WORKS DEPARTMENT: GENERAL

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: LCC/WKS/GEN
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: WORKS DEPARTMENT: GENERAL
Date(s)	: 1889-1911
Level of description	: Collection View parent record
Extent	: 0.48 linear metres
Name of creator(s)	: LCC | London County Council x London County Council

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

The question whether some of the Council's projects should be executed by direct labour rather than by contractors was, in the early years of the Council's existence, the subject of considerable political controversy.

Following dissatisfaction at the manner in which contractors tendered for contracts, the Council on 22 November 1892 approved the creation of its own Works Department, which continued in being until the end of 1909.

Throughout its existence, there were repeated controversies as to its necessity, as to its administration, as to its relationships with other Departments (some of whom employed their own staffs on minor works) and as to the manner in which its accounts were presented.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the London County Council Works Department, 1889-1911, including historical account of the Works Department, 1892-1909, together with statements presented to the Council of the results of works executed by the Works Department; suggestions by the Deputy Chairman of the Council as to the organisation necessary to enable the Council to execute its own work; draft statement of works ordered to be carried out under the superintendence of the Parks Department; analysis of the prices submitted at tender for each of 70 contracts between 1891 and 1896; printed reports, accounts and inquiries into the working of the Works Department; booklets of orders and instructions for foremen; posters and catalogues of sale relating to the disposal of plant and materials on the discontinuance of the Works Department and the steamships and other equipment to be sold after the discontinuance of the passenger steamboat service.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

LCC/WKS/GEN/01: Reports; LCC/WKS/GEN/02: Schedules of prices for repairs.

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:

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

For further information on the history of the LCC please see Achievement: A Short History of the London County Council by W Eric Jackson (1965), LMA Library reference 18.0 1965, The London County Council 1938, LMA Library reference 18.7 SER 4, and The Youngest County: A description of London as a county and its public services, 1951, LMA Library reference 18.0 1951.

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:
April to June 2009