London County Council
Encyclopedia
London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London
, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London
and was replaced by the Greater London Council
. The LCC was the largest, most significant and ambitious municipal authority of its day.
(MBW) had certain powers across the metropolis, but it was appointed rather than elected. Many powers remained in the hands of traditional bodies such as parishes and the counties of Middlesex
, Surrey
and Kent
. The creation of the LCC in 1889, as part of the Local Government Act 1888
, was forced by a succession of scandals involving the MBW, and was also prompted by a general desire to create a competent government for the city, capable of strategising and delivering services effectively. While the Conservative
government of the day would have preferred not to create a single body covering the whole of London, their electoral pact with Liberal Unionists led them to this policy. Shortly after its creation a Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of London
considered the means for amalgamation with the City of London
. Although this was not achieved, it led to the creation of 28 metropolitan borough
s as lower tier authorities to replace the various local vestries and boards in 1900; they assumed some powers of the LCC and shared others.
in 1903, and Dr C W Kimmins
was appointed chief inspector of the education department in 1904.
From 1899 the Council progressively acquired and operated the tramways in the county, which it electrified from 1903. By 1933, when the LCC Tramways
were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board
, it was the largest tram operator in the United Kingdom, with more than 167 miles (268.8 km) of route and over 1,700 tramcars.
By 1939 the council had the following powers and duties:
† Denotes a power administered by the City of London Corporation within the City.
The LCC initially used the Spring Gardens
headquarters inherited from the Metropolitan Board of Works. The building had been designed by Frederick Marrable
, the MBW's supeintending architect, and dated from 1860. Opinions on the merits of the building varied: the Survey of London
described it as "well balanced" while the architectural correspondent of The Times
was less enthusiastic. He summarised the building as "...of the Palladian type of four storeys with two orders, Ionic
above and Corinthian
below as if its designer had looked rather hastily at the banqueting house of Inigo Jones
." The most impressive feature was the curving or elliptical spiral staircase leading to the principal floor. The original board room was too small to accommodate meetings of the new council, and it was soon replaced by a horseshoe-shaped council chamber.
, Sir William Harcourt
, offered the council a site at Parliament Street, Westminster for three quarters of a million pounds. Another site subsequently became available between The Strand and The Embankment
, when the Official Receiver
took over the partially completed premises of the failed Liberator Building Society
. The council's Establishment Committee recommended the purchase of the Parliament Street lot, as it would be a prominent site opposite the Palace of Westminster
and next to the principal government offices. Following a debate of the whole council, the committee's recommendation was rejected on financial grounds and as it was felt that the headquarters should not be in the privileged West End
.
The matter remained unresolved, and in 1900 a special committee was formed by the council to seek out a suitable site. In July 1902 they presented their report, recommending a 3.35 acres (13,557 m²) site in the Adelphi
. Entry roads to the proposed county hall would be made from The Strand and The Embankment. The council rejected the recommendations in October 1902, and a suggestion was made that the committee seek a site south of the Thames, adjacent to Westminster Bridge
.
In April 1905 the council finally agreed to seek powers to buy three adjoining plots of land on the eastern side of Westminster Bridge as a site for a single headquarters. The debate in the council chamber was somewhat heated with one councillor objecting to the purchase as it was "on the wrong side of the river.. in a very squalid neighbourhood... and quite unworthy of the dignity of a body like the council". Leading member of the council, John Burns
countered that it "would brighten up a dull place, sweeten a sour spot and for the first time bring the south of London into a dignified and beautiful frontage on the River Thames."
The necessary powers were obtained under the London County Council (Money) Act 1906, and a competition to design the new building was organised.
There were approximately 100 entries, and the winner was the twenty-nine year old Ralph Knott
. Construction began in 1911, and the first section was opened in 1922, with the original building completed in 1933. Extensions continued to be made throughout the council's existence.
, which returned four. Under the Representation of the People Act 1948
this was altered, with three councillors being returned for each division. Elections of all councillors were held every three years, although they were cancelled during the First and Second World Wars.
In addition to the elected councillors the council also comprised one county alderman
for every six councillors. Aldermen were elected by halves by the council for six-year terms at the first meeting following the election.
, who were unofficially allied with the Liberal Party
in national politics. Those who allied with the Conservative Party formed the Moderate group. In 1906, the Moderates became known as the Municipal Reform Party
.
The LCC was elected every three years. The Progressives were in control continuously from 1889 until 1907, when they lost power to the Municipal Reformers. Municipal Reform control lasted until 1934 when Labour won power, which they kept until the LCC was abolished.
The following is a summary of the council composition following each election. The figures shown are the number of councillors plus aldermen. For instance 13 + 2 indicates 13 councillors and 2 aldermen.
, and the last chairman was Arthur Wicks
.
The chairmanship was a prestigious office, second only to that of lord lieutenant
. The incumbent chairmen were honoured with knighthood
s on the occasions of the coronations of Edward VII
and Elizabeth II
, and the laying of the foundation stone of County Hall. As part of the celebrations of the silver jubilee
of George V
in 1935 it was announced that the chairman would in future be entitled to use the style "right honourable", an honour already enjoyed by the Lord Mayor of London.
when they reported in 1894, and in 1895 a county clerk was added to the council staff to perform these duties. The deputy chairmanship then became purely ceremonial, and was filled by nominees of the opposition party on the council.
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London
Inner London
Inner London is the name for the group of London boroughs which form the interior part of Greater London and are surrounded by Outer London. The area was first officially defined in 1965 and for purposes such as statistics, the definition has changed over time. The terms Inner London and Central...
and was replaced by the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
. The LCC was the largest, most significant and ambitious municipal authority of its day.
History
By the 19th century the City of London Corporation covered only a small fraction of metropolitan London. From 1855 the Metropolitan Board of WorksMetropolitan Board of Works
The Metropolitan Board of Works was the principal instrument of London-wide government from 1855 until the establishment of the London County Council in 1889. Its principal responsibility was to provide infrastructure to cope with London's rapid growth, which it successfully accomplished. The MBW...
(MBW) had certain powers across the metropolis, but it was appointed rather than elected. Many powers remained in the hands of traditional bodies such as parishes and the counties of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The creation of the LCC in 1889, as part of the Local Government Act 1888
Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
, was forced by a succession of scandals involving the MBW, and was also prompted by a general desire to create a competent government for the city, capable of strategising and delivering services effectively. While the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government of the day would have preferred not to create a single body covering the whole of London, their electoral pact with Liberal Unionists led them to this policy. Shortly after its creation a Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of London
Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of London
The Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of London was a royal commission which considered the means for amalgamating the ancient City of London with the County of London, which had been created in 1889. The commission reported in 1894...
considered the means for amalgamation with the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. Although this was not achieved, it led to the creation of 28 metropolitan borough
Metropolitan boroughs of the County of London
The term metropolitan borough was used from 1900 to 1965, for the subdivisions of the County of London created by the London Government Act 1899....
s as lower tier authorities to replace the various local vestries and boards in 1900; they assumed some powers of the LCC and shared others.
Powers and duties
The LCC inherited the powers of its predecessor the MBW, but also had wider authority over matters such as education, city planning and council housing. It took over the functions of the London School BoardLondon School Board
The School Board for London was an institution of local government and the first directly elected body covering the whole of London....
in 1903, and Dr C W Kimmins
C W Kimmins
Dr. Charles William "C. W." Kimmins was an educational psychologist and was appointed chief inspector of the education department of the now defunct London County Council in 1904. He was appointed Chief Inspector at the Education Department of the LCC in 1904...
was appointed chief inspector of the education department in 1904.
From 1899 the Council progressively acquired and operated the tramways in the county, which it electrified from 1903. By 1933, when the LCC Tramways
London County Council Tramways
The London County Council Tramways was an extensive network of public street tramways that was operated by the council throughout the County of London, UK, from 1899 to 1933, when they were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board....
were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board
London Passenger Transport Board
The London Passenger Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1933 to 1948...
, it was the largest tram operator in the United Kingdom, with more than 167 miles (268.8 km) of route and over 1,700 tramcars.
By 1939 the council had the following powers and duties:
| Category | Powers and duties | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Assistance |
|
Many of these powers were acquired in 1930 when the Local Government Act 1929 Local Government Act 1929 The Local Government Act 1929 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that made changes to the Poor Law and local government in England and Wales.... abolished the Metropolitan Asylums Board Metropolitan Asylums Board The Metropolitan Asylums Board was established under Poor Law legislation, to deal with London's sick poor. It was established by the Metropolitan Poor Act 1867 and was wound up in 1930, its functions being transferred to the London County Council. Despite its name, the MAB was not involved in... and the poor law Poor Law The English Poor Laws were a system of poor relief which existed in England and Wales that developed out of late-medieval and Tudor-era laws before being codified in 1587–98... boards of guardians Board of Guardians Boards of guardians were ad hoc authorities that administered Poor Law in the United Kingdom from 1835 to 1930.-England and Wales:The boards were created by the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, replacing the parish Overseers of the Poor established under the old poor law, following the recommendations... . |
  .jpg)    |
| Health Services, Housing and Sanitation |
|
Medical and ambulance services passed to the National Health Service National Health Service The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom... in 1948. |
|
| Regulation and Licensing |
Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State.... ) |
||
| Protective Services |
Old Bailey The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court... and quarter sessions Quarter Sessions The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire... London Fire Brigade The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for London.Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighters based in 112 fire... |
||
| Education and Museums |
Geffrye Museum Founded in 1914, the Geffrye Museum is a museum specialising in the history of the English domestic interior. Named after Sir Robert Geffrye, former Lord Mayor of London and Master of the Ironmongers' Company, it is located on Kingsland Road in London... Horniman Museum The Horniman Museum is a museum in Forest Hill, South London, England. Commissioned in 1898, it opened in 1901 and was designed by Charles Harrison Townsend in the Arts and Crafts style.... |
The council received powers to provide technical education in 1892. On the abolition of the London School Board London School Board The School Board for London was an institution of local government and the first directly elected body covering the whole of London.... the LCC became the local education authority Local Education Authority A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction... with responsibility for elementary and secondary schools on 1 May 1904. |
|
| Transport |
|
Until 1933 the council provided a network of tramway services in the county. This passed to the London Passenger Transport Board London Passenger Transport Board The London Passenger Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1933 to 1948... . |
† Denotes a power administered by the City of London Corporation within the City.
Spring Gardens
Spring Gardens
Spring Gardens is a street in London, England, crossing The Mall between Admiralty Arch and Trafalgar Square.It was named after the gardens which were previously on the site, which featured a trick fountain...
headquarters inherited from the Metropolitan Board of Works. The building had been designed by Frederick Marrable
Frederick Marrable
Frederick Marrable was a British architect who was notable as the first Chief Architect for the Metropolitan Board of Works, responsible for designing its headquarters.-Early career:...
, the MBW's supeintending architect, and dated from 1860. Opinions on the merits of the building varied: the Survey of London
Survey of London
The Survey of London is a research project to produce a comprehensive architectural survey of the former County of London. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Robert Ashbee, an Arts-and-Crafts architect and social thinker, and was motivated by a desire to record and preserve London's ancient monuments...
described it as "well balanced" while the architectural correspondent of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
was less enthusiastic. He summarised the building as "...of the Palladian type of four storeys with two orders, Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
above and Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
below as if its designer had looked rather hastily at the banqueting house of Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
." The most impressive feature was the curving or elliptical spiral staircase leading to the principal floor. The original board room was too small to accommodate meetings of the new council, and it was soon replaced by a horseshoe-shaped council chamber.
The search for a new site
By 1893 it was clear that the Spring Gardens building was too small for the increased work of the LCC. Seven additional buildings within a quarter of a mile of the County Hall had been acquired, and it was estimated that they would need to take over an average of two more houses annually. The Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
, Sir William Harcourt
William Vernon Harcourt (politician)
Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt was a British lawyer, journalist and Liberal statesman. He served as Member of Parliament for various constituencies and held the offices of Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer under William Ewart Gladstone before becoming Leader of...
, offered the council a site at Parliament Street, Westminster for three quarters of a million pounds. Another site subsequently became available between The Strand and The Embankment
Thames Embankment
The Thames Embankment is a major feat of 19th century civil engineering designed to reclaim marshy land next to the River Thames in central London. It consists of the Victoria and Chelsea Embankment....
, when the Official Receiver
Official Receiver
An officer of the Insolvency Service of the United Kingdom, the Official Receiver is an officer of the court to which he is attached. The OR is therefore answerable to the courts for carrying out the courts' orders and for fulfilling his duties under law...
took over the partially completed premises of the failed Liberator Building Society
Jabez Balfour
Jabez Spencer Balfour was a businessman, British Liberal Party politician and fraudster.-Life:He was the son of James Balfour and Clara Lucas Balfour....
. The council's Establishment Committee recommended the purchase of the Parliament Street lot, as it would be a prominent site opposite the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
and next to the principal government offices. Following a debate of the whole council, the committee's recommendation was rejected on financial grounds and as it was felt that the headquarters should not be in the privileged West End
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
.
The matter remained unresolved, and in 1900 a special committee was formed by the council to seek out a suitable site. In July 1902 they presented their report, recommending a 3.35 acres (13,557 m²) site in the Adelphi
Adelphi, London
Adelphi is a district of London, England in the City of Westminster. The small district includes the streets of Adelphi Terrace, Robert Street and John Adam Street.-Adelphi Buildings:...
. Entry roads to the proposed county hall would be made from The Strand and The Embankment. The council rejected the recommendations in October 1902, and a suggestion was made that the committee seek a site south of the Thames, adjacent to Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
.
County Hall, Lambeth
John Burns
John Elliot Burns was an English trade unionist and politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly associated with London politics. He was a socialist and then a Liberal Member of Parliament and Minister. He was anti-alcohol and a keen sportsman...
countered that it "would brighten up a dull place, sweeten a sour spot and for the first time bring the south of London into a dignified and beautiful frontage on the River Thames."
The necessary powers were obtained under the London County Council (Money) Act 1906, and a competition to design the new building was organised.
There were approximately 100 entries, and the winner was the twenty-nine year old Ralph Knott
Ralph Knott
Ralph Knott FRIBA was a British architect responsible for building the massive 6-storey "Edwardian Baroque" style County Hall building for the London County Council....
. Construction began in 1911, and the first section was opened in 1922, with the original building completed in 1933. Extensions continued to be made throughout the council's existence.
Elections to the London County Council
The county was divided into electoral divisions, which had the same boundaries as the parliamentary constituencies. Initially, each division returned two councillors, with the exception of the City of LondonCity of London (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
, which returned four. Under the Representation of the People Act 1948
Representation of the People Act 1948
The Representation of the People Act 1948 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered the law relating to parliamentary and local elections...
this was altered, with three councillors being returned for each division. Elections of all councillors were held every three years, although they were cancelled during the First and Second World Wars.
In addition to the elected councillors the council also comprised one county alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
for every six councillors. Aldermen were elected by halves by the council for six-year terms at the first meeting following the election.
Political control
Initially, it had been hoped by many that elections to the LCC would be conducted on a non-partisan basis, but in the council two political groups formed. The majority group in 1889 was the ProgressivesProgressive Party (London)
The Progressive Party was a political party based around the Liberal Party that contested municipal elections in the County of London.It was founded in 1888 by a group of Liberals and leaders of the labour movement. It was also supported by the Fabian Society, and Sidney Webb was one of its...
, who were unofficially allied with the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
in national politics. Those who allied with the Conservative Party formed the Moderate group. In 1906, the Moderates became known as the Municipal Reform Party
Municipal Reform Party
The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:...
.
The LCC was elected every three years. The Progressives were in control continuously from 1889 until 1907, when they lost power to the Municipal Reformers. Municipal Reform control lasted until 1934 when Labour won power, which they kept until the LCC was abolished.
The following is a summary of the council composition following each election. The figures shown are the number of councillors plus aldermen. For instance 13 + 2 indicates 13 councillors and 2 aldermen.
| Overall control | Mod./M.R. Municipal Reform Party The Municipal Reform Party was a local party allied to the parliamentary Conservative Party in the County of London. The party contested elections to both the London County Council and metropolitan borough councils of the county from 1906 to 1945.-Formation:... /Cons. Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... |
Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... |
Prog. Progressive Party (London) The Progressive Party was a political party based around the Liberal Party that contested municipal elections in the County of London.It was founded in 1888 by a group of Liberals and leaders of the labour movement. It was also supported by the Fabian Society, and Sidney Webb was one of its... /Lib. Liberal Party (UK) The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day... |
Others | |
| 1961 | Labour | 42 + 7 | 84 +14 | – | – |
| 1958 | Labour | 25 + 7 | 101 + 14 | – | – |
| 1955 | Labour | 52 + 8 | 74 + 13 | – | – |
| 1952 | Labour | 37 + 6 | 92 + 15 | – | – |
| 1949 | Labour | 64 + 5 | 64 + 16 | 1 + 0 | – |
| 1946 | Labour | 30 + 6 | 90 + 14 | 2 + 0 | 2 + 0 |
| 1937 | Labour | 49 + 8 | 75 + 12 | – | – |
| 1934 | Labour | 55 + 9 | 69 + 11 | – | – |
| 1931 | Municipal Reform | 83 + 13 | 35 + 6 | 6 + 0 | 0 + 1 |
| 1928 | Municipal Reform | 77 + 12 | 42 + 6 | 5 + 1 | 0 + 1 |
| 1925 | Municipal Reform | 83 + 13 | 35 + 6 | 6 + 0 | – |
| 1922 | Municipal Reform | 82 + 12 | 16 + 3 | 26 + 5 | – |
| 1919 | Municipal Reform | 68 + 12 | 15 + 2 | 40 + 6 | 1 + 0 |
| 1913 | Municipal Reform | 67 + 15 | 2 + 0 | 49 + 4 | – |
| 1910 | Municipal Reform | 60 + 17 | 3 + 0 | 55 + 2 | – |
| 1907 | Municipal Reform | 79 + 11 | 1 + 0 | 37 + 8 | 1 + 0 |
| 1904 | Progressive | 35 + 6 | – | 82 + 13 | 1 + 0 |
| 1901 | Progressive | 32 + 6 | 0 + 1 | 86 + 12 | – |
| 1898 | Progressive | 48 + 8 | 0 + 1 | 70 + 10 | – |
| 1895 | Progressive | 59 + 7 | – | 59 + 12 | – |
| 1892 | Progressive | 35 + 2 | – | 83 + 17 | – |
| 1889 | Progressive | 46 + 1 | – | 72 + 18 | – |
Leaders of the London County Council
The post of Leader was only officially recognised in 1933. This table gives the Leaders of the majority parties on the council before this time, although in the first term this had little relevance in terms of the leadership of the Council.- Sir Thomas FarrerThomas Farrer, 1st Baron FarrerThomas Henry Farrer, 1st Baron Farrer was an English civil servant and statistician.Farrer was the son of Thomas Farrer, a solicitor in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Born in London, he was educated at Eton College and Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated in 1840...
(21 March 1889 – 27 March 1890) - James StuartJames Stuart (politician)James Stuart was a British educator and politician. He was born in Markinch, Fife, and attended the University of St Andrews before going to Trinity College, Cambridge. He later became a Fellow of the College and Professor of Mechanism and Applied Mechanics at Cambridge University from 1875; he...
(27 March 1890 – 9 March 1892) - Charles HarrisonCharles Harrison (British politician)Charles Harrison was a British Liberal Party politician.Harrison was born in Muswell Hill, Middlesex, and was the third son of Frederick Harrison, a stockbroker, and his wife, Jane Brice. He was educated at King's College School and King's College London...
(9 March 1892 – 10 March 1898) - Thomas McKinnon WoodThomas McKinnon WoodThomas McKinnon Wood PC was a British Liberal politician. He was a member of H. H. Asquith's cabinet as Secretary for Scotland between 1912 and 1916 and as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between July and December 1916...
(10 March 1898 – 8 March 1907) - Richard Robinson (8 March 1907 – 11 March 1908)
- Hon. William Wellesley PeelWilliam Wellesley Peel, 1st Earl PeelWilliam Robert Wellesley Peel, 1st Earl Peel GCSI, GBE, PC, TD was a British politician.-Background and education:...
(11 March 1908 – 8 March 1910) - William Hayes Fisher (8 March 1910 – 19 December 1911)
- Cyril JacksonCyril Jackson (educationist)Sir Cyril Jackson KBE, was a British educationist, important in the development of education in Western Australia....
(19 December 1911 – 16 March 1915) - Ronald Collet NormanRonald Collet NormanRonald Collet Norman JP was a banker, administrator and politician.He was chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC from 1935 to 1939 and of the London County Council from 1918 to 1919. He was the son of Frederick Henry Norman of the Norman family, long prominent in banking.In 1907 he was...
(16 March 1915 – 1 March 1918) - George Hopwood HumeGeorge Hopwood HumeSir George Hopwood Hume was a British Conservative politician and leader of the London County Council.He was born in the Ukrainian city of Poltava, then in the Russian Empire. His father was George Hume, a Scottish mechanical engineer, and British vice consul at Kiev and Kharkov...
(knighted 1924) (1 March 1918 – 11 March 1925) - Sir William Ray (11 March 1925 – 9 March 1934)
- Herbert Morrison (9 March 1934 – 27 May 1940)
- Lord LathamCharles Latham, 1st Baron LathamCharles Latham, 1st Baron Latham was a British politician and Leader of the London County Council from 1940 to 1947....
(27 May 1940 – 29 July 1947) - Sir Isaac HaywardIsaac HaywardSir Isaac James Hayward was Leader of the London County Council from 1947 until it was abolished in 1965....
(29 July 1947 – 31 March 1965)
Chairmen of the London County Council
Chairman and vice chairman
The county council was required by statute to appoint a chairman and a vice chairman at its annual meeting. Both of these positions were generally filled by members of the majority party. The chairman chaired meetings of the council, and was the county's civic leader, filling a similar role to the mayor of a borough or city. The vice chairman performed these functions in his absence. The first chairman was the Earl of RoseberyArchibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery
Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, KG, PC was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister. Between the death of his father, in 1851, and the death of his grandfather, the 4th Earl, in 1868, he was known by the courtesy title of Lord Dalmeny.Rosebery was a Liberal Imperialist who...
, and the last chairman was Arthur Wicks
Arthur Wicks
Arthur Ernest Wicks was a Labour politician and last chairman of the London County Council. He was first elected to the Shoreditch Metropolitan Borough Council in the 1950s, and became chairman of housing, at a time when Shoreditch had one of England's highest concentrations of municipal...
.
The chairmanship was a prestigious office, second only to that of lord lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant of the County of London
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of the County of London.The post was created in 1889, absorbing the duties of the Lord Lieutenant of the Tower Hamlets, and abolished in 1965, when it was merged with that of Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex to become the Lord Lieutenant of...
. The incumbent chairmen were honoured with knighthood
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
s on the occasions of the coronations of Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
and Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, and the laying of the foundation stone of County Hall. As part of the celebrations of the silver jubilee
Silver Jubilee
A Silver Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, ruling anniversary or anything that has completed a 25 year mark...
of George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in 1935 it was announced that the chairman would in future be entitled to use the style "right honourable", an honour already enjoyed by the Lord Mayor of London.
Deputy chairman
The council's standing orders also provided for the post of deputy chairman. Until 1895 the holder of this office was in charge of the organisation of the council's activities, and was paid a salary. This was seen as a conflict of interest by the Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of LondonRoyal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of London
The Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of London was a royal commission which considered the means for amalgamating the ancient City of London with the County of London, which had been created in 1889. The commission reported in 1894...
when they reported in 1894, and in 1895 a county clerk was added to the council staff to perform these duties. The deputy chairmanship then became purely ceremonial, and was filled by nominees of the opposition party on the council.
See also
- Coat of arms of London County CouncilCoat of arms of London County CouncilThe London County Council was granted a coat of arms in 1914 and a heraldic badge in 1956. The coat of arms can still be seen on buildings constructed by the council before its abolition in 1965.-Background and initial designs:...
- London County Council TramwaysLondon County Council TramwaysThe London County Council Tramways was an extensive network of public street tramways that was operated by the council throughout the County of London, UK, from 1899 to 1933, when they were taken over by the London Passenger Transport Board....
- List of members of London County Council 1889–1919
- List of members of London County Council 1919–1937
- The archives of London County Council are held at London Metropolitan ArchivesLondon Metropolitan ArchivesThe London Metropolitan Archives are the main archives for the Greater London area. Established in 1997, having previously been known as the Greater London Record Office, they are financed by the City of London Corporation....