Local authority archives

Many of the official papers of the various councils, parish vestries and boards that preceded the London Borough of Camden are deposited in the Centre. 

Some recent records may not be available for at least 30 years, others of a more confidential or personal nature may have further restrictions. 

Lists of most pre-1965 local authority records held in the Centre can be searched on the Discovery database on the National Archives website.

Some records are held in an out store. These are indicated by the letter (J). Please telephone 020 7974 6342 to make an appointment to use any of these items.

Metropolitan Board of Works
Minutes 1856-1889.
Reports 1857-1865, 1886-1889.
London County Council
Minutes 1889-1965.
Inner London Education Authority
Education Committee minutes 1964/65-1986. 
Greater London Council
Minutes 1964/65-1986.
District Joint Board (Area 10) Greater London
Employers and employees joint negotiating board for local government officers.
Minutes 1922-1929 (J).

Hampstead Parish

Vestry minutes 1746-1900.

Committee minutes:

Baths and Wash Houses Committee 1895-1900 (J).Burial Committee 1895-1900 (J).
Cleansing, Repairing and Watering Committee 1856-1861 (J).
Finance Committee 1879-1900 (J).
General Purposes Committee 1895-1900 (J).
Highways Committee 1885-1895 (J).
Lighting Committee 1892-1900 (J).
Public Libraries Committee 1895-1900 (J).
Sanitary Committee 1880-1895 (J).
Tree and Open Spaces Committee 1885-1900 (J).
Works Committee 1879-1900 (J).

Other committees 1837-1838, 1861-1900 (J).

Annual reports 1856-1900.
Lists of vestrymen and committees [Diaries] 1882/83, 1895/96-1898/99.
Churchwardens' accounts [St John Hampstead Church Row] 1773-1804 (including abstract of title deeds 1643-1785), 1842-1895.
Churchwardens and overseers' minutes 1868-1900.
Churchwardens and overseers' accounts 1856-1872, 1874-1901.

Highway and paving records:

Lighting Commissioners' minutes 1775-1855. 
Highway Surveyor's accounts 1767-1845 (J).
Surveyor's reports 1856-1882 (J).
Boundary stones particulars 1854.
Other records 1792-1793, 1795-1826, 1831-1900.

Poor Law records:

Guardians' minutes 1800-1816, 1826-1900.
Overseers' accounts 1826-1837. 
Settlement examination books 1804-1814.
Workhouse accounts 1734-1739.
Workhouse visitors' meetings 1809-1813.
Other records 1830-1874.
The Hampstead Board of Guardians was created in 1800, but from 1837 until 1848 was absorbed into the Edmonton Union. In 1848 it regained its independent status. Main archive including Guardians' minutes 1817-1825 held at London Metropolitan Archives.

Public health records:

Sanitary experience of C.J. Lord 1827-1889.

Rate assessments and valuation lists 1774, 1777, 1779-1826, 1829-1900.
Census enumerators' returns 1801, 1811.
Other records 1827-1848, 1856-1900.

Hampstead Baths and Wash Houses Commissioners
Minutes 1883-1895 (J).
Other records 1886-1895 (J).
Hampstead Burial Board
Minutes 1873-1895 (J).
Register of mortgages 1874-1894 (J).
Hampstead Public Libraries and Museums Commissioners
Minutes 1893-1895 (J).
Committee minutes 1893-1895 (J).
Hampstead Metropolitan Borough
Council minutes 1900-1965.

Committee minutes:

Air Raid Precautions Committee 1938-1941 (J).
Allotments Committee 1921-1927 (J).
Assessment Committee 1900-1950 (J).
Baths and Wash Houses Committee 1900-1965 (J).
Cemeteries Committee 1900-1937 (J).
Civic Centre Committee 1958-1963 (J).
Civil Defence Committee 1939-1945, 1951-1965 (J).
Distress Committee 1905-1928 (J). 
Electricity and Lighting Committee 1900-1948 (J).
Entertainments Committee 1948-1949, 1951-1965 (J).
Establishment Committee 1925-1965 (J). Closed until 50 years old.
Finance and General Business Committee 1939-1943 (J).
Finance Committee 1900-1965 (J).
Food Control and Local Distribution Committee 1917-1920 (J).
General Emergency Committee 1939-1944 (J).
General Purposes Committee [formerly Parliamentary and General Purposes Committee] 1900-1965 (J).
Housing Committee 1901-1965 (J). 
Libraries Committee 1900-1965 (J).
Maternity and Child Welfare Committee 1919-1948 (J). 
Planning Committee 1943-1965 (J).
Public Health Committee 1908-1965 (J).
Road Safety Committee [formerly Hampstead Children's Safety Committee] 1937-1938, 1946-1965 (J).
Tree, Open Spaces (and Cemeteries) Committee 1900-1965 (J).
Works Committee 1900-1965 (J).
Other committees 1900-1965 (J).

Annual reports 1900/01-1911/12, 1929/30-1956/57.
Annual abstract of accounts 1900/01-1962/63.
General rate estimates 1964/65.
Lists of Council and its Committees 1922-1939, 1944, 1946-1954/55, 1957/58-1964/65.
Electric Lighting Department statement of accounts 1903/04, 1910/11-1938/39.
Medical Officer of Health reports 1902-1964.
Public Libraries annual reports 1950/51-1963/64.

Cemetery records: 
Fortune Green Cemetery [Hampstead Cemetery] graves in perpetuity 1923-1953 (J).
[Registers and other records held at the cemetery. For information contact the Cemeteries Manager, St Pancras Cemetery, High Road, East Finchley, London N2 9AG. Tel: 020 8883 1231]

Civil Defence records:
Damaged property list 1939-1945 (streets A-L only).
Hampstead Civil Defence members register 1938-1940s (J).
Incidents list 1941-1943.
Civil Defence files and papers 1940s (J).
Register of hired premises 1939-1945 (J).

Engineer and Surveyor's Department:
Borough Engineer's files and other papers 1940s-1960s (J).
London County Council plans deposited under the London Building Acts 1902-1934 (J).

Town Clerk's Department:
Distress Committee registers 1908/09-1914/15 (J). 
District Food Office files 1917-1918, 1920s (J).
Housing files and papers 1940s-1950s (J).
Papers relating to various subjects including the Great Central Railway extension to London 1891 and Hampstead Electric Lighting 1890s (J).

Rate assessments and valuation lists 1900-1964/65 (J).

St Andrew Holborn above Bars and St George the Martyr Queen Square Vestry
Civil parish created in 1767, responsible for the part of the ancient parish of St Andrew Holborn which lay outside the City of London, but excluding the Liberty of Saffron Hill. 
General meeting minutes 1812-1900.
Committee minutes 1865-1900.

Highway, paving and watching records:
Paving Commissioners' annual statements and accounts 1833-1855.
Paving Commissioners' minutes 1771-1774, 1781-1855.
Watch Committee minutes 1805-1810.
Watch Committee reports 1818-1824.
Other records 1786-1860.

Poor Law records:
Overseers' special session minutes 1731-1736.
Overseers and Churchwardens' weekly meeting minutes 1737-1738.
Overseers' accounts and disbursements 1785-1798.
Governors and Directors' weekly meetings minutes 1812-1816, 1822-1826, 1830-1841, 1847-1850, 1854-1860, 1865-1871, 1878-1900.
Bastardy examinations 1784-1790.
Payments to women who nurse their own children 1791-1792, 1796-1799.
Workhouse admissions and discharges 1750-1759.
Payments to casual poor in the workhouse 1785-1786, 1798.
Other records 1736-1745, 1801-1802, 1805-1812, 1825-1835, 1837-1838.

Rate assessments and valuation lists 1729-1732, 1734, 1739-1740, 1742-1760, 1762-1764, 1766-1768, 1771-1778, 1780-1900.
Other records 1762, 1773-1785, 1792-1836, 1842-1900.
[Records for the part of the parish lying within the City of London including vestry minutes, parish rate assessments and the registers of St Andrew Holborn held at the London Metropolitan Archives.

Liberty of Saffron Hill, Hatton Garden and Ely Place
Liberty within the parish of St Andrew Holborn consisting of the part that lay east of Leather Lane and north of Holborn.
Minutes and accounts 1659-1777.
General meeting minutes 1816-1832, 1859-1900.

Highway, paving and watching records:
Paving minutes 1771-1792, 1814-1829, 1855.
Watch committee minutes 1773-1805.
Watch committee report book 1817.

Poor Law records:
Examination book [deserted wives] 1847-1857.
Pauper examinations 1862-1866.
Settlement examination books 1775-1785, 1793-1799, 1806-1807, 1810-1812.
Workhouse accounts 1804-1837 (gaps).

Rate assessments and valuation lists 1726, 1729, 1733, 1736-1900.
Other records 1801-1817, 1827-1837, 1856-1901.

St Giles in the Fields Parish
Vestry minutes 1618-1900.
Committee minutes 1771-1813, 1830-1900.
Churchwardens and overseers' accounts 1640-1723.
Parish accounts 1680-1681.

Highway, paving and watching records:
New Paving Committee minutes 1772-1829.
Highway Repair Committee minutes 1834-1844.
Other records 1772-1793.

Poor Law records:
Poor accounts and disbursements 1680-1681, 1699, 1703.
Register of parish apprentices 1780-1802.

Burial Ground [new ground in Pancras Road] Trustees minutes and accounts 1803-1861.
Cemetery register [new ground in Pancras Road] 1844-1858.
Church rebuilding fund contributors list 1623.
Other records 1805-1900.

St George Bloomsbury Parish
Parish created in 1731. Formerly part of the parish of St Giles in the Fields.
Vestry minutes 1731-1900.
Committee minutes 1830-1900.
Churchwardens and overseers' minutes 1832-1874.
Churchwardens' accounts 1731-1831, 1883-1895.
Committee for care and repair of church and burial ground minutes 1830-1872.

Highway, paving and watching records:
New Paving Committee minutes 1771-1822.
Other records 1772-1793, 1818-1822.

Other records 1822-1900.

St Giles in the Fields and St George Bloomsbury Joint Vestry
Joint vestry created by Act of Parliament to deal with civil matters; the parishes of St Giles in the Fields and St George Bloomsbury remained separate for ecclesiastical purposes.

Vestry minutes 1767-1900.
Committee minutes 1830-1900.
Annual reports 1870-1874, 1885-1900.

Highway, paving and watching records:
Paving committee minutes 1784-1855
Surveyors committee minutes 1846-1850.
Watch report 1799-1802.
Other records 1771-1855.

Poor Law records:
Directors minutes 1830-1868.
Poor abstract account 1822/23-1899/1900.
Receipts and disbursements 1822-1892.
Board of accounts minutes [of workhouse] 1830-1868.
Other records 1775-1864.
Rate assessments and valuation lists 1730-1900.
Other records 1792, 1823-1900.

Holborn District Board of Works
Board of Works covering the parishes of St Andrew Holborn above Bars, St George the Martyr Queen Square and St Sepulchre Middlesex and the Liberties of Saffron Hill and Glasshouse Yard.

Board minutes 1855-1900.

Committee minutes:

Law and Parliamentary Committee 1893-1900.
Sanitary Committee 1895-1900.

Annual reports 1856-1874, 1899-1900.
Public health records 1856-1857, 1866-1871, 1895-1897, 1899.
Other records 1856-1901.

St Giles District Board of Works
Board covering the parishes of St Giles in the Fields and St George Bloomsbury.

Board minutes 1856-1860, 1866-1900.

Committee minutes:
Finance Committee 1880-1900.
Law and Parliamentary Committee 1884-1900.
Sanitary Committee 1883-1898.
Works Committee 1856-1900.
Special Committees 1892-1900.

Annual reports 1856-1900.
Public health records 1878-1883, 1889-1900.
Boundary stones 1877.
Other records 1859-1901.

St Giles Baths Committee
Minutes 1850-1854, 1863-1870, 1890-1897.
Other records 1850-1900.
Holborn Library Commissioners
Annual reports 1891-1900.
Other records 1891-1900.
St Giles Libraries Commissioners
Minutes 1891-1899.
Annual reports 1893/94-1899/1900.
Other records 1892-1900.

Holborn Metropolitan Borough
Council minutes 1900-1965.

Committee minutes:
Most Committee minutes appear to have been destroyed apart from the following volumes.
Baths Committee 1961-1964 (J).
Highway and Works Committee 1957-1963 (J).
Housing and Planning Committee 1962-1965 (J).
Housing Estates Management Committee 1949-1965 (J). Closed until 50 years old.
Law and Parliamentary Committee 1956-1965 (J).
Library Committee 1961-1965 (J).
Public Health Committee 1964-1965 (J).

Annual reports 1900/01-1914/15, 1929/30-1937/38.
Annual estimates 1901-1925.
Yearbooks 1907/08-1911/12, 1914/15-1916, 1919-1941, 1943-1945, 1947-1948, 1950-1964/65.
Abstract of accounts 1905-1930/31, 1947/48-1963/64.
Libraries Committee annual reports 1946/47-1963/64.
Medical Officer of Health reports 1911-1964.

Civil Defence records:
Air raid incidents record 1940-1945 (J).
Control room register of unexploded bombs etc. 1940-1945 (J).

Engineer and Surveyor's Department:
Endell Street Baths rebuilding papers 1930-1931.
Holborn Town Hall specifications c.1906.

Mayor's Office:
Charities records 1900-1965 (J).

Treasurer's Department:
Records 1906-1962/63.

Rate assessments and valuation lists 1900-1934/35; 1935/36-1952/53 (J).

St Pancras Parish
Vestry minutes 1718-1900. 
[Transcripts of extracts from minutes 1718-1889, with name and subject indexes also held]

Committee minutes:
Assessment Committee 1870-1871 (J).
Finance Committee 1870-1873, 1899-1900 (J).
General Purposes Committee 1856-1887, 1889-1900 (J).
Health Committee 1856-1900 (J).
Highway, Sewers and Public Works Committee 1856-1857, 1859-1900 (J).

Annual reports and accounts 1890/91-1899/1900.
Annual abstracts of accounts 1856-1877, 1882-1892.
Diary and almanac 1895/96,1896/97, 1898/99, 1899/1900.
Medical Officer of Health reports 1856, 1858-1873, 1890-1900.

Poor Law records:
Directors' minutes 1804-1877, 1888-1901 (J).
Surgeon's report book 1830-1833 (J).

Rate assessments and valuation lists 1801, 1803-1834, 1836-1900.
[Transcripts of rate assessments 1779-1780 also held]

Vestry Clerk's Office:
Appointments of officers 1856-1900 (J).
Parliamentary schemes 1896-1900 (J).
Register of disorderly houses [Houses used for prostitution] 1888-1900 (J). 
Vestry Clerk's copies of printed documents 1856-1876 (J).

Boundary marks register 1874.

Battle Bridge Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1825-1855 (J).
Bedford Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1802-1855 (J).
Paving Act 1800 (J).
Brewers Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1814-1855 (J).
Calthorpe Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1826-1855 (J). 
Rate assessments 1834-1854/55 (gaps) (J).
Camden Town Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1822-1855 (J).
Qualification book 1824 (J).
Rate assessments 1822/23-1855/56 (gaps) (J).
Doughty Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1827-1855 (J).
Foundling Hospital Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Watch house report book 1827-1829.
Rate assessments 1855 (J).
Gloucester Place Paving Trust
Minutes 1827-1846 (J).
Ledger 1838-1841 (J).
Paving Act 1827 (J).
Harrison Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1810-1855 (J).
Rate assessments 1821, 1822 (J).
Kentish Town Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1817-1855 (J).
Rate assessments 1852, 1855 (J).
Lucas Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1810-1855 (J).
Rate assessments 1819, 1827, 1828, 1842-1855 (gaps) (J).
St Pancras Parish Union Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1814-1855 (J).
Skinners Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1808-1855 (J).
Letterbook 1839-1855 (J).
Rate assessments 1851 (J).
Somers Town Estate Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1789-1855 (J).
Rate assessments 1796, 1800, 1806, 1808 (J).
Southampton Paving Trust
Minutes 1812-1855 (J).
Surveyor's reports 1841-1849 (J).
Watch minutes 1818-1830 (J).
Rate assessments 1807-1855 (gaps) (J).
South-West St Pancras Paving, Lighting etc Commissioners
Minutes 1773-1811, 1813-1816, 1832-1833, 1844-1855 (J).
Rate assessments 1773-1837 (gaps) (J).
St Pancras and Islington Burial Board
Strawberry Vale Estate minutes 1877-1878 (J).

St Pancras Metropolitan Borough
Council minutes 1900-1965.

Committee minutes:
Air Raid Precautions Emergency Committee 1936-1945 (J).
Baths and Cemeteries Committee 1903-1907, 1916-1940 (J).
Building Committee 1947-1965 (J).
Contracts and Stores Committee 1926-1942 (J).
Establishment and Public Buildings Committee 1945-1965 (J).
Finance Committee 1904-1905, 1910-1912, 1917-1924, 1946-1965 (J).
General Purposes Committee 1900-1928, 1932-1942, 1946-1965 (J).
Highways, Sewers and Public Works Committee 1900-1965 (J).
Housing Management [Estates] Committee 1922-1964 (J). Closed until 50 years old.
Libraries and Arts [Education and Public Libraries] Committee 1904-1965 (J).
Maternity and Child Welfare Committee 1945-1948 (J)
Planning and Housing Development Committee 1949-1965 (J).
Public Health Committee 1900-1965 (J).
Road Safety Committee 1946-1964 (J).
Staff Committee 1946-1965 (J). Closed until 50 years old.
Valuation Committee 1940-1946 (J).
Other committees 1900-1965 (J).

Annual reports and accounts 1901/02-1914/15.
Annual reports 1929/30-1938/39.
Annual accounts 1919/20-1944/45, 1949/50-1962/63.
General rates estimates 1955/56, 1957/58-1964/65.
Yearbooks [Almanac and diary] 1901, 1902, 1922, 1925-1945, 1946-1949, 1951-
1955/56, 1957/58-1964/65.
Yearbooks and general information 1907, 1909-1915.
Borough Librarian's annual reports 1921/22, 1928/29-1937/38, 1955/56-1963/64.
Housing annual reviews 1957-1962, 1964.
Medical Officer of Health reports 1901-1938, 1945-1964.

Cemeteries records:
Joint account of St Pancras and Islington Cemeteries 1880-1967 (J). 

Civil Defence records:
St Pancras A.R.P. personnel 1938-1945 (J).
Air raid precautions records including list of people killed 1940-1945 (J).

Department of Works:
Boundary mark queries 1947.

Mayor's Office:
Mayor's Local Charities (Cinema account) Fund Committee minutes 1916-1936 (J).

Town Clerk's Department:
Appointments of officers 1900-1946 (J).
St Pancras Local Tribunal [Deals with exemptions from military service] 1915-1916 (J).
Parliamentary schemes 1900-1913 (J).
Register of disorderly houses [Houses used for prostitution] 1900-1915 (J).

Rate assessments and valuation lists 1900-1965 (J).

London Borough of Camden

Council minutes 1964 to date.
Committee minutes 1964 to date (J).
Annual reports 1980/81-1985/86, 1994/95 to date.
Budget [General rates estimates] 1966/67-1988/89.
Capital programme 1985/86-1988/89.
Financial survey and accounts 1965/66-1972/73, 1974/75-1991/92, 1993/94 to date.
Diaries and yearbooks 1964/65 to date.
Camden Magazine 1983-1987.
Camden Citizen 1990 to date.
Libraries and Arts triennial reports 1965-1971.
Libraries and Information Service annual reports 1993/94, 1994/95.
Arts Services annual reports 1993/94, 1994/95.
Leisure and Community Services annual reports 1995/96 to date. 
Medical Officer of Health reports 1965-1968. 
Rate assessments 1965/66-1981/82 (J).  
Valuation lists 1963 with amendments, 1973 with amendments up to 1989.

Mayor's Office: 
Camden/Doncaster Twinning Association 1980s (J).