Collection LCC/CE/RB - CHIEF ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT: ROADS, TUNNELS, BRIDGES AND FERRIES

Identity area

Reference code

LCC/CE/RB

Title

CHIEF ENGINEER'S DEPARTMENT: ROADS, TUNNELS, BRIDGES AND FERRIES

Date(s)

  • 1862-1972 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

3.5 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Chief Engineer was responsible for overseeing construction and maintenance of LCC buildings, bridges, roads and tunnels. He was also responsible for flood prevention measures, drainage and sewerage and other matters of public health.

The maintenance and improvement of traffic facilities for crossing the Thames, whether by bridge, tunnel or ferry, was an important part of the work of the LCC. It was responsible for ten of the Thames bridges: Albert Bridge, Battersea Bridge, Chelsea Bridge, Hammersmith Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Putney Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Wandsworth Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge. In addition the Council maintained about 50 other bridges, over rivers, streams, canals, railways and roads. These included the bridge over Deptford Creek, Barking Road Bridge and Highgate Archway. The pedestrian tunnels at Greenwich and Woolwich, and the vehicular tunnels at Rotherhithe and Blackwall were also maintained by the Council, as was the Woolwich Ferry. In addition, it was responsible for over 6 miles of river embankment walls, Greenwich Pier and pipe subways allowing access to mains without having to excavate the road surface.

In addition, the LCC was the central authority for street improvements in London, coordinating the work of the Borough Councils because important traffic routes usually run though more than one of the Boroughs. The most important part of this work involved considering improvements to allow greater traffic flow, particularly as the number of cars on the roads increased.

The London County Council Chief Engineer and County Surveyors:

1889: J Gordon and C Dunscombe

1890 Sir Alexander Binnie

1901 Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice

1913 Sir George Humphreys

1930 Sir Peirson Frank

1946 Sir Joseph Rawlinson

1962 FM Fuller

Archival history

LCC/CE/RB 1862-1972 Collection 3.5 linear metres LCC , London County Council x London County Council

The Chief Engineer was responsible for overseeing construction and maintenance of LCC buildings, bridges, roads and tunnels. He was also responsible for flood prevention measures, drainage and sewerage and other matters of public health.

The maintenance and improvement of traffic facilities for crossing the Thames, whether by bridge, tunnel or ferry, was an important part of the work of the LCC. It was responsible for ten of the Thames bridges: Albert Bridge, Battersea Bridge, Chelsea Bridge, Hammersmith Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Putney Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Wandsworth Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Bridge. In addition the Council maintained about 50 other bridges, over rivers, streams, canals, railways and roads. These included the bridge over Deptford Creek, Barking Road Bridge and Highgate Archway. The pedestrian tunnels at Greenwich and Woolwich, and the vehicular tunnels at Rotherhithe and Blackwall were also maintained by the Council, as was the Woolwich Ferry. In addition, it was responsible for over 6 miles of river embankment walls, Greenwich Pier and pipe subways allowing access to mains without having to excavate the road surface.

In addition, the LCC was the central authority for street improvements in London, coordinating the work of the Borough Councils because important traffic routes usually run though more than one of the Boroughs. The most important part of this work involved considering improvements to allow greater traffic flow, particularly as the number of cars on the roads increased.

The London County Council Chief Engineer and County Surveyors:

1889: J Gordon and C Dunscombe

1890 Sir Alexander Binnie

1901 Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice

1913 Sir George Humphreys

1930 Sir Peirson Frank

1946 Sir Joseph Rawlinson

1962 FM Fuller

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council. Further accession received in 1995 (ACC/3558).

Records of the London County Council Chief Engineer's Department relating to roads, bridges, tunnels and ferries, including report on the proposed new Battersea Bridge, 1881; report by John Wolfe Barry on the practicality of the Blackwall Tunnel scheme, 1889; further reports regarding Blackwall Tunnel, 1890-1898; Blackwall Tunnel Engineer's Office visitor's books, 1895-1897; reports regarding railway bridges, 1894-1903; reports on LCC bridges, 1890-1960, including Vauxhall Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Charing Cross Bridge, Westminster Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and Hammersmith Bridge; Highway Development Survey, 1937; Strand underpass descriptive brochure, 1964; Chief Engineer's report about new terminals for the Woolwich Free Ferry, 1963; bye laws for the management and regulation of bridges over the River Thames, 1895.

Plans and drawings, 1862-1972, including Woolwich Ferry approaches and piers; Old Lambeth Bridge; Chelsea Bridge; Stanley Bridge, Fulham; steamboat piers; Victoria Embankment; the new County Hall embankment wall; street improvements associated with various 'Artizan's Dwellings Schemes'; Greenwich electricity generating station; road widening schemes; Waterloo Bridge; Surrey Lock Bridge, Rotherhithe; Deptford Creek Bridge and Lea Bridge.

Photographs of the demolition of the old Waterloo Bridge and the construction of the new bridge, 1934-1939.

LCC/CE/RB/1: Reports and Returns; LCC/CE/RB/2: Visitor's Book; LCC/CE/RB/3: Plans and drawings; LCC/CE/RB/4: Photographs.

Available for general access

Copyright: Depositor
English

Fit

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

For London County Council Chief Engineer's Department see LCC/CE/DO; LCC/CE/GEN; LCC/CE/MD; LCC/CE/MD; LCC/CE/PH; LCC/CE/RB and LCC/CE/WAR. For records relating to those bridges maintained by the Corporation of London (including London Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge and Tower Bridge) see CLA/018-022.

For a detailed history of LCC road and bridge maintenance works see Achievement: A Short History of the London County Council by W Eric Jackson (1965), LMA Library reference 18.0 1965 and The London County Council 1938, LMA Library reference 18.7 SER 4.

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 Western Europe UK London Chief Engineer's Department , London County Council LCC , London County Council x London County Council Barry , Sir , John Wolfe Wolfe- , 1836-1918 , Knight , civil engineer Tunnels Industry Underwater tunnels Construction industry Public works Visual materials Plans Roads Vehicles Transport Vessels Boats Ferries England People People by occupation Surveyors Building surveyors Bridges Transport infrastructure Scientific personnel Scientists Engineers Engineering Maintenance Road maintenance Built works Embankments Europe Engineering personnel Personnel

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council. Further accession received in 1995 (ACC/3558).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the London County Council Chief Engineer's Department relating to roads, bridges, tunnels and ferries, including report on the proposed new Battersea Bridge, 1881; report by John Wolfe Barry on the practicality of the Blackwall Tunnel scheme, 1889; further reports regarding Blackwall Tunnel, 1890-1898; Blackwall Tunnel Engineer's Office visitor's books, 1895-1897; reports regarding railway bridges, 1894-1903; reports on LCC bridges, 1890-1960, including Vauxhall Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Charing Cross Bridge, Westminster Bridge, Waterloo Bridge and Hammersmith Bridge; Highway Development Survey, 1937; Strand underpass descriptive brochure, 1964; Chief Engineer's report about new terminals for the Woolwich Free Ferry, 1963; bye laws for the management and regulation of bridges over the River Thames, 1895.

Plans and drawings, 1862-1972, including Woolwich Ferry approaches and piers; Old Lambeth Bridge; Chelsea Bridge; Stanley Bridge, Fulham; steamboat piers; Victoria Embankment; the new County Hall embankment wall; street improvements associated with various 'Artizan's Dwellings Schemes'; Greenwich electricity generating station; road widening schemes; Waterloo Bridge; Surrey Lock Bridge, Rotherhithe; Deptford Creek Bridge and Lea Bridge.

Photographs of the demolition of the old Waterloo Bridge and the construction of the new bridge, 1934-1939.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

LCC/CE/RB/1: Reports and Returns; LCC/CE/RB/2: Visitor's Book; LCC/CE/RB/3: Plans and drawings; LCC/CE/RB/4: Photographs.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: Depositor

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

For London County Council Chief Engineer's Department see LCC/CE/DO; LCC/CE/GEN; LCC/CE/MD; LCC/CE/MD; LCC/CE/PH; LCC/CE/RB and LCC/CE/WAR. For records relating to those bridges maintained by the Corporation of London (including London Bridge, Blackfriars Bridge and Tower Bridge) see CLA/018-022.

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

Subject 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