Sous-fonds COL/CC/LBC - COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL: LONDON BRIDGE COMMITTEE

6.8 linear metres

COL/CC/LBC 1823-1859 subfonds 6.8 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.

London Bridge is the oldest bridge in the City of London. The first stone bridge took 33 years to construct under the direction of priest Peter de Colechurch, finished in 1209. In 1758 the houses and shops that lined the bridge were demolished to make it easier to cross, but problems with congestion only increased. In 1800 a committee was established to consider improvements to the bridge, but when it was discovered that tidal scouring had severely weakened the bridge's abutments, the decision was made to reconstruct. The London Bridge Committee was responsible for overseeing this reconstruction. A granite bridge with five arches designed by John Rennie and his son Sir John Rennie was chosen and completed by 1831.

Corporation of London.

Records of the London Bridge Committee, Court of Common Council, including journals, 1823-1859; minutes, 1823-1840; rough minutes, 1823-1846; committee papers with indexes, 1823-1847; extracts from proceedings of Common Council regarding the rebuilding of London Bridge, 1821-1823; report by Thomas Telford on the effect of the rebuilding on the Thames, 1823; specification of the mode of executing the proposed new London Bridge as designed by the late John Rennie, 1823; list of Acts of Parliament regarding London Bridge with another list showing the streets affected by each Act, 1823-1842; minutes of evidence before the New London Bridge Committee, 1828; letter books, 1823-1846; order books, 1829-1834; warrant book, 1824-1847; administrative papers, financial accounts and papers relating to the opening ceremony, 1824-1847.

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

For Corporation of London records relating to Bridges see: CLA/007: Bridge House Estates, CLA/018: Bridges, CLA/019: Southwark Bridge, CLA/020: Tower Bridge, CLA/021: Blackfriars Bridge, CLA/022: London Bridge, COL/CC/BBB: Court of Common Council Blackfriars Bridge (Building) Committee, COL/CC/BBR: Court of Common Council Blackfriars Bridge (Repairing) Committee, COL/CC/BHC: Court of Common Council Bridge House Committee, COL/CC/BHT: Court of Common Council Bridge House Trust Committee, COL/CC/CLBH: Court of Common Council City Lands and Bridge House Estate Committee, COL/CC/JTB: Court of Common Council Joint Bridge House Estates and Improvement Committee, COL/CC/JTS: Joint Bridge House and Special Committee, COL/CC/CLA: Court of Common Council City of London (Arizona) Corporation, COL/CC/LBA: Court of Common Council London Bridge Approaches Committee, COL/CC/LBC: Court of Common Council London Bridge Committee, COL/CC/LBI: London Bridge Improvements Committee, COL/CC/SBC: Court of Common Council Special Bridge or Subway Committee, COL/CCS/PL: Comptroller and City Solicitor: Plans, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans, COL/CHD/CM: Chamberlain's Department: Chamber Accounts.

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 Telford , Thomas , 1757-1834 , civil engineer Rennie , John , 1761-1821 , civil engineer Rennie , Sir , John , 1794-1874 , Knight , civil engineer Bridges Transport infrastructure Engineering Maintenance Urban development Urban planning Civil engineering Construction engineering Building operations Building construction London Bridge Committee , Court of Common Council , Corporation of London London Bridge Europe City of London London England UK Western Europe Town and country planning

Corporation of London.

Records of the London Bridge Committee, Court of Common Council, including journals, 1823-1859; minutes, 1823-1840; rough minutes, 1823-1846; committee papers with indexes, 1823-1847; extracts from proceedings of Common Council regarding the rebuilding of London Bridge, 1821-1823; report by Thomas Telford on the effect of the rebuilding on the Thames, 1823; specification of the mode of executing the proposed new London Bridge as designed by the late John Rennie, 1823; list of Acts of Parliament regarding London Bridge with another list showing the streets affected by each Act, 1823-1842; minutes of evidence before the New London Bridge Committee, 1828; letter books, 1823-1846; order books, 1829-1834; warrant book, 1824-1847; administrative papers, financial accounts and papers relating to the opening ceremony, 1824-1847.

In sections according to catalogue.

Available for general access.

Copyright City of London.

• anglais

• latin

English

For Corporation of London records relating to Bridges see: CLA/007: Bridge House Estates, CLA/018: Bridges, CLA/019: Southwark Bridge, CLA/020: Tower Bridge, CLA/021: Blackfriars Bridge, CLA/022: London Bridge, COL/CC/BBB: Court of Common Council Blackfriars Bridge (Building) Committee, COL/CC/BBR: Court of Common Council Blackfriars Bridge (Repairing) Committee, COL/CC/BHC: Court of Common Council Bridge House Committee, COL/CC/BHT: Court of Common Council Bridge House Trust Committee, COL/CC/CLBH: Court of Common Council City Lands and Bridge House Estate Committee, COL/CC/JTB: Court of Common Council Joint Bridge House Estates and Improvement Committee, COL/CC/JTS: Joint Bridge House and Special Committee, COL/CC/CLA: Court of Common Council City of London (Arizona) Corporation, COL/CC/LBA: Court of Common Council London Bridge Approaches Committee, COL/CC/LBC: Court of Common Council London Bridge Committee, COL/CC/LBI: London Bridge Improvements Committee, COL/CC/SBC: Court of Common Council Special Bridge or Subway Committee, COL/CCS/PL: Comptroller and City Solicitor: Plans, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans, COL/CHD/CM: Chamberlain's Department: Chamber Accounts.

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.

• anglais