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History of local government districts in Middlesex

The History of local government districts in Middlesex outside the metropolitan area began in 1835 with the formation of poor law unions. This was followed by the creation of various forms of local government body to administer the rapidly growing towns of the area. By 1934 until its abolition in 1965, the entire county was divided into urban districts or municipal boroughs.

Poor law unions

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The parishes of the county were grouped under the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 to form unions. Each union had a single workhouse, and was administered by a board of guardians elected by the parish ratepayers. The boundaries of the unions would later be used to define rural sanitary districts in 1875 and rural districts in 1894. Poor law unions were abolished in 1930 by the Local Government Act 1929.

 
Map of the poor law unions in 1840
Name Parishes Notes
Barnet PLU Friern Barnet, Finchey, Monken Hadley, South Mimms Remainder of PLU in Hertfordshire
Brentford PLU Acton, Chiswick, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Heston, Isleworth, New Brentford, Old Brentford, Perivale, Twickenham, West Twyford
Edmonton PLU Edmonton, Enfield, Hornsey, Southgate, Tottenham, Wood Green Included the parish of Hampstead (in the Metropolis) until 1848, Waltham Holy Cross in Essex and Cheshunt in Hertfordshire
Hendon PLU Edgware, Great Stanmore, Harrow on the Hill, Harrow Weald, Hendon, Kingsbury, Little Stanmore, Pinner, Wealdstone, Wembley, Willesden (until 1896)
Kingston PLU Hampton, Hampton Wick, Teddington Majority of PLU in Surrey
Staines PLU Ashford, Cranford, East Bedfont, Feltham, Hanworth, Harlington, Harmondsworth, Laleham, Littleton, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury
Uxbridge PLU Cowley, Harefield, Hayes, Hillingdon, Ickenham, Northolt, Northwood, Ruislip, Uxbridge, West Drayton, Yiewsley
Willesden Poor Law Parish Willesden Formed 1896

Local boards of health

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An outbreak of cholera in Tottenham forced the creation of a temporary local board of health in 1831/32. Following the enactment of the Public Health Act 1848 (11 & 12 Vict. c. 63), permanent boards could be formed on petition of the inhabitants or where there was excess mortality. The first local board in England formed under the Act was at Uxbridge in 1849, and it was followed by a number of other towns. The Local Government Act 1858 simplified the process of creating local councils: ratepayers of a parish or area could adopt the Act by resolution, whereupon it would become a Local Government District, governed by a Local Board.[1] Numerous localities in Middlesex took the opportunity, and it also provided the mechanism for the developing communities of Southgate and Wood Green to separate themselves from the control of the Edmonton and Tottenham boards.

Sanitary districts

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The system was rationalised by the Public Health Act 1875 (38 & 39 Vict. c. 55), which designated all municipal boroughs, local board districts, local government districts and improvement commissioners districts in England and Wales as urban sanitary districts. The existing local authority became an urban sanitary authority, without change of title. Also created were rural sanitary districts, which were identical in area to poor law unions, less any urban sanitary district. The poor law guardians for the parishes in the district became the rural sanitary authority.

List of districts 1848–1894

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Local boards and urban sanitary districts 1848–1894

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Local board districts (LBDs) were created by the Public Health Act 1848 (11 & 12 Vict. c. 63) and governed by a local board of health; local government districts (LGDs) were created by the Local Government Act 1858 and governed by a local board. Chiswick was an improvement commissioners district (ICD) created by local act of Parliament.

Name Formed Area covered
Acton LGD 1865 Parish of Acton [2]
Chiswick ICD 1858 Parish of Chiswick [3]
Ealing LGD 1863 Parish of Ealing less chapelry of Old Brentford[4]
Edmonton LBD 1850 Originally covered entire parish of Edmonton.
In 1881 the Southgate area formed a separate LGD.[5] The boundary with Enfield LBD was adjusted in 1883.[6]
Enfield LBD 1850 Most of the parish of Enfield, part of Edmonton parish from 1883.[6][7]
Hampton LGD 1890 Parish of Hampton[8]
Hampton Wick LGD 1863 Hamlet of Hampton Wick (part of Hampton parish)
Constituted separate parish in 1866.[6]
Harrow LBD 1850 Part of the parish of Harrow-on-the Hill (Harrow on the Hill, Roxeth, and parts of Greenhill and Sudbury)[9]
Hornsey LGD 1867 The part of the parish of Hornsey not included in South Hornsey LGD.[10] Gained part of Friern Barnet parish in 1883.[11]
South Hornsey LGD 1863 Part of the parish of Hornsey (Brownswood Park)[12]
Teddington LGD 1867 Parish of Teddington[13]
Tottenham LBD 1850 Parish of Tottenham: Wood Green area became a separate LGD in 1888.[14]
Twickenham LGD 1868 Parish of Twickenham[15]
Uxbridge LBD 1849 Hamlet (later parish) of Uxbridge and western part of parish of Hillingdon.[16]
Friern Barnet LGD 1883 Most of parish of Friern Barnet[11]
Brentford LGD 1874 Chapelries of Old Brentford (Ealing parish) and New Brentford (Hanwell parish)[4]
Finchley LGD 1878 Parish of Finchley[17]
Hanwell LGD 1885 Parish of Hanwell[18]
Hendon LGD 1879 Parish of Hendon[19]
Heston and Isleworth LGD 1875 Parishes of Heston and Isleworth[20]
Norwood LGD 1891 Parish of Norwood [6]
Southgate LGD 1881 Southgate area of Edmonton parish.[5]
Staines LGD 1872 Parish of Staines[21]
Willesden LGD 1874 Parish of Willesden[22]
Wood Green LGD 1888 Wood Green area of Tottenham parish.[14]
East Barnet Valley LGD 1863 Part of Monken Hadley parish[23]
Remainder of LGD in Hertfordshire.
Barnet LGD 1863 Part of Monken Hadley parish[23]
Remainder of LGD in Hertfordshire.

Rural sanitary districts 1875–1894

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Name Notes Area covered
Barnet RSD Mostly in Hertfordshire Parishes of Finchley (until 1878), Friern Barnet (until 1883), South Mimms.
Became South Mimms Rural District in 1894.
Brentford RSD   Parishes of Greenford, Hanwell (until 1885), Perivale, West Twyford.
Became Greenford UD in 1894.
Edgware RSD Renamed Hendon RSD 1877[19] Parishes of Edgware, Great Stanmore, Kingsbury, Little Stanmore and Pinner; and part of the parish of Harrow on the Hill (Harrow Weald, Wealdstone and Wembley areas).
Became Hendon RD, Wealdstone UD, Wembley UD in 1894.
Kingston RSD Mostly in Surrey Parish of Hampton (until 1890).

No Middlesex parishes after 1890.

Staines RSD   Parishes of Ashford, Cranford, East Bedfont, Feltham, Hanworth, Harlington, Harmondsworth, Laleham, Littleton, Shepperton, Stanwell and Sunbury.
Became Staines RD, Sunbury on Thames UD 1894.
Uxbridge RSD   Parishes of Cowley, Harefield, Hayes, Ickenham, Northolt, Northwood (until 1891), Ruislip and West Drayton and part of Hillingdon parish.
Became Uxbridge RD in 1894.

County districts 1894–1965

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The Local Government Act 1894 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 73) divided the administrative county into four rural districts and thirty-one urban districts, based on existing sanitary districts. One urban district, South Hornsey was a detached part of Middlesex within the County of London until 1900, when it was transferred to the latter county.[6] The rural districts were Hendon, South Mimms, Staines and Uxbridge. Because of increasing urbanisation these had all been abolished by 1934.[24] Urban districts had been created, merged, and many had gained the status of municipal borough by 1965. The districts as at the 1961 census were:[25]

Municipal history 1894–1965 Borough
incorporation		 District/borough in 1965 Population
1951[25]		 Population
1961[25]		 1965 fate[26]
Acton UD formed 1894 1921 Acton MB 67,471   65,586 LB Ealing
Brentford UD, Chiswick UD formed 1894,
amalgamated as Brentford and Chiswick UD 1927		 1932 Brentford and Chiswick MB 59,367   54,833 LB Hounslow
Ealing UD created 1894,
absorbed Greenford UD, Hanwell UD 1926		 1901 Ealing MB 187,323   183,077 LB Ealing
Edmonton UD created 1894 1937 Edmonton MB 104,270   91,956 LB Enfield
Enfield UD created 1894 1955 Enfield MB 110,465   109,542 LB Enfield
Feltham UD created 1904 from Staines RD,
absorbed East Bedfont, Hanworth on abolition of Staines RD 1934		 n/a Feltham UD 44,861   51,047 LB Hounslow
Finchley UD created 1894 1933 Finchley MB 69,991   69,370 LB Barnet
Friern Barnet UD created 1894 n/a Friern Barnet UD 29,163   28,813 LB Barnet
Harrow on the Hill UD created 1894,
Harrow UD formed 1934 from Harrow on the Hill UD
part of abolished Wealdstone UD,
Harrow Weald, Pinner, Little Stanmore, Great Stanmore
from abolished Hendon RD		 1954 Harrow MB 219,494   209,080 LB Harrow
(boundaries unchanged)
Hayes UD created 1904 from part of Uxbridge RD,
Hayes and Harlington UD created 1930 by merger of Hayes UD
and Cranford and Harlington from abolished Staines RD		 n/a Hayes and Harlington UD 65,596   67,915 LB Hillingdon
Hendon UD created 1894, absorbed Edgware from Hendon RD 1931 1932 Hendon MB 155,857   151,843 LB Barnet
Heston and Isleworth UD created 1894 1932 Heston and Isleworth MB 106,847   103,013 LB Hounslow
Hornsey UD created 1894 1903 Hornsey MB 98,159   97,962 LB Haringey
South Mimms RD created 1894, became Potters Bar UD 1934 n/a Potters Bar UD 17,172   23,376 Hertfordshire
Created 1904 from part of Uxbridge RD n/a Ruislip-Northwood UD 68,288   72,791 LB Hillingdon
Southall Norwood UD created 1894, renamed Southall 1936 1936 Southall MB 55,896   52,983 LB Ealing
Southgate UD created 1894 1933 Southgate MB 73,377   72,359 LB Enfield
Created 1894,
absorbed Ashford, Laleham and Stanwell from abolished Staines RD 1930		 n/a Staines UD 39,995   49,838 Surrey
Created 1894,
absorbed Littleton and Shepperton from abolished Staines RD 1930		 n/a Sunbury-on-Thames UD 23,394   33,437 Surrey
Tottenham UD created 1894 1934 Tottenham MB 126,929   113,249 LB Haringey
Twickenham UD created 1894,
absorbed Hampton UD, Hampton Wick UD, Teddington UD 1937		 1926 Twickenham MB 105,663   100,971 LB Richmond
Uxbridge UD created 1894,
absorbed Cowley, Harefield, Hillingdon East and Ickenham
from abolished Uxbridge RD 1929		 1955 Uxbridge MB 55,960   63,941 LB Hillingdon
Wembley UD created 1894,
absorbed Kingsbury UD, part of abolished Wealdstone UD 1934		 1937 Wembley MB 131,384   124,892 LB Brent
Willesden UD created 1894 1933 Willesden MB 179,697   171,001 LB Brent
Wood Green UD created 1894 1933 Wood Green MB 52,228   47,945 LB Haringey
Yiewsley UD created 1911 from part of Uxbridge RD,
absorbed Harmondsworth, West Drayton from abolished Uxbridge RD
to become Yiewsley and West Drayton UD 1929		 n/a Yiewsley and West Drayton UD 20,468   23,723 LB Hillingdon

References

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  1. ^ Royston Lambert, Central and Local Relations in Mid-Victorian England: The Local Government Act Office, 1858-71, Victorian Studies, Vol. 6, No. 2. (Dec., 1962), pp. 121-150.
  2. ^ "Acton - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7. 1982. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
  3. ^ "Chiswick - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7. 1982. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Ealing and Brentford - Introduction". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7. 1982. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Edmonton - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5. 1976. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d e Frederic A Youngs, Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England, Volume I: Southern England, London, 1979
  7. ^ "Enfield - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5. 1976. Retrieved 25 February 2008.
  8. ^ Hampton & Hampton Hill, Twickenham Museum, accessed February 25, 2008 Archived October 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Harrow London Borough, Wellcome Library website (archived by Wayback Machine), accessed February 26, 2008
  10. ^ "Hornsey, including Highgate - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6. 1980. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  11. ^ a b "Friern Barnet - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6. 1980. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  12. ^ "Hornsey, including Highgate - Introduction". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6. 1980. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  13. ^ Teddington, Twickenham Museum, accessed February 26, 2008 Archived October 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ a b "Tottenham - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5. 1976. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  15. ^ "Twickenham - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3. 1962. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  16. ^ "Hillingdon, including Uxbridge - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 4. 1971. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  17. ^ "Finchley - Local government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 6. 1980. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  18. ^ "Hanwell - Local government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3. 1962. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  19. ^ a b "Hendon - Local government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5. 1976. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  20. ^ "Heston and Isleworth - Local government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3. 1962. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  21. ^ "Staines - Local government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3. 1962. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  22. ^ "Willesden - Local government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7. 1982. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  23. ^ a b "Monken Hadley - Local Government". A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5. 1976. Retrieved 26 February 2008.
  24. ^ Great Britain Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Middlesex. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  25. ^ a b c Great Britain Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Census 1961: Middlesex population. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  26. ^ Office of Public Sector Information - London Government Act 1963 (as amended). Retrieved on 20 February 2008.
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