Collection HFCS - HOLBORN AND FINSBURY COMMISSION OF SEWERS

46.5 linear metres

HFCS 1683-1847 Collection 46.5 linear metres Holborn and Finsbury Commission of Sewers

Early Commissioners of Sewers were solely concerned with land drainage and the prevention of flooding, not with the removal of sewage in the modern sense. In 1531 an Act of Sewers was passed which set out in great detail the duties and powers of Commissioners and governed their work until the 19th century. Gradually a permanent pattern emerged in the London area of seven commissions, five north and two south of the Thames, with, after the Great Fire, a separate commission for the City of London. The London commissioners had more extensive powers than those in other parts of the country; they had control over all watercourses and ditches within two miles of the City of London as well as newly constructed drains and sewers. After 1800 the London commissioners also obtained powers to control the formation of new sewers and house drains.

On 21 May 1608 a Commission of Sewers was issued to Sir Nicholas Mosley 'maior of London' and others 'for Turnemyll Brooke and Fleets ditche in Lond. & Midd. and the Watercourse that runneth from Clerkenwell to holborne Bridge and soe into the Ryver of Thames' (Stow's Chronicle). Although this appears to be the first of the Holborn and Finsbury Commissions, the next covering this area appears to be that 'for the Cittie of London and two miles from the same' (1615) (Act 6 Hy. VI c.5) though this must have overlapped the area of the Westminster Commission. The later 17th century Commissions have the area of their jurisdiction described in similar terms and it is not until 1699 (Act 23 Hy. VIII c.5) that 'the Divisions of Holborne and Finsbury' are specifically mentioned.

The jurisdiction of the Holborn and Finsbury Commission of Sewers included sewers in Shoreditch, Clerkenwell, Islington, Hoxton, Moorfields, Chancery Lane, Gray's Inn Road, Leather Lane, Saint Pancras, Camden, Gower Street, the Regent's Canal and the River Fleet.

Acquired with the records of its successor body.

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.

HFCS/1-5: Letters Patent; HFCS/6-8: Qualification Books; HFCS/9-62: Orders and Minutes; HFCS/63-70: Contract Books; HFCS/71-95: Correspondence; HFCS/96-132: Petitions; HFCS/133-134: Clerk's Reports; HFCS/135-144: Complaint Books; HFCS/145-161: Surveyor; HFCS/162-556: Financial; HFCS/557-570: General; HFCS/P and PR: Maps and Plans.

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 further records relating to sewers in London please see MCS: Metropolitan Commission of Sewers; PCS: Poplar Commission of Sewers; SKCS: Surrey and Kent Commission of Sewers; THCS: Tower Hamlets Commission of Sewers; WCS: Westminster and Middlesex Commission of Sewers; NSJSB: North Surrey Joint Sewage Board; O/080 and O/160: Westminster Commission of Sewers; ACC/2766: Crossness Pumping Station; GCS: Greenwich Commission of Sewers; HLCS: Havering Level Commission of Sewers; HFCS: Holborn and Finsbury Commission of Sewers; RMSB: Richmond Main Sewerage Board; STKCS: Saint Katherine's Commission of Sewers; WVA: Wandle Valley Main Drainage Authority and MBW: Metropolitan Board of Works. For the City of London see CLA/006: City of London Commissioners of Sewers.

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. April to June 2009 Western Europe UK England Fleet, river Holborn and Finsbury Commission of Sewers Health policy Waste treatment Sewers Water resources management Water supply Drainage Water resources Sewerage Environmental engineering Sanitation Waste disposal Sewage disposal People People by roles Commissioners Improvement commissioners Health Public health Shoreditch London Holborn St Pancras Finsbury Islington (district) Islington Hoxton Hackney Clerkenwell Camden (district) Camden Regent's Canal Europe

Acquired with the records of its successor body.

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.

HFCS/1-5: Letters Patent; HFCS/6-8: Qualification Books; HFCS/9-62: Orders and Minutes; HFCS/63-70: Contract Books; HFCS/71-95: Correspondence; HFCS/96-132: Petitions; HFCS/133-134: Clerk's Reports; HFCS/135-144: Complaint Books; HFCS/145-161: Surveyor; HFCS/162-556: Financial; HFCS/557-570: General; HFCS/P and PR: Maps and Plans.

Available for general access

Copyright: City of London

• anglais

• latin

English

For further records relating to sewers in London please see MCS: Metropolitan Commission of Sewers; PCS: Poplar Commission of Sewers; SKCS: Surrey and Kent Commission of Sewers; THCS: Tower Hamlets Commission of Sewers; WCS: Westminster and Middlesex Commission of Sewers; NSJSB: North Surrey Joint Sewage Board; O/080 and O/160: Westminster Commission of Sewers; ACC/2766: Crossness Pumping Station; GCS: Greenwich Commission of Sewers; HLCS: Havering Level Commission of Sewers; HFCS: Holborn and Finsbury Commission of Sewers; RMSB: Richmond Main Sewerage Board; STKCS: Saint Katherine's Commission of Sewers; WVA: Wandle Valley Main Drainage Authority and MBW: Metropolitan Board of Works. For the City of London see CLA/006: City of London Commissioners of Sewers.

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