Municipal Borough of Wimbledon
Encyclopedia
Wimbledon was a local government district in north-east Surrey
from 1866 to 1965 covering the town of Wimbledon
and its surrounding area. It was part of the London postal district
and Metropolitan Police District
.
Wimbledon Local Government District was formed in 1866 when the parish
of Wimbledon adopted the Local Government Act 1858, forming a local board
of 15 members to govern the area. The Local Government Act 1894
reconstituted the area as an urban district
. The town was granted a charter of incorporation to become a municipal borough
in 1905. A borough council consisting of a mayor
, six aldermen
and eighteen councillors replaced the urban district council. The original Wimbledon Town Hall was built on The Broadway. This was replaced by a new Town Hall on the corner of Queen's Road and Wimbledon Bridge in 1931.
The borough was granted a coat of arms
in 1906. The arms incorporated heraldic
elements associated with the history of the borough through the centuries. A black double headed eagle refers to the legend that Julius Caesar
once made camp on the common, a sheaf of corn is borrowed from the arms of the Cecil family
and the two Cornish Choughs
above the crown are taken from the arms of Thomas Cromwell
. The new borough took as its motto
"Sine Labe Decus" meaning: "Honour without Stain".
In 1914 Wimbledon unsuccessfully promoted a bill to become a county borough
.
The borough was abolished in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963
and the area was transferred to Greater London
to be combined with that the Municipal Borough of Mitcham
and the Merton and Morden Urban District
to form the present-day London Borough of Merton
.
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...
from 1866 to 1965 covering the town of Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
and its surrounding area. It was part of the London postal district
London postal district
The London postal district is the area in England, currently of , to which mail addressed to the LONDON post town is delivered. The area was initially devised in 1856 and throughout its history has been subject to periodic reorganisation, contraction and division into increasingly smaller postal...
and Metropolitan Police District
Metropolitan Police District
The Metropolitan Police District is the police area which is policed by London's Metropolitan Police Service. It currently consists of Greater London, excluding the City of London.-History:...
.
Wimbledon Local Government District was formed in 1866 when the parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Wimbledon adopted the Local Government Act 1858, forming a local board
Local board of health
Local Boards or Local Boards of Health were local authorities in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulate slaughterhouses and ensure the proper supply of water to their...
of 15 members to govern the area. The Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
reconstituted the area as an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
. The town was granted a charter of incorporation to become a municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
in 1905. A borough council consisting of a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, six aldermen
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...
and eighteen councillors replaced the urban district council. The original Wimbledon Town Hall was built on The Broadway. This was replaced by a new Town Hall on the corner of Queen's Road and Wimbledon Bridge in 1931.
The borough was granted a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
in 1906. The arms incorporated heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
elements associated with the history of the borough through the centuries. A black double headed eagle refers to the legend that Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
once made camp on the common, a sheaf of corn is borrowed from the arms of the Cecil family
Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter
Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, KG , known as Lord Burghley from 1598 to 1605, was an English politician and soldier.-Life:...
and the two Cornish Choughs
Chough
The Red-billed Chough or Chough , Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, is a bird in the crow family; it is one of only two species in the genus Pyrrhocorax...
above the crown are taken from the arms of Thomas Cromwell
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, , was an English statesman who served as chief minister of King Henry VIII of England from 1532 to 1540....
. The new borough took as its motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
"Sine Labe Decus" meaning: "Honour without Stain".
In 1914 Wimbledon unsuccessfully promoted a bill to become a county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
.
The borough was abolished in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963
London Government Act 1963
The London Government Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which recognised officially the conurbation known as Greater London and created a new local government structure for the capital. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area,...
and the area was transferred to Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
to be combined with that the Municipal Borough of Mitcham
Municipal Borough of Mitcham
Mitcham was a local government district in north east Surrey from 1915 to 1965 around the town of Mitcham.It was created in 1915 as an urban district from part of the abolished Croydon Rural District...
and the Merton and Morden Urban District
Merton and Morden Urban District
Merton Urban District and Merton and Morden Urban District was an urban district in Surrey, England. It was formed in 1907 from the parish of Merton and was expanded in 1913 to take in Morden...
to form the present-day London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
.