Collection MCC/CL/L/EMD - CLERK'S (LEGAL) DEPARTMENT: EAST MIDDLESEX DRAINAGE

Identity area

Reference code

MCC/CL/L/EMD

Title

CLERK'S (LEGAL) DEPARTMENT: EAST MIDDLESEX DRAINAGE

Date(s)

  • 1934-1965 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

5.16 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

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.

Further powers were obtained in 1938 for a similar undertaking to serve North and East Middlesex. Although the Second World War delayed the project, the new works were in operation by 1963. The East Middlesex works served 14 local authorities covering an area of 95 square miles and a population of 710,000. The system included 24 miles of trunk sewers, with a flow of 32,000,000 gallons a day.

Archival history

MCC/CL/L/EMD 1934-1965 Collection 5.16 linear metres MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council

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.

Further powers were obtained in 1938 for a similar undertaking to serve North and East Middlesex. Although the Second World War delayed the project, the new works were in operation by 1963. The East Middlesex works served 14 local authorities covering an area of 95 square miles and a population of 710,000. The system included 24 miles of trunk sewers, with a flow of 32,000,000 gallons a day.

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

Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Legal Department relating to the East Middlesex Drainage Scheme, 1934-1965, including conferences and correspondence between the MCC and over local authorities; reports on sewerage and waste disposal; papers relating to boreholes; papers regarding the Cuffley Brook Sewer, East Barnet Branch Sewer, High Level Sewer, Lee Valley Main Sewer, Tottenham Low and High Level Sewers, Chingford Sewer, Waltham Holy Cross Branch Sewer and Wood Green Sewer; papers relating to trade effluent agreements; protective clauses and notices; purchase of sites; electricity lines near the works; contracts and supplies; acquisition of and access to land and sludge disposal.

MCC/CL/L/EMD-1: General

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/EMD.

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 Waltham Cross Western Europe UK England London Haringey Wood Green Clerk's Department , Middlesex County Council MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council Land Waste treatment Sewers Industrial facilities Waterworks Sewage works Hydraulic engineering Drainage engineering Drainage Water resources Sewerage Environmental engineering Sanitation Waste disposal Sewage disposal Agricultural economics Land economics Land ownership Hertfordshire East Barnet Barnet Lea, river Chingford Edmonton Middlesex Waltham Forest Tottenham Woodford Redbridge Ramney Marsh Enfield Lee, river Wanstead Europe Facilities

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 Legal Department relating to the East Middlesex Drainage Scheme, 1934-1965, including conferences and correspondence between the MCC and over local authorities; reports on sewerage and waste disposal; papers relating to boreholes; papers regarding the Cuffley Brook Sewer, East Barnet Branch Sewer, High Level Sewer, Lee Valley Main Sewer, Tottenham Low and High Level Sewers, Chingford Sewer, Waltham Holy Cross Branch Sewer and Wood Green Sewer; papers relating to trade effluent agreements; protective clauses and notices; purchase of sites; electricity lines near the works; contracts and supplies; acquisition of and access to land and sludge disposal.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

MCC/CL/L/EMD-1: General

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/EMD.

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