Colección COL/CHD/RT - CHAMBERLAIN'S DEPARTMENT: RATES

84.6 linear metres

COL/CHD/RT 1736-1985 Collection 84.6 linear metres Corporation of London

The Chamber of a city is the place where the funds of the corporation are kept and where moneys due are received - a kind of treasury. The Chamber is run by the Chamberlain, an officer who receives the rents and revenues owed to the corporation. The origin of the Chamber of London is obscure, but as soon as the citizens were sufficiently united to hold lands and tenements in common an officer must have been appointed to collect rents and disburse income for public welfare. The Chamber is first mentioned in 1275 and in the following year Stephen de Mundene is named as City Chamberlain. At first the Chamberlain was chosen by the Mayor and Aldermen, but by 1319 elections were introduced and the officer was chosen by the liverymen in Common Hall.

The Chamberlain's duties combined municipal finance with public banking. His main duty was as treasurer or banker of the City of London with custody of the monies of the Corporation, called the City's Cash, and other funds. Former Chamberlains were able to keep for themselves profits derived from interest on the cash! The Chamberlain also collects the rents of all Corporation properties and makes payments on behalf of the Corporation including salaries and pensions. He also invests money, is responsible for insurance, the preparation of tax returns and production of reports and statistics. Additionally, the Chamberlain was the Accountant General of the Court of Orphans (see CLA/002) and held all money belonging to the orphans on which he allowed interest. For this purpose the Chamberlain held a Common Seal, first mentioned in 1396. He was also the occasional collector of taxes for the London area, particularly those granted to the City by the monarchy in return for loans. The Coal Duty for reconstruction of public buildings after the Great Fire was paid into the Chamber, as was any money borrowed by the City. The Chamberlain was also treasurer of any charitable funds organised by the City.

The City of London (Union of Parishes) Act 1907 united the then-existing 112 City parishes into one, to be called the Parish of the City of London, for most purposes other than ecclesiastical or charitable. From 1908 uniform Poor and General Rates were to be collected throughout the Parish of the City of London. The Corporation set up the Valuation and Rating Department within the Town Clerk's Office on 1 Apr 1908 to carry out the duties of Common Council under the 1907 Act. Before 1908 collection of the rates was not the responsibility of the Corporation of London but of individual parishes, wards etc.

Corporation of London Records Office.

Records of the Chamberlain's Department regarding rates and assessments, including cemetery ledgers, 1856-1931; consolidated ledgers, 1844-1876; general ledgers, 1876-1931; ledgers relating to the financial accounts for housing projects and improvement schemes, 1919-1935; improvements (buildings maintenance) ledgers, 1875-1937; Public Health (Sanitation) Committee ledgers, 1931-1937; Sewers ledgers, 1850-1932; Streets Committee ledgers, 1931-1937; rate books, generally providing information including, occupier, description and situation of the property, valuation, amount of individual rates and arrears, 1908-1985 (please note that rate books are closed for 30 years from last date in volume); cash books of receipts and payments, 1851-1903; rates accounts books, Public Health Department, 1899-1907; consolidated rate audit books, 1848-1859; consolidated accounts, 1865-1906; collector's accounts for consolidated rates, 1848-1903; warrants for payments from the consolidated rate, 1849-1857; Paving rates ledgers and warrants, 1766-1849; account of money paid into the Chamber by persons purchasing annuities under the Act for Paving, 1766-1786; receipts of annuitants for dividends on money lent for paving, cleaning and enlightening the City of London, 1767-1827; Paving rate audit books, 1771-1848; Chamberlain's Pavement rate accounts, 1766-1850; paving account bonds, 1776-1789; lamp contracts, 1766-1788; receipts and payments, lamp accounts [tax for lighting the streets with lamps] 1736-1766; cash books, lamp accounts, 1736-1766 and other papers relating to lighting the streets, 1749-1764.

In sections according to catalogue.

Available for general access.

Copyright: City of London.
English

Fit

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

For Corporation of London records relating to finance, including taxation, see: COL/CA/FNA: Court of Aldermen Finance Committee, COL/CC/ASC: Assessment (City of London Union) Committee, COL/CC/AUC: Accounts Committee, COL/CC/CCF: Coal, Corn and Finance Committee, COL/CC/CCN: Coal and Corn Committee, COL/CC/CCR: Coal, Corn and Rates Finance Committee, COL/CC/FNC: Court of Common Council Finance Committee, COL/CC/FNS: Special Finance/Select Finance or Finance Committee, COL/CC/LGT: Local Government and Taxation Committee, COL/CC/MGC: Metage on Grain Committee, COL/CC/MIN: Court of Common Council Committees, COL/CC/PRC: Policy and Resources Committee, COL/CC/RFC: Rates Finance Committee, COL/CC/ROC: Revenue and Officers Committee, COL/CC/SFC: Special Finance Committee, COL/CC/SRC: Special Revenue Committee, COL/CC/STH: Special Tithes Committee, COL/CC/TIC: Tithe Committee, COL/CC/VAC: Valuation Committee, COL/RG: Recognizances, papers of the Comptroller (COL/CCS) and papers of the Chamberlain (COL/CHD).

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. February 2009 Court of Commissioners of Sewers , Corporation of London x Public Health Department City Chamberlain , Corporation of London Public administration Government Municipal government Local government Fiscal policy Taxation Community charge Finance Public finance Local finance Information sources Documents Financial records Streets Committee , Court of Common Council , Corporation of London Europe City of London London England UK Western Europe

Corporation of London Records Office.

Records of the Chamberlain's Department regarding rates and assessments, including cemetery ledgers, 1856-1931; consolidated ledgers, 1844-1876; general ledgers, 1876-1931; ledgers relating to the financial accounts for housing projects and improvement schemes, 1919-1935; improvements (buildings maintenance) ledgers, 1875-1937; Public Health (Sanitation) Committee ledgers, 1931-1937; Sewers ledgers, 1850-1932; Streets Committee ledgers, 1931-1937; rate books, generally providing information including, occupier, description and situation of the property, valuation, amount of individual rates and arrears, 1908-1985 (please note that rate books are closed for 30 years from last date in volume); cash books of receipts and payments, 1851-1903; rates accounts books, Public Health Department, 1899-1907; consolidated rate audit books, 1848-1859; consolidated accounts, 1865-1906; collector's accounts for consolidated rates, 1848-1903; warrants for payments from the consolidated rate, 1849-1857; Paving rates ledgers and warrants, 1766-1849; account of money paid into the Chamber by persons purchasing annuities under the Act for Paving, 1766-1786; receipts of annuitants for dividends on money lent for paving, cleaning and enlightening the City of London, 1767-1827; Paving rate audit books, 1771-1848; Chamberlain's Pavement rate accounts, 1766-1850; paving account bonds, 1776-1789; lamp contracts, 1766-1788; receipts and payments, lamp accounts [tax for lighting the streets with lamps] 1736-1766; cash books, lamp accounts, 1736-1766 and other papers relating to lighting the streets, 1749-1764.

In sections according to catalogue.

Available for general access.

Copyright: City of London.

• inglés

• latín

English

For Corporation of London records relating to finance, including taxation, see: COL/CA/FNA: Court of Aldermen Finance Committee, COL/CC/ASC: Assessment (City of London Union) Committee, COL/CC/AUC: Accounts Committee, COL/CC/CCF: Coal, Corn and Finance Committee, COL/CC/CCN: Coal and Corn Committee, COL/CC/CCR: Coal, Corn and Rates Finance Committee, COL/CC/FNC: Court of Common Council Finance Committee, COL/CC/FNS: Special Finance/Select Finance or Finance Committee, COL/CC/LGT: Local Government and Taxation Committee, COL/CC/MGC: Metage on Grain Committee, COL/CC/MIN: Court of Common Council Committees, COL/CC/PRC: Policy and Resources Committee, COL/CC/RFC: Rates Finance Committee, COL/CC/ROC: Revenue and Officers Committee, COL/CC/SFC: Special Finance Committee, COL/CC/SRC: Special Revenue Committee, COL/CC/STH: Special Tithes Committee, COL/CC/TIC: Tithe Committee, COL/CC/VAC: Valuation Committee, COL/RG: Recognizances, papers of the Comptroller (COL/CCS) and papers of the Chamberlain (COL/CHD).

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

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.

• inglés