Collection GB 0074 ACC/2863 - GREAT WESTERN (LONDON) HOUSING ASSOCIATION

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 ACC/2863

Title

GREAT WESTERN (LONDON) HOUSING ASSOCIATION

Date(s)

  • 1922-1990 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

2.86 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Great Western (London) Housing Association, or the Great Western (London) Garden Village Society as it was known until 1947, was established in 1923. Its aim was to provide houses at moderate rents for employees of the Great Western Railway Company and their families in the London area. This co-operative scheme was set up largely in response to the acute housing shortage after the First World War.

The Great Western Railway Company acquired sites at Acton and Hayes. The company then leased the land to the association as and when it was required. The houses were built in groups of fifty, the first being completed and occupied between May and November 1924. A financial agreement between the company and the association enabled the company to lend the association up to ninety per cent of the approved cost of the houses, the loan being secured by a mortgage. The association was administered by the Welsh Town Planning and Housing Trust until 1976. The trust was experienced in the formation and management of garden villages in England and Wales. The administration was taken over by the Family Housing Association until June 1980, when the Great Western (London) Housing Association elected to employ its own administrative staff. The association was managed by a committee of management, which consisted of between seven and eleven people elected by the association's members.

When the opportunity arose in December 1983 for the association to buy the freehold interest in its properties from the British Railways Board, it was unable to raise the capital on its own. A joint venture agreement was therefore entered into, whereby the shareholder tenants were able to purchase their properties from the board and the association. Ninety seven per cent of the shareholders took advantage of this offer, leaving the association with only thirty rented properties. It was decided to transfer these to a new housing association. Thus, the Great Western (London) Housing Association was dissolved in 1990.

The Great Western (London) Housing Association is referred to in the catalogue as 'the association'.

Archival history

GB 0074 ACC/2863 1922-1990 Collection 2.86 linear metres Great Western (London) Housing Association

The Great Western (London) Housing Association, or the Great Western (London) Garden Village Society as it was known until 1947, was established in 1923. Its aim was to provide houses at moderate rents for employees of the Great Western Railway Company and their families in the London area. This co-operative scheme was set up largely in response to the acute housing shortage after the First World War.

The Great Western Railway Company acquired sites at Acton and Hayes. The company then leased the land to the association as and when it was required. The houses were built in groups of fifty, the first being completed and occupied between May and November 1924. A financial agreement between the company and the association enabled the company to lend the association up to ninety per cent of the approved cost of the houses, the loan being secured by a mortgage. The association was administered by the Welsh Town Planning and Housing Trust until 1976. The trust was experienced in the formation and management of garden villages in England and Wales. The administration was taken over by the Family Housing Association until June 1980, when the Great Western (London) Housing Association elected to employ its own administrative staff. The association was managed by a committee of management, which consisted of between seven and eleven people elected by the association's members.

When the opportunity arose in December 1983 for the association to buy the freehold interest in its properties from the British Railways Board, it was unable to raise the capital on its own. A joint venture agreement was therefore entered into, whereby the shareholder tenants were able to purchase their properties from the board and the association. Ninety seven per cent of the shareholders took advantage of this offer, leaving the association with only thirty rented properties. It was decided to transfer these to a new housing association. Thus, the Great Western (London) Housing Association was dissolved in 1990.

The Great Western (London) Housing Association is referred to in the catalogue as 'the association'.

Gifted to the Archive in November 1990.

Records of the Great Western (London) Housing Association, covering the association's creation in 1923 to its dissolution in 1990. They include a complete run of forty two volumes of minute books and annual reports.

Agreements ACC/2863/01-02;
Rules ACC/2863/03;
Minute books ACC/2863/04-45;
Annual and other reports ACC/2863/46-49;
Building agreements ACC/2863/50-69;
General financial records ACC/2863/70-72;
Shareholders ACC/2863/73-74;
Tenants ACC/2863/75-76;
Documents concerning grants, subsidies and mortgages ACC/2863/77-80;
Income tax hearing ACC/2863/81-84;
War damage ACC/2863/85-87;
Miscellaneous legal documents ACC/2863/88-89;
Plans ACC/2863/90-93;
Printed material ACC/2863/94-99.

These records are open to public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to closure periods.

Copyright to these records rests with the 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.

June to August 2010. Housing associations Social and economic rights Right to housing Urban development Urban planning Housing development plans Housing provision Construction engineering Building design Building standards Accommodation Housing Affordable housing Visual materials Plans Building plans People People by roles Tenants Associations Organizations Housing construction Housing needs Great Western (London) Housing Association Great Western Railway Company Hayes Middlesex Ealing Bromley London England UK Western Europe Europe Acton Housing policy Town and country planning

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Gifted to the Archive in November 1990.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Great Western (London) Housing Association, covering the association's creation in 1923 to its dissolution in 1990. They include a complete run of forty two volumes of minute books and annual reports.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Agreements ACC/2863/01-02;
Rules ACC/2863/03;
Minute books ACC/2863/04-45;
Annual and other reports ACC/2863/46-49;
Building agreements ACC/2863/50-69;
General financial records ACC/2863/70-72;
Shareholders ACC/2863/73-74;
Tenants ACC/2863/75-76;
Documents concerning grants, subsidies and mortgages ACC/2863/77-80;
Income tax hearing ACC/2863/81-84;
War damage ACC/2863/85-87;
Miscellaneous legal documents ACC/2863/88-89;
Plans ACC/2863/90-93;
Printed material ACC/2863/94-99.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

These records are open to public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to closure periods.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to these records rests with the City of London.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

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

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

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