Record of the Surrey and Kent Commissioners of Sewers, comprising roll from a session for the county of Surrey, held at St Margarets Hill, Southwark (Paris Garden), 1640.

Records of the Westminster and Middlesex Commission of Sewers, comprising sessions rolls and an enactment for the infilling of a dock in the Long Woolstaple, Westminster.

Records of the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London. The records comprise: official documents relating to the case of the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London v William Bulkeley Glasse and others; sewer rate books, 1771-1874; consolidated rate books, 1790-1908; and Metropolis Main Drainage rate books, 1858-1869.

Minutes and presented papers of meetings of the London County Council, 1889-1965. Also minutes and presented papers of London County Council Committees and Sub-Committees, as follows:

Air Raid Precautions Committee

Appeals Committee

Asylums Committee

Bridges Committee

Building Acts Committee

Central Public Health and Medical Services Committee

Children's Committee

Civil Defence Committee

Contagious Diseases Committee

Corporate Property and Endowments Committee

Education Committee

Emergency Committee

Entertainments Committee

Establishments Committee

Evacuation Committee

Finance Committee

Fire Brigade Committee

General Purposes Committee

Health Committee

Highways Committee

Historical Buildings and Records Committee

Housing Committee

Improvements Committee

Industrial Schools Committee

Inebriates Committee

Local Government Committee

Main Drainage Committee

Midwives Committee

New and Expanding Towns Committee

Parks and Open Spaces Committee

Parks (special entertainments) Committee

Parliamentary Committee

Public Assistance Committee

Public Control Committee

Public Health Committee

Restaurants and Catering Committee

Rivers Committee

Roads Committee

Smallholdings Committee

Stores Committee

Theatres Committee

Town Planning Committee

Water Supply Committee

Welfare Committee

Welfare of the Blind Committee

Works Committee

Please note that copies of these minutes and papers are on open access in the Information Area.

Minutes and presented papers of meetings of the Middlesex County Council, 1889-1965. Also minutes and presented papers of Middlesex County Council Committees, as follows:

Aerodromes and Development Committee

Agriculture Committee

Air Raid Precautions Committee

Asylums Committee

Buildings Committee

Children's Committee

Civil Defence Committee

Coordinating Committee

Costs and Policy Review Committee

Diseases of Animals Committee

Drainage Committee

Education Committee

Emergency Committee

Establishment Committee

Estates Committee

Finance Committee

Fire Brigade Committee

General Purposes Committee

Highways Committee

Housing Committee

Industrial Schools Committee

Land Committee

Licensing Committee

Light Railways Committee

Local Government Committee

Luncheon Club Committee

Maternity Committee

Office Accommodation Committee

Parliamentary Committee

Planning Committee

Public Health Committee

Rates Committee

Rivers Committee

Selection Committee

Small Dwellings Committee

Small Holdings Committee

Staff Committee

Standing Orders Committee

Supplies Committee

Taxation Committee

Valuation Committee

War Committee

Welfare Committee

Records of Darenth Valley Main Sewerage Board, comprising Board meeting minute books; ledgers and register of mortgages.

Letters Patent appointing Commissioners, 1810-1839; orders and proceedings (minutes of the Commissioners), 1625-1847; assessments and accounts, 1664-1834; assessments for the maintenance of the levels and marshes of East Greenwich, 1775-1809; annual estimates of expenditure for the Commission, 1790-1833; reports of Committees to the Court on various matters (assessments, surveys, and so on), 1833-1847; petitions, reports, legal papers, opinions of Counsel, jury presentments and surveys, 1810-1845; contracts, agreements and tenders relating to works, 1826-1845; correspondence, 1825-1839; A survey of East Greenwich with table of owners and occupiers, survey by Timothy Skynner, 1745 and enlarged copy of the 1745 plan of the land of East Greenwich showing survey alterations and the tenements and buildings which have been erected to July 1834, 1834.

Letters patent appointing Commissioners, 1860; volume of presentments with schedules of owners and occupiers of property, 1860; Minutes of the Commissioners, 1894-1934; deeds of grant and agreements allowing construction or maintenance work to take place, 1886-1941; surveys and plans, 1721-1858, including surveys of Dagenham, Barking and East Ham Levels by James Bermingham, ordered by the Commissioners of Sewers, 1735-1742, "plan of Lands in the Valley of the River Roding over which it is proposed to extend the jurisdiction of the Commissioners", 1854 and maps of Wicklands Level, Westbury Level and Little West Marsh, 1858.

Letters Patent appointing Commissioners, 1811-1837; qualification books, containing signatures of Commissioners acknowledging their allegiance to the sovereign, 1812-1847; standing orders of the Court, 1812-1826; minutes, copies of warrants, and presentments, 1683-1688; minutes of the Commissioners, 1716-1847; General Committee minutes, 1813-1847; Committee of Accounts minutes, 1813-1847; Committee of Works minutes, 1818-1847; entries of bonds and contracts, 1814-1841; specifications for contracts for new sewers, 1839-1847; description and particulars of sewers built by contract, providing name of contractor, place, length of sewer, 1821-1837; out-letter books, 1812-1847; in-letter books, 1840-1847; petitions for new sewers, 1812-1848; petitions for drains from houses to sewers, 1812-1848; clerk's monthly reports upon sewers ordered to be built upon contributions being paid, 1842-1847; complaints and applications from householders and others, 1813-1848; Surveyor's order books, 1812-1846; Surveyor's report books, 1811-1847; financial records, 1812-1849; rate books, 1779-1848; a collection of the public statutes relating to sewers and the local acts for Holborn and Finsbury Division, 1830; registers of sewers, 1849; maps and plans, 1745-1846.

Records of the Lee Conservancy Catchment Board, including minutes of Board meetings; papers relating to staff including wages and superannuation; papers regarding the Sadler's Mill stream diversion; papers regarding flood relief and defences; correspondence and papers of the Association of River Authorities; papers relating to clearing the river; petitions; rainfall statistics; fishing rights; papers regarding members of the Board; drainage schemes; public relations files; papers regarding the Water Resources Act 1973; reports; papers regarding the acquisition of properties; and agreements for works, clearing, drainage, diversions, improvements, flood prevention, land sales and so on.

Records of the Earl of Mansfield relating to his estates, comprising plan of estate at Kenwood; papers relating to drainage schemes for Heath Lodge, Twickenham; and maps of Twickenham showing the estate of Viscount Clifden.

MBW/1901-1908: Thames Floods (estimate of works required to repair damage caused by floods and estimates of works for defence against future flooding)

MBW/1909-1910: Redistribution Of Vestrymen (cuttings from minutes)

MBW/1911-1913: Water Supply (reports on the metropolis water supply)

MBW/1914-1916: Letters (in-letters, petitions, applications and out-letters)

MBW/1917-1919: Advertisements

MBW/1920-1924: Newspaper Cuttings

MBW/1925-1928: Staff Lists (including duties of officers)

MBW/1929-2309: Finance (including registers of contracts and agreements, salary books and rate books)

MBW/2310-2420: Printed Reports (including annual reports of the Board and Committees, architect's, engineer's and fire brigade reports, papers circulated to Board members, Bills and Acts of Parliament)

MBW/2421-2445: Contracts And Specifications for work on sewers, drains and embankments.

MBW/2446-2653: Plans (plans submitted to Parliament, plans of local improvements arranged by parish, plans of artisan's dwellings, plans of the metropolis water supply, plans of Thames floods, plans of parks and open spaces, plans presented to the Board and to various Committees to accompany reports, memorials and proposals for improvements, creation of parks, drainage, bridges, roads and tunnels, plans of railways)

MBW/2654-2656: District Surveyor (monthly returns and drainage applications)

MBW/2657-2663: Bridges (Accountant's Department papers concerning claims of the bridge companies whose bridges were acquired under the Metropolitan Toll Bridges Act 1877 and the Metropolitan Bridges Act 1883)

MBW/2664-2682: Thames Floods (volumes of duplicate copies of notices served on riparian [situated on the banks of a river] owners under the Metropolis Management (Thames River Prevention of Floods) Amendment Act 1879 and Metropolitan Board of Works (Various Powers) Act, 1882, with associated plans and riverfront elevations)

MBW/2683-2685: Financial Records (Accountant's Department papers)

MBW/2686-2807: Thames Floods (plans and estimates for flood prevention works and plans of river frontage with elevations of riparian [situated on the banks of a river] properties)

MBW/2808-2812: Thames Soundings

MBW/2813-2830: Specifications (volumes of specifications for housing, fire stations, bridges, drainage, parks, embankments and sewers)

MBW/2831-2837: Contract Books and Registers

MBW/2838-2840: Rate Books

MBW/P: Plans

MBW/OW: Office of Works (papers relating to the Chelsea Bridge and Embankment, Westminster Bridge, Battersea Park, Kennington Park and Victoria Park)

MBW/BC: Bridge Company (papers relating to Vauxhall Bridge)

Letters patent appointing the commissioners; orders of court; minutes of various Committees including the General Purposes Committee, By-laws Committee, Committee on Claims, Disposal of Refuse Committee, Finance Committee, Trial Works Committee, Sewage Manure Committee and Ordnance Survey Committee; original contracts for the construction of new sewers, including plans, sections and elevations; registers of in-letters; letter books for out-letters; drainage applications; registers of applications to construct sewers and drains; registers of proposed drainage of buildings; registers of house drainage; register of complaints; applications for private works on sewers and drains; registers of streets showing existence or absence of sewers and drains; surveyor's report books; staff records; financial accounts; rate books; printed items bound into volumes, including reports (several written by Joseph Bazalgette), papers, resolutions, prospectuses, surveys and inspections on various subjects including sewers and drains, cesspools, sewage, manure, waterways, flushing operations, public health, industrial sites, public conveniences, subterranean surveys, tides and water supply; minutes of the Commissioners and plans and maps of sewers, drains and waterways.

Signed Minutes of the Hogsmill Drainage Joint Committee (1932-1939), later the Hogsmill Valley Joint Sewerage Board (1939-1960) and later the North Surrey Joint Sewage Board (1960-1965), 1932-1965 and signed minutes of Meetings in Committee, Hogsmill Valley Joint Sewerage Board and North Surrey Joint Sewage Board, 1958-1962.

Maps from the Middlesex County Council Planning Department, 1920-1961, including map of London Airport (Heathrow); map showing allotments in Middlesex; maps of bye-passes, roads and highways; maps of school sites and playing fields; map of land liable for flooding; nature conservancy map; maps of drainage and sewerage; map of the Thames Riverside Walk; maps of the Central, North, South and West Planning Areas and map of parishes, unions, rural and urban sanitary districts.

Records of the Poplar Commission of Sewers, including Letters Patent appointing Commissioners, 1702-1837; writs and warrants, 1662-1847, including writs authorizing the Commissioners to execute their office faithfully, writs discharging certain Commissioners from their duties, writs to summon juries and warrants for collection of rates; registers of orders and decrees, 1629-1847; out letter book, 1828-1843; financial accounts and rate books, 1780-1847; New Testament belonging to the Commissioners, 1797; reference book listing owners and occupiers, 1817; and maps and plans of Poplar showing sewers and levels of land.

Records of the London County Council Public Health Department relating to organisational and general matters, 1867-1967, including copies of relevant Parliamentary legislation; reports on investigations by Council officials; legal cases; papers relating to the introduction of the National Health Service; papers relating to the construction and maintenance of buildings run by the Public Health department; conference and committee papers; statistics; papers relating to various public health issues including refuse disposal, drainage and sewers, air pollution, water supply, water quality and slum clearance. Reports and printed papers relating to public health, including booklets, posters and pamphlets produced by the LCC to advertise and explain their health services.

Papers of Sir Allen Daley (Principal Medical Officer, 1929-1938; Deputy Medical Officer of Health, 1938-1939 and Medical Officer of Health, 1939-1952), consisting of a collection of extracts from medical and other journals, 1912-1938. Papers of Dr J. Letitia D Fairfield, CBE, a Medical Officer and, later, Senior Medical Officer in the Public Health Department, 1911-1948, consisting of memoranda and correspondence arising in the course of her duties, articles written by her and other articles from medical and other journals on subjects of interest in connection with her duties.

Also collection of 360 files relating to the treatment of tuberculosis by the General Public Health Department of the London County Council, 1904-1950. Many of the files are concerned with particular hospitals and sanatoria in England, which specialised in the treatment and rehabilitation of tuberculous patients. The files contain descriptions of the sanatoria, reports of their management, correspondence, financial accounts and details of particular cases. These details include the welfare of patients, as well as arrangements for their travelling expenses. The files also relate to the provision of TB administration in war time, the treatment of service men and their families, and also of refugees. The files contain information relating to the treatment of diseases associated with TB, including lupus, syphilis, silicosis and asbestosis, osteomyetitis and poliomyelitis. Progress in the treatment of TB can be traced in the files relating to the value of treatment in Switzerland, and in the files concerned with Open Air Schools. Emphasis is also placed on the importance of mass radiography as an aid towards the detection of TB at an early stage, and file 360 contains a number of such X-Ray negatives.

Minutes of the Board, 1887-1965; minutes of Finance Committee, 1916-1965; minutes of Works Committee, 1950-1965; letter books, 1909-1964; wages account books, 1893-1965; register of tenders and contracts, 1951-1954; visitors books for the Kew Sewage Works, 1891-1961; press cuttings albums, 1886-1963; booklet "The Richmond Main Sewerage Board - The Main Drainage of the District" by W. Fairley, 1926; three maps showing layout of main sewers, 1888; photographs including Colonel J.L.G. Powell, Clerk to the Board, 1887-1909; Mr Stampa W. Lambert, Chairman of the Board, 1909-1921; Lieutenant Colonel W Merrick, Member of the Board, 1909-1912 and Clerk to the Board, 1925; laying of memorial stone at the Works, 6 October 1890; group photograph taken at an Inspection of the Works, 30 July 1924 and photographs of new oil engine, 1930.

Records of the Staines Local Board of Health, Urban District Council and Rural District Council relating to road and bridge maintenance, provision of utilities and sewer and drainage works, 1876-1961, including correspondence; agreements; memoranda; contracts; deeds; copies of legislation; petitions; orders of the Local Government Board and licences.

Records of Sunbury Urban District Council, 1895-1971, including presented reports; correspondence, memoranda and copies of bye-laws, relating to the adoption of certain provisions of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1907; deeds, agreements and other documents relating to The Cedars Estate, Sunbury; papers relating to a dispute between the owners of Sunbury Park Estate and the Council; agreements and contracts for various works to be carried out, particularly road maintenance works, sewer and drainage works, housing construction, civil defence structures and war damage repairs.

Letters patent appointing Commissioners, 1727-1840; writs to swear in Commissioners and to summon juries, 1727-1830; qualification book containing forms of declaration of £100 property owners, 1834-1844; court minutes and presentments, 1569-1642; court minutes, 1677-1781; court orders, 1703-1781; court minutes and orders, 1781-1847; General Purposes Committee minutes, 1820-1847; plans and sections of sluices, sewers, washways, culverts, roads, streets and wharves; original presentments of juries, not reproduced in full in the minutes, 1743-1793; out letter books, 1833-1848; financial records, 1789-1854 and rate books, 1723-1848.

Records of Thames Water predecessor companies (water supply) and local authorities (waste water management including sewer network), comprising the following:

ACC/2558/CH: Chelsea Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/DV: Darenth Valley Main Sewerage Board

ACC/2558/EL: East London Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/GJ: Grand Junction Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/KE: Kent Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/LA: Lambeth Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/LC: Lee Conservancy Catchment Board

ACC/2558/LL: London Local Authorities, Metropolitan Board of Works, London County Council and Greater London Council

ACC/2558/MW: Metropolitan Water Board

ACC/2558/NR: New River Company

ACC/2558/S: Shadwell Waterworks Company

ACC/2558/SR: Staines Reservoir Joint Committee

ACC/2558/SV: Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company

ACC/2558/TW: Thames Water Authority

ACC/2558/WK: West Kent Main Sewerage Board

ACC/2558/WM: West Middlesex Waterworks Company

The records include corporate records and minutes, staff records, clerk's papers, records relating to water supply and distribution, technical reports, purchase records, property records, legal papers, plans, substantial series of photographs, glass plate negatives and lanterns slides (especially clean water: under ACC/2558/MW/PH, ACC/2558/MW/GP and ACC/2558/MW/L and sewer and waste water: under ACC/2558/LL/PH) and financial accounts and ledgers.

Cataloguing of this collection has been funded by Thames Water. For more information about the cataloguing project which was completed September 2019, please see 'The Thames Water Treasure Trove' in 'Source' magazine, July 2016 (library reference: 24.217 THA). London Metropolitan Archives would like to thank Thames Water for funding the cataloguing of this collection.

Letters patent appointing Commissioners, 1811-1837; writ to swear in Commissioners and orders to summon juries, 1795-1827; solicitor's notes offering advice for legal cases and presentments, 1780-1845; minutes of the Commissioners, 1702-1811; registers of the Commissioners, 1702-1830; minutes of the proceedings of the Committee, 1831-1847; Chairman's business papers, 1821-1838; Committee reference books, 1832-1846; extracts from the Registers, 1702-1821; order of Court for the presentment of landowners and tenants within area of Commission, 1837; order to owners and occupiers to appear in Court regarding non-payment of rates, 1831-1832; presentments of jurors, 1746-1844; reports and petitions, 1703-1749; reports of Committees, 1750-1846; petitions, officer's reports and letters, 1750-1847; petitions to open drains into sewers, 1802-1824; petition books, 1838-1847; financial accounts, 1707-1847, including accounts of works expenditure; rate books, 1703-1846; tenders, specifications, agreements and contracts by and with tradesmen for work on the sewers, 1751-1846; report of the Committee in response to statements made in the Report of the Poor Law Commissioners on the 'sanitary condition of the labouring population of Great Britain', 1843; plans of drains and public sewers, and maps of the jurisdiction of the Commission with levels and sewers marked.

Minutes of the Joint Drainage Committee, 1915-1916; minutes of the Wandle Valley Joint Sewerage Board, 1917-1962; minutes of Wandle Valley Main Drainage Authority, 1963-1965; Orders, 1960-1962; Members attendance books, 1928-1965; registers of documents sealed, 1917-1965; register of tenders, 1948-1965.

Records of the West Kent Main Sewerage Board, including Board minutes; Committee minutes including the Finance Committee, Superannuation Joint Committee and Works Committee; financial records including registers of agreements, register of mortgages and transfers and loans ledger; letter books; and minutes of proceedings of the West Kent Drainage Bill.

Letters Patent appointing Commissioners, 1691-1837; minutes, agendas and reports, 1659-1847; minutes and reports of other Committees including the Committee of Accounts, Committee for Improvement of the Sewers, Committee of Rates, Committee of Works and Occasional Committee; petitions and reports, 1683-1798; papers presented to the Court, 1777-1847; Surveyor's Reports of work performed by leave of the Court, 1809-1847; information and reports from the Clerk of Works on cases of surreptitious drainage, 1810-1848; Surveyor's Reports of Work done at the charge of the District, 1775-1848; journal of large works in progress, 1838-1848; contracts and specifications, 1811-1847; presentments (a 'Presentment of the Jurors' was required before work could be carried out or a rate levied. With a few exceptions the Westminster presentments consist of lists of owners or occupiers of land and houses on whom rates could be levied), 1668-1843; decrees, (decrees gave authority for the levying of rates for work on the sewers), 1675-1847; abstracts by the Clerk of Works of work performed on the sewers, recording the amount of time spent and materials used, serving as a check on the contractors' bills, 1810-1846; copies of letters and notices sent by order of the Commissioners, 1776-1848; financial accounts, 1701-1847, including contractor's bills and payments to workmen; rate books, 1703-1848; law suits and legal opinion, 1820-1840; registers of sewers and drains, 1812-1845, including new sewers; printed reports and papers, 1830-1849, including financial accounts, statements of income and expenditure, opinions of Counsel, reports by solicitors, reports of Surveyors, proposals for changes to the management and structure of the Commission, regulations and memorandums; maps and plans of properties, sewers, districts drained by specific sewers, maps of parishes and maps of London and Middlesex, 1762-1847.

Copy of Court Orders of Westminster Commission of Sewers, 7 and 28 June 1709, allowing Mrs Katherine Akrode to make a drain from her house in Butcher Row, Saint Clement Danes, into the sewer there, 28 June 1709.