Bromley | |
---|---|
Bromley Town Hall | |
Bromley within Kent in 1961 | |
Area | |
• 1871 | 4,706 acres (19.04 km2) [1] |
• 1911 | 4,696 acres (19.00 km2) [2] |
• 1961 | 6,513 acres (26.36 km2) [3] |
Population | |
• 1871 | 10,764 [1] |
• 1911 | 27,397 [2] |
• 1961 | 68,252 [3] |
Density | |
• 1871 | 2.3/acre |
• 1911 | 5.8/acre |
• 1961 | 10.5/acre |
History | |
• Created | 1867 |
• Abolished | 1965 |
• Succeeded by | London Borough of Bromley |
Status | Local board (1867 - 1894) Urban district (1894 - 1903) Municipal borough (after 1903) |
Government | |
• HQ | Bromley Town Hall |
• Motto | Dum Cresco Spero (While I grow I hope) |
Coat of arms | |
Bromley was a local government district in northwest Kent from 1867 to 1965 around the town of Bromley. The area was suburban to London's conurbation region and formed part of the Metropolitan Police District and from 1933 was included in the area of the London Passenger Transport Board.
Bromley Local Government District was formed in 1867 when the parish of Bromley adopted the Local Government Act 1858, and a local board of twelve members was formed to govern the town. [1] The Local Government Act 1894 reconstituted the area as Bromley Urban District. An urban district council of 16 members replaced the local board. [4]
The town was granted a charter of incorporation to become a municipal borough in 1903. The granting of the charter was celebrated by a public holiday in the town on 2 September 1903. The charter was brought by train to Bromley South station where it was handed to the charter mayor. The mayor then rode in procession led by units of the Royal Horse Artillery and the Royal West Kent Regiment, accompanied by mayors and mace bearers of boroughs in Kent and the County of London and watched by an estimated crowd of 20,000. A sports day and carnival was held at Queen's Mead. [5]
Under the charter a town council consisting of a mayor, six aldermen and eighteen councillors replaced the UDC. [6]
The council was initially based at the old Town Hall in the Market Square but moved to a new Town Hall in Tweedy Road in 1907. [7]
The area of the borough was increased in 1934, when a county review order added parts of the abolished Bromley Rural District (Hayes and part of Keston). [8] The council was subsequently enlarged to seven aldermen and twenty-one councillors.
In 1965 the municipal borough was abolished by the London Government Act 1963 and its former area transferred to Greater London from Kent. Its former area was combined with that of other districts to form the present-day London Borough of Bromley.
The borough council was initially controlled by independents, with a handful of Labour party councillors forming an opposition group. There was a single Communist councillor from 1945 to 1947. [9] The Conservative Party began to contest elections in 1947, and gained a majority in 1950. [9] [10] At the final election prior to abolition the Conservatives lost their overall majority with 14 councillors and aldermen against 6 independents, 4 Labour and 4 Liberal members. [11]
Armorial bearings were granted to the borough by the College of Arms on 19 April 1904. The blazon was as follows: [12]
Quarterly gules and azure, on a fesse wavy argent three ravens volant paroper, between in the first quarter two branches of broom slipped of the third, in the second a sun in splendour, in the third an escallop shell or, and in the fourth a horse forcene argent. Crest: On a wreath of the colours, upon two bars wavy azure and argent, an escallop shell as in the arms, between two branches of broom proper.
The sprigs of broom were in allusion to the name "Bromley". The silver wave bearing three ravens represented the River Ravensbourne, while the sun was for Sundridge. The scallop shell was derived from the arms of the diocese of Rochester, granted the manor of Bromley at the time of King Ethelbert. The arms were completed by a white rearing horse, the emblem of Kent. [13]
The Latin motto adopted by the council was Dum Cresco Spero or "While I grow I hope".
The Metropolitan Borough of Hackney was a metropolitan borough of the County of London from 1900 to 1965. Its area became part of the London Borough of Hackney.
A municipal borough was a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1836 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in Scotland from 1833 to 1975 with the reform of royal burghs and creation of police burghs.
Bedford Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Bedford, a local government district in the ceremonial county of Bedfordshire, England. The town of Bedford was a borough from at least the 12th century until 1974, when the modern district was created. It covers a largely rural surrounding area as well as the town itself. The modern council was initially called Bedford District Council from 1974 to 1975, then North Bedfordshire Borough Council from 1975 until 1992, when the current name was adopted. Until 2009 it was a lower-tier district council, with county-level services provided by Bedfordshire County Council. The county council was abolished in 2009, since when Bedford Borough Council has been a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council.
The County Borough of Croydon was a local government district in and around the town of Croydon in north east Surrey, England from 1889 to 1965. Since 1965 the district has been part of the London Borough of Croydon within Greater London.
Finchley, which is now in north London, was a local government district in Middlesex, England, from 1878 to 1965. Finchley Local Board first met in 1878. It became Finchley Urban District Council in 1895 and the Municipal Borough of Finchley in 1933. In 1965 Middlesex was abolished and Finchley became part of the London Borough of Barnet.
Bexley was a local government district in north west Kent from 1880 to 1965 covering the parish of Bexley, which included both Bexley village and Bexleyheath.
Acton was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1865 to 1965.
Ealing was a local government district from 1863 to 1965 around the town of Ealing which formed part of the built up area of London until 1965, where it became part of Greater London.
Enfield was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1850 to 1965.
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.
Beddington and Wallington was, from 1915 to 1965, a local government district in north east Surrey, England. It formed part of the London suburbs, lying within the Metropolitan Police District and the London Passenger Transport Area. In 1965 it was abolished on the creation of Greater London.
Salford was, from 1844 to 1974, a local government district in the county of Lancashire in the northwest of England, covering the city of Salford. It was granted city status in 1926.
The City and County of Swansea Council, or simply Swansea Council, is the local authority for the city and county of Swansea, one of the principal areas of Wales. The principal area also includes rural areas to the north of the built-up area of Swansea and the Gower Peninsula to the west. The council consists of 75 councillors representing 32 electoral wards.
Oldham was, from 1849 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England coterminous with the town of Oldham.
Sale was, from 1867 to 1974, a district in Cheshire, England. The district had in turn the status of local government district, urban district and municipal borough. Its area now forms part of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester.
Stretford was, from 1868 to 1974, a local government district coterminate with the town of Stretford, Lancashire, England.
Rochdale was, from 1856 to 1974, a local government district coterminate with the town of Rochdale in the northwest of England.
The Municipal Borough of Middleton was, from 1886 to 1974, a municipal borough in the administrative county of Lancashire, England, coterminous with the town of Middleton.
The Municipal Borough of Heywood was, from 1881 to 1974, a local government district in the administrative county of Lancashire, England, with borough status and coterminate with the town of Heywood.
Carlisle was, from 1835 to 1974, a local government district in the northwest of England, coterminate with Carlisle. In 1835, following the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, Carlisle was constituted a municipal borough of Cumberland, but was promoted to county borough status in 1914, within its boundaries taking over the functions of Cumberland County Council. The district was abolished on 31 March 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972.