Collection MCC/CL/HY - CLERK'S DEPARTMENT: HIGHWAYS

Identity area

Reference code

MCC/CL/HY

Title

CLERK'S DEPARTMENT: HIGHWAYS

Date(s)

  • 1902-1965 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

20.13 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Rapid local development, the tremendous increase in motor transport and national requirements such as Heathrow Airport all greatly influenced the Middlesex County Council road programme; necessitating new and widened roads and dual carriageways. In the post-war period emphasis was laid upon relief of traffic congestion and reduction of accidents by junction improvements and the construction of pedestrian subways. A policy of landscaping and amenity treatment led to the planting of trees and shrubs and the extensive use of grass verges. Middlesex works undertaken by the Ministry of Transport completed the picture with two motorways, the M1 into Hendon and the M4 connection to London Airport.

The highways pattern for Middlesex stemmed from the radial roads originally built by the Romans - Watling Street to Saint Albans is now Edgware Road; Ermine Street to Lincoln is now Hertford Road and the western road to Silchester is now Staines Road. These radial routes remained of importance and were primarily supplemented by the Great West Road, Western Avenue, Watford and Barnet by-passes and the Great Cambridge Road which, in turn, have been linked by the North Circular Road, which traversed Middlesex from Kew Bridge to the Essex boundary. In 1889 the Council was responsible for 128 miles of road, as compared with 640 miles in 1964.

Archival history

MCC/CL/HY 1902-1965 Collection 20.13 linear metres MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council

Rapid local development, the tremendous increase in motor transport and national requirements such as Heathrow Airport all greatly influenced the Middlesex County Council road programme; necessitating new and widened roads and dual carriageways. In the post-war period emphasis was laid upon relief of traffic congestion and reduction of accidents by junction improvements and the construction of pedestrian subways. A policy of landscaping and amenity treatment led to the planting of trees and shrubs and the extensive use of grass verges. Middlesex works undertaken by the Ministry of Transport completed the picture with two motorways, the M1 into Hendon and the M4 connection to London Airport.

The highways pattern for Middlesex stemmed from the radial roads originally built by the Romans - Watling Street to Saint Albans is now Edgware Road; Ermine Street to Lincoln is now Hertford Road and the western road to Silchester is now Staines Road. These radial routes remained of importance and were primarily supplemented by the Great West Road, Western Avenue, Watford and Barnet by-passes and the Great Cambridge Road which, in turn, have been linked by the North Circular Road, which traversed Middlesex from Kew Bridge to the Essex boundary. In 1889 the Council was responsible for 128 miles of road, as compared with 640 miles in 1964.

Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.

Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department relating to highways, 1902-1965, including papers relating to improvements to roads and footpaths; papers relating to light railways (tramways); index cards made as part of measures to restrict ribbon development, describing applicants with details of building, access, material and works; papers relating to rivers including the River Brent, River Thames and the Duke of Northumberland's River; rainfall statistics for the county and list of bridges and main roads maintained by the MCC. Also plans of highways, rivers, bridges and sewers.

MCC/CL/HY: General; MCC/CL/HY/PL: Plans

Available for general access

Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
English

Fit

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

See also MCC/CL/DP and MCC/CL/L/HY.

For further information on the history of the Middlesex County Council please see Middlesex by Sir Clifford Radcliffe (2 editions, 1939 and 1953), LMA Library reference 97.09 MID; and The County Council of the Administrative County of Middlesex: 76 years of local government, 1 April 1889 to 31 March 1965, by Middlesex County Council (1965), LMA library reference S97.09 MID.

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 Road construction Transport Road transport Tramways Hydrometeorology Precipitation Rain Surface water Rivers Footpaths Roads Environmental degradation Pollution Water pollution Environmental engineering Sanitation Waste disposal Waste treatment Sewers Water resources Drainage Transport infrastructure Bridges Engineering Maintenance Road maintenance Road engineering Civil engineering Construction engineering MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department , Middlesex County Council London England UK Western Europe Isleworth Mill Stream Brent, river Middlesex Duke of Northumberland's River Thames, river Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department relating to highways, 1902-1965, including papers relating to improvements to roads and footpaths; papers relating to light railways (tramways); index cards made as part of measures to restrict ribbon development, describing applicants with details of building, access, material and works; papers relating to rivers including the River Brent, River Thames and the Duke of Northumberland's River; rainfall statistics for the county and list of bridges and main roads maintained by the MCC. Also plans of highways, rivers, bridges and sewers.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

MCC/CL/HY: General; MCC/CL/HY/PL: Plans

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

See also MCC/CL/DP and MCC/CL/L/HY.

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