IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): COL/CCS/CO
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: COMPTROLLER AND CITY SOLICITOR : COMPTROLLER
Date(s): 1603-1959
Level of description: sub-fonds
Extent: 167.5 linear metres
Name of creator(s): Corporation of London
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The first City Solicitor was appointed in 1544 and the first Comptroller in 1311. The two posts were amalgamated in 1945.
The Comptroller and City Solicitor is responsible for providing all legal services required by the City. This includes providing legal advice to Committees, Departments of the City, to the Commissioner of Police for the City, and to other organisations for whom the Comptroller and City Solicitor is required to act as legal adviser. The office deals with important high profile matters such as City Academies, the Temple Bar project, several major City property developments schemes, the Small and Medium Enterprises initiatives and issues relating to the City's Markets and Open Spaces.
The main areas of law covered by the Comptroller and City Solicitor include commercial property and land law, housing, litigation, employment law, contract law, planning, trusts and company law.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of the Comptroller, Corporation of London, including letter books, 1778-1826; letter books regarding renewable leases, 1926-1930; list of renewable leases, 1889-1926; general reports, 1865-1945; reports to the City Lands Committee, 1899-1945; reports to the Bridge House Committee, 1899-1945; reports to the Markets Committee, 1899-1927 and 1931-1945; reports to the Public Health Committee, 1898-1945; order books, 1797-1803, 1807-1843; orders for leases, 1880-1839; general docquet books, 1800-1830 and 1950-1959; City Lands docquet books, 1830-1950; Bridge House docquet books, 1839-1916 and 1927-1950; Public Health department docquet book, 1902-1950; inventories of books, deeds and records held by the Comptroller, 1703, 1717, 1721, 1842, 1852 and 1854; papers relating to Bridge House, 1603-1850, including rentals, orders, repairs, lists of tenants, notices, estimates, contracts, valuations, compensation cases, bills and plans, especially relating to London Bridge; opinions of counsel, 1688-1850; cases and opinions of counsel regarding City rights and privileges, 1758-1822; case book, 1765-1784; bills and fees, 1649-1817; deeds from Spitalfields Market, 1636-1902, passed to the Corporation of London either in 1902 when it bought the freehold of the market or in 1920 when it bought the leasehold and franchise.
Docquet books contained information about leases and other documents which were to be sealed with the City Seal.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
In sections according to catalogue.
Conditions governing access:
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright: City of London.
Physical characteristics:
Fit
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information:
Accruals:
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Corporation of London Records Office.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Existence and location of originals:
Existence and location of copies:
Related material:
For Corporation of London records relating to Bridge House and City Lands Estates see: CLA/007: Bridge House Estates, CLA/008: City Lands Estates, COL/CC/BHC: Court of Common Council Bridge House Committee, COL/CC/BHT: Court of Common Council Bridge House Trust Committee, COL/CC/CLBH: Court of Common Council City Lands and Bridge House Estate Committee, COL/CC/CLC: Court of Common Council City Lands Committee, COL/CC/JTB: Court of Common Council Joint Bridge House Estates and Improvement Committee, COL/CC/JTS: Joint Bridge House and Special Committee, COL/CC/JTT: Joint Bridge House Estates and Thames Navigation and Port of London Committee, COL/CHD/BH: Chamberlain's Department: Bridge House Estates, COL/CHD/IM: Chamberlain's Department: Improvements, COL/CHD/RN: Chamberlain's Department: Rents and Rentals, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans.
See also CLA/013 for Spitalfields Market and CLA/022 for London Bridge.
Publication note:
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Note:
Date(s) of descriptions: February 2009