The working drawings of John Smeaton, civil engineer. They illustrate his researches on waterwheels and applied mechanics, and the relative efficiency of overshot as opposed to undershot wheels. With supplementary engravings and manuscript notes.

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.

History of the London Bridge Waterworks, 1780.

Financial records of the East London Waterworks Company, including general ledgers; journals and cash books; Collectors' accounts volumes; analyses of expenditure volumes; minor financial volumes and rating files.

Staff records of the East London Waterworks Company, including Officers' guarantees; papers relating to salaries annual holidays and sickness; and staff lists.

Purchase records of the Kent Waterworks Company including stock books, store book meters, and weigh bridge books (containing descriptions of goods and their weights).

General papers of the Kent Waterworks Company including press cuttings; papers relating to the Royal Commission on Water Supply; legal case papers and indexes.

Staff records of the Lambeth Waterworks Company, comprising establishment books.

Staff records of the London Bridge Waterworks Company, comprising servants weekly wages book.

Records of the London Bridge Waterworks Company relating to water supply and distribution, including water rental books; particluars of improvements to iron pipes; log book for steam engines and account of the working of the fire engine.

Records of the Metropolitan Water Board, including minutes and related papers for the Board; the Appeal and Assessment Committee; the Works and Stores Committee; the Stores Account Sub-committee; the Special Co-ordinating Committee and the Special Arbitration Committee.

Records of the Metropolitan Water Board relating to the Croydon Corporation Waterworks, comprising plans from the Engineering Department including Croydon Corporation Waterworks; Waddon Pumping Station; Stroud Green Waterworks; Surrey Street Pumping Station and water mains, ponds, wells and rivers.

Correspondence files of the New River Company, including Secretary's letter books; letter books of staff members including engineers, supervisors and surveyors; general letter books and estate letter books.

Records of the New River Company relating to Parliamentary proceedings, including papers regarding relevant Select Committees and Bills; memoranda of proceedings; reports; and correspondence, statistics and reports relating to the Royal Commission on the Metropolitan Water Supply.

Contracts of the New River Company including specifications; quotations; contracts; tenders; accepted contracts; accepted stores contracts and contracts for building offices.

Staff records of the New River Company, including wages books; returns of employees and papers relating to staff appointments.

Records of the Staines Reservoir Joint Committee, comprising progress reports from the Engineer.

Corporate records of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company, including Board meeting minute books; Committee meeting minute books; Secretary's reports; correspondence and letter books; solicitor's accounts; legal papers; records relating to stocks and shares; registers of probates; mortgage records and contracts records.

Staff records of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company, including wages books; expenses books; time books and applications, testimonials and correspondence.

General records of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company, including newscuttings books; papers relating to a legal case; papers relating to stocks and papers relating to works.

Corporate records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company, including Board of Directors minutes; General Assembly minutes; Committee minutes; letter books and correspondence; legal papers; records relating to stocks and shares; files on Royal Commissions on water supply; and general files of the Secretary.

Staff records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company, comprising correspondence relating to the appointment of JA Christie.

Records of the Shadwell Waterworks Company, 1673-1869, including records relating to the establishment of Shadwell Waterworks, agreement with West Ham Waterworks, opposition to proposed London Docks, purchase of Waterworks by London Dock Company, papers concerning unclaimed shares and ownership of a share in the Shadwell Waterworks.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Printed volume relating to the Edinburgh Water Company, and containing the following manuscript items:

1. Copies of letters between James A.Balfour, clerk to the Edinburgh Water Company, and Richard Mackenzie, Writer to the Signet, of Abercromby Place. 4-6 Dec, 1844. (2 leaves. 12" x 7").
2. Copy of a report to the Parliamentary Commissioners under the Edinburgh Water Company Acts of Parliament regarding the Company's accounts from 11 Nov 1843 to 11 Nov 1844, prepared by Robert Christie, accountant, of 26, St.Andrew Square, Edinburgh, at the request of the Commissioners. The report was made on 28 Dec 1844, and presented to them on 8 Jan 1845. (4 leaves. 12" x 7").
3. Copy of the report of the Law Committee on the above report, signed by John Brown, Chairman of the Committee, 5 Feb 1845. (6 leaves. 12" x 7").
4. Copy of a report of an adjourned meeting of the Parliamentary Commissioners held on 8th February 1845. (2 leaves. 12" x 7").
5. Summons of reduction by the Edinburgh Water Company against the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and others: printed form of citation completed in manuscript and signed by Robert Gordon, messenger-at-arms, on 3 May 1845. (Single sheet. 4½" x 7").

Three printed share certificates of the Kent Water Works (incorporated 1809), signed by Samuel Taylor, clerk and secretary, and sealed with the embossed paper common seal of the company. Certificate 175 (7 Oct 1809) was owned by Folliot Scott Stokes of Shorter's Court, London; certificate 468 (17 Oct 1809) by Joseph Petty Toulmin of Lombard Street, London; and certificate 756 (17 Oct 1809) by Harry Ambrose [Hardy] of the Phoenix Fire Office, London. 175 is endorsed with a certificate, 22 Nov 1811, saying that all the instalments on the share had been paid.

Minute books of Gas Committee, 1865-1873; minute books of Gas and Water Committee, 1873-1889; committee papers 1865-1889 and reports, 1874.

Declaration of trusts of £2,400 capital stock (being 24 shares) in the West Middlesex Water Works, assigned for securing £1,400, for Charles Lestock Boileau of Castleneau, esq. and William Tierney Clark of Hammersmith, engineer, 1841; with absolute assignment of the same for £1,120, 1843.

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.

Papers of John Wright relating to his campaign to improve the water supply of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company. The records comprise: papers relating to the water supply in the Metropolis, 1719-1831; and letter of appeal concerning John Wright's efforts to improve the water supply, 1829.

Records of the East London Water Works Company, 1899-1903, consisting of contract drawings and a timetable of a visit made by members of Portsmouth Water Works Company to East London Water Works.

Survey of the water mains of the New River Company in the grounds of the Earl of Northampton in Clerkenwell and Islington, 1798.

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.

Records of Associated Metropolitan Water Companies, comprising minutes and accounts of the Metropolitan Water Companies Meetings of Chairmen; minutes of sub committees including the Intercommunication Committee of Engineers of the Metropolitan Water Companies and the Committee for the Management of Works of Intercommunication; and correspondence.

Corporate records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including Court of Directors minute books; General Board minute books; Committee of Accounts and Works minute books; Finance and Audit Committee minute books; Parliamentary Committee minutes; Secretary's report books; agenda books; correspondence; letter books; legal papers; register of stock and share holders; stock and share ledgers and other records; dividend books; registers of wills; bond records; contracts and specifications.

Financial records of Chelsea Waterworks Company, including annual account books; annual reports; accounts ledgers; journals; cash books; bills books; revenue ledgers; meter accounts; and order books.

Water supply and distribution records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including engineer's reports; meter inspection reports; storekeeper's reports; water supply aggreements and applications; supply records; meter registers; district water services records; collector's rate books; special supplies records; parish assessments and rates; statistical records; stopcock registers; pipelaying and works records; cartage books; meterological data and water analysis records.

Property records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, comprising land purchase registers and rent books.

General records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including correspondence relating to water charges; printed circulars and forms; newspaper cuttings; and reference material.

Records of the Chelsea Waterworks Company, including papers relating to steam engines and other machinery; service records of workmen; sick pay regulations; deeds and other legal documents relating to company property; financial accounts; legal case records; Parliamentary papers; licences and historical notes.

Papers of the East London Waterworks Company relating to water supply and distribution, including Engineers' reports; Engineers' correspondence; volumes of accepted tenders; water supply agreements; Collectors' and Inspectors' letter books; indexes to the locations of meters; rating volumes; accounts; plans and diagrams.

Property records of the East London Waterworks Company, including rental ledgers; particulars of land purchases; notices and plans of intended purchase and schedule of deeds.

Records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company relating to water supply and distribution, including water supply agreements; laying on books; meter agreements; meter readings; fire report books; water rentals books; pipes records; examination of mains books; papers relating to alterations to pipes and fittings; meter charges; supply and engineering records.

Records of the Grand Junction Waterworks Company, including Court of Directors' papers; legal papers; parliamentary papers; investments records; plans; engine and coal accounts; contracts; staff records and property records.

Staff records of the Kent Waterworks Company, including wages accounts sheets; papers relating to salaries and pensions book.

Financial records of the Lambeth Waterworks Company, including ledgers; journals; cash books and day books; Collector's rent and revenue records; water charges records; road watering and meter account books.

Corporate records of the London Bridge Waterworks Company, including Committee of Managers minute books; General Meetings of the Proprietors minute books; shareholders register; stock ledgers and transfer books and dividend books.