The collection contains administrative papers of the New River Action Group, such as minutes, agendas and supporting papers, accounts and correspondence, as well as newsletters, photographs, promotional items, published books and articles, and maps and plans of the New River.

Records of the Greater London Council, 1810-1988. Papers of the Architect's Department including the Building Regulations Division, Street Naming Section, District Surveyors, Education Division, Maintenance Division, Engineering Division, Structural Engineer, Historic Buildings Division, Housing and Town Development Branch, Technical Publications, Photograph Library, Plan Registry, Special Works Branch and Technical Policy Division; and papers of the GLC London Community Builders.

Papers of the Director-General's Department, including papers of the Administration Division, Finance Division, Personnel Division, Registry and Dispatch Division, Record Office and Library, Director-General's Board, Public Health and Safety Programme Board, Ceremonial Office, Entertainments Licensing Group, Ethnic Minorities Unit, Housing and Technical Services Committees, Industry and Employment Branch, Intelligence Unit and Policy Study Groups, Judicial Services Section, Majority Party Secretariat, Member's Support Unit, Minority Party Secretariat, Police Committee Support Unit, Professional and General Services Committee, Programme Office, Policy and Resources Group, Public Relations Branch, Public Services and Fire Brigade Department, Planning Transport and Industry Group, Scrutiny Committee, Secretariat, Scientific Services Branch, Town Development Committee and Women's Committee Support Unit. Also Committee agendas, minutes and papers, periodicals, and publications of the Council.

Papers of the London Fire Brigade administrative branch. Papers of the Public Health Engineering Department, including the Rivers Branch and the Solid Waste Management Branch. Papers of the Housing Department, including the Controller of Housing and Technical Services, the Directors of Housing, the Development Branch, Management Branch, Professional Services Branch, Renewals Branch and Thamesmead Branch. Papers of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department including the Design and Technical Policy Branch and the Maintenance Branch.

Papers of the Medical Adviser's Department including the School Health Division, Health and Housing Division, Inspectorate, Mental Deficiency case files and Slum Clearance case files. Papers of the Recreation and Arts Department including papers of the Director of Development and Controller of Operational Services, papers of the General Landscaping Division, Housing Landscaping Division, Thamesmead Landscaping Division, Planning and Strategy Division, Architectural Design and Construction Division, General Practice Surveying Division, Entertainments and Fairs Division, Information and Publicity Division, Sports Division, Grants Branch, Open Space and Recreation Branch, Horticulture Division, Open Air Entertainments Division and Parks Department.

Papers of the Supply Department. Papers of the Transportation and Development Department, including papers of the Controller of Transportation and Development, papers of the Construction Branch, Statutory Division, Local Plans Division, Land Use Section, Programme Management and Resources Branch, Cycling Project Team, Chief Traffic Engineer, Traffic Control Division, Plan Registry, Traffic Management Section, Transport Planning Branch, Environmental Management Division, and Policy and Projects Division. Also Greater London Development Plan files, photographs, technical publications, and Greater London traffic surveys.

Also papers of individual members of the GLC including Ken Livingstone, GLC Leader 1981-1986; Paul Boateng, Chairman of GLC Police Committee, 1981-1986; Sir Horace Cutler, GLC Leader, 1977-1981; papers of staff clubs and societies and non-GLC publications concerning the Council and its work.

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.

Records of the Port of London, Thames Conservancy and Thames Navigation, 1505-1994.

Port of London records include administrative papers, committee reports, accounts, annual reports, bye-laws, papers of the Committee of the House of Commons appointed to consider the best mode of increasing the accommodation of the Port of London, 1796-1799, city tonnage dues cash books and canal boat registration.

Thames Conservancy records include papers relating to the City's claim to the Thames soil, shores and bed; correspondence; reports; maps; acts and bills for the Conservancy of the River Thames; papers regarding the boundary stones marking the limits of the jurisdiction of the City of London; minutes of the Navigation Committee and Parliamentary papers.

Thames Navigation records include accounts, bye-laws, petitions and reports.

Also papers relating to fishing including conservation of fish stock and issue of licences; Parliamentary papers relating to the Thames and the Embankment; papers relating to maintenance of embankments and wharves; publications regarding various aspects of the history of the Thames.

Records of the Corporation of London, 1067-2004, including records of the Court of Aldermen (COL/CA) and committees of the Court of Aldermen including Administration of Justice Committee, (COL/CA/AJA), Finance Committee (COL/CA/FNA), Gaol Committee (COL/CA/GAC), General Purposes Committee (COL/CA/GPA), Livery Cloth Committee (COL/CA/LCA), Magistracy Committee (COL/CA/MGA), Prisons Committee (COL/CA/PCA), Police Committee (COL/CA/PLA), Privileges Committee (COL/CA/PVA), Parliamentary Committee (COL/CA/PYA), Whole Committee (COL/CA/WCA) and various other committees (COL/CA/MIN).

Records of the Court of Common Council (COL/CC) and committees of the Court of Common Council including Affairs of the Corporation Committee (COL/CC/ACC), Administration of Justice Committee (COL/CC/AJC), Airport Committee (COL/CC/APC), Assessment (City Of London Union) Committee (COL/CC/ASC), Accounts Committee (COL/CC/AUC), Blackfriars Bridge (Building) Committee (COL/CC/BBB), Blackfriars Bridge (Repairing) Committee (COL/CC/BBR), Bunhill Fields Committee (COL/CC/BFC), Bridge House Committee (COL/CC/BHC), Bridge House Trust Committee (COL/CC/BHT), Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets Committee (COL/CC/BLM), Barbican Arts Centre Joint Working Party (Arts Centre) (COL/CC/BRA), Barbican Centre Committee (COL/CC/BRC), Barbican Development Committee (COL/CC/BRD), Barbican Residential Committee (COL/CC/BRR), Barbican Contracts Working Party (COL/CC/BRW), Coal, Corn and Finance Committee (COL/CC/CCF), Coal and Corn Committee (COL/CC/CCN), Coal, Corn and Rates Finance Committee (COL/CC/CCR), Civil Defence Committee (COL/CC/CDC), Civil Defence (Emergency) Committee (COL/CC/CDE), Central Markets Committee (COL/CC/CEM), City of London (Arizona) Corporation (COL/CC/CLA), City Lands and Bridge House Estates Committee (COL/CC/CLBH), City Lands Committee (COL/CC/CLC), City of London Education Committee (COL/CC/CLE), Board of Governors, City of London Freemen's School (COL/CC/CLF), City of London Freemen's (Orphans) School (COL/CC/CLFO), Board of Governors, City of London School for Girls (COL/CC/CLG), Board Of Governors, City of London School (COL/CC/CLS), City Of London School Building Committee (COL/CC/CLSB), City Of London School For Girls Committee (COL/CC/CLSG), City Of London Schools Committee (COL/CC/CLSS), Computer Sub-Committee (COL/CC/CMB), Computer Steering Group Committee (COL/CC/CMG), County Purposes Committee (COL/CC/CPC), Enquiries into the Constitution of the Corporation (COL/CC/CPR), Court Of Requests Committee (COL/CC/CRC), Central Criminal Court (Extension) Co mmittee (COL/CC/CRE), Central Criminal Court: Newson Smith Committee (COL/CC/CRN), Consolidated Committee (COL/CC/CTC), Cattle Markets Committee (COL/CC/CTM), Elementary Education Committee (COL/CC/EEC), Epping Forest And Open Spaces Committee (COL/CC/EFC), Emanuel Hospital Committee (COL/CC/EHC), Establishment Committee (COL/CC/ESC), Freedom Applications Committee (COL/CC/FAC), Food Control Committee (COL/CC/FCC), Freedom Committee (19th Century) (COL/CC/FDC), Finance Committee (COL/CC/FNC), Gaol Expenses and Finance Committee (COL/CC/FNG), Special Finance/Select Finance or Finance Committee (COL/CC/FNS), Fish Supply Committee (COL/CC/FSC), Guildhall Improvement Committee (COL/CC/GHI), Guildhall Yard East Building Committee (COL/CC/GHY), General Purposes Committee (COL/CC/GPC), Gresham Committee (City Side) (COL/CC/GRC), Joint Gresham Committee (COL/CC/GRJ), Gas/Gas And Water Committee (COL/CC/GWC), Guildhall Yard East Committee (COL/CC/GYE), City Of London Board Of Health (COL/CC/HEB), Health Committee (COL/CC/HEC), Housing Committee (COL/CC/HGC), Hampstead Heath Management Committee (COL/CC/HHM), Highgate Wood Joint Consultative Committee (COL/CC/HWJ), Improvements Committee (Corporation) (COL/CC/IMP), Improvements And Town Planning Committee (C.S/Phd) (COL/CC/ITP), Joint Advisory Committee (COL/CC/JTA), Joint Bridge House Estates and Improvements Committee (COL/CC/JTB), Joint Committee (COL/CC/JTC), Joint (P.H.D) Committee (COL/CC/JTP), Joint Bridge House Estates and Special Committee (COL/CC/JTS), Joint Bridge House Estates and Thames Navigation and Port of London Committee (COL/CC/JTT), Litter Act Committee (COL/CC/LAC), London Bridge Approaches Committee (COL/CC/LBA), London Bridge Committee (COL/CC/LBC), London Bridge Improvements Committee (COL/CC/LBI), Local Centres Examinations Board Executive Committee (COL/CC/LCE), Local Food Control Committee (COL/CC/LFC), Local Government and Taxation Committee (COL/CC/LGT), Libraries, Guildhall Art Gallery and Arch ives Committee (COL/CC/LIB), Law Bills Committee (COL/CC/LLC), Library And Museum Committee (COL/CC/LMC), Law, [Parliamentary] and City Courts Committee (COL/CC/LPC), Lunatic Asylum Committee (COL/CC/LUC), Music and Drama Committee (COL/CC/MDC), Metage on Grain Committee (COL/CC/MGC), Committees (COL/CC/MIN), Museum of London Board of Governors (COL/CC/MLB), Midsummer Prize (later Prize) Committee (COL/CC/MPC), Markets Improvement Committee (COL/CC/MRI), Joint Markets Advisory Committee (COL/CC/MRJ), Markets Committee (COL/CC/MRK), Militia Committee (COL/CC/MTC), Mayoralty 800th Anniversary Committee (COL/CC/MYA), Mayoralty Visits Committee (COL/CC/MYC), Officers and Clerks Committee (COL/CC/OCC), Officers and Clerks Committee, 1815-1834 (COL/CC/OCL), Public Health Committee (COL/CC/PBC), Prisons Committee (COL/CC/PCC), Port Health and Environmental Services Committee (COL/CC/PHE), Port and City of London Health and Social Services Committee (COL/CC/PHS), Police Committee (COL/CC/PLC), Port of London Health Committee (COL/CC/PLH), Port of London Committee (COL/CC/PNC), Policy and Resources Committee (COL/CC/PRC), Planning and Transportation Committee (COL/CC/PTC), Planning and Transportation Committee: Trees, Gardens And Open Spaces Sub-Committee (COL/CC/PTCG), Planning And Transportation Committee: Traffic Management And Road Safety Sub-Committee (COL/CC/PTCT), Privileges Committee (COL/CC/PVC), Parliamentary Committee (COL/CC/PYC), Rates Finance Committee (COL/CC/RFC), Revenue And Officers Committee (COL/CC/ROC), Special Bridge Or Subway Committee (COL/CC/SBC), Special (City Of London Court) Committee (COL/CC/SCC), City Of London School Committee (COL/CC/SCH), Secondaries And Sheriffs' Courts Committee (COL/CC/SDC), Special (Emergency) Committee (COL/CC/SEC), Special Finance Committee (COL/CC/SFC), Special (Guildhall Reconstruction) Committee (COL/CC/SGC), Select General Purposes (Porters) Committee (COL/CC/SGP), Special Housing Committee (COL/CC/SHC), Select And Special Committees (COL/CC/SIC), Special (Labour) Committee (COL/CC/SLC), Special Markets Committee (COL/CC/SMC), Special Committee (COL/CC/SPC), Spitalfields Market Committee (COL/CC/SPM), Special Police Committee (COL/CC/SPO), Special Inquiry Committee (COL/CC/SQC), Special Revenue Committee (COL/CC/SRC), Social Services Committee (COL/CC/SSC), Staff Committee (COL/CC/STF), Special Tithes Committee (COL/CC/STH), Streets Committee (COL/CC/STS), Special (War Damage Act) Committee (COL/CC/SWC), Tithe Committee (COL/CC/TIC), Thames Navigation Committee (COL/CC/TNC), Valuation Committee (COL/CC/VAC), Works Advisory Committee (COL/CC/WAC), Whole Court Committee (COL/CC/WCC), Whole Court (P.H.D.) Committee (COL/CC/WCD), Welfare Committee (COL/CC/WEC), West Ham Park: Committee Of Managers Of West Ham Park (COL/CC/WHP), Watch And Police Committee (COL/CC/WPC), Watch And Police: Day Police Committee (COL/CC/WPD) and Watch And Police: Special Day Police And Nightly Watch Committee (COL/CC/WPS).

Records of the Comptroller and City Solicitor (COL/CCS) including Comptroller's papers (COL/CCS/CO), Plans (COL/CCS/PL) and Solicitor's papers (COL/CCS/SO).

Records of the Chamberlain's Department including Apprenticeship (COL/CHD/AP), Bridge House Estates (COL/CHD/BH), Chamber Accounts (COL/CHD/CM), Chamberlain (COL/CHD/CP), Chamberlain's Court (COL/CHD/CR), City's Cash (COL/CHD/CT), Duties and Metage (COL/CHD/DM), Freedom (COL/CHD/FR), Institutions and Courts (COL/CHD/IC), Improvements (COL/CHD/IM), Loans and Assessments (COL/CHD/LA), Military and Naval (COL/CHD/MN), Pensions (COL/CHD/PN), Poor and other Relief (COL/CHD/PR), Rents and Rentals (COL/CHD/RN), Rates (COL/CHD/RT) and Trust and other Funds (COL/CHD/TF).

Records of Mansion House including Administration (COL/MH/AD), Lord Mayor (COL/MH/LM), Lord Mayor's Household (COL/MH/LMH) and The Mansion House (COL/MH/MSH).

Records of the Planning Department including Architect (COL/PLD/AR), Plans (COL/PLD/PL) and Town Planning (COL/PLD/TP).

Records of the Remembrancer's Department including Ceremonials (COL/RMD/CE), Parliamentary (COL/RMD/PA) and Remembrancer's Papers COL/RMD/RM.

Other records including administrative records (COL/AD); Brokers (COL/BR), charters (COL/CH), Common Hall (COL/CN), Common Hall: Livery Consultative Committee (COL/CN/LCN), Common Hall: Livery Committee (COL/CN/LVC), Livery Companies (COL/CP), Custumals (COL/CS), Community Services Department: Housing (COL/CSD/HO), Community Services Department: Social Services (COL/CSD/SS), Charities (COL/CT), Environmental Services Department (COL/ESD), Libraries and Art Galleries: Administration (COL/LBD/AD), Guildhall Art Gallery (COL/LBD/AG), Guildhall Library (COL/LBD/GHL), Officers (COL/OF), Public Health Department: Administration (COL/PHD/AD), Public Health Department: Plans (COL/PHD/PL), Plans (COL/PL), Recognizances (COL/RG), Surveyor's Department: Administration (COL/SVD/AD), Surveyor's Department: Plans (COL/SVD/PL), Town Clerks Department: Administration (COL/TCD/AD), Town Clerks Department: Civil Defence (COL/TCD/CD), Registration COL/TCD/RG, Technical Services Department: Plans (COL/TSD/PL), Sheriffs (COL/SF) and Wards (COL/WD).

Also records arranged in Subject Series: Individuals (COL/SD), Subjects (COL/SJ) and Places (COL/SP).

The records in the CLRO are thought to be one of the finest and most complete municipal archives in Europe. However, researchers may notice some substantial gaps and these merit an explanation. The majority of the records of the Freedom of the City prior to 1681 and the City's Cash accounts prior to 1632 were either destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666 or in another fire in the Chamber (the finance department of the Corporation) in 1786. Similarly, it is thought that a fire at the Sessions House in the Old Bailey in 1877 destroyed the early Sessions minutes and files, as well as the bulk of the supporting papers. The paucity of surviving Sheriffs' Court records for the medieval period is thought to be because these records were considered to be the personal property of a Sheriff, who might be called upon to produce records in order to account for his actions during his time in office long after his Shrievalty had ended. Similarly, it is thought the records of coroner's inquests have not survived in any quantity before 1788 because inquests were not held in a court building until relatively recently, and so the records of inquests were considered part of the personal papers of office holders rather than administrative records.

Printed memorandum from Office of Works and Public Buildings about the Longford River, brought from Colne to supply Hampton Court Palace, including maps.

Papers mainly concerning the construction and administration of bridges, roads, piers, railways, harbours, reservoirs and canals in Scotland, 1782-1841, including correspondence of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville (1742-1811), Robert Saunders Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville (1771-1851), and Sir Thomas Dundas, 1st Baron Dundas (1741-1820). The collection comprises letters, petitions, memorials, plans, estimates, reports, financial accounts, legal papers, trustees minutes and circulars relating to bridges including the Dee, Don, Urie, Findhorn, Montrose, Nairn, Pease, and Spey; canals including the Borrowstone Canal Navigation, the Clarence Canal, the Forth and Clyde Navigation, and the Union Canal (Falkirk to Edinburgh); ferries such as the Dysart Ferry, Queensferry, and Tay Ferries; harbours and piers notably Burntisland Harbour and Pier, Kinghorn Harbour, Hartlepool Pier, and Newhaven Pier; the Gala Water Railroad; the North Esk Reservoirs; roads in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dalkeith, Edinburgh, Glenlaidnaig, Glenlichorn, Lanarkshire, Lauriston, Perth, and Stirling.

Papers of Arthur G Guillemard comprising bound volume containing notes and press cuttings on waterfalls of the world, with an index and loose press cuttings and letters addressed to Guillemard.

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)

Records of the Court of Aldermen, 1495-2004, including repertories (proceedings), 1495-1998; subject index to repertories, 1495-1857; fair minutes, 1691-1716; rough minutes, 1691-1932; Town Clerk's rough books, 1957-1996; draft minutes, 1801-1936 and 1941-1955; printed minutes, 1853-2000; signed printed minutes, 1940-2000; agendas, 1938-2003; special agendas, 1928-2000; papers read in the Court, 1663-2004; various petitions, 17th and 18th century; printed reports, 1713-1714 and 1997-1998; pocket books, 1828-1999; papers relating to the election of Aldermen, 1443-1941; list of the names of Aldermen, 1270-1898; various papers regarding the admission, attendance and role of Aldermen, 1611-1979. Please note that some records are closed.

Records of Patrick Colquhoun, police magistrate, comprising letter to Henry Dundas, Home Secretary, relating to a salary dispute, 1793; letter to Richard Ford, magistrate, relating to apprehension of a criminal, 1797; letter to William Wickham, Under-secretary of State for the Home Department, relating to the river police, 1798; letter regarding the Wapping riots, 1798; letters relating to expenditure, 1799.

Also autobiographical notes giving an account of 'family and public services', including a detailed chronological account of his public services, beginning with his early career in Glasgow, where he was Chief Magistrate. He accepted the position of a police magistrate in London "not so much on account of the salary which was small; but from a strong impression on his mind that by great attention to the duty he had undertaken to perform he would be able after a time to suggest measures for the improvement of a System(?), than which nothing could be worse." His various activities have included regulating public houses, and establishing the river police office, soup kitchens and a public school in Westminster. He has published treatises on these and other subjects which have been read widely, and many of his suggestions have been implemented. In many connections he has been styled a "public benefactor".

This document appears to have been composed with a view to publication. In 1818 Colquhoun's son-in-law contributed to the European Magazine "an exhaustive account of his useful and disinterested labours," (Dictionary of National Biography, Vol IV, p.860), and it is possible that this was written for that article. However, as the account of his services ends at 1814 (although he was a police magistrate until 1818), and the watermark is 1814, the earlier date seems the more probable.

Records from the Lee Conservancy Board Engineer's Office at Enfield Lock. The engineer appears also to have been responsible to the Lee Conservancy Catchment Board (for example, see Acc 2423/062).

The collection consists of nineteenth and twentieth century plans, papers and volumes concerning the Lee Conservancy Board, the Lee Conservancy Catchment Board, and the British Waterways Board, covering many aspects of maintenance work on waterways and administration. The papers comprise:

• Plans 1760-1954 (ACC 2423/P/0001-3786) A large proportion of the collection consists of plans, many reused with annotations. Items relate to repair work on sewers and buildings, improvements to rivers and pumping stations, and the purchase of land for new projects.
  • Parliamentary Plans 1840-1965 (ACC 2423/PP/001-041) Plans produced for or submitted for Parliamentary Sessions to illustrate forthcoming work on waterways, for example, sewerage work, or waterways affected by the construction of railways.
  • Specific Plans 1867-1964 (ACC 2423/R/001-076) A set of plans illustrating large projects, which seems to have been kept as a set distinct and separate from the main ACC 2423/P plan series by the placing of the letter `R' before each original plan number.
  • General Plans 1828-1974 (ACC 2423/X/001-300) A collection of more general plans relating to projects focusing on improvements to the Lea River and Navigation, the Stort River and Navigation, the Bow Back Rivers and the Grand Union Canal.
  • Ordnance Survey Maps 1838-1955 (ACC 2423/05/001-139) Maps used to plan forthcoming work, with frequent annotations, particularly for the drafting of courses for sewers.
  • Engineers' Reports and Letter Books 1858-1961 (ACC 2423/001-136) Sets of volumes and files recording reports, contracts and specifications, and other maintenance records.
  • Administrative and Legal Documents 1829-1977 (ACC 2423/AL/001-119) Administrative files relating to accidents and damage, together with inventories of assets, minutes of meetings, and engineers' reports. Legal documents include material on agreements for sale and tenancy, the conveyance of property, and contracts.
  • Engineering and Maintenance Records 1892-1978 (ACC 2423/EM/001-097) Records relating to the maintenance and improvement of waterways, including development plans, moratorium surveys, pumping records, and related graphs and operation sheets.

MSS. 5958-5963 comprise journals of A B Barton, mainly written while he was a medical officer in the service of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P & O), 1853-1858. They cover his journeys between Bombay, Singapore and Hong Kong; to the Crimea; and to the Far East. They include descriptions of the progress of the Chinese rebellion (MS. 5959), tending to and transporting the sick and wounded from Balaclava to Scutari (MS. 5960), and his shipwreck off the coast of Ceylon, together with General Henry Havelock, on the steamer Erin (MS. 5962). Some are manuscript or typescript copies. MSS. 7589-7594 comprise journals and sketches mainly relating to the Yangtse expedition, led by Captain Thomas W Blakiston, on which Barton served as a medical officer, 1861. One journal, MS. 7591, also records the end of the expedition and Barton's journey to Ceylon via Singapore, with entries on hunting expeditions in Ceylon. The journals are all fair copies. MS. 7592 comprises a narrative of the Yangste expedition read by Barton to the Royal Geographical Society, based on his journals. MS. 7593 is a series of mainly topographical illustrations relating to the expedition, comprising sketches by Barton, plus photographs and engravings based on other sketches by Barton, some of which were used to illustrate Five Months on the Yang-Tse by Thomas W Blakiston (London: John Murray, 1862). MS. 7594 comprises later papers of Brian M Gould relating to Barton and his journals, 1967 and n.d.

Records of the Court of Common Council, Corporation of London, 1272-2002, including journals, 1416-2000; subject index to journals, 1416-1811; index to the repertories, journals and letter books, 1416-1750; indexed printed minutes, 1811-1965; fair minutes, 1788-1880; rough minutes 1866-1970; Public Health Department journals, 1898-1947; Principal Clerk's rough books, 1875-1916; Town Clerk's rough books, 1954-2002; agendas, 1773-2001 (with gaps); papers (reports, letters and documents laid before the Common Council), 1643-2001 (with gaps); Town Clerk's rough papers, 1956-2000; Acts of the Common Council, 15th century - 1806; standing orders, 1880 and 1941; pocket books (lists of members and officers, committees and other information), 1788-2011; extracts regarding committees of the Common Council, 1400-1732; extracts from letter books regarding the constitution of the Common Council, 1272-1327; other administrative papers relating to the Common Council, including petitions, regulations, powers and so on; papers regarding the election of Common Councilmen, 1536-1964; papers regarding porters, 1606-1860; papers regarding fellowship porters, 1607-1934; papers regarding tackle house and ticket porters, 1607-1823; papers regarding byelaws, 1543-1993; modification orders, 1964-1983; closing orders, 1949-1974; papers relating to tree preservation, 1969-1998; stopping up orders (highways), 1963-2002; stopping up orders (public paths), 1981-2000 and papers relating to town planning, 1972-1996.

NB - 'tackle porters' were responsible for loading and unloading ships and a 'fellowship porter' was a member of the fellowship of the Porters of Billingsgate. 'Ticket porters' were members of a body of porters in the City of London who were licensed by the Corporation; originally called street-porters, and distinct from tackle porters. They were entitled to work in the Corporation markets.

Laboratory notebook possibly compiled in laboratories at Crossness Pumping Station, Belvedere Road, Abbey Wood, SE2; containing wide range of analyses including: water quality, gas testing, Thames mud, sand, sewage, cow shed water, asbestos, petroleum, and so on. Several entries concern a Thames Pollution enquiry. The volume also contained 'Oxygen Sag Curve' analyses of the Thames. It is probable that the work was carried out for the Metropolitan Board of Works.

Map of the River Colne, its branches and tributaries, 1842, including schedule of mills on the Rivers Ver, Bulbourne, Gade, Chess, Misbourne, Colne, Isleworth and Kings, giving name and type of mill, names of owner and occupier, and a section showing levels of mills between Tring and River Thames at Staines. Published by W. H. Holland, St. John Street, Adelphi.

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

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.

Indenture of bargain and sale of 14 Feb 1649 by (1) Robert Hyde, serjeant at law, of Dinton, Wiltshire, Henry Hyde, merchant, of London, Edward Hyde, clerk, of Brightwell, Berkshire, and Frederick Hyde, of Middle Temple, sons of Sir Laurence Hyde of Salisbury, to (2) Henry Griffith, of London, of a thirty-sixth part of the New River 'brought from Chadwell and Amwell to London' or waterworks, formerly the property of Sir Laurence Hyde, and left by him in his will of 13 July 1637 for the payment of his debts. Consideration: £40 and £300. Signed and sealed by the parties of the first part, but the seal of Edward Hyde alone survives.

Papers, 1776-1991 (including some copies), some undated, collected by Anthony James Broomhall for his work on the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor and China's Open Century, comprising manuscript, typescript and printed notes and sources, largely undated, on Chinese and missionary history, on James Hudson Taylor, including his letters and personal papers, the chronology of his life, and his forebears, and on Frederick Howard Taylor; photocopies of drawings and photographs, including James Hudson Taylor and also Chinese buildings, cities, boats and rivers, and other scenes, copies of documents associated with Taylor, including his Bible and marriage certificate, and a photograph of his grave; maps of China and other parts of Asia, some including China Inland Mission stations; Broomhall's correspondence relating to his research, 1939-1991.

Diaries of Edward Wilding, 1926-1929, comprising diary in four volumes, illustrated with photographs, postcards, etc, of voyage to South America and a journey to Corriented and Posada on the River Parana and its tributaries, 1926 and diary in five volumes, illustrated with photographs, postcards etc, of a voyage to South America and a journey up the River Parana and in northern and western Argentina, 1929.

Records of the Courts of Conservancy, 1646-1857, including sessions held in London, Essex, Middlesex, Kent and Surrey for breaches of regulations covering encroachments, wharves, fishing, obstructing or fouling the river and similar offences. The papers include grand jury presentments, writs, court minutes, court notes, court orders, committee minutes and administrative papers.

Papers of Crawter and Sons, estate agents, 1803-1896, including draft report and valuation of Mr. Cook's property at Edmonton; valuation, particulars and conditions of sale for premises in Enfield purchased by Newell Connop; memoranda of agreement between the Connop family and various tenants relating to the lease of properties; various plans of land in Edmonton and Enfield; letters relating to the work of Crawter and Sons, premises in Enfield and the management of the Connop estate and rental properties; notices relating to occupation of properties; receipts; report on value of underdraining completed in Churchbury Field, Enfield, surveyed by Henry Crawter; notices, plans and correspondence relating to appearance of Thomas Crawter and others to give evidence for prosecution in case versus John Fulford Owen of Enfield Chase, Enfield, for having made encroachments onto public highway at Enfield Chase.

Papers relating to the New River Water Works, including letter from Mr. Edward Beldam, Royston, Hertfordshire to the Directors of the New River Company, Islington, requesting the removal of fences erected by the Company, which were encroaching onto Mr. Richard Vaughan's premises at Enfield; correspondence concerning the New River Water Works Bill and proposed works in Tottenham and Stoke Newington; instructions for engineers concerning drawing of plans and book of reference under New River Water Works Act; plans and rough tracings of lands on Middlesex side of New River from New River Head to Enfield giving acreages of parcels of land and their occupiers.

Papers, including plan of estate at Hackney belonging to Miss Young; plans of Mr. Griggs premises at Tumbling Bay, Lea Bridge, Hackney; plan and rough copy of field at Maiden Lane, Islington; solicitors' bill of charges concerning lease of Ship public house and premises at Shepperton to Mr. Rowlls by John Connop; plan of premises at Grove Road, Mile End belonging to John and Edward Hatfield to be affected by building of Eastern Counties Railway; correspondence with Charles W. Cook, Vestry Clerk for parish of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire from Francis Shelton, clerk to Edmonton Guardians and the Local Government Board, Whitehall, concerning proposed separation of Hornsey from Edmonton Union, with minutes of meetings and accounts of rates levied and amounts apportioned to County rate, Metropolitan Police, School Attendance Committee, Burial Board, and so on; printed poster giving notice of local inquiry to be held, 1 Oct 1896, concerning wish of parishes of Hornsey and South Hornsey to be separated from Edmonton Union and formed into a distinct Poor Law Union.

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.

Papers of David Livingstone including autograph letters and articles; one small watercolour; copies of letters to various correspondents; a notebook of astronomical observations and many letters and copies of letters from relations; friends and the Foreign Office referring to Livingstone.

Papers relating to the period 1850-1852, including a letter from Livingstone to William Cotton Oswell dated from Kuruman Sept 20 1852 which contains an account of the activities of the Boers around Kuruman and towards Sechele and copies of letters, 1850-1851, to the London Missionary Society. (9 items)

Papers, 1853-1857, principally concerning the expedition to Loanda, Linyanti and the Victoria Falls. These include 10 letters from Livingstone in Africa, 1853-1856, reporting to the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) on the progress of the expedition, the discovery of the Victoria Falls etc (long extracts from these letters were published by the RGS); a letter dated [25 Aug 1856] to the Editor of the 'Athenaeum' discussing 'easy chair versus field geography'; 18 letters from English addresses, Jan 1857-Feb 1858 to Dr Norton Shaw (the Society's Secretary) in which Livingstone asks for information on the mouth of the Zambesi, requires a copper boat, comments on his book, maps, family matters and the London Missionary Society; copies of letters from Livingstone to E Gabriel from Cassange, 14 Feb 1855, to Mr Sturge from Tette, 11 Dec 1858 and to Mr Layard from Bombay, 28 Sep 1865. (76 items)

Papers, 1858-1865, concerning the expedition to the Shiré, Zambesi and Lake Nyasa. These include 8 letters from Livingstone in Africa 1860-1864, to Sir Roderick Murchison and Dr Norton Shaw at the RGS reporting on the progress of the expedition; a small watercolour of the Victoria Falls; a report on the navigation of the Zambesi; an article in which Livingstone summarises proceedings of the expedition and activities of Universities Mission [probable date Jan 1862]; letters from Mary Livingstone to Dr. Norton Shaw, 1858 and 1860; copies of 19 letters from Livingstone to Macgregor Laird, the Foreign Office, Sir Thomas Maclear, E. Gabriel, the Rev A Monk, 1858-1862. (54 items).

Papers, 1865-1873, concerning Livingstone's last expedition. These include 3 letters from Livingstone to Sir Roderick Murchison, 2 Feb 1867; to Sir Thomas Maclear 8 Jul 1868, to Sir Henry Rawlinson dated from South Central Africa 1873 [probably written in early April, and the last known communication addressed by Livingstone to any official of the RGS]; a notebook of astronomical observations 1872-1873; a collection of news cuttings of 1872 about Livingstone and H M Stanley; copies of 17 letters from Livingstone to the Foreign Office, Sir Bartle Frere, Dr. John Kirk, Sir Roderick Murchison and Mr Seward; letters of Dr. John Kirk, H A Churchill and others communicating news and rumours about Livingstone. (60 items).

Papers relating to the death and funeral of Livingstone. (11 items).

Papers of John Frederick Baddeley, 1859-1926, including description of a journey from Aigun to Tsitsikar in 1910; papers on the Amoor [sic] railway; material for a book on the Amoor river; papers relating to the Russian Far East; a book in Russian "Journey on the Amur" published in 1859 and a small notebook containing hand-drawn maps of the river.

Papers of Professor William Cawthorne Unwin, 1856-1952, comprising correspondence, principally concerning engineering matters, 1856-1931, 1950,1952, notably with Edward Dean Adams, including the Niagra Falls Scheme, 1890-1929, Sir Benjamin Baker, including the Forth Bridge, dam schemes, 1882-1898, Sir William Fairbairn, including experiments, appointments, 1856-1874, Thomas Hardy, concerning astronomy, 1881, Imperial College, 1910-1926 (as representative of the Institution of Civil Engineers);
research papers, 1859-1924, notably Fay and Newall brakes, 1859, observations on the Thames, 1882-1883, Nile Project Committee, 1919, dam schemes, 1899-1905;
speeches and addresses to various institutions, including presidential addresses to the Institution of Civil Engineers, 1912, and Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 1916; engineering drawings, 1875-1906, of apparatus, machinery, sections of the Thames, Telok Ayer key wall, Singapore; two portraits of Unwin, undated;
additional material, comprising papers relating to Windsor Water Works arbitration, 1884; reports on compression gauges, 1886-1887; Birmingham dams, 1895; notes on dam theory, 1905; papers relating to Stockport water supply and Kinder Dam, 1905; notes relating to schemes for Niagra and central London.

Manuscript transcript of an Act of Parliament (16 and 17 Charles II, c.11) for making the river Medway navigable in the Counties of Kent and Sussex, copied in c1740.

Original observations of levels by the Thames Levelling Commission, 1830 .