Collection LCC/AR/BA - ARCHITECT'S DEPARTMENT: LONDON BUILDING ACTS

Identity area

Reference code

LCC/AR/BA

Title

ARCHITECT'S DEPARTMENT: LONDON BUILDING ACTS

Date(s)

  • 1856-1967 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

135.13 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The London Building Act of 1894 was introduced to regulate various aspects of construction within the metropolis, including the making of new streets; the widening of streets; building frontage; the naming and numbering of streets; the height of buildings; space around buildings; the construction of buildings including the thickness of walls, use of timbers, party walls, roofs, chimneys and flues, ovens, staircases and projections; the rights of building owners; dangerous structures; noxious businesses and sky signs. The London County Council was given power to appoint a "superintending architect of metropolitan buildings" to oversee the enforcement of regulations outlined in the Act. Actual enforcement would be done by the District Surveyors, who had to make a monthly return to the Council reporting on any new buildings and any infringement of the Act. The LCC were also given the power to make bye-laws relating to buildings.

The Act was followed by various others which added to the powers of the LCC relating to the regulation of construction, including the London Building Act 1894 (Amendment) Act, 1898; the London County Council (General Powers) Acts, 1908 and 1909; several Housing and Planning Acts and LCC bye-laws.

Archival history

LCC/AR/BA 1856-1967 Collection 135.13 linear metres LCC , London County Council x London County Council

The London Building Act of 1894 was introduced to regulate various aspects of construction within the metropolis, including the making of new streets; the widening of streets; building frontage; the naming and numbering of streets; the height of buildings; space around buildings; the construction of buildings including the thickness of walls, use of timbers, party walls, roofs, chimneys and flues, ovens, staircases and projections; the rights of building owners; dangerous structures; noxious businesses and sky signs. The London County Council was given power to appoint a "superintending architect of metropolitan buildings" to oversee the enforcement of regulations outlined in the Act. Actual enforcement would be done by the District Surveyors, who had to make a monthly return to the Council reporting on any new buildings and any infringement of the Act. The LCC were also given the power to make bye-laws relating to buildings.

The Act was followed by various others which added to the powers of the LCC relating to the regulation of construction, including the London Building Act 1894 (Amendment) Act, 1898; the London County Council (General Powers) Acts, 1908 and 1909; several Housing and Planning Acts and LCC bye-laws.

Received in multiple accessions: AC/55/031; AC/55/033; AC/55/036; AC/55/042; AC/55/046; AC/55/048; AC/55/051; AC/55/057; AC/55/060; AC/55/063; AC/55/067; AC/55/069; AC/55/074; AC/55/077; AC/55/087; AC/55/098; AC/55/109

Records of the London County Council Architect's Department relating to the control of buildings and streets under the London Buildings Act 1894 and subsequent Acts. Records include subject and policy files (including procedures, precedents, diagrams, plans, petitions, legislation, sub-committee papers, statistics, bye-laws, reviews, standards and fire reports), 1856-1965; subject and policy files for the District Surveyors, 1856-1936; subject and policy files for new building materials, 1891-1941; returns and abstracts of the District Surveyors, 1889-1954; registers of alterations to names of streets and numbering of houses, 1856-1935; reports, 1889-1965, on matters concerning building regulation, on matters affecting the District Surveyors and on the naming and numbering of streets; Ordnance Survey maps of London amended to show street name changes, proposed new roads, building numbering, borough boundaries and future road positions, 1883-1967.

LCC/AR/BA/01: Subject Files; LCC/AR/BA/02: District Surveyor Subject Files; LCC/AR/BA/03: New building materials; LCC/AR/BA/05: Registers of alterations; LCC/AR/BA/06: Reports; LCC/AR/BA/07: Maps.

Available for general access

Copyright: City of London
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Papers of the LCC Architect's Department: LCC/AR/BA: London Building Acts; LCC/AR/CB: Council Buildings, LCC/AR/CD: Civil Defence; LCC/AR/CON: Contracts; LCC/AR/GEN: Organisational Financial and General; LCC/AR/HB: Historic Buildings, LCC/AR/HS: Housing; LCC/AR/PP: Presented Plans; LCC/AR/SCH: Council Buildings; LCC/AR/TH: Theatres, Cinemas and Places of Entertainment; LCC/AR/TP: Town Planning; LCC/AR/WAR: Emergency Wartime Measures.

For further information see The London Building Acts 1894-1909: a text book on the law relating to building in the metropolis by Banister Fletcher (various editions).

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Business management Business practice and regulation Regulation Government Public administration Local government Local authorities Planning authorities Building design Architecture Buildings Law Legislation Town and country planning legislation People People by occupation Surveyors Building surveyors Geography Geographical data Addresses (locations) Artists Architects Building maintenance Construction engineering Building operations Building construction Management Road construction Road engineering Civil engineering Streets Roads Transport infrastructure Building materials LCC , London County Council x London County Council Architect's Department , London County Council London England UK Western Europe Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Received in multiple accessions: AC/55/031; AC/55/033; AC/55/036; AC/55/042; AC/55/046; AC/55/048; AC/55/051; AC/55/057; AC/55/060; AC/55/063; AC/55/067; AC/55/069; AC/55/074; AC/55/077; AC/55/087; AC/55/098; AC/55/109

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the London County Council Architect's Department relating to the control of buildings and streets under the London Buildings Act 1894 and subsequent Acts. Records include subject and policy files (including procedures, precedents, diagrams, plans, petitions, legislation, sub-committee papers, statistics, bye-laws, reviews, standards and fire reports), 1856-1965; subject and policy files for the District Surveyors, 1856-1936; subject and policy files for new building materials, 1891-1941; returns and abstracts of the District Surveyors, 1889-1954; registers of alterations to names of streets and numbering of houses, 1856-1935; reports, 1889-1965, on matters concerning building regulation, on matters affecting the District Surveyors and on the naming and numbering of streets; Ordnance Survey maps of London amended to show street name changes, proposed new roads, building numbering, borough boundaries and future road positions, 1883-1967.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

LCC/AR/BA/01: Subject Files; LCC/AR/BA/02: District Surveyor Subject Files; LCC/AR/BA/03: New building materials; LCC/AR/BA/05: Registers of alterations; LCC/AR/BA/06: Reports; LCC/AR/BA/07: Maps.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: City of London

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Papers of the LCC Architect's Department: LCC/AR/BA: London Building Acts; LCC/AR/CB: Council Buildings, LCC/AR/CD: Civil Defence; LCC/AR/CON: Contracts; LCC/AR/GEN: Organisational Financial and General; LCC/AR/HB: Historic Buildings, LCC/AR/HS: Housing; LCC/AR/PP: Presented Plans; LCC/AR/SCH: Council Buildings; LCC/AR/TH: Theatres, Cinemas and Places of Entertainment; LCC/AR/TP: Town Planning; LCC/AR/WAR: Emergency Wartime Measures.

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area