completed in 1955. Manufacturing at the Hackney Wick site ceased in 1970s and the buildings were gradually sub-divided and let out. Latterly, Clarnico became part of Trebor Bassett which was, in turn, acquired by Cadbury Schweppes, and in turn by Kraft.

The National Association of Local Government Officers' (NALGO) was a Trade Union founded in 1905. It was renamed the National and Local Government Officers' Association in 1952 but retained the acronym NALGO. In 1993 it merged with the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) and the Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE) to form the Trade Union UNISON.

The Corporation of London Branch of NALGO was founded in 1938. The first Chairman was Mr A L Haynes and the Secretary was Mr H Clements. Early meetings were held at the Talbot Restaurant, London Wall, later moving to various locations around the City and in Guildhall. In the late 1950s and early 1960s the branch struggled for membership and was nearly disbanded. It underwent a revival, however, and continued to meet, eventually becoming the City of London Branch of UNISON in 1993.

Dennis Gilley was a partner at R Watson and Sons consulting actuaries, one of the largest actuarial firms in the UK, based in Reigate, Surrey. Gilley worked for R Watson and Sons from 1949 until his retirement in 1981, a period which saw the firm undergoing its fastest period of growth, fuelled by the expansion of occupational pension provision in the 1950s and 1960s. After his retirement, he chaired seminars and produced a booklet on pension fund trusteeship for Ringley Communications, a subsidiary of Watsons.

Gilley was also an active member of the Institute of Actuaries and International Association of Consulting Actuaries. He served as chair of both organisations, and was influential in the development of standards of professional conduct and scrutiny within the actuarial profession. He was also a founder member of the Pensions Management Institute and a Council member of the Occupational Pensions Advisory Service.

In 1860 the Saint Giles Christian Mission was founded by George Hatton, a member of the Bloomsbury Baptist Chapel. Originally called 'The Young Men's Society for the Relief of the Poor' and funded with help from the Bloomsbury Baptists, their object was to evangelise the district known as the Seven-Dials. Although their start was slow and difficult, in spite of the evangelical revival in the City, the persistence of the young men paid off and the original premises quickly became too small for the growing congregation. They achieved great success in work within the neighbourhood, undertaking home visits, teaching on thrift and temperance and assisting with gifts of bread, meat and coal bought with money raised from subscriptions.

By 1867 the Mission became independent from the Bloomsbury Chapel and continued its work at The King Street Hall Chapel until 1874, when one of the Deacons of the Chapel informed Mr Hatton that there was work to be done in Wild Street. The chapel in Wild Street was in a bad way and the Deacon thought it would be well - as Mr Hatton was carrying on good work - to take over the chapel and carry on his activities there. The property was conveyed to the Mission and after a successful fund raising, enough money was found to put the chapel into good use.

During this time another young man, William Morter Wheatley saw George Hatton preaching and was drawn to the work of the Mission after finding his own personal salvation at the meeting. He threw himself whole heartedly into his work and was instrumental in starting the probation work for which The Mission came to be known.

In 1877, what was known as Prison Gate work was started. The Mission set up huts outside Holloway, Pentonville and Wandsworth Prisons where newly discharged prisoners were offered breakfast and assistance often in the form of travel money to get home, clothing, and assistance with employment, as well as encouragement to take the temperance pledge. This work was highly commended by the press and helped spread the reputation of The Mission work as well as boosting funds and subscriptions. Work among first time offenders continued with the opening of a series of hostels and homes between 1880's and 1900. These catered for young offenders who were encouraged and supported to find work or enter the armed services.

As well as homes for young men and boys, The Mission opened homes for homeless and destitute women, particularly around the Seven Dials, Drury Lane area of London.

By 1894, The Mission had branched out and was opening holiday and convalescent homes and orphanages. A seaside home for convalescents in Hastings, a children's home in Southgate and a large ten bedroomed house with land to expand in Maldon, opened in 1899. Known as The Retreat, it started out as a children's holiday home and orphanage, and by 1909 included a convalescent home for children, an adults' holiday home and a home for aged Christians. The home continued until 1938 when partly due to pressure of funds and partly pressure from the children's department of the Home Office the various functions of the Retreat were separated out and rehomed in other more suitable places. The Retreat itself was sold in 1939 and with the proceeds of the sale properties at Herne Bay ('Fairlawn'), Castleham in Hastings and Crawley ('Heathersett') were bought.

During World War Two many of the properties were used by the Military or Civil Administration for air raid shelters or accommodation for army personnel so much of the work of The Mission was scaled back, although they continued to provide Christmas parcels, and to care for the homeless. Over the next ten year the welfare side of The Mission gradually wound down as post war costs of refurbishment and lack of manpower took their toll. Much of their work was taken on by the newly created National Health Services and it was felt that they should concentrate more on the non-secular aspects of the Mission.

The Mission's other work revolved around the Chapels in Wild Street and Arundel Square. The Wild Street Chapel opened in 1874 and was the heart of The Mission. The Wild Street Chapel continued until 1902 when it was acquired by the London County Council for the Kingsway Improvement. In a complex legal procedure the chapel was 'sold' to the LCC, however it was discovered that the Trustees of the chapel had no power of sale so an agreement for the purchase by the LCC of the existing chapel was made at a price that was equal to the site proposed to be conveyed to the Trustees together with the cost of building a new chapel. The purchase price was paid into court and the court sanctioned a petition by the trustees of the purchase of the new site. The new chapel was then built in 1905 on the new leased land and a piece of land at the side of the chapel, also leased from the LCC for the erection of a Boy's Home and ran by William Wheatley. The home and chapel remained until 1928/9 when they transferred to Islington. The home reopened at 29 Pemberton Gardens approved by the Home Office as a Probation Hostel, and the chapel moved to Arundel Square, Barnsbury where it opened in 1935, along with the Arundel Institute.

The Institute's goal was to foster the social activities for people of all ages in the thickly populated area in Barnsbury. This included running a Sunday School, Boys' and Girls' Brigades, Young Men's and Young Women's gymnasium, Grandfather's Club and using the hall for lectures and concerts. In 1944 The Arundel Christian Fellowship was created to formalise the membership of the congregation. The Mission and Institute continued into the 1950's providing a great programme of social clubs and events to the community, as well as more regular weekly services along with the Sunday worship. However the Mission had started to reconsider its role and found it increasingly non-secular and by the 1960's had begun to re-emphasise the evangelical nature of its work - it still retained the social aspect but added to this, Youth Fellowship and bible studies, and short services in the evenings during the social clubs along with a friendly hour after the main evening service which included informal hymn singing.

The Mission has continued to adapt and change to its community, and is still active today, maintaining an evangelical ministry in North London from which social needs in the area continue to be addressed. Activities and meals for older folk are provided, youth work is undertaken and counselling given for both young and old, as well as running holiday clubs and day trips.

The objectives and activities below taken from Charity Commission show a strong connection with the original work of the Mission:

The Mission's principal aims as contained in its Memorandum of Association, the most recent revision having been adopted on 10th July 1998, are as follows:
'To proclaim the Gospel of the Grace of God through Our Lord Saviour Jesus Christ; to meet and provide meals for prisoners on their discharge from prison, to carry on all activities commonly called 'Prison Gate Work', to assist discharged prisoners to redeem their past and obtain honest employment and to provide them with requisite clothing tools and outfit; to house , maintain and care for juvenile offenders on probation and help to train them into and maintain them at Boys Homes maintained by the Mission; to render assistance in cash or otherwise to husbands, wives, children and dependents of prisoners; to receive into Homes and assist men, women and boys bound over under the 'Probation of Offenders Act 1907'; to visit the sick and relieve the distressed poor. To protect the young and aged and to succour the weak; to provide and maintain holidays and Holiday Homes for poor children; to provide and maintain Homes and Orphanages for children of prisoners and other destitute children and to bring up all such children in the Protestant Evangelical Faith and according to the Text and doctrine of the Holy scriptures; to provide the children in the Homes with all necessary and proper clothing and with Medical and Surgical treatment; to provide and maintain Convalescent Homes for the deserving sick poor; to provide and maintain Homes for the poor; to provide Christmas Fare and entertainments and New Year treats for children and deserving poor; to carry on Sunday schools, Bible classes, evangelical missions, savings banks, boys and girls clubs and brigades and other forms of social work to increase in all possible ways the spiritual and moral welfare of all those who attend the schools, classes, missions and social works of the Mission' together with the means to facilitate the pursuit of the above objectives.

The Metropolitan Asylums Board was established by an Order of the Poor Law Board, 15 May 1867. This Order combined the London unions and parishes in to one 'Metropolitan Asylum District' to comply with the stipulations of the Metropolitan Poor Act of 29 March 1867 (30 and 31 Vict c 6). This Act provided for "the Establishment in the Metropolis of Asylums for the Sick, Insane, and other Classes of the Poor and of Dispensaries; and for the Distribution over the Metropolis of Portions of the Charge for Poor Relief; and for other Purposes relating to Poor Relief". The Metropolitan Asylum District was responsible for "the reception and relief of poor persons infected with or suffering from fever or the disease of smallpox or who may be insane".

The first Metropolitan Asylums Board consisted of 60 members, 45 represented the parishes and unions of London and 15 were nominated by the Poor Law Board (afterwards by the Local Government Board and latterly by the Ministry of Health). The number was subsequently increased to 73 members.

Fever and smallpox epidemics had revealed deficiencies in Poor Law provision in the Metropolitan area. In most unions patients suffering from all diseases were crowded together in the workhouse infirmaries. The Boards first task was to devise ways of isolating patients with infectious diseases. The main difficulties confronting the Board were the spasmodic nature of the demands for hospital accommodation during the first 30 years of its existence (the worst outbreaks of smallpox occurred in the years 1870-2, 1884-5, 1893-4 and 1901-2), the objections of local residents to the establishment of hospitals in their neighbourhoods and the statutory limitation of patients to persons within the scope of the Poor Law.

MAB was delegated responsibility for accommodating and treating different diseases during the course of its life (taken from Ayers, 1971, pp 269-270):

Physical disorders:

Infectious and contagious diseases

1867 Scarlet fever; typhoid fever; typhus, smallpox. Poor law cases only before 1883

1883; 1893; 1894 Asiatic cholera. Accommodation available in case of need.

1888 Diphtheria. Poor law and non-pauper cases admitted from 1888. Free treatment after 1891

1905 Plague. Accommodation available in case of need.

1907 Cerebro-spinal meningitis

1911 (Feb) (Poor law)

1911 (May) Measles (non-pauper)

1911 Whooping-cough (poor law)

1912 Whooping-cough (non-pauper)

1912; 1926 Puerperal fever and puerperal pyrexia

1919 Trench fever; malaria; dysentery

1924 Certain contagious conditions of the eye (children received through the LCC)

1924 Zymotic enteritis

Tuberculosis

1897 Poor law children

1911 Insured persons under the National Insurance Act, 1911

1913 - 1921 Non-insured persons

Venereal disease

1916 Parturient women

1917 Infants suffering from ophthalmia neonatorum

1919 Other women and girls

Children's diseases

1897 Ophthalmia and ringworm (children)

1924 Interstitial keratitis and infantile paralysis

1925 Marasmus

1925 - 1929 Encephalitis lethargica (cases suffering from after-effects)

1926 Rheumatic fever; acute endocarditis, chorea

Carcinoma

1928 Women suffering from carcinoma of the uterus

Mental disorders and epilepsy

1867 Harmless poor law 'imbeciles' (adults and children, capable of improvement and non-improvable)

1891 Suitable cases certified under the Lunacy Acts transferred form the London County 'lunatic asylums'

1897 Feeble-minded poor law children (uncertified)

1916 - 1917 Sane epileptics (poor law)

1918 Cases certifies under the 1913 Mental Deficiency Act (poor law and non-pauper)

1924 Mentally infirm persons over 70 years of age (poor law) who had not previously been certified

Healthy classes

1875 Poor law boys training for sea service (non-poor law boys were later received through the LCC be private arrangement

1902 - 1910 Juvenile offenders (MAB remand homes were transferred to the LCC in 1910)

1912 Homeless poor

1914-1919 Destitute enemy aliens and war refuges

Throughout its history the Board was kept under strict control by the central authority and approval had to be obtained from the Poor Law Board (later the Local Government Board) for all appointments of staff, purchases and allocation of property, etc. Some extra duties were placed upon the Board solely by Orders issued by the Local Government Board, e.g., the care of children suffering from opthalmia and from contagious diseases of the skin and scalp or because of some physical or mental defect, in need of special schooling (1896); and the control and management of London casual wards (1911). The most important statutes affecting the work of the Board were:-

The Diseases Prevention (London) Act, 1883 (46 and 47 Vic c.35, which removed the civil disabilities which had previously been attached to admission to the Board's hospitals)

The Public Health (London) Act, 1891 (54 and 55 Vic c.76, sanctioning the treatment of fever patients who were not paupers)

The Public Health (Prevention and Treatment of Disease) Act, 1913 (3 and 4 Geo.V c.23, sanctioning the treatment of tuberculosis patients by the Board)

The Youthful Offenders Act, 1901 (1 Edw.VII c.20 under which the Board established remand homes)

The Mental Deficiency Act, 1913 (3 and 4 Geo.V c.28 as a result of which the Board undertook the care of uncertified mental cases)

The Local Authorities (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1928 (18 and 19 Geo.V c.9 under which the Board was given co-ordinating powers over the London Poor Law Unions in respect of the Metropolitan Common Poor Fund)

Under the Local Government Act, 1929 the powers and duties of the Board were transferred to the London County Council.

An explanation of terminology: At the time of the Metropolitan Asylums Board there was no distinction between learning difficulties and mental disorders. The Mental Deficiency Act, 1927 uses the following terms:

(1) The following classes of persons who are mentally defective shall be deemed to be defective within the meaning of this Act:-
(a) Idiots, that is to say, persons in whose case there exists mental defectives of such a degree that they are unable to guard themselves against common physical dangers:

(b) Imbeciles, that is to say, persons in whose case there exists mental defectiveness which, though not amounting to idiocy, is yet so pronounces that they are incapable of managing themselves or their affairs or, in the case of children, of being taught to do so:

(c) Feeble-minded persons, that is to say, persons in whose cases there exists mental defectiveness which, though not amounting to imbecility, is yet so pronounced that they require care, supervision and control for their own protection or for the protection of others or, in the case of children, that they appear to be permanently incapable by reason of such defectiveness of receiving proper benefit from the instruction in ordinary schools:

(d) Moral defectives, that is to say, persons in whose case there exists mental defectiveness couple with strongly vicious or criminal propensities and who require care, supervision and control for the protection of others.

(2) For the purposes of this section, 'mental defectiveness' means a condition of arrested or incomplete development of mind existing before the age of eighteen years, whether arising from inherent causes or induced by disease or injury.
Note: the 1913 Act said that mental deficiency had to exist from birth or from an early age.

The Children's Department of the Middlesex County Council was set up under the Children Act 1948 which embodied the findings of the Curtis Report of 1945-1946. The Act took effect on 5 July 1948; the first meeting of the newly formed Children's Committee took place on the next day, taking over from the Interim Children's Committee, formed of the members of the thereafter defunct Children's Care Sub-Committee of the Education Committee. The first Children's Officer, Mr Ainscow, had in fact been appointed in anticipation, with effect from 1 May 1948. The duties of the Department had previously been distributed across several County Council departments (the Public Assistance, Public Health and Education Departments), as well as bodies (education authorities outside the MCC and the County Maternity and Child Welfare authorities) not part of the County Council at all.

The activities of the Children's Department may be summarised as follows:
i) Care and welfare: this comprised of the provision of care for a) children under the age of 17 if they had no parents or guardians; if they were abandoned or lost; of if their parents were unable to provide for their proper upbringing, provided that such care was in the child's best interests: and b) children committed by a court to the care of the County Council under a Fit Person order. This involved inter alia the running of homes and nurseries, the maintenance of the boarding out system for foster homes, and in some cases the assumption of full parental rights until the child should attain majority. The Department also undertook the care of children as delegated by the Welfare Department when dealing with problem or evicted families.

ii) Child Life Protection: this was a long standing local authority responsibility. After the passing of the Children Act 1948 its effect was to render it an offence for any person other than the parent, legal guardian or a relative to undertake for reward (whether or not for profit) the care of a child below school leaving age (15 in 1948) without notifying the County Council as a welfare authority. The Children's Department publicised the legal obligations upon such persons, supervised placements, inspected and regulated foster homes and so on. After the Adoption Act 1950, a similar duty to notify the Council rested upon anyone placing a child in another's care (with the same exceptions as above).

iii) Approved schools and remand homes: a child could be committed by the courts into the care of the Council either by a Fit Person Order, the effect of which was to put the child into the care of the Children's Department or by an Approved School Order, which placed the child under the care of managers at an Approved School. It should be noted that placements were made under the aegis of the Home Office nationwide, and that although the Council, through sub-committees of the Children's Committees, ran two approved schools, by no means all Middlesex children would be allocated places there. The Committee also ran two remand homes. The Children's Department were involved in briefing judges on cases: sometimes in bringing themselves in order to gain the powers by which to afford children under threat the care and protection they needed; and as the executive arm of the County Council on receipt of Fit Person Orders. Staff were also responsible for the supervision and after-care of "licensed" Middlesex children.

iv) Under the Adoption Act 1926, the County Council had since 1943 to oversee the compulsory registration of adoption societies in the county (not an onerous duty: two were registered in of which only one, the Homeless Children's Aid and Adoption Society, continued for any length of time). Compulsory notification to the County Council of all adoptions in the county was not introduced until the Adoption Act 1950. Also, from that point of view the Council had to supervise every prospective third party adoption in its area, whether or not involved in any other capacity. After the 1958 Act the Council had the power to place children for adoption even if those children were not in its care. Its powers of supervision were widened to include all adoptions in the county.

Health areas of the County of Middlesex, also used as administrative areas by the MCC Children's Department: Area 1 Enfield and Edmonton; Area 2 Southgate, Potters Bar, Wood Green and Friern Barnet; Area 3 Hornsey and Tottenham; Area 4 Finchley and Hendon; Area 5 Harrow; Area 6 Wembley and Willesden; Area 7 Ealing and Acton; Area 8 Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington, Yiewsley and West Drayton; Area 9 Heston and Isleworth, Southall and Area 10 Feltham, Staines, Twickenham, Sunbury.

Adoption:

Until the Adoption Act 1926 legal adoption did not exist in English law. The 1926 Act gave no specific powers to local authorities, but the County Council was frequently, in its capacity as a local education authority, asked to act as a Guardian Ad Litem (that is to protect the child's rights before the law). When so requested, the County Council delegated this function to the officers of the Education Department. Other local education authorities could be approached instead in cases within their areas, or the Court's own probation officer might be appointed.

The Adoption of Children Regulation Act 1939 was designed to rectify some of the abuses of the 1926 Act and specifically, required adoption services to be approved and registered with local authorities. There were in fact only three such services in Middlesex in 1943 when the Act was finally implemented and only one, the Homeless Children's Aid and Adoption Society, remained in operation for any length of time thereafter. Also from 1943 certain duties of supervision of private adoptions were placed upon the welfare authorities, of which the MCC was one.

The duties of the Education Department relating to adoptions passed to the newly created Children's Department in 1948. In the next year was passed the Adoption of Children Act 1949, which was immediately consolidated with the previous legislation as the Adoption Act 1950. This Act made significant changes to adoption procedures: that which most particularly affected the County Council was the requirement that no adoption order could be made unless at least three months notice of intention to adopt had been given to the welfare authority, i.e. the County Council. Therefore from 1950 the County Council was notified of every intended adoption within the County, regardless of who the guardian ad litem was. Further, on receipt of a notice of an intended third party adoption (that is to say an adoption placement made by a third party, not a registered adoption society or local authority; adoptions by parents of their own children - very commonly done by women with illegitimate children and subsequently married) an officer of the Children's Department would commence supervision of the child or children either until the granting of the Court Order, or, if the supervision revealed the prospective adopters as unsuitable, until the end of the statutory period. The Adoption Act 1958 extended the powers of supervision to all adoptions and from this date the County Council had, in theory, some record of every adoption that took place in the County. The Act also enabled local authorities to act as adoption agencies in their own right.

The Children's Department of the Middlesex County Council was set up under the Children Act 1948 which embodied the findings of the Curtis Report of 1945-1946. The Act took effect on 5 July 1948; the first meeting of the newly formed Children's Committee took place on the next day, taking over from the Interim Children's Committee, formed of the members of the thereafter defunct Children's Care Sub-Committee of the Education Committee. The first Children's Officer, Mr Ainscow, had in fact been appointed in anticipation, with effect from 1 May 1948. The duties of the Department had previously been distributed across several County Council departments (the Public Assistance, Public Health and Education Departments), as well as bodies (education authorities outside the MCC and the County Maternity and Child Welfare authorities) not part of the County Council at all.

The activities of the Children's Department may be summarised as follows:
i) Care and welfare: this comprised of the provision of care for a) children under the age of 17 if they had no parents or guardians; if they were abandoned or lost; of if their parents were unable to provide for their proper upbringing, provided that such care was in the child's best interests: and b) children committed by a court to the care of the County Council under a Fit Person order. This involved inter alia the running of homes and nurseries, the maintenance of the boarding out system for foster homes, and in some cases the assumption of full parental rights until the child should attain majority. The Department also undertook the care of children as delegated by the Welfare Department when dealing with problem or evicted families.

ii) Child Life Protection: this was a long standing local authority responsibility. After the passing of the Children Act 1948 its effect was to render it an offence for any person other than the parent, legal guardian or a relative to undertake for reward (whether or not for profit) the care of a child below school leaving age (15 in 1948) without notifying the County Council as a welfare authority. The Children's Department publicised the legal obligations upon such persons, supervised placements, inspected and regulated foster homes and so on. After the Adoption Act 1950, a similar duty to notify the Council rested upon anyone placing a child in another's care (with the same exceptions as above).

iii) Approved schools and remand homes: a child could be committed by the courts into the care of the Council either by a Fit Person Order, the effect of which was to put the child into the care of the Children's Department or by an Approved School Order, which placed the child under the care of managers at an Approved School. It should be noted that placements were made under the aegis of the Home Office nationwide, and that although the Council, through sub-committees of the Children's Committees, ran two approved schools, by no means all Middlesex children would be allocated places there. The Committee also ran two remand homes. The Children's Department were involved in briefing judges on cases: sometimes in bringing themselves in order to gain the powers by which to afford children under threat the care and protection they needed; and as the executive arm of the County Council on receipt of Fit Person Orders. Staff were also responsible for the supervision and after-care of "licensed" Middlesex children.

iv) Under the Adoption Act 1926, the County Council had since 1943 to oversee the compulsory registration of adoption societies in the county (not an onerous duty: two were registered in of which only one, the Homeless Children's Aid and Adoption Society, continued for any length of time). Compulsory notification to the County Council of all adoptions in the county was not introduced until the Adoption Act 1950. Also, from that point of view the Council had to supervise every prospective third party adoption in its area, whether or not involved in any other capacity. After the 1958 Act the Council had the power to place children for adoption even if those children were not in its care. Its powers of supervision were widened to include all adoptions in the county.

Health areas of the County of Middlesex, also used as administrative areas by the MCC Children's Department: Area 1 Enfield and Edmonton; Area 2 Southgate, Potters Bar, Wood Green and Friern Barnet; Area 3 Hornsey and Tottenham; Area 4 Finchley and Hendon; Area 5 Harrow; Area 6 Wembley and Willesden; Area 7 Ealing and Acton; Area 8 Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington, Yiewsley and West Drayton; Area 9 Heston and Isleworth, Southall and Area 10 Feltham, Staines, Twickenham, Sunbury

Children's Officer:

The Children's Act 1948 required the appointment of a Children's Officer to be the head of the Children's Department under the County Council. On 25th April 1948 the Council appointed Mr. E. Ainscow, then Assistant Education Officer in charge of the Children's Care Section of the Education Department, to be Children's Officer with effect from 1 May 1948. The Act itself took effect on 5 July 1948, and the appointment was in due course ratified by the Home Secretary.

However Mr Ainscow left the MCC in 1949 to take up the post of Children's Officer to the London County Council. His successor was Jane Rowell, previously Children's Officer to Durham County Council, who took over the post on 1 June 1949 and remained until the abolition of the MCC in 1965.

The Children's Department of the Middlesex County Council was set up under the Children Act 1948 which embodied the findings of the Curtis Report of 1945-1946. The Act took effect on 5 July 1948; the first meeting of the newly formed Children's Committee took place on the next day, taking over from the Interim Children's Committee, formed of the members of the thereafter defunct Children's Care Sub-Committee of the Education Committee. The first Children's Officer, Mr Ainscow, had in fact been appointed in anticipation, with effect from 1 May 1948. The duties of the Department had previously been distributed across several County Council departments (the Public Assistance, Public Health and Education Departments), as well as bodies (education authorities outside the MCC and the County Maternity and Child Welfare authorities) not part of the County Council at all.

The activities of the Children's Department may be summarised as follows:
i) Care and welfare: this comprised of the provision of care for a) children under the age of 17 if they had no parents or guardians; if they were abandoned or lost; of if their parents were unable to provide for their proper upbringing, provided that such care was in the child's best interests: and b) children committed by a court to the care of the County Council under a Fit Person order. This involved inter alia the running of homes and nurseries, the maintenance of the boarding out system for foster homes, and in some cases the assumption of full parental rights until the child should attain majority. The Department also undertook the care of children as delegated by the Welfare Department when dealing with problem or evicted families.

ii) Child Life Protection: this was a long standing local authority responsibility. After the passing of the Children Act 1948 its effect was to render it an offence for any person other than the parent, legal guardian or a relative to undertake for reward (whether or not for profit) the care of a child below school leaving age (15 in 1948) without notifying the County Council as a welfare authority. The Children's Department publicised the legal obligations upon such persons, supervised placements, inspected and regulated foster homes and so on. After the Adoption Act 1950, a similar duty to notify the Council rested upon anyone placing a child in another's care (with the same exceptions as above).

iii) Approved schools and remand homes: a child could be committed by the courts into the care of the Council either by a Fit Person Order, the effect of which was to put the child into the care of the Children's Department or by an Approved School Order, which placed the child under the care of managers at an Approved School. It should be noted that placements were made under the aegis of the Home Office nationwide, and that although the Council, through sub-committees of the Children's Committees, ran two approved schools, by no means all Middlesex children would be allocated places there. The Committee also ran two remand homes. The Children's Department were involved in briefing judges on cases: sometimes in bringing themselves in order to gain the powers by which to afford children under threat the care and protection they needed; and as the executive arm of the County Council on receipt of Fit Person Orders. Staff were also responsible for the supervision and after-care of "licensed" Middlesex children.

iv) Under the Adoption Act 1926, the County Council had since 1943 to oversee the compulsory registration of adoption societies in the county (not an onerous duty: two were registered in of which only one, the Homeless Children's Aid and Adoption Society, continued for any length of time). Compulsory notification to the County Council of all adoptions in the county was not introduced until the Adoption Act 1950. Also, from that point of view the Council had to supervise every prospective third party adoption in its area, whether or not involved in any other capacity. After the 1958 Act the Council had the power to place children for adoption even if those children were not in its care. Its powers of supervision were widened to include all adoptions in the county.

Health areas of the County of Middlesex, also used as administrative areas by the MCC Children's Department: Area 1 Enfield and Edmonton; Area 2 Southgate, Potters Bar, Wood Green and Friern Barnet; Area 3 Hornsey and Tottenham; Area 4 Finchley and Hendon; Area 5 Harrow; Area 6 Wembley and Willesden; Area 7 Ealing and Acton; Area 8 Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington, Yiewsley and West Drayton; Area 9 Heston and Isleworth, Southall and Area 10 Feltham, Staines, Twickenham, Sunbury

Adoption:

Until the Adoption Act 1926 legal adoption did not exist in English law. The 1926 Act gave no specific powers to local authorities, but the County Council was frequently, in its capacity as a local education authority, asked to act as a Guardian Ad Litem (that is to protect the child's rights before the law). When so requested, the County Council delegated this function to the officers of the Education Department. Other local education authorities could be approached instead in cases within their areas, or the Court's own probation officer might be appointed.

The Adoption of Children Regulation Act 1939 was designed to rectify some of the abuses of the 1926 Act and specifically, required adoption services to be approved and registered with local authorities. There were in fact only three such services in Middlesex in 1943 when the Act was finally implemented and only one, the Homeless Children's Aid and Adoption Society, remained in operation for any length of time thereafter. Also from 1943 certain duties of supervision of private adoptions were placed upon the welfare authorities, of which the MCC was one.

The duties of the Education Department relating to adoptions passed to the newly created Children's Department in 1948. In the next year was passed the Adoption of Children Act 1949, which was immediately consolidated with the previous legislation as the Adoption Act 1950. This Act made significant changes to adoption procedures: that which most particularly affected the County Council was the requirement that no adoption order could be made unless at least three months notice of intention to adopt had been given to the welfare authority, i.e. the County Council. Therefore from 1950 the County Council was notified of every intended adoption within the County, regardless of who the guardian ad litem was. Further, on receipt of a notice of an intended third party adoption (that is to say an adoption placement made by a third party, not a registered adoption society or local authority; adoptions by parents of their own children - very commonly done by women with illegitimate children and subsequently married) an officer of the Children's Department would commence supervision of the child or children either until the granting of the Court Order, or, if the supervision revealed the prospective adopters as unsuitable, until the end of the statutory period. The Adoption Act 1958 extended the powers of supervision to all adoptions and from this date the County Council had, in theory, some record of every adoption that took place in the County. The Act also enabled local authorities to act as adoption agencies in their own right.

The County Council acquired over the years large areas of land and many buildings, in order to carry out its statutory functions, and the responsibility for these properties fell to the Estates and Valuation service. The types of property acquired or leased have covered the widest possible range and included houses, shops, commercial premises, sports grounds, country estates and land for schools and highways improvements.

Management of all properties acquired until brought into use for operational purposes was a major responsibility, as instanced by the Green Belt estates extending to some 10,000 acres and comprising farm holdings, country estates, and golf courses acquired to prevent development, thus preserving the amenities of the countryside.

From 1918 the Middlesex County Council was responsible for maternity and child welfare services, and, from 1948, became responsible throughout the County for health centres, care of mothers and young children, midwifery, health visiting, home nursing, vaccination and immunisation, the ambulance service, the prevention of illness, care and after care and community mental health services. In 1945 the Council took over the school health service.

The County Health Service introduced a building programme for new or replacement clinics - 22 purpose built clinics with modern facilities were opened between 1948 and 1963. Immunisation programmes were expanded to include smallpox, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and poliomyelitis. Chiropody, geriatric, audiology and cerebral palsy clinics were provided. The ambulance service was improved with the building of a new central control equipped with radio, teleprinters and key and lamp units. Community services for the disabled were increased, including schools with special care units for severely handicapped children, adult training centres, including 3 in factories, days centres, hostels and so on. Training facilities were also introduced for health services staff including health visitors, district nurses, nursery nurses, midwives, mental welfare officers and teachers of the disabled.

The County Council acquired over the years large areas of land and many buildings, in order to carry out its statutory functions, and the responsibility for these properties fell to the Estates and Valuation service. The types of property acquired or leased have covered the widest possible range and included houses, shops, commercial premises, sports grounds, country estates and land for schools and highways improvements.

Management of all properties acquired until brought into use for operational purposes was a major responsibility, as instanced by the Green Belt estates extending to some 10,000 acres and comprising farm holdings, country estates, and golf courses acquired to prevent development, thus preserving the amenities of the countryside.

The County Council became responsible for the fire brigade service in Middlesex on 1 April 1948. At this date there were thirty-eight fire stations sited for local pre-war needs in three districts, with public calls routed to stations. Abolition of street alarms allowed communications to be gradually centralised into one control at Wembley. A reorganisation scheme was embarked upon based on twenty-eight stations strategically sited and involving sixteen new stations, the last of which was ready in 1965. Fire prevention work, handled in 1948 by two uniformed staff and one civilian officer, by 1964 required twenty-eight uniformed and ten civilian staff. The entire fleet of appliances taken over from the wartime National Fire Service was replaced by modern appliances, and a scheme was undertaken to improve and standardise hydrants.

From 1948 to 1964 the Brigade responded to over 170,000 calls to incidents of all kinds. Notable incidents included fires at a timber yard in Hayes (1952), at a Brentford soap works (1959), at a Wealdstone furniture repository (1961), at a furniture factory at Ponders End (1964) and the Harrow and Wealdstone railway crash of 1952. Three British Empire Medals and two Queen's Commendations for gallantry were awarded to fire fighters and the Royal Humane Society made awards to ten members of the Brigade.

The Council became responsible for the Ambulance Service on 5 July 1948. The ambulance service used the accommodation, communications and control organisation of the fire service. In 1959 the sick removal branch of the ambulance service (that is, taking people to hospital for routine appointments) became part of the health service administration and the fire and ambulance services were separated in 1962.

The Middlesex Magistrates' Courts Committee functioned for the whole County, and its members included justices representing each petty sessional division in the County. The Council worked closely with the Committee, and was empowered to make representations to the Home Secretary regarding any decision to alter the petty sessional divisions. The Council was expected to pay the expenses of the Committee and to appoint clerks to the justices and their staff. The Council also assumed responsiblity for the provision of petty sessional courthouses and the necessary furniture and books.

Magistrates' Courts were presided over by Justices of the Peace, who dealt at petty sessions, held locally, for minor offences committed within that petty sessional division. More serious offences were tried at quarter sessions.

The National Health Service Act, 1948, transferred the County Council's responsibility for the provision of a countywide hospital service to the new regional hospital boards. The Act came into force in July 1948. In the same month the National Assistance Act was enforced and transferred the responsibility of the County Councils for relieving financial distress to the National Assistance Board. Thus a new Welfare Department was set up as successor to the Public Assistance Department. The first meeting of the Welfare Committee took place on 5 July 1948.

Under Part III of the National Assistance Act the Welfare Department had the following functions:

1 Provision of residential accommodation for the aged and infirm

2 Provision of temporary accommodation for the homeless

3 Promotion of the welfare of people with disabilities such as blindness;

and under Part IV of the Act:

4 Administration of the registration of all homes for the elderly and disabled and responsibility to ensure the homes were suitably maintained

5 Registration of charities for the disabled

6 Provision of temporary protection of moveable property of certain persons

The following areas were used to administer these responsibilities within Middlesex.

Area 1: Enfield, Edmonton

Area 2: Southgate, Wood Green, Potters Bar, Friern Barnet

Area 3: Tottenham, Hornsey

Area 4: Hendon, Finchley

Area 5: Harrow

Area 6: Wembley, Willesden

Area 7: Ealing, Acton

Area 8: Uxbridge, Rusilip-Northwood, Hayes and Harlington, Yiewsley and West Drayton

Area 9: Brentford and Chiswick, Southall, Heston and Isleworth

Area 10: Twickenham, Staines, Feltham, Sunbury on Thames

On 1 April 1965 on the abolition of the Middlesex County Council the functions of the Welfare Department were transferred to the newly established London Boroughs.

The phenomenal growth of population in Middlesex from early 1920s brought problems of peculiar difficulty in sewage disposal. These were partly offset by the district councils extending their local purification works but it was clear that the problem could best be met by co-ordination and centralisation of treatment.

After intensive investigation and report by its consulting engineers, under the guidance of John Duncan Watson, the County Council with difficulty secured one of the last Unemployment Grants and obtained powers to construct and operate a system of trunk sewers, with sewage purification and sludge disposal works, to serve Western Middlesex. The undertaking came into operation in 1935-36 and included the Mogden works, then the largest and most modern full-treatment plant in the world.

The West Middlesex undertaking served 16 local authorities covering an area of 171 square miles and a population of 1, 360, 000. 70 miles of trunk sewers carried 70,000,000 gallons of sewage a day.

In 1889 County Council policy was directed by 72 members and administered under the leadership of Sir Richard Nicolson, Clerk of the County Council, and a handful of staff. The number of members had risen to 116 by 1952 and by 1965 the County staff numbered some 32,000, of whom 2,000 head office staff occupied the Guildhall and five other offices in Westminster. This indicates the tremendous increase in administrative work under successive Clerks of the County Council.

In the years between the two wars a semi-rural county became an almost completely urbanised area. The introduction of new legislation made ever increased demands upon members of the administrative staff, involving in later years monthly meetings of some 50 committees and sub-committees.

The Clerk's Department were responsible for monitoring Parliamentary legislation which might affect the work of the Council as well as preparing MCC bills for presentation to Parliament.

Rates are local taxes levied upon the occupiers of property to defray the expenses incurred by county councils and other local authorities in providing services. Up to 1925 there were two classes of rate: the general rate levied by the local council and the poor rate, levied by the Poor Law Guardians. Each rate was levied on the occupiers of all property in the area according to the annual value of the property. This annual value was determined by a committee of the Guardians called the 'assessment committee'. This system meant that the standard of valuation was not uniform throughout the county and that ratepayers might not be contributing equitably towards the cost of services.

The Rating and Valuation Act of 1925 entirely reformed the procedure. The County Council was required to establish a County Valuation Committee for the purpose of securing that as far as possible the standard of assessment throughout the County should be uniform. The local council was made the rating authority for its area. The Act also provided that there should be a general rate levied by each rating authority for the purpose of defraying the whole of the general expenditure within the particular area, so that the poor rate was no longer separately levied. Provision was made for an additional rate, called a 'special rate' to be levied on parts of an area where services were established that were not available elsewhere.

The valuation of property for rating purposes was transferred from local authorities to the Inland Revenue Department by the Local Government Act of 1948.

With the formation of the County Council in 1889, responsibility for repair and maintenance of main roads, county bridges and their approaches, passed into its jurisdiction. All other roads remained the responsibility of parish authorities. Middlesex County Council took over responsibility for the maintenance of 106 miles of road from 39 separate local authorities in 1889.

The MCC Highways Committee met for the first time on 14 May 1889 with the Earl of Aberdeen as the first Chairman. The first Engineer and Surveyor was F.H. Pownall, who had previously worked with the Court of Quarter Sessions. In 1890 offices were established at Middlesex Guildhall and a staff consisting of a deputy, 3 assistants, an office boy and 5 part time surveyors followed. In the twentieth century the department expanded and the county was divided into 3 parts, each under the supervision of a Divisional Surveyor. The Department had three functions: trunk and county roads; bridges and rivers and streams.

Entertainments Licensing

The Entertainments Licensing section of the Engineer and Surveyor's Department existed from 1889-1965. It reported to the Entertainments Licensing Committee.

Music and Dancing Licences

In 1751 the Disorderly Houses Act and the Public Entertainments Acts were passed in an attempt to maintain some order over places of public entertainment. They stated that public entertainments of music and dancing must be held in premises licensed by the Justices of the Peace. The Public Entertainments Act 1875 slightly amended this. Under the terms of the Local Government Act 1888 the powers of the Justices with regard to entertainments licensing passed to the newly formed County Councils. Middlesex County Council's jurisdiction was limited to the area within 20 miles of London and Westminster until 1894 when the Music and Dancing (Middlesex) Act was passed which gave the County Council control over the whole county. Licences were granted subject to inspection by a County Council surveyor who found the buildings met safety regulations. The annual fee for a licence was then five shillings. By 1914 539 premises had been licensed in the county for music and dancing. These buildings were church halls, school halls, public halls, swimming baths, and club rooms of public houses. The Middlesex County Council (General Powers) Act 1930 increased the fee to 10 shillings. The number of licences increased to 874 by the outbreak of war in 1939 and included premises such as Wembley Stadium and Haringey Arena. The most common type of premises to apply for licences however were church halls. The County Council assumed control of boxing entertainments in 1934 and wrestling in 1939. The Middlesex County Council Act 1934 consolidated the County Council's powers.

Theatre Licences

The licensing of theatres was revised by the Theatres Act 1842. For most of the county the Justices of the peace were the administering body. However for the Cities of London and Westminster and the Parliamentary boroughs of Finsbury and Marylebone, the Lord Chamberlain issued licences. Under the terms of the Act all theatres were required to have a stage separated from the rest of the building by a brick wall and to have fireproof or "safety" curtains. These had to be raised in one piece and used at every performance to demonstrate to an audience that they could work. Theatres were inspected annually to check these regulations and licences cost three pounds. As there were comparatively few theatres in Middlesex this was never onerous work. The County Council became the licensing authority for the whole of the county in 1894.

Cinema Licences

Films began to be shown in public at the end of the nineteenth century. As early as 1899 the County Council expressed concern as to the safety of the public at cinematograph showings. The Middlesex County Council prohibited the showing of public films in buildings which had been licensed for other purposes. The County Engineer had the power to issue permits to premises where the films apparatus had been inspected. The Cinematograph Act 1909 stated that all buildings showing films to the public had to be licensed, the Entertainments Licensing section of the County Council undertook this job. As the twentieth century progressed cinemas became increasingly popular and consequently many new ones were built in the county. By the outbreak of war in 1914 80 cinemas had been licensed; in 1937 this figure stood at 131. Cinemas were subject to rigorous regulations. They were required to have sufficient, unobstructed exits. The spacing of seats and gangways had to conform to regulations. The buildings themselves had to be constructed with as much non-combustible material as possible. There were strict safety rules governing the actual use and storage of the films and equipment. Finally, there were rules concerning the heating, ventilation and use of electricity in cinemas.

Cinematograph Act 1952

This Act extended and amended the provisions of the 1909 Act. Licences under the new Act were required for the showing of non-inflammable films. The Home Secretary had powers to make regulations dealing with the safety, health and welfare of children in public cinemas. The County Council could impose conditions regulating the admission of children.

Film censorship

All films for public viewing had to be passed before the British Board of Film Censors before they could be shown. Appeals against the Board's decisions however could be made to Entertainments Licensing authorities: the County Council was a member of a Joint Committee with the County Councils of Essex, London and Surrey and the County Borough of East Ham and so judged these appeals.

Sunday cinema

The Sundays Entertainments Act 1932 allowed cinemas to open in districts to which the Act had been extended by an Order approved by resolutions passed to each House of Parliament. Electors were usually given a referendum on this matter. In Middlesex all districts (except Friern Barnet and Sunbury-on-Thames which had no cinemas) opened cinemas on Sundays. There were regulations governing how long cinema staff could work. A percentage of Sunday takings (which could be set in advance) was paid to the County Council who distributed this money to local charities. In the period 1933-1957 £715,021 was paid out.

Racing Licences

The County Council was empowered to appoint an accountant and a mechanic under the Betting and Lotteries Act 1934 to supervise totalisers at greyhound racing tracks. There were six such tracks in Middlesex and each licence ran for 7 years. The Racecourses Act 1879 forbade the holding of horse races within 10 miles of Charing Cross and introduced annual licences for all other grounds. There was one such course in Middlesex at Alexandra Park.

Pool Licences

Under the Pool Betting Act 1954 anyone with a pool betting establishment had to be licensed for a fee set by the County Council. The Act controlled football pool promoters and the like. The County Council had to employ an accountant to report on pool businesses whose fees were taken out of licence fees.

Hypnotism Licences

Under the Hypnotism Act 1952 the County Council regulated hypnotism demonstrations and all premises had to be licensed. No one under the age of 21 could take place in a demonstration.

With the formation of the County Council in 1889, responsibility for repair and maintenance of main roads, county bridges and their approaches, passed into its jurisdiction. All other roads remained the responsibility of parish authorities. Middlesex County Council took over responsibility for the maintenance of 106 miles of road from 39 separate local authorities in 1889.

The MCC Highways Committee met for the first time on 14 May 1889 with the Earl of Aberdeen as the first Chairman. The first Engineer and Surveyor was F.H. Pownall, who had previously worked with the Court of Quarter Sessions. In 1890 offices were established at Middlesex Guildhall and a staff consisting of a deputy, 3 assistants, an office boy and 5 part time surveyors followed. In the twentieth century the department expanded and the county was divided into 3 parts, each under the supervision of a Divisional Surveyor. The Department had three functions: trunk and county roads; bridges and rivers and streams.

Trunk and county roads

A series of acts of parliament passed after 1889 affected the duties of the Surveyor. These included the County Council of Middlesex (General Powers) Act 1906 which act enabled the County Council to prescribe frontage lines. These were lines in advance of which buildings might not be erected on the more important roads. The County Council was empowered to acquire the land in advance of the frontage line in order to effect any future road widening. These powers were used extensively as highways were constructed and reconstructed. Also the Development and Road Improvement Act 1909 which established a Road Board which was empowered to construct new roads and to make financial advances to County Councils for the construction of new roads and the improvement of existing roads. The powers of the Road Board were transferred to the newly formed Ministry of Transport in 1919.

The rapid growth of road transport in the early twentieth century highlighted the fact that roads into central London from Middlesex were unable to deal with this increased demand. In 1912 the Local Government appointed a departmental committee to look into this problem. As a result the construction of new arterial roads was recommended. In consequence of this Act that the County Council was given financial assistance necessary to build the vast network of arterial roads in the county - for example the Great West Road. In 1911 the Surrey and Middlesex County Councils were empowered to take over Kingston Bridge from the Trustees of the Kingston Municipal Charities and to carry out works of widening and improvement. The Middlesex County Council (Great West Road and Finance) Act 1914 authorized the construction of the Great West Road, the first of a series of arterial roads built in Middlesex in the twentieth century.

In 1919 the Ministry of Transport was formed. First and second class roads were created, a percentage of the cost and maintenance of which, was to be borne by the Ministry of Transport. The Unemployment (Relief Works) Act 1920 was passed with a view to providing work for the relief of unemployment. It enabled County Councils to acquire land for road construction and improvement by compulsory purchase.

The arterial roads built by the Middlesex County Council were:

Barnet Bye-Pass (Archway Road to South Mimms)

Cambridge Road (Tottenham to Wormley in Hertfordshire via Edmonton and Enfield)

Chertsey Road (Chiswick High Road to Laleham via Twickenham)

Great West Road (Cromwell Road to Staines via Chiswick, Brentford and Hounslow)

North Circular Road (Great West Road at Chiswick to Chingford via Acton, Ealing Wembley, Willesden, Hendon, Finchley, Hornsey and Southgate)

Watford Bye-Pass (Finchley Road to Aldenham Reservoir)
Western Avenue (west of the Edgware Road to Denham in Buckinghamshire via Acton, Park royal, Perivale, Greenford, Northolt and Harefield)

The Roads Improvement Act 1925 enabled the County Council to plant trees and lay out grass margins on highways and to prevent obstruction of view at street corners. It also contained a general power for the prescription of building lines - the line to which the main walls of houses and other buildings may be erected. The Middlesex County Council Act 1925 enabled the Council to prescribe frontage lines and building lines on the more important roads, with a view to facilitating future widening. The Council was also empowered to purchase the land lying between the frontage or building line and the road, in order to carry out improvements. The Local Government Act 1929 made the County Council financially responsible for the maintenance and repair of all classified roads in the county. Some of these had not been previously considered by the Council as main roads, therefore increasing its activities in this respect. A number of the roads which had been controlled by the County as main roads had not been classified by the Ministry of transport and the Council still maintained its authority over these. In practice while the cost subject to grant was borne by the County Council, the work on a considerable number of its roads was executed by the local authorities under the supervision of the County Engineer.

The Bridges Act 1929 enabled highway authorities to enter into agreements with private owners of bridges, for example canal and railway companies, with a view to taking over the responsibility for maintenance, improvement and reconstruction. Under the Middlesex County Council (Sewerage) Act 1931, the County Council was constituted the authority for main drainage of the western portion of the County. The responsibility for the eastern side was assumed under the Middlesex County Council (Sewerage Act 1938. The Restriction of Ribbon Development Act 1935 enabled the County Council to control the erection of houses along or adjacent to county roads, and new means of access to such roads.

Under the Trunk Roads Act 1935 responsibility for the most important traffic arteries was transferred from the County Council to the Ministry of Transport. The County Council still acted as agent of the Minister in regard to the maintenance of the roads. The London and Middlesex (Improvements) Act 1936 authorised the construction of an extension to the Great West Road from Chiswick into London. The Air Raid Precautions Act 1937 required the Council to prepare and submit to the Home Secretary a scheme indicating the distribution of the necessary duties for guarding against loss of life and avoidable damage by air raids in the event of war. During the Munich Crisis of 1938 trenches were dug in parks and other precautionary measures taken. The ARP services later became known as the Civil Defence services and after the Second World War plans were made for outlining the most efficient methods of dealing with the damage arising from hostile air attacks, such as the clearance of debris from highways, streets and public places, dealing with damaged and unsafe buildings and the decontamination of highways, streets, buildings and public places.

The Middlesex County Council Act 1938 gave the County Council further powers in regard to the control of highways and of the development of lands adjoining important roads. The Town and Country Planning Act 1947 repealed many of the restraints placed upon local authorities by the 1935 Restriction of ribbon Development Act. The County Council was responsible for ensuring that any new building developments (for example shops or cinemas) on county roads had adequate accommodation to provide parking for any service vehicles. They also had to ensure that existing traffic on county roads was not inconvenienced and prevent building work on land marked down for future road widening projects. The Trunk Roads Act 1946 increased the number of trunk roads for which the Ministry of Transport has been made responsible, while the Special Roads Act 1947 provided for the construction by local authorities of roads reserved for special types of traffic, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Transport.

Under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1953 local authorities were able to provide bus shelters. The County Councils were also able to submit plans for improving unclassified roads to the Ministry of Transport, which in turn could finance these projects with government grants. The London Traffic and Highways (Transitional Provisions) Order 1965 transferred responsibility for metropolitan roads to the newly formed Greater London Council and for minor roads to London Boroughs. Middlesex County Council had 640 miles of highway in its control at this date.

The Engineer and Surveyors Department was also responsible for the planning of roads. Roads had to be designed to bear the weight and volume of traffic using them. In the period 1900-1965 the most popular materials used for surfacing roads were bituminous compounds, asphalt and concrete reinforced with steel. As well as constructing new roads it was necessary to widen and improve most of the old roads and bridges in Middlesex to make them equal to the ever increasing volume of traffic they were required to carry. The safety measures introduced included the provision of dual carriageways, separated by central islands or a grass verge; the provision of service roads parallel with the main carriageways to accommodate local traffic and the construction of roundabouts at important road junctions. The County Engineer was responsible for the installation of systems of automatic traffic signals, also road markings and street furniture. It was the Department's task to ensure the road system was in good order and functioning efficiently.

Bridges

Common law (immemorial custom of the country) in the Middle Ages held that the repair of bridges forming a highway was generally the liability of the county. The 1530 Statute of Bridges embodied this common law and also stated that the repair of a bridge included approach roads for a short distance on either side. The 1555 Act of Parliament gave the parish the responsibility of building and maintaining minor bridges. Money to do this was raised by minor rates. County rates were raised to build major bridges. As Middlesex on one side bordered the Thames it had responsibility for Thames bridges with the County of Surrey. The 1740 Bridges Act gave Quarter Sessions the power to buy land to build and repair bridges. The 1803 Bridges Act codified the county liability to repair bridges by excepting new bridges built by private individuals from county responsibility if the County Surveyor was dissatisfied with the work. These powers held by Quarter Sessions were transferred to the County Council in 1889.

Bridges controlled by Middlesex County Council with Surrey County Council:

• Chiswick Bridge: the two County Councils obtained powers by the Middlesex and Surrey (Thames Bridges) Act to construct two new bridges of which Chiswick was one. The new bridge was opened in 1933.

• Hampton Court Bridge: opened in 1753. In 1876 it was bought by the Joint Committee of the Hampton and Mosley Local Boards and the Corporation of London for £48,048. A new bridge was built under the terms of the Middlesex and Surrey (Thames Bridges) Act and opened in 1933.

• Kew Bridge: this bridge was opened in 1759 and replaced in 1789. It remained in private hands until 1873 when it was sold to the Metropolitan Board of Works. The Board transferred the bridge to Middlesex and Surrey County Councils in 1889 and another new bridge was built and opened in 1903 by Edward VII (and renamed Edward VII Bridge although this proved unpopular and was dropped).

• Kingston Bridge: the first bridge at Kingston was built in the early 1200s to serve the important trading centre at Kingston. It was rebuilt in 1828. It was administered by the Trustees of the Kingston Municipal Charities until 1911 when direct responsibility was assumed by the Middlesex and Surrey County Councils. By that time road traffic on the bridge had increased to such an extent road widening was necessary. The bridge was closed for this work and reopened in 1914.

• Richmond Bridge: this bridge was opened in 1777 and run thereafter by commissioners. It was transferred to joint Middlesex and Surrey County Council control by the terms of the Middlesex and Surrey (Thames Bridges) Act when the commissioners discovered that they were unable to meet running costs. Road widening began in 1937 and lasted 2 years.

• Twickenham Bridge: in 1909 the Board of Trade proposed that a new bridge be constructed in Twickenham. The outbreak of war in 1914 held up plans to begin building. Middlesex and Surrey County Councils obtained powers by the Middlesex and Surrey (Thames Bridges) Act 1928 to construct two new bridges of which Twickenham was one. The new bridge opened in 1933.

Under the Bridges Act 1929 County Councils were able to enter into agreements with private owners of bridges with a view to taking over responsibility for maintenance, improvement and reconstruction. Notable construction work was done by the Middlesex County Council in this area, including the 1934 aqueduct to carry the Grand Union Canal over the North Circular Road, and the Western Avenue Viaduct. By 1965 the County Council had responsibility for 200 bridges; the Greater London Council took control of Thames Bridges and major road bridges, and the London boroughs took control of minor road bridges.

Rivers, streams and waterways

Rapid urbanization in Middlesex in the late nineteenth century made it necessary to improve the existing provisions for keeping rivers and streams clean and free flowing. Middlesex County Council was the first authority to take control of its watercourses when it obtained the necessary powers in 1898. Under the County Council of Middlesex (General Powers) Act 1906 the County Council was given extensive powers with regard to the cleansing and improvement of rivers and streams. The Council also began acquiring land adjacent to rivers to provide riverside walks and open spaces to counteract the effects of urbanization.

The County Council had responsibility for the following county rivers, streams, brooks and watercourses:

• River Ash (also Ux, Ure or Exe): Uxbridge to Sunbury

• River Brent: North-west to south of London Borough of Brent

• River Crane: Harrow to Twickenham

• River Colne: Hertfordshire to Staines along the county border

• Deans Brook: Mill Hill to Silk Stream

• Dollis Brook: Hendon to Welsh Harp Reservoir

• Duke of Northumberland's River: an artificial river flowing into the Thames at Isleworth. It was built by Henry VII to serve the abbey at Syon with water to drive a mill at Twickenham and later another mill at Isleworth. By the 1900s the mills had closed and as having a privately run river in the county was proving a nuisance and an expense the County Council bought it in 1930 under the Middlesex County Council Act 1930.

• Fray's River: Uxbridge to the River Colne along the county border.

• Longford River (also King's, Queen's, New Cut, Hampton Court Cut, Wolsey's, Cardinal's): Charles I built this river to supply water to gardens at Hampton Court Palace. It was cut from the River Colne and runs via Bedfont and Feltham to the Palace.

• Mutton Brook (also Moudin's): Small tributary of the River Brent in Finchley.

• New River: Hugh Myddelton built this river to carry water from the wells at Amwell and Shadwell in Hertfordshire to Clerkenwell.

• River Pinn: Pinner to Ruislip. It was used to carry water to the grounds of Swakeleys at Ickenham.

• Pymmes Brook: Friern Barnet via Southgate and Edmonton to the River Lea.

• Salmans Brook: Edmonton to the River Lea.

• Silk Stream: Hendon to Welsh Harp Reservoir.

• Wealdstone Brook: Wealdstone to the River Brent at Wembley

• Yeading Brook: Yeading to the Grand Union Canal.

• River Thames

• Lee Navigation: Connected the Thames at the London Docks with Hertfordshire

• Grand Union Canal: laves the Thames at Brentford and runs onto Uxbridge and then the Midlands. At Hayes it connects via Paddington and the regents Canal with the London Docks. The Canal had been built at the end of the eighteenth century and was of great economic importance.

The Land Drainage Act 1930 meant that all watercourses falling within the catchment area of the rivers Thames and Lee passed into the control of the new Thames and Lee Catchment Boards. Middlesex County Council retained control of 68 miles of watercourses in the catchment area of the rivers Brent, Crane, Duke of Northumberland, Longford, New and Pinn. The Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act 1951 gave the Council statutory powers equal to those of a river board to act against river pollution and to inspect river banks and adjoining structures. Middlesex County Council's powers with regard to rivers and watercourses were assumed by the Greater London Council in 1965.

The Middlesex Fire Brigade was established in 1948, under the terms of the Fire Services Act 1947. In the period 1948-1959 the Fire Service was incorporated with the Middlesex Ambulance Service which had been set up following the National Health Service Act 1946. In 1959 responsibility for the Ambulance Service began to be transferred within the County Council to the Health Department, a process which was completed by 1962.

In 1666 during the Great Fire of London the hand squirt was used to little effect and it was realised that better fire fighting equipment was essential, in particular with the prevalence of modern buildings. The use of apparatus such as pumps grew up together with volunteer Fire Brigades. These brigades were organised on a voluntary basis and supported by public subscription. During the early modern period the larger insurance companies set up their own private brigades to protect properties covered by their insurance.

In 1882 the London Fire Brigade Establishment was created by an amalgamation of ten of the larger insurance companies' brigades. Further companies joined the establishment and under the terms of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865 it became the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and part of the Metropolitan Board of Works. Meanwhile local authorities, such as Middlesex, began setting up brigades of their own under the terms of the Lighting and Watching Act 1889. Twenty six local brigades were created in Middlesex (one for each of the lower tier authorities). The brigades were diverse in character; some comprised of professional fire fighters (for example at Ealing); some had semi-professionals and others had volunteers or a mixture of all three (for example Southall and Uxbridge). The local authorities found supporting these small brigades a heavy financial burden and were unable to keep pace with modern fire fighting technology. The 1930s in particular were important in promoting the ideal of modern fire stations with up to date fire fighting apparatus.

The Fire Brigades Act 1938 made the provision of adequate fire brigades and fire fighting by local authorities statutory. This legislation was followed swiftly by the formation of the Auxiliary Fire Service and then the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1939 there were 26 Fire Brigades in Middlesex with some 724 regular personnel. These brigades whilst retaining their separate identities became part of the London region under emergency wartime reorganisation. They provided invaluable assistance not only to London but also to the provinces. The scale and intensity of the air raids in 1940-1941 led to the belief that fire fighting could only be dealt with on a national basis. In 1941 the National Fire Service was formed; subsequently the 69 local authority fire services (including those of Middlesex) were amalgamated. This situation continued until the implementation of the Fire Services Act 1947 on 1 April 1948.

Ambulance Service

The Metropolitan Asylums Board set up a horse drawn ambulance service for the transportation of fever patients to hospitals. Responsibility for helping those injured in public places was that of the police. The police were aided by voluntary organisations such as the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which gave first aid instructions and provided a service at public processions and meetings. The work of such organisations increased in the twentieth century at the same time as voluntary and teaching organisations began setting up their own ambulance services. Impetus to the movement also came from the increasing use of motor vehicles in ambulance work.

Under the terms of the Local Government Act 1929 Middlesex County Council took over the functions of the defunct Boards of Guardians in the county and was now responsible for public hospitals and their ambulance services. The Public Health Act 1936 gave local authorities a permissive power to provide ambulances, but no full obligation.

During the Second World War a Civil Defence Ambulance Service was established in Middlesex. This was an auxiliary force of volunteers using commercial vehicles and cars. The Hospital Car Service was also started during the war from a union of the British Red Cross Service, the Women's Voluntary Services and the St. John's Ambulance Association. This provided transportation for out-patients to hospitals. The Civil Defence Ambulance Service was disbanded after the war leaving the following somewhat piecemeal situation:

1 The County Council and some lower tier authorities provided ambulances for accidents and emergencies

2 Voluntary and teaching hospitals provided a service for their own patients

3 Voluntary societies had some ambulances

4 The Hospital Car Service (see above)

County of Middlesex Fire and Ambulance Service 1948-1959

Under the terms of the Fire Services Act 1947 County Councils became full fire authorities with effect from 1 April 1948. In the same year under the terms of the National Health Service Act 1946 they became responsible for the provision of an ambulance service. Middlesex County Council decided to run these two services jointly as the Middlesex Fire and Ambulance Service. The reason for this was the lack of both a central organisation and any accommodation within the previous local authority ambulance services. It was only possible for the Council to provide an Ambulance Service by superimposing one on the Fire Brigade and making full use of fire service facilities. The first meeting of the Fire Brigade Committee was held on 7 June 1947. The County of Middlesex Fire Service was the second largest (after London) in the country and the largest joint fire and ambulance service in the country.

Middlesex Fire Brigade inherited 38 fire stations and a manpower deficiency of 12% from the National Fire Service in 1948. Many stations were old fashioned and needed modernisation. Vehicles and equipment were also outdated. Street fire alarms were unreliable and there was only a limited radio communication service. The ambulances were few in number and in need of repair. This situation necessitated a good deal of work, both in terms of recruiting personnel and improving buildings and equipment in the first few years of the service.

Middlesex was divided into 3 districts with district headquarters at Edmonton Harrow and Ealing. The service headquarters were based at Wembley.

• A Control: Edmonton (1); Southgate (2); Potters Bar (3); Enfield (4); Ponders End (5); Coombes Croft (6); Tottenham (7); Hornsey (8); Fortis Green (9); Finchley; *Wood Green

• B Control: Harrow (30); Wealdstone (31); Harrow on the Hill (37) (closed 11/03/63); Kingsbury (33); Mill Hill (34); Hendon (35); Willesden (36); Kilburn (37); Stonebridge; Wembley (39); Greenford (40) (closed 11/03/63); Uxbridge; *Ruislip (42); Northwood (43); Northolt (from 11/03/63); Park Royal

• C Control: Ealing (60); Western Avenue (61); Acton (62); Chiswick (63); Brentford (64); Heston (65); Twickenham (66); Sunbury (67); Staines (68); Feltham (69); Yiewsley (70); Hayes (71); *Southall (72)

Ambulances were based at stations marked with a *

In some cases the operations were the responsibility of the officer in charge. There were three ambulance only stations at Southall, Twickenham and Staines. The station at Staines was administered from the Staines Fire Station; the stations at Twickenham and Southall were in the charge of a Head Driver, who was responsible to the Divisional Office. There were also some ambulance stations at former hospitals in the charge of Head Drivers. Finally, there were infectious diseases ambulance stations run by Hospital Boards. The Voluntary Car Service continued to operate with the County Council contributing to costs. Each district headquarters had a control room to co-ordinate the movement of fire appliances (fire engines) and ambulances. County headquarters co-ordinated county movements.

The Ambulance Development Plan

The Ambulance Development Plan was submitted to the committees of the Fire Brigade and the Health Department in January 1950. In brief the plan laid down that accident and emergency ambulances should continue to be operated from fire stations but that sick removal ambulances should be taken from fire stations and operated from strategically placed depots (the county being divided into 10 catchment areas for this purpose). This would free accommodation in the fire stations for the Auxiliary Fire Service. This plan was approved by the Minister of Health. As the new depots could not all be built immediately as an interim measure the County Council reorganised the sick removal ambulances to temporary accommodation.

Accommodation

A reorganisation scheme was set up to deal with the problem of unsuitable and old fashioned fire stations. The 38 fire stations had been sited by district councils to suit their own pre-war local needs. Between 1948 and 1965 16 new stations were built and 12 stations modernised. The Brigade Headquarters at Wembley were specially adapted for this new role. A new vehicle repair depot for both fire appliances and ambulances was built at Ruislip to replace one inherited from the National Fire Service at Brentford.

Personnel and training

The Middlesex Fire Brigade began life with a personnel deficiency. This was rectified by 1952, but the problem was to occur again. Ideally, the number of operational personnel required in both the ambulance and fire services was 1,250 with an administrative staff of 50. From the beginning an emphasis was placed on the importance of thorough training. A training school for fire personnel was established at Finchley. Accommodation was available for 50 students and provision was made for recruits from Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. In addition lectures were given at individual stations and "package" lectures (scripts, visual aids, models, tapes) were sent around the country and overseas for other brigades to use. Advanced training was given to officers. By 1965 the Middlesex Fire Brigade was well to the fore in the field of technical education and training.

Operations and calls

During its lifetime the Middlesex Fire Brigade received approximately 200,000 calls. Notable incidents included:

Aircraft crash at Ruislip in July 1948

Aircraft crash at Mill Hill in October 1950

Aircraft crash at London Airport (Heathrow) in October 1950

Hayes Timber Yard in July 1952

Harrow and Wealdstone railway crash in October 1952

Brentford Soap Works in August 1959

Wealdstone Furniture Repository in January 1961

Ponders End Furniture Factory in February 1963

Southall Timber Yard in September 1963

Alperton Rubber Factory in January 1965

The Ambulance Service was very heavily used in the first few years. The public, aware this was a new and free service, made heavy (and sometimes unnecessary) use of it. Hospitals and doctors too overloaded the service.

Ambulances and equipment

A replacement programme for equipment was initiated soon after the County Council became a fire authority. The three types of appliance (pump, pump escape and turntable ladder) were gradually replaced with more up to date models so that by 1965 the entire stock had been overhauled. Nearly 50,000 feet of new hose was purchased with new escapes and ladders, breathing apparatus sand other items. A similar improvement and modernisation programme was carried out within the Ambulance Service. The Council purchased 166 new ambulances and 55 other vehicles before April 1959.

Communications

Radio was used to a limited extent in Middlesex before the County Council became a fire authority. In June 1950 the Council approved the installation for a radio network on a frequency exclusive to the Middlesex Fire Brigade. The system became operational in March 1951 and by 1965 there were two master stations and seventy four master sets in use. In 1948 about 40% of Middlesex was supplied with street fire alarms. Some of these were 50 years old and they were in a poor state of repair. By that date the telephone had taken over the role of alerting fire brigades so in 1950 they were removed.

Hydrants

As a fire authority the County Council was obliged under section 13 of the 1947 Act to ensure that adequate provision of water for use in fire fighting. A programme of standardisation of the county's 28,000 hydrants began in 1949 and was completed in the mid 1950s.

Fire Prevention

Another statutory duty the Council had to perform was to make provision for advising on fire prevention. Accordingly, the Fire Service set up a Fire Prevention Branch staffed by specialist officers who were able to advise local authorities, commercial and industrial firms and private individuals. The Branch also undertook inspection of the County Council's buildings. Legislation which affected the branch included the Factories Act 1961; the Licensing Act 1961; the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963.

Civil Defence

The auxiliary branch of the fire service was re-established in 1949 under Home Office directives under the terms of the Civil Defence Act 1948 which again made the County Council a civil defence authority. This branch was set up to organise an emergency fire service which would come into operation in the event of a war. The Auxiliary Fire Service (or Civil Defence Corps) was trained by members of the regular fire service. Enrolment was open to women who worked as radio operators, despatch riders and control room staff. The men performed regular periods of duty as a backup to the regular service. There were 5 divisions consisting of approximately 30,000 volunteers in the Corps.

Transfer of the Ambulance Service to the Middlesex County Council Health Department

In 1958 an Organisation and Method Report was submitted to the Fire Brigade Committee. This suggested that closer contacts be established between the Ambulance Service and the hospitals; that the training of the ambulance personnel should be primarily medical; that it would be financially more cost effective or the ambulance service to be run by the Health Service. From 1 April 1959 the Sick Removal Branch of the Ambulance Service was run by the Chief Medical Officer. In 1962 the rest of the service was transferred, although some fire stations continued to house accident ambulances.

Transfer of Middlesex Fire Brigade to the Greater London Council

On the abolition of the Middlesex County Council the brigade became part of the London Fire Brigade under the Greater London Council. The stations at Sunbury and Staines joined the Surrey Fire Brigade, the station at Potters Bar joined the Hertfordshire Brigade.

The Middlesex Fire Brigade was established in 1948, under the terms of the Fire Services Act 1947. In the period 1948-1959 the Fire Service was incorporated with the Middlesex Ambulance Service which had been set up following the National Health Service Act 1946. In 1959 responsibility for the Ambulance Service began to be transferred within the County Council to the Health Department, a process which was completed by 1962.

In 1666 during the Great Fire of London the hand squirt was used to little effect and it was realised that better fire fighting equipment was essential, in particular with the prevalence of modern buildings. The use of apparatus such as pumps grew up together with volunteer Fire Brigades. These brigades were organised on a voluntary basis and supported by public subscription. During the early modern period the larger insurance companies set up their own private brigades to protect properties covered by their insurance.

In 1882 the London Fire Brigade Establishment was created by an amalgamation of ten of the larger insurance companies' brigades. Further companies joined the establishment and under the terms of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865 it became the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and part of the Metropolitan Board of Works. Meanwhile local authorities, such as Middlesex, began setting up brigades of their own under the terms of the Lighting and Watching Act 1889. Twenty six local brigades were created in Middlesex (one for each of the lower tier authorities). The brigades were diverse in character; some comprised of professional fire fighters (for example at Ealing); some had semi-professionals and others had volunteers or a mixture of all three (for example Southall and Uxbridge). The local authorities found supporting these small brigades a heavy financial burden and were unable to keep pace with modern fire fighting technology. The 1930s in particular were important in promoting the ideal of modern fire stations with up to date fire fighting apparatus.

The Fire Brigades Act 1938 made the provision of adequate fire brigades and fire fighting by local authorities statutory. This legislation was followed swiftly by the formation of the Auxiliary Fire Service and then the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1939 there were 26 Fire Brigades in Middlesex with some 724 regular personnel. These brigades whilst retaining their separate identities became part of the London region under emergency wartime reorganisation. They provided invaluable assistance not only to London but also to the provinces. The scale and intensity of the air raids in 1940-1941 led to the belief that fire fighting could only be dealt with on a national basis. In 1941 the National Fire Service was formed; subsequently the 69 local authority fire services (including those of Middlesex) were amalgamated. This situation continued until the implementation of the Fire Services Act 1947 on 1 April 1948.

Ambulance Service

The Metropolitan Asylums Board set up a horse drawn ambulance service for the transportation of fever patients to hospitals. Responsibility for helping those injured in public places was that of the police. The police were aided by voluntary organisations such as the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, which gave first aid instructions and provided a service at public processions and meetings. The work of such organisations increased in the twentieth century at the same time as voluntary and teaching organisations began setting up their own ambulance services. Impetus to the movement also came from the increasing use of motor vehicles in ambulance work.

Under the terms of the Local Government Act 1929 Middlesex County Council took over the functions of the defunct Boards of Guardians in the county and was now responsible for public hospitals and their ambulance services. The Public Health Act 1936 gave local authorities a permissive power to provide ambulances, but no full obligation.

During the Second World War a Civil Defence Ambulance Service was established in Middlesex. This was an auxiliary force of volunteers using commercial vehicles and cars. The Hospital Car Service was also started during the war from a union of the British Red Cross Service, the Women's Voluntary Services and the St. John's Ambulance Association. This provided transportation for out-patients to hospitals. The Civil Defence Ambulance Service was disbanded after the war leaving the following somewhat piecemeal situation:

1 The County Council and some lower tier authorities provided ambulances for accidents and emergencies

2 Voluntary and teaching hospitals provided a service for their own patients

3 Voluntary societies had some ambulances

4 The Hospital Car Service (see above)

County of Middlesex Fire and Ambulance Service 1948-1959

Under the terms of the Fire Services Act 1947 County Councils became full fire authorities with effect from 1 April 1948. In the same year under the terms of the National Health Service Act 1946 they became responsible for the provision of an ambulance service. Middlesex County Council decided to run these two services jointly as the Middlesex Fire and Ambulance Service. The reason for this was the lack of both a central organisation and any accommodation within the previous local authority ambulance services. It was only possible for the Council to provide an Ambulance Service by superimposing one on the Fire Brigade and making full use of fire service facilities. The first meeting of the Fire Brigade Committee was held on 7 June 1947. The County of Middlesex Fire Service was the second largest (after London) in the country and the largest joint fire and ambulance service in the country.

Middlesex Fire Brigade inherited 38 fire stations and a manpower deficiency of 12% from the National Fire Service in 1948. Many stations were old fashioned and needed modernisation. Vehicles and equipment were also outdated. Street fire alarms were unreliable and there was only a limited radio communication service. The ambulances were few in number and in need of repair. This situation necessitated a good deal of work, both in terms of recruiting personnel and improving buildings and equipment in the first few years of the service.

Middlesex was divided into 3 districts with district headquarters at Edmonton Harrow and Ealing. The service headquarters were based at Wembley.

• A Control: Edmonton (1); Southgate (2); Potters Bar (3); Enfield (4); Ponders End (5); Coombes Croft (6); Tottenham (7); Hornsey (8); Fortis Green (9); Finchley; *Wood Green

• B Control: Harrow (30); Wealdstone (31); Harrow on the Hill (37) (closed 11/03/63); Kingsbury (33); Mill Hill (34); Hendon (35); Willesden (36); Kilburn (37); Stonebridge; Wembley (39); Greenford (40) (closed 11/03/63); Uxbridge; *Ruislip (42); Northwood (43); Northolt (from 11/03/63); Park Royal

• C Control: Ealing (60); Western Avenue (61); Acton (62); Chiswick (63); Brentford (64); Heston (65); Twickenham (66); Sunbury (67); Staines (68); Feltham (69); Yiewsley (70); Hayes (71); *Southall (72)

Ambulances were based at stations marked with a *

In some cases the operations were the responsibility of the officer in charge. There were three ambulance only stations at Southall, Twickenham and Staines. The station at Staines was administered from the Staines Fire Station; the stations at Twickenham and Southall were in the charge of a Head Driver, who was responsible to the Divisional Office. There were also some ambulance stations at former hospitals in the charge of Head Drivers. Finally, there were infectious diseases ambulance stations run by Hospital Boards. The Voluntary Car Service continued to operate with the County Council contributing to costs. Each district headquarters had a control room to co-ordinate the movement of fire appliances (fire engines) and ambulances. County headquarters co-ordinated county movements.

The Ambulance Development Plan

The Ambulance Development Plan was submitted to the committees of the Fire Brigade and the Health Department in January 1950. In brief the plan laid down that accident and emergency ambulances should continue to be operated from fire stations but that sick removal ambulances should be taken from fire stations and operated from strategically placed depots (the county being divided into 10 catchment areas for this purpose). This would free accommodation in the fire stations for the Auxiliary Fire Service. This plan was approved by the Minister of Health. As the new depots could not all be built immediately as an interim measure the County Council reorganised the sick removal ambulances to temporary accommodation.

Accommodation

A reorganisation scheme was set up to deal with the problem of unsuitable and old fashioned fire stations. The 38 fire stations had been sited by district councils to suit their own pre-war local needs. Between 1948 and 1965 16 new stations were built and 12 stations modernised. The Brigade Headquarters at Wembley were specially adapted for this new role. A new vehicle repair depot for both fire appliances and ambulances was built at Ruislip to replace one inherited from the National Fire Service at Brentford.

Personnel and training

The Middlesex Fire Brigade began life with a personnel deficiency. This was rectified by 1952, but the problem was to occur again. Ideally, the number of operational personnel required in both the ambulance and fire services was 1,250 with an administrative staff of 50. From the beginning an emphasis was placed on the importance of thorough training. A training school for fire personnel was established at Finchley. Accommodation was available for 50 students and provision was made for recruits from Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. In addition lectures were given at individual stations and "package" lectures (scripts, visual aids, models, tapes) were sent around the country and overseas for other brigades to use. Advanced training was given to officers. By 1965 the Middlesex Fire Brigade was well to the fore in the field of technical education and training.

Operations and calls

During its lifetime the Middlesex Fire Brigade received approximately 200,000 calls. Notable incidents included:

Aircraft crash at Ruislip in July 1948

Aircraft crash at Mill Hill in October 1950

Aircraft crash at London Airport (Heathrow) in October 1950

Hayes Timber Yard in July 1952

Harrow and Wealdstone railway crash in October 1952

Brentford Soap Works in August 1959

Wealdstone Furniture Repository in January 1961

Ponders End Furniture Factory in February 1963

Southall Timber Yard in September 1963

Alperton Rubber Factory in January 1965

The Ambulance Service was very heavily used in the first few years. The public, aware this was a new and free service, made heavy (and sometimes unnecessary) use of it. Hospitals and doctors too overloaded the service.

Ambulances and equipment

A replacement programme for equipment was initiated soon after the County Council became a fire authority. The three types of appliance (pump, pump escape and turntable ladder) were gradually replaced with more up to date models so that by 1965 the entire stock had been overhauled. Nearly 50,000 feet of new hose was purchased with new escapes and ladders, breathing apparatus sand other items. A similar improvement and modernisation programme was carried out within the Ambulance Service. The Council purchased 166 new ambulances and 55 other vehicles before April 1959.

Communications

Radio was used to a limited extent in Middlesex before the County Council became a fire authority. In June 1950 the Council approved the installation for a radio network on a frequency exclusive to the Middlesex Fire Brigade. The system became operational in March 1951 and by 1965 there were two master stations and seventy four master sets in use. In 1948 about 40% of Middlesex was supplied with street fire alarms. Some of these were 50 years old and they were in a poor state of repair. By that date the telephone had taken over the role of alerting fire brigades so in 1950 they were removed.

Hydrants

As a fire authority the County Council was obliged under section 13 of the 1947 Act to ensure that adequate provision of water for use in fire fighting. A programme of standardisation of the county's 28,000 hydrants began in 1949 and was completed in the mid 1950s.

Fire Prevention

Another statutory duty the Council had to perform was to make provision for advising on fire prevention. Accordingly, the Fire Service set up a Fire Prevention Branch staffed by specialist officers who were able to advise local authorities, commercial and industrial firms and private individuals. The Branch also undertook inspection of the County Council's buildings. Legislation which affected the branch included the Factories Act 1961; the Licensing Act 1961; the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963.

Civil Defence

The auxiliary branch of the fire service was re-established in 1949 under Home Office directives under the terms of the Civil Defence Act 1948 which again made the County Council a civil defence authority. This branch was set up to organise an emergency fire service which would come into operation in the event of a war. The Auxiliary Fire Service (or Civil Defence Corps) was trained by members of the regular fire service. Enrolment was open to women who worked as radio operators, despatch riders and control room staff. The men performed regular periods of duty as a backup to the regular service. There were 5 divisions consisting of approximately 30,000 volunteers in the Corps.

Transfer of the Ambulance Service to the Middlesex County Council Health Department

In 1958 an Organisation and Method Report was submitted to the Fire Brigade Committee. This suggested that closer contacts be established between the Ambulance Service and the hospitals; that the training of the ambulance personnel should be primarily medical; that it would be financially more cost effective or the ambulance service to be run by the Health Service. From 1 April 1959 the Sick Removal Branch of the Ambulance Service was run by the Chief Medical Officer. In 1962 the rest of the service was transferred, although some fire stations continued to house accident ambulances.

Transfer of Middlesex Fire Brigade to the Greater London Council

On the abolition of the Middlesex County Council the brigade became part of the London Fire Brigade under the Greater London Council. The stations at Sunbury and Staines joined the Surrey Fire Brigade, the station at Potters Bar joined the Hertfordshire Brigade.