Collection GB 0074 CLC/281 - CORPORATION OF LONDON: CHAMBERLAIN

40 production units.

GB 0074 CLC/281 1559-1953 Collection 40 production units. City Chamberlain , 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.

Deposited in the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, which merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Records of the City Chamberlain, Corporation of London, including return of pensions paid by the Corporation; receipts for rents and rates paid; papers relating to Freedoms of the City of London; assessments of subsidies; quinquennial valuation lists; papers relating to duties and rates.

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

English

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.

August to October 2010. City Chamberlain , Corporation of London Social services Social security Pensions Valuation lists Taxation Fiscal policy Community charge Finance Public finance Information sources Local finance Documents Financial records People People by occupation Personnel Local government personnel Government Public administration Local government City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe

Deposited in the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, which merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Records of the City Chamberlain, Corporation of London, including return of pensions paid by the Corporation; receipts for rents and rates paid; papers relating to Freedoms of the City of London; assessments of subsidies; quinquennial valuation lists; papers relating to duties and rates.

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.

Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.

• English

• Latin

English

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.

• English