LCC , London County Council x London County Council

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

The Coroners (Amendment) Act, 1926, enabled a coroner in certain cases to dispense with the formality of an inquest. This provision greatly reduced the number of inquests. It became possible, as coronerships fell vacant, to reduce the number of coroners' districts. In 1932 the number of coroners in London was seven. In 1956 the number of coroners and coroner's districts in London was reduced to three. At one time there were thirty places in London at which inquests were held. The reorganisation of districts made it possible to reduce the number of coroners' courts in London to seven. London coroners held 2,010 inquests in 1963. More than 12,000 deaths, or 30% of all deaths occurring in London that year, were reported to them, but, after inquiries and post-mortem examinations, the coroners were able to deal with more than 10,000 cases without needing to hold an inquest.