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.

Letters Patent appointing Commissioners, 1691-1837; minutes, agendas and reports, 1659-1847; minutes and reports of other Committees including the Committee of Accounts, Committee for Improvement of the Sewers, Committee of Rates, Committee of Works and Occasional Committee; petitions and reports, 1683-1798; papers presented to the Court, 1777-1847; Surveyor's Reports of work performed by leave of the Court, 1809-1847; information and reports from the Clerk of Works on cases of surreptitious drainage, 1810-1848; Surveyor's Reports of Work done at the charge of the District, 1775-1848; journal of large works in progress, 1838-1848; contracts and specifications, 1811-1847; presentments (a 'Presentment of the Jurors' was required before work could be carried out or a rate levied. With a few exceptions the Westminster presentments consist of lists of owners or occupiers of land and houses on whom rates could be levied), 1668-1843; decrees, (decrees gave authority for the levying of rates for work on the sewers), 1675-1847; abstracts by the Clerk of Works of work performed on the sewers, recording the amount of time spent and materials used, serving as a check on the contractors' bills, 1810-1846; copies of letters and notices sent by order of the Commissioners, 1776-1848; financial accounts, 1701-1847, including contractor's bills and payments to workmen; rate books, 1703-1848; law suits and legal opinion, 1820-1840; registers of sewers and drains, 1812-1845, including new sewers; printed reports and papers, 1830-1849, including financial accounts, statements of income and expenditure, opinions of Counsel, reports by solicitors, reports of Surveyors, proposals for changes to the management and structure of the Commission, regulations and memorandums; maps and plans of properties, sewers, districts drained by specific sewers, maps of parishes and maps of London and Middlesex, 1762-1847.

Records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company relating to water supply and distribution, including Engineer's reports; Engineer's diaries for technical matters and workmen's time; Inspectors' technical diaries; revenue survey volumes; water supply and distribution volumes and files.

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

Property records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company including trade rental books and rental volumes.

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.

Financial records of the West Middlesex Waterworks Company, including ledgers; cash books and journals.

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.

Minutes of the Joint Drainage Committee, 1915-1916; minutes of the Wandle Valley Joint Sewerage Board, 1917-1962; minutes of Wandle Valley Main Drainage Authority, 1963-1965; Orders, 1960-1962; Members attendance books, 1928-1965; registers of documents sealed, 1917-1965; register of tenders, 1948-1965.

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.

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.

Record books, 1902-1905 and 1921-1922, relating to the examination of water and water supplies.

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.

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.

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

Corporate records of the Staines Reservoir Joint Committee, including Committee meeting attendance books, proceedings books and minutes; legal papers relating to property, rating, water supply, stocks and shares, Parliamentary issues and contracts; correspondence and debenture stock volumes.

Financial records of the Staines Reservoir Joint Committee, including half-yearly accounts; journal; cash book; ledgers; register of wills and papers relating to payments to solicitors.

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

Records of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company relating to water supply and distribution, including Engineers' report books; Supervisors' report books; service pipe agreements; meter agreements; trade supplies report books; constant supply orders; building supplies registers; meter supplies records; fire report books; engine and coal accounts; calculations and statistics; works diaries; mains supply map books and registers of complaints.

Purchase records of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company, including works stock book; volumes recording good returned to stores; and volumes recording coal use.

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 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.

Records of the South London Waterworks Company (later the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company) including papers relating to shares; minutes of Director's meetings; stock certificates; papers relating to works and papers relating to a lawsuit.

Financial records of the Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company, including accounts; ledgers; journals; cash books; revenue ledgers; Collector's accounts; bankers books; disbursement books; and building supply accounts.

Papers of The Society of Medical Officers of Health, 1856-1998, comprising the constitution, 1892-1993; council records, 1856-1997; records of the general purpose committee, 1937-1981; records of the standing and temporary committees, and working parties and joint meetings, 1892-1996; general meeting records, 1856-1997; attendance books, 1872-1965; financial records, 1892-1996; members lists, 1895-1997; publications and official publicity, 1856-1997; historical material, 1866-1908; comments and evidence c 1879-1998; miscellaneous files, c 1879-1998; records of special interest groups, 1920-1997; papers, minutes and publications relating to the Society's Faculty of Community Health, 1988-1998; public health literature and sources, 1902-1997; files relating to the journal The Medical Officer, 1897-1973; non-Society records documenting public health measures, policies and issues in the first half of the 20th century; and minutes, files, transcripts of papers, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera relating to the regional Branches and Groups of the Society, 1875-1997.

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.

Records of the Shadwell Waterworks Company, comprising financial material including rent books; cash books; receipt books; wage books; account books and some papers relating to works carried out.

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.

Records, 1872, of Rosario and Cordova Water Works Company, comprising prospectus, memorandum of association, and contract for acquisition of concession and construction of works, with plans attached.

Records of the River Plate Trust Loan and Agency Company Ltd, 1876-1978, including minutes, ledgers, registers, accounts, annual reports, legal documents, insurance records, staff records, letters and files, some relating to subordinate companies (Ref: A); and records of the subsidiary companies it administered:
River Plate and General Investment Company Ltd, comprising minutes, 1888-1965, ledgers, 1888-1941, and annual reports, 1889-1983 (Ref: B);
Mortgage Company of the River Plate Ltd, comprising minutes, 1888-1965, ledgers, 1888-1953, and annual reports, 1888-1981 (Ref: C);
Compagnie Française des Chemins de Fer de la Province de Santa Fé, comprising circulars to bondholders, 1891-1947, and reports, 1936-1947 (Ref: D);
London Trust Company, comprising ledgers, 1889-1928, registers of stock, 1889-1958, and miscellaneous papers, 1819-1974 (Ref: E);
Entre Rios Railway Company, comprising reports, 1891-1900, and circulars and minutes, 1933-1947 (Ref: F);
Cucuta Railway Company, comprising Presidents' reports, 1926-1936 (Ref: G);
Montevideo Waterworks, comprising reports and accounts, 1880-1940, and notices and circulars, 1949-1953 (Ref: H);
Consolidated Waterworks of Rosario, comprising reports and accounts, 1897-1946, and notices and circulars, 1930-1955 (Ref: J);
Rosario Drainage Company, comprising reports and accounts, 1898-1947, and notices and circulars, 1955 (Ref: K);
Buenos Aires Central Railway, comprising minutes, 1916-1944 (Ref: L);
Buenos Aires and Lacroze Tramways, comprising minutes, 1932-1940, and reports and accounts, 1933-1941 (Ref: M).

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.

Records of the Poplar Commission of Sewers, including Letters Patent appointing Commissioners, 1702-1837; writs and warrants, 1662-1847, including writs authorizing the Commissioners to execute their office faithfully, writs discharging certain Commissioners from their duties, writs to summon juries and warrants for collection of rates; registers of orders and decrees, 1629-1847; out letter book, 1828-1843; financial accounts and rate books, 1780-1847; New Testament belonging to the Commissioners, 1797; reference book listing owners and occupiers, 1817; and maps and plans of Poplar showing sewers and levels of land.

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

Signed Minutes of the Hogsmill Drainage Joint Committee (1932-1939), later the Hogsmill Valley Joint Sewerage Board (1939-1960) and later the North Surrey Joint Sewage Board (1960-1965), 1932-1965 and signed minutes of Meetings in Committee, Hogsmill Valley Joint Sewerage Board and North Surrey Joint Sewage Board, 1958-1962.

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

Records of the New River Company relating to water supply and distribution, including pipe order books; papers relating to works carried out; Engineer's papers; materials and fittings; papers relating to water supply; standpipe books; papers relating to Collectors; water rent account books and water rent rates; river and water gauges; pipe order books; river and water gauges; statistical returns and reports.

Records of the New River Company relating to stocks and shares, including registers; dividends receipt books; pamphlets; ledgers; indemnities; share transfers; certificates and reports.

Property records of the New River Company, including rent and arrears books; rents payable registers; rent and acknowledgements books; ground rents registers; building estate insurances; fire insurances and leases.

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.

Legal papers of the New River Company, including case papers; deed registers; correspondence; contracts; valuations; agreements; leases; papers relating to compensation and arbitration; petitions; and papers relating to land purchase.

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.

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

Minutes of the New River Company, including minutes, papers and reports of Weekly Meetings, of the General Courts of Governors, of the Surveys of the River Committee, of the Parliamentary Committee, of the Building Committee and of the River Lee Conservancy Board. Also copies of the charters of 1606 and 1737.

Records of the New River Company which were separated from the main collection and used for exhibitions, including minutes; papers of the Surveyor; papers of the Engineer; negotiations for the supply of water; property papers; correspondence; reports; royal charters; agreements; legal papers; newspaper cuttings; papers relating to shares; contracts and specifications of works; and papers relating to staff.

Financial records of the New River Company, including abstracts of accounts; balance sheets; ledgers; collectors ledgers; journals; disbursement books; cash books; revenue account books; audit books; bill book; bill cheque books; taxes and rates ledgers and accounts; landed estate accounts and meter rent books.

Records of the New River Company, comprising lease of a watercourse from main water pipe at back side of Saint Clement Danes to the private dwelling house of Thomas Dows, gentleman, 1697.

Records of the Metropolitan Water Board Water Examination Department, comprising annual reports, monthly reports and research reports.

Records of the Metropolitan Water Board Treasurers and Comptrollers Department, including detailed balance sheets; Water Fund general ledgers; general journals; cash accounts ledgers; superannuation volumes; capital ledgers; borrowing powers volumes; investments volumes; mortgage sinking fund volumes; stock volumes; audit files; files relating to stocks and shares; mortgage loans files; registers of bankruptcies and liquidations and salary records.

Records of the Metropolitan Water Board Survey Department, including terrier volumes; registered dockets; files on land acquired; deeds registers; and files regarding rates assessments.

Records of Metropolitan Water Board predecessors, 1870-1969, comprising contracts, tenders and specifications for construction, improvements and other works.