West Hamwas a local government district in the extreme south west ofEssexfrom 1886 to 1965, forming part of the built-up area ofLondon,although outside theCounty of London.It was immediately north of theRiver Thamesand east of theRiver Lea.
| West Ham | |
|---|---|
 Stratford Town Hall | |
 West Ham within Essex in 1961 | |
| Area | |
| • 1861 | 4,667 acres (18.9 km2)[1] |
| • 1911 | 4,683 acres (19.0 km2)[2] |
| • 1931/1961 | 4,689 acres (19.0 km2)[2] |
| Population | |
| • 1861 | 38,331[3] |
| • 1911 | 289,030[2] |
| • 1931 | 294,278[2] |
| • 1961 | 157,367[2] |
| Density | |
| • 1861 | 8/acre |
| • 1911 | 62/acre |
| • 1931 | 63/acre |
| • 1961 | 34/acre |
| History | |
| • Origin | West Ham ancient parish |
| • Created | 1856 |
| • Abolished | 1965 |
| • Succeeded by | London Borough of Newham |
| Status | Civil parish(until 1965) Local board of health district(1856–1886) Municipal borough(1886–1889) County borough(1889–1965) |
| Government | West Ham Local Board (1856–1886) West Ham Borough Council (1886–1965) |
| •HQ | Town Hall, Broadway,Stratford(1869–1965) |
| •Motto | Deo Confidimus (We trust in God) |
 Arms of the county borough corporation | |
Area and boundaries
editThe borough includedPlaistow,West Ham,Stratford,Canning TownandSilvertown– all of the current-day London Borough of Newham west ofGreen Street.At the time of the 1901 census it was the ninth most populous town or district in England with a population of 267,308.[4]The borough formed part of London's built-up area, was part of theLondon postal districtand theMetropolitan Police District.
From 1934 to 1965 it was surrounded by theCounty Borough of East Hamto the east, the municipal boroughs ofWanstead and WoodfordandLeytonto the north, and the metropolitan boroughs ofPoplarto the west andGreenwichto the south.
Predecessors
editWest Ham underwent rapid growth from 1844 following theMetropolitan Building Act.The Act restricted dangerous and noxious industries from operating in the metropolitan area, the eastern boundary of which was theRiver Lea.Consequently, many of these activities were relocated to the other side of the river and to West Ham, then a parish in Essex centred onAll Saints Church, West Ham.As a result, West Ham became one of Victorian Britain's major manufacturing centres for pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and processed foods. This rapid growth earned it the name "London over the border".[5]The growth of the town was summarised byThe Timesin 1886:
"Factory after factory was erected on the marshy wastes of Stratford and Plaistow, and it only required the construction at Canning Town of theVictoria and Albert Docksto make the once desolate parish of West Ham a manufacturing and commercial centre of the first importance and to bring upon it a teeming and an industrious population. "[5]
Many workers lived in slum conditions close to where they worked, leading to periodic outbreaks of contagious diseases and severe poverty. It had become apparent that local government in the parish of West Ham was not adequate to meet the needs of the area which was divided between the parish vestry,highway boardand the Havering and Dagenham Commissioners of Sewers. Problems centred on provision of adequate paving, water supply, fire fighting and control of development. In 1853 a group of ratepayers initiated moves to improve local administration. This led to a public enquiry byCharles Dickens' brother Alfred, a medical officer, who published a report in 1855 severely critical of conditions in the slum areas.[5]
Accordingly, thePublic Health Act 1848was applied to the parish, and alocal board of healthwas formed in 1856. The board had 15 members: 12 elected and 3 nominated by the Commissioners of Sewers.[6]
West Ham received representation as a parliamentary borough as part of theRedistribution of Seats Act 1885,with one MP each for theWest Ham NorthandWest Ham Southdivisions.
Incorporation
edit
In November 1878 the inhabitants of the parish decided to petition theprivy councilfor acharter,incorporating the town as amunicipal borough.[7] This was in reaction to proposals to enlarge the area governed by theMetropolitan Board of Worksto include adjoining districts with a population of 50,000 or more: the primary aim of incorporation was to prevent the inclusion of West Ham in an enlarged London municipality.[5]This initial application was unsuccessful. However, encouraged by the 1883 incorporation ofCroydon,a second petition was submitted in May 1885.[8]Following an inquiry in October 1885, a scheme for the creation of the borough and dissolution of the board of health was made in June and the charter was granted in July 1886.[9][10]A corporation consisting of amayor,12aldermenand 36 councillors replaced the board, with the first elections held on 1 November.[5]The first mayor was John Meeson, head of a local lime burning and cement making firm, and a former chairman of West Ham Local Board.[11]The first female mayor wasDaisy Parsonsin 1937.[12]
County borough
editTheLocal Government Act 1888created electedcounty councilsto administer services throughout England and Wales. Where a municipal borough had a population of more than 50,000 at the 1881Censusit was created acounty borough,with the powers and duties of both a borough and county council.
As West Ham had an 1881 population of 128,953 it duly became a county borough on 1 April 1889. The borough, while independent of Essex County Council for local government, remained part of the county for purposes such as the administration of justice andlieutenancy.[13]
Utilities
editThe borough acquired the horse-drawntramservices in its area in 1898, electrified them in 1904, and extended the network. There was also through running of the corporation trams and those of theLondon County Councilsystem.West Ham Corporation Tramwaysoperated 134 tram cars on 16.27 miles (26.2 km) of tracks when they became the responsibility of theLondon Passenger Transport Boardin 1933.[14]The borough ran its own fire brigade which was absorbed into theLondon Fire Brigadein 1965. The corporation's electricity generation and supply undertaking was nationalised in 1948, when it was transferred to theLondon Electricity Board.
Following the passing of theLocal Government Act 1929the Council took over responsibility for certain health services, such as the large Whipps Cross Hospital in neighbouringLeyton(now theWhipps Cross University Hospital) which they developed until it passed into the newNational Health Servicein 1946.[15]
Borough council
edit
Wards
editUnder the original charter the borough was divided into fourwards:Canning Town, Forest Gate, Plaistow and Stratford. Each ward returned nine councillors, with three councillors elected in each ward for a three-year term on 1 November each year.[16]In addition to the 36 directly-elected councillors there were also 12 aldermen, who were elected by the council itself, giving the town council a total membership of 48.[6]
In 1899 the wards were redrawn: the borough was divided into 12 wards, each returning 3 councillors. The number of councillors remained at 36.[6]The 1899 wards were as follows: No.1 or New Town, No.2 or Forest Gate, No.3 or High Street, No.4 or Broadway, No.5 or Park, No.6 or Upton, No.7 or West Ham, No.8 or Plaistow, No.9 or Hudsons, No.10 or Canning Town, No.11 or Tidal Basin and No.12 or Custom House & Silvertown.[17]
In 1922 the number of wards was increased to sixteen, each represented by three councillors and one alderman. The size of the council was thus increased to sixty-four members. The names of the wards, which continued in use until 1965, were: Beckton Road, Bemersyde, Broadway, Canning Town & Grange, Custom House & Silvertown, Forest Gate, High Street, Hudsons, Newtown, Ordnance, Park, Plaistow, Plashet Road, Tidal Basin, Upton and West Ham.[6]
Politics
editThe borough was notable for having the firstLabourcontrolled council in England. Following theLondon Dock Strike of 1889,a number of Socialists andProgressiveswere elected to the council, formally becoming the Labour Group in 1897. The Group gained a majority on the town council in 1898. In reaction to this, a Municipal Alliance was formed by the West Ham Ratepayers Association and Chamber of Commerce to oppose the Labour Party. In 1900 they gained parity with Labour on the council and in the following year they took control.[18]The Municipal Alliance retained power until 1910 when a Labour-Progressive coalition replaced it. Two years later Municipal Alliance councillors regained a narrow majority, which they held at the 1913 election.[6]Elections were suspended for the duration of theFirst World War,and at the 1919 elections Labour won an overall majority which it retained for the rest of the borough's existence. The Labour majority was to increase over the years, with a small group of Ratepayers Association councillors supported by theConservative Partyforming the opposition group. From 1947 the Conservatives contested elections in their own name, but after 1954 had no councillors elected. From 1954 to 1960 Labour held all the seats on the council, after which a number ofLiberal Partycouncillors formed a minority group.[6]
Coat of arms
edit
The coat of arms was granted by theCollege of Armson 14 January 1887. The chevrons on the lower portion represent Stratford, taken from the device ofStratford Langthorne Abbey.At the top right, there are crossed hammers, representing theThames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company– the borough's main employer. The ship is representative of theRoyal Docks,and the area's long association with the sea. The Latin motto "Deo Confidimus"at the base translates as"In God We Trust."[19]
Abolition and inclusion in Greater London
editThe omission of West Ham from the London-administeredmetropolitan area,which took in nearby places such asGreenwichandWoolwich,was first commented on in 1855 and West Ham Council later considered the case for inclusion in theCounty of Londonin 1895 and 1907.[20]The reluctance to proceed with amalgamation was largely explained by lack of perceived support, fear of financial disadvantage caused by increased rates, the detrimental effect of London planning laws on industry, and the desire to retain the independent civic institutions and privileges attached to county borough status.[20]
TheRoyal Commission on Local Government in Greater Londonreviewed the local government arrangements of theGreater London Conurbationand in 1965 the county borough, and theCounty Borough of East Ham,were abolished and their former area was amalgamated with small parts ofBarkingandWoolwichto form theLondon Borough of NewhaminGreater London.
Further reading
edit- McDougall, Donald (1936):Fifty Years a Borough, 1886-1936: The Story of West Ham,ASIN: B000LFZWAC
References
edit- ^W R Powell, ed. (1973)."West Ham: Introduction".A History of the County of Essex, Vol.6.British History Online.Retrieved5 November2009.
- ^abcdeVision of Britain –West Ham population(areaanddensity)
- ^Census of England and Wales 1871, Summary Tables VII: Inhabited Houses and Population in 1861 and 1871, of Cities, Municipal Boroughs, Parliamentary Boroughs, Local Board Districts, Improvement Commissioners' Districts, Paving Commissioners' Districts and Other Principal Towns in England and Wales
- ^Vision of Britain –1901 Census: Preliminary Report
- ^abcde"The Incorporation of West Ham".The Times.1 November 1886. p. 12.
- ^abcdefW R Powell, ed. (1973)."West Ham – Local government and public services".A History of the County of Essex, Vol.6.Retrieved22 June2008.
- ^"No. 24651".The London Gazette.29 November 1878. p. 6695.
- ^"No. 25472".The London Gazette.22 May 1885. p. 2366.
- ^"No. 25596".The London Gazette.11 June 1886. pp. 2797–2798.
- ^"The Incorporation Of West Ham".The Times.23 June 1886. p. 6.
- ^"John Meeson, first Mayor of West Ham, 1886-7".The Newham Story.Newham Council. Archived fromthe originalon 14 July 2011.Retrieved3 November2009.
- ^Tim Wales, 'Parsons, Marguerite Lena (1890–1957)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004accessed 21 Nov 2017
- ^Local Government Act 1888(32 & 33 Vict. c.49) s.31"Each of the boroughs named in the Third Schedule to this Act being a borough which on the first day of June one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, either had a population of not less than fifty thousand, or was a county of itself shall, from and after the appointed day, be for the purposes of this Act an administrative county of itself, and is in this Act referred to as a county borough. Provided that for all other purposes a county borough shall continue to be part of the county (if any) in which it is situate at the passing of this Act"
- ^London's Trams and Trolleybuses,John R Day, published by London Transport, 1979
- ^Victoria County History of Essex; Vol 4: OUP; 1973: p214
- ^Census of England and Wales, 1891, County of Essex
- ^Census of England and Wales, 1901, County of Essex
- ^Municipal Socialism VIII: A Socialist Régime in West Ham,The Times, 16 September 1902, p.12
- ^"The Newham story, Coat of Arms (3) – West Ham".Newham London. Archived fromthe originalon 14 March 2013.Retrieved5 March2013.
- ^abLocal administration and public services: Administrative bodies,A History of the County of Essex: Volume 5 (1966), pp. 32–37. Date accessed: 7 December 2007.