COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL: MILITIA COMMITTEE

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: COL/CC/MTC
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: MILITIA COMMITTEE
Date(s)	: 1795-1834
Level of description	: subfonds View parent record
Extent	: 0.1 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: Corporation of London

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Lieutenancy of the City of London in its modern form was founded by an Act of Parliament in 1662. Under the Act of 1662 the Lieutenants for the City of London were commissioned to levy the trained bands and to raise a Trophy Tax for defraying the necessary charges and incidental expenses of the Commission. The Lieutenancy had multifarious responsibilities in connection with the trained bands and the auxiliaries (later the London Militia) including the appointment of officers, conduct and discipline, training and exercise, pay, equipment and recruitment. The militia was of consequence not only during periods when invasion was feared, but also had an important public order role.

The second element of the 1662 Act, the raising and spending of the Trophy Tax was a major concern of the Lieutenants. The tax was levied about once every three years. The Lieutenancy assessed the Trophy Tax on the wards but 'the Common Council for each ward' apportioned it among the individuals. Having been collected, the Trophy Tax accounts were certified by the London Quarter Sessions of the Peace and printed in the City accounts for the year it was laid before the Justices. The tax was used to fund the auxiliaries and the militia. In particular it financed the accomodation for the staff and headquarters of the militia. For the period 1796 to 1801 the militia headquarters were housed in the building which formerly had been Surgeon's Hall. After the militia was disembodied in 1801 the Lieutenants decided that the building was 'a very heavy and unnecessary expense' so the building was sold back to the City in March 1803. Later a new Militia Headquarters was built in 1825 in Bunhill Row on land set aside in the Artillery Ground, but changing circumstances necessitated the move to smaller premises at 23 Euston Square around 1837. However a larger headquarters for the militia was deemed necessary again in the 1850s. The new building was built on a portion of the Artillery Ground and was completed in 1857. Known as Finsbury Barracks, it was occupied by the Quartermaster and staff of the Royal London Militia.

The Trophy Tax was used also for making grants to further the aims of the auxiliary and volunteer forces of the City. For example in 1733 the Lieutenancy granted £500 for the building of Armoury House, the headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company. The plans and specification submitted by the Artillery Company survive in the Lieutenancy's papers.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records relating to the London Militia, including papers of Committee to consider the Militia Acts, 1795-1796; papers of Committee for considering certain matters relative to the City Militia and the Artillery Ground, 1798; papers regarding use of the Artillery Ground, 1799-1800; account of money claimed on each parish for maintenance of wives and families, March 1799; lists of men who never joined or deserted from the East and West Regiments, May 1799; papers regarding raising of men for the Militia and Army of Reserve and offering of bounties, 1800-1804; lists of men enlisted for the East and West Regiments of the London Militia, 1799-1800; papers of Committee for considering certain matters relative to the City Militia, including papers regarding the presentation of Colours to the Loyal London Volunteers and London Militia, 1803-1805 and 1807-1808; Special Militia Committee, including questions proposed to the Commanding Officers of the London Militia with their replies, accounts of Trophy Tax, accounts of the number of men discharged from the two Regiments and of promotions and desertions and returns from the parishes of monies paid to militia men's wives and families, 1810-1814; papers of the Militia Committee, including copy of the Militia Bill (1820), 1817-1828; papers of Special Committee regarding the Trophy Tax and the London Militia, 1831 and 1834; minute books of Special Militia Committee, 1810-1817 and 1820-1821.

The papers include some signed reports of the Committee to the Court of Common Council and also correspondence from the Court of Lieutenancy and up to 1799 from the Honourable Artillery Company enclosing copies of resolutions, reports, proceedings etc. of those bodies.

Access & 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.

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 the military, defence and wars, see CLA/050: City of London Lieutenancy, CLA/051 City Imperial Volunteers, COL/CC/CDC: Court of Common Council Civil Defence Committee, COL/CC/CDE: Court of Common Council Civil Defence (Emergency) Committee, COL/CC/MTC: Court of Common Council Militia Committee, COL/CC/SEC: Court of Common Council Special (Emergency) Committee, COL/CHD/MN: Chamberlain's Department: Military and Naval, COL/CHD/PR: Chamberlain's Department: Poor and other Relief, COL/CHD/CM: Chamberlain's Department: Chamber accounts, COL/CT: Charities, COL/MH/AD: Mansion House Administration, COL/SJ/05: Subject Series: Subjects - War and COL/SJ/10: Subject Series: Subjects - Honourable Artillery Company, COL/TCD/CD: Town Clerk's Department: Civil Defence, COL/PL: Plans for maps of the City produced during and after World War Two showing air raid damage, defences and jurisdictions.

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