Description

Admin History:

Parishes had various local government functions but only two of these were transferred directly to the Corporation. The longstanding duties of parishes in relation to highways were confirmed by the Highways Act of 1825 (5 & 6 Geo IV c.50) which permitted populous parishes to exercise their powers through a highways board. These powers were transferred to boards of health when they were established. The overseers of the poor lost their powers to relieve the poor under the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 (4 & 5 Will. IV c.76) but they retained their rating powers and became the main rating authorities for their areas levying rates for the corporation and the board of health as well as the guardians. The two parishes of Holy Tirnity and St. Mary's had been first brought together in 1698 in terms of poor relief, and were largely unaffected by the 1834 Poor Law Act. During the nineteenth century the overseers came effectively under the control of the corporation but it was not until 1929 that the rating function was formally transferred by the Local Government Act (19 & 20 Geo. V c.17).

Description:

Minutes 1902-27: Overseers of the poor; rate books 1855-96; valuations 1898-1929; accounts 1853-1859 and a letter 1855.