COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL: JOINT COMMITTEE - AIM25

Identity area

Reference code

COL/CC/JTC

Title

COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL: JOINT COMMITTEE

Date(s)

1875-1945 (Creation)

Level of description

Subfonds

Extent and medium

0.15 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Corporation of London

Biographical history

The concept of the Court of Common Council grew from the ancient custom of the Folkmoot, when the assent of the citizens to important acts was obtained. This custom was continued by the Mayor who consulted the Commons several times during the 13th century. From 1376 the assembly began to meet regularly and was referred to as the Common Council. It was decided that the Council should be made up of persons elected from each Ward. By 1384 a permanent Common Council chosen by the citizens was established for all time. The Council assumed legislative functions and adopted financial powers, confirmed by Charters of 1377 and 1383. The Council has often used these powers to amend the civic constitution, regulate the election of Lord Mayor and other officials, and amend the functions of the City courts. The Council was judged so successful in the conduct of its duties that it was the only Corporation unreformed by Parliament following the Municipal Corporations Commission report of 1837, while the Corporation Inquiry Commission of 1854 suggested only minor reforms. The work of the Council is conducted by a number of committees, while the whole Council has the right to approve policy, confirm major decisions and sanction expenditure. The committees handle many aspects of the running of the City including land and estates, finance and valuation, open spaces, street improvement and town planning, public health, police, Port of London, civil defence, airports, libraries, markets, education, and law. The Town Clerk has held responsibility for recording the minutes of the Council and its committees since 1274.

Joint Committees were made up of officers from different committees were established to consider temporary matters that concerned both committees, for example, the retirement of a judge would require representatives from the Officers and Clerks Committee which was responsible for questions relating to staff, and the Law, (Parliamentary) and City Courts Committee which handled matters relating to various courts. The Joint Committees did not sit for long periods of time, disbanding once their business was discharged.

Repository

The London Archives

Archival history

COL/CC/JTC 1875-1945 subfonds 0.15 linear metres Corporation of London

The concept of the Court of Common Council grew from the ancient custom of the Folkmoot, when the assent of the citizens to important acts was obtained. This custom was continued by the Mayor who consulted the Commons several times during the 13th century. From 1376 the assembly began to meet regularly and was referred to as the Common Council. It was decided that the Council should be made up of persons elected from each Ward. By 1384 a permanent Common Council chosen by the citizens was established for all time. The Council assumed legislative functions and adopted financial powers, confirmed by Charters of 1377 and 1383. The Council has often used these powers to amend the civic constitution, regulate the election of Lord Mayor and other officials, and amend the functions of the City courts. The Council was judged so successful in the conduct of its duties that it was the only Corporation unreformed by Parliament following the Municipal Corporations Commission report of 1837, while the Corporation Inquiry Commission of 1854 suggested only minor reforms. The work of the Council is conducted by a number of committees, while the whole Council has the right to approve policy, confirm major decisions and sanction expenditure. The committees handle many aspects of the running of the City including land and estates, finance and valuation, open spaces, street improvement and town planning, public health, police, Port of London, civil defence, airports, libraries, markets, education, and law. The Town Clerk has held responsibility for recording the minutes of the Council and its committees since 1274.

Joint Committees were made up of officers from different committees were established to consider temporary matters that concerned both committees, for example, the retirement of a judge would require representatives from the Officers and Clerks Committee which was responsible for questions relating to staff, and the Law, (Parliamentary) and City Courts Committee which handled matters relating to various courts. The Joint Committees did not sit for long periods of time, disbanding once their business was discharged.

Corporation of London Records Office.

Minute books containing the minutes of various ad hoc Joint Committees:

Joint Committee of the Officers and Clerks and the Law, (Parliamentary) and City Courts Committees regarding Admiralty jurisdiction in the City of London Court, 1875; the impact of the Supreme Court of Judicature Acts of 1870 and 1875 and reforms to the practice and pleading of the Mayor's Court, 1875; reform of the Mayor's Court and City of London Court, 1880; the duties of and the pension to be awarded to City of London Court judges, 1894-1895; the nature, duties and emoluments of the Secondary and elections in Common Hall, 1897-1898.

Joint Committee of the Officers and Clerks and the Port of London Sanitary Committees regarding the salary of Harry Leach, Medical Officer of Health for the Port of London, 1875.

Joint Committee of the General Purposes and the Special Tithes Committees regarding matters relating to livings and benefices, 1875.

Joint Committee of the Coal, Corn and Finance and the Officers and Clerks Committees regarding the salary of William Payne, Chamber Principal Clerk, 1878; the nature, duties and emoluments of the Office of Chamberlain and his staff, 1892-1898; the nature, duties and emoluments of the City Solicitor and City Surveyor, 1895.

Joint Committee of the Law and City Courts and the Local Government and Taxation Committees regarding taking action against the Toll Bridges/River Thames Bill which aimed to free the toll bridges, 1876-1877; and the Supreme Court of Judicature, 1883.

Joint Committee of the Gas and Water and the Local Government and Taxation Committees regarding the progress of the Metropolis Waterworks Purchase Bill, 1880.

Joint Committee of the City Lands and the Law and City Courts Committees regarding finding accommodation for the hearing of special jury cases, 1891

Joint Committee of the City Lands and the Coal, Corn and Finance Committees regarding finding a site for the construction of a new British School of Art (Tate Gallery), 1891.

Joint Committee of the Coal, Corn and Finance and the Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committees regarding reduction of tolls on fish brought to Billingsgate market, 1894.

Joint Committee of the Officers and Clerks and the and the Improvements and Finance Committees regarding the retirement of Principal Clerk of the Public Health Department, 1899.

Joint Committee of the City Lands and the Improvements and Finance Committees regarding cooperation with the London County Council to preserve the historic building at 17 Fleet Street (Prince Henry's Room, part of an inn that was one of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire of London), 1899-1900.

Joint Committee of Coal and Corn and Finance and Officers and Clerks Committees, ordered to enquire into the nature, duties and emoluments of the office of Chamberlain, to reconsider the terms and conditions of the appointment and to recommend any necessary reform, Sept 1943-Feb 1945.

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

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 Port of London Sanitary Committee Officers and Clerks Committee Law, Parliamentary and City Courts Committee , Court of Common Council , Corporation of London x Law and City Courts Committee Government Public administration Local government Municipal government Industrial facilities Waterworks Personnel management Wages Finance Fiscal policy Taxation Tolls Administration of justice Courts Commercial premises Fishmarkets Legal profession personnel People People by occupation Personnel Local government personnel Law Customary law Rights Benefices General Purposes Committee Special Tithes Committee Coal, Corn and Finance Committee Local Government and Taxation Committee Gas and Water Committee City Lands Committee Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee Improvements and Finance Committee Europe City of London London England UK Western Europe Organization and administration Health services administration Facilities

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Corporation of London Records Office.

Content and structure area

Scope and content