COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL: BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE (BUILDING) COMMITTEE

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: COL/CC/BBB
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL: BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE (BUILDING) COMMITTEE
Date(s)	: 1768-1788
Level of description	: subfonds View parent record
Extent	: 0.3 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: Corporation of London

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The concept of the Court of Common Council grew from the ancient custom of the Folkmoot, when the assent of the citizens to important acts was obtained. This custom was continued by the Mayor who consulted the Commons several times during the 13th century. From 1376 the assembly began to meet regularly and was referred to as the Common Council. It was decided that the Council should be made up of persons elected from each Ward. By 1384 a permanent Common Council chosen by the citizens was established for all time. The Council assumed legislative functions and adopted financial powers, confirmed by Charters of 1377 and 1383. The Council has often used these powers to amend the civic constitution, regulate the election of Lord Mayor and other officials, and amend the functions of the City courts. The Council was judged so successful in the conduct of its duties that it was the only Corporation unreformed by Parliament following the Municipal Corporations Commission report of 1837, while the Corporation Inquiry Commission of 1854 suggested only minor reforms. The work of the Council is conducted by a number of committees, while the whole Council has the right to approve policy, confirm major decisions and sanction expenditure. The committees handle many aspects of the running of the City including land and estates, finance and valuation, open spaces, street improvement and town planning, public health, police, Port of London, civil defence, airports, libraries, markets, education, and law. The Town Clerk has held responsibility for recording the minutes of the Council and its committees since 1274.

In 1756 an Act of Parliament was passed for 'building a bridge cross the river Thames from Blackfriars in the City of London to the opposite side in the county of Surrey'. The Act empowered the Mayor, Aldermen and Commons of the City of London to design, direct, order and build the bridge, and to maintain it once built, and allowed them to assemble a committee to carry out these actions. The Blackfriars Bridge (Building) Committee advertised a competition for the design of the Bridge in 1759 which was won by Robert Mylne who was appointed as surveyor to oversee the construction. Blackfriars Bridge was opened in 1769. It had nine arches and was decorated with motifs drawn from classical architecture. New approach roads were constructed with wider bridge entrances. The river Fleet was covered over at the same time, with its outflow into the Thames built under the bridge.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Blackfriars Bridge (Building) Committee, comprising minutes, 1768-1788; rough minutes, 1778-1783 and committee papers, 1770-1771, 1782-1788 and 1835.

Please note - earlier minute books were destroyed in 1780 when the Toll Houses on the Bridge were destroyed during the Gordon Riots.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

In sections: minutes and committee papers.

Conditions governing access:

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright: City of London.

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Corporation of London Records Office.

Allied Materials

Related material:

For Corporation of London records relating to Bridges see: CLA/007: Bridge House Estates, CLA/018: Bridges, CLA/019: Southwark Bridge, CLA/020: Tower Bridge, CLA/021: Blackfriars Bridge, CLA/022: London Bridge, COL/CC/BBB: Court of Common Council Blackfriars Bridge (Building) Committee, COL/CC/BBR: Court of Common Council Blackfriars Bridge (Repairing) Committee, 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/JTB: Court of Common Council Joint Bridge House Estates and Improvement Committee, COL/CC/JTS: Joint Bridge House and Special Committee, COL/CC/CLA: Court of Common Council City of London (Arizona) Corporation, COL/CC/LBA: Court of Common Council London Bridge Approaches Committee, COL/CC/LBC: Court of Common Council London Bridge Committee, COL/CC/LBI: London Bridge Improvements Committee, COL/CC/SBC: Court of Common Council Special Bridge or Subway Committee, COL/CCS/PL: Comptroller and City Solicitor: Plans, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans, COL/CHD/CM: Chamberlain's Department: Chamber Accounts.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
February 2009