Wormwood Scrubs Act 1879
Encyclopedia
The Wormwood Scrubs Act 1879 is a British
public act passed by Parliament
to lay down the conditions under which Wormwood Scrubs
in west London
was to be owned by the British Army
. It is a local Act of Parliament.
135 acre
s of land known as Wormwood Scrubs was bought by the War Office
(now the Ministry of Defence
) in 1879 to "create a metropolitan exercising ground in pursuance of the Military Forces Localisation Act 1872" The purchase was designed to ensure that a sufficiently large area of land was usable for military training close to the centre of the expanding London
metropolis.
Despite military ownership which continues to this day, in the 1879 Act Parliament placed the new public-owned land of Wormwood Scrubs in the care of the Metropolitan Board of Works
to ensure that alongside military training, the land could be given over to "the perpetual use thereof by the inhabitants of the metropolis
for exercise and recreation". This gave the Board of Works and its successors the ability to maintain and improve the land, although any such scheme must be referred to the War Office or its successors for approval. If approval can not be agreed, then there is a mechanism in the Act to allow both parties to appoint adjudicators and for any such decision to be umpired. It also prevents the Army from building any "permanent erections" other than rifle butts and "their related appurtenances".
The Act gives rights and authority to the public, the Army and the Metropolitan Board of Works and its successors. The public's right to enjoy Wormwood Scrubs is protected in perpertuity - it may not be taken back wholesale by the military or sold unless the area "ceases to be used by the citizens of London". In the same vein, the Act bans military training on public holidays
. The Metropolitan Board of Works was given the authority to pass by-laws over the area, while the Army can prohibit entry by civilians on pain of fines or imprisonment during periods of military training.
The Act remains in force today. The successor body to the Metropolitan Board of Works in acting as civilian trustees of Wormwood Scrubs are the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
. The Ministry of Defence has replaced the War Office.
The Act was appended by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Defence and the Greater London Council on 1 October 1980. This sets out which party has responsibility for carrying out and paying for improvements to the land under certain circumstances. In 2005, the government made clear that the Act is still adhered to by all parties, and that the military does still use the area for training.
Copies of the Act can be found at the Parliamentary Archives
and Guildhall Library
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
public act passed by Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
to lay down the conditions under which Wormwood Scrubs
Wormwood Scrubs
Wormwood Scrubs, known locally as The Scrubs, is an open space located in the north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London. It is the largest open space in the Borough, at 80 ha , and one of the largest areas of common land in London...
in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
was to be owned by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It is a local Act of Parliament.
135 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s of land known as Wormwood Scrubs was bought by the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
(now the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
) in 1879 to "create a metropolitan exercising ground in pursuance of the Military Forces Localisation Act 1872" The purchase was designed to ensure that a sufficiently large area of land was usable for military training close to the centre of the expanding London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
metropolis.
Despite military ownership which continues to this day, in the 1879 Act Parliament placed the new public-owned land of Wormwood Scrubs in the care of the Metropolitan Board of Works
Metropolitan 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...
to ensure that alongside military training, the land could be given over to "the perpetual use thereof by the inhabitants of the metropolis
Metropolis
A metropolis is a very large city or urban area which is a significant economic, political and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections and communications...
for exercise and recreation". This gave the Board of Works and its successors the ability to maintain and improve the land, although any such scheme must be referred to the War Office or its successors for approval. If approval can not be agreed, then there is a mechanism in the Act to allow both parties to appoint adjudicators and for any such decision to be umpired. It also prevents the Army from building any "permanent erections" other than rifle butts and "their related appurtenances".
The Act gives rights and authority to the public, the Army and the Metropolitan Board of Works and its successors. The public's right to enjoy Wormwood Scrubs is protected in perpertuity - it may not be taken back wholesale by the military or sold unless the area "ceases to be used by the citizens of London". In the same vein, the Act bans military training on public holidays
Public holidays in the United Kingdom
Public holidays in the United Kingdom are the public holidays observed in some or all of the countries of the United Kingdom. Most businesses and non-essential services are closed on public holidays, although an increasing number of retail businesses do open on some of the public holidays.Although...
. The Metropolitan Board of Works was given the authority to pass by-laws over the area, while the Army can prohibit entry by civilians on pain of fines or imprisonment during periods of military training.
The Act remains in force today. The successor body to the Metropolitan Board of Works in acting as civilian trustees of Wormwood Scrubs are the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
. The Ministry of Defence has replaced the War Office.
The Act was appended by a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Defence and the Greater London Council on 1 October 1980. This sets out which party has responsibility for carrying out and paying for improvements to the land under certain circumstances. In 2005, the government made clear that the Act is still adhered to by all parties, and that the military does still use the area for training.
Copies of the Act can be found at the Parliamentary Archives
Parliamentary Archives
The Parliamentary Archives of the United Kingdom preserves and makes available to public the records of the House of Lords and House of Commons back to 1497, as well as some 200 other collections of Parliamentary interest...
and Guildhall Library
Guildhall Library
The Guildhall Library is administered by the Corporation of London, the government of the City of London, which is the historical heart of London, England. It was founded in the 1420s under the terms of the will of Lord Mayor Dick Whittington...