Description

Admin History:

The Borough of Kingston upon Hull was reformed under the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act. In 1876 the borough was merged with the Kingston upon Hull Board of Health, assuming that body's responsibilities for sanitation, street lighting, paving and cleansing, parks and open spaces, and building control. Under the Boundaries Extension Act of 1882 (45 & 46 Victoria) the area covered by the Newington Board of Health was also brought within the borough. Kingston upon Hull was created a City by Charter of Queen Victoria, 6 July 1897. The responsibilities of the City were extended by the Education Act of 1902, which transferred the activities of the local School Boards to the corporation. Responsibility for education lasted until 1974. Under the 1929 Local Government Act, the City also became responsible for public assistance, until this was abolished in 1948. The 1939-45 War also resulted in the City council acquiring additional responsibilities. The 1972 Local Government Act created the County of Humberside and Kingston upon Hull ceased to be a county, becoming a second tier authority as a borough from 1 April 1974. It was restored to the title of City in 1975. The Humberside (Structural Change) Order 1995, operative under the Local Government Act 1992, abolished the County of Humberside and created a county of the City of Kingston upon Hull, effective as a unitary authority from 1 April 1996.

The City Architect's Department was responsible for the design and planning for many of the buildings falling under the purview of the City of Hull, along with the selection of building contractors and the administration of the construction process. Early building projects were overseen by Joseph Henry Hirst, A.R.I.B.A.(1863-1945), the first of Hull's City Architects, who held the post from 1900 to 1926. Hirst's best known buildings in Hull include City Hall and the Market Hall, North Church Side. Hirst was succeeded on 9 November 1926 by David Harvey, A.R.I.B.A., a native of St Andrew's who had joined the architectural staff of Hull Education Committee in 1903. Harvey's buildings include many of Hull's pre-war housing estates and a number of schools, including Malet Lambert. Harvey remained in post until 1939, when he resigned due to ill health. He was succeeded by Andrew Rankine, A.R.I.B.A., who was made an O.B.E. for services to Civil Defence in January 1942 and remained City Architect until his retirement in 1961. He was replaced by David C. H. Jenkin, formerly a Senior Architect for London County Council. Jenkin was succeeded by John V. Wall, followed by A.R. Peadon and E.B. Heath.

Description:

Includes specifications, estimates, tenders, correspondence, work orders, plans and drawings, lists of property defects and sampled financial accounts relating to building projects undertaken by the Housing Section of the City Architect's Department

C TAH/1: Pre 1945 contract files

C TAH/2: Post War Housing Building Schemes